[SBB] Black Mtn AM, Hidden Villa PM

Hello All,

This morning, Saturday 4/29/2006, I walked the Canyon Trail/Indian Creek/Monte Bello Rd/Bella Vista Trail loop at MB-OSP. It seems to be my fate this spring to bird in dense fog. There was low visibility, the trees were very drippy, and most birds seemed too discouraged to call or sing. The only noteworthy birds were calling Wild Turkeys near the sag pond, 2 calling Pileated Woodpeckers from down-canyon; and 3 Black-throated Gray Warblers singing at widely separate spots (by the sag pond, at the Canyon/Indian Cr junction, and just east of the backpack camp up top.)

I led some beginner bird walks for a Hidden Villa event in the afternoon (from where I could see that it was finally clear all the way to the Black Mtn. summit, sigh). HV is thick with singing Warbling Vireos; one group saw a pair attempt copulation just 6 feet off the ground as one member of the pair was attempting to collect nest material. A Lazuli Bunting sang from a treetop just above us but no-one could see it through the foliage; this was the first LAZB recorded here this season. One of the walks finished in a perfect way, as an adult Golden Eagle soared and circled directly overhead at 3:40 PM before moving off to the north. The kids along were goggle-eyed!

A European Starling hanging out on a tree with many nest cavities was my first recorded on this property, believe it or not. I would just as soon have left that one off the HV checklist...

--Garth Harwood