[SBB] MB05 today 9/5/2006

Hello All,

Monte Bello's Gate 5 pond area showed a different face today (9/5/2006) from that witnessed by Bob Power yesterday. I arrived shortly after sunrise and stayed for a bit less than an hour. During this time there were no swallows or swifts at all (nor martins, drat.)

There was a trickle of migrants, though, so there was a nice anything-could-happen feeling in the air, despite the grinding, growling, and clanking from ongoing construction work at the top of the hill. Two or more Western Tanagers could be heard calling here and there around the valley. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was in oaks near the road (third time this fall after 2 years without!) A Yellow Warbler was, predictably, hanging out with the local chickadees. An adult female Black-throated Gray Warbler chipped for several minutes while foraging with Bushtits before flying off far to the northeast. And a Passerina bunting called several times, but I never glimpsed it.

A House Wren beside the pond was probably the same individual that's been hanging around for a couple of weeks. The Sora pair was still present also.

--Garth Harwood