[SBB] Monte Bello Gate 5, Hidden Villa 5/30/2006

Hello All,

I started off my day with an hour at the little pond at Monte Bello's Gate 5 area. Although it has been quiet up there lately, this spot has proven over and over again that it is worth my regular visits. This morning 5/30/2006 was no exception. At first it seemed even quieter than usual in the early, bright sunshine. But within a few minutes I heard the sweet tinkling flight calls of Lawrence's Goldfinches. Three of them bopped up from the pond area and dropped into the coyote brush along Page Mill Rd. Although I waited nearly 15 minutes there, they never reappeared or made any further sound. Another pair of LAGOs was just a minute or so behind the first set, but these, after alighting briefly on a small conifer at the roadside, passed on to the northwest and into San Mateo County. Another set of 3 came up the hill 15 minutes later, for a total of 8 LAGO there this morning. There were also some Lessers about, but they did not associate with the LAGOs.

This was just the second time I've encountered LAGO at Gate 5, and the first time since I began making frequent visits nearly 2 years ago. Too bad Count Week doesn't start until tomorrow!

Other Gate 5 birds included: Purple Finches feeding fledged young, 2 Lazuli Buntings singing from wires (one of them the regular fellow who soon returned to his favorite Madrone tree), a Warbling Vireo, Ash-throated and Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and 2 each Black-throated and Orange-crowned Warblers. Two silent male Western tanagers were flying southward. And a "singing" Brown-headed Cowbird, alas. I have seen 1-2 here fairly regularly this spring, a first of an undesirable sort.

At Hidden Villa I ducked out of my office at 10AM and heard the Black-chinned Sparrow in his usual spot. (I was apparently somewhat confusing in my language in my previous reports, jusding from the feedback I've received. ALL trails at HV are open to the public unless otherwise marked. I was bushwhacking when I actually saw the bird, and that's what we'd like to avoid on a large scale.) A few minutes later, as I walked to a meeting, a pair of chittering Vaux's Swifts flew over the Visitors' Center. These were seen again at 1PM. A Cassin's Vireo was singing around the upper farm in the early afternoon, as was a Wilson's Warbler behind the pig barn.

Butterfly activity is picking up. Today's included 2 first-of-season bugs for me, a solo Mournful Duskywing and a Mylitta Crescent. Other were CA Ringlet (at least a dozen), Chalcedon Checkerspot (100s), Lorquins Admiral (about 6), CA Sister (2).

Dragonfly activity is low at both my everyday spots. There are just a few of the most common species so far.

Good birding all,

Garth Harwood