[SBB] Yesterday and today 9/13-14,2006

Hello All,

Interesting how a returning species can arrive so suddenly over a broad front. Yesterday 9/13/2006 I had a solo immature White-crowned Sparrow at Monte Bello's gate 5 pond. Also yesterday, a Pileated Woodpecker called from the junction of the Grapevine and Creek Trails at Hidden Villa at about 1PM. I did not have time to track it down visually. Intriguing that this was the exact same spot where I saw one a few months back.

This morning 9/14/2006 I visited the Gate 5 pond again. However, I walked upper Page Mill Rd. down from Skyline to access it, in order to canvass the oak forest canopy on the way. There was a lot of activity, most of it screened by foliage, but I was able to pick out five Townsend's Warblers, a Wilson's Warbler, and an adult male Black-throated Gray Warbler among the chickadees, bushtits, and creepers. In the pines near Skyline Blvd. at least one Red-breasted Nuthatch was chattering noisily, apparently excited by all the other small insectivores nearby, but I doubt the RBNU was/were migrants.

At the pond one winter-plumaged Chipping Sparrow was again found in the willows. Even better, another Willow Flycatcher was there as well - maybe there is a significant movement of them up here after all, and I've just been missing it in previous seasons? Green Heron and Sora were still present.

Best regards,

Garth Harwood