[SBB] Felter/Sierra Road

[Kris Olson <[[email protected]]>]

Made the Calaveras/Felter/Sierra loop today, despite
initial dark clouds and rain.

Great day for raptors (8 species): PRAIRIE FALCON,
GOLDEN EAGLE, 10+ RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1 NORTHERN
HARRIER, 1 WHITE-TAILED KITE, 8+ AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1
COOPER'S HAWK, many TURKEY VULTURES. No unusual hawks.

Found 8 LARK SPARROWS, 20+ HORNED LARKS, 20+
YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES, NORTHERN FLICKERS, NUTTAL'S
WOODPECKERS, LESSER GOLDFINCHES.

Also, 3 SAYS PHOEBES and 2 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES.

The Prairie Falcon was in the same location I saw it a
year or two ago, on the same phone pole.  Coming up
Felter from Calaveras, when you reach the first big
stand of eucalyptus, turn left onto the street with a
metal green gate (that was locked for a few years --
last year I was told it was OK to drive down to where
another gate blocks access to Calaveras Resevoir.)  At
the end is a little valley and one ranch. The falcon
perches on the phone pole near the end that has no
wires at the top. It also flew into the oaks toward
the resevoir, swooped low over the ground etc.  Last
year I saw 2 Golden Eagles sitting in the little
meadow. One of the shrikes was here, too, on top of an
oak on the non-resevoir side of the road. It is really
beautiful and isolated here. Brilliant green grass,
little creek, oaks, cows. Many magpies.

Near the farmhouse is another phone pole, that had
blackbirds and starlings on it -- wires and pole. As I
was scanning them, a TV flew in onto the top of They
pole and put its wings out. Only 1 bird flew off! They
all stayed within inches of the vulture. It looked as
if the vulture's wings were sheltering the birds,
which of course they were not-- but pretty smart birds
to know instantly this raptor was not a threat.

It was a gorgeous trip, and I saw only 4-5 cars on
Felter and Sierra the whole time. Temperatures varies
from high 40s to 62 degrees.

Kris Olson, Menlo Park

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