Re: [SBB] Rottenborn finds WWDO

["Steve and Heather Rottenborn" <[[email protected]]>]

As Mike reported, I found a White-winged Dove at the Morabito residence on 
East Middle Ave. in San Martin this afternoon.  This house is on the south 
side of East Middle Ave. just east of Murphy Ave. (this is just east of 
Highway 101).  This house has been attracting Eurasian Collared-Doves that 
were released from an aviary nearby, and I've checked it periodically in the 
hope that this group would attract a White-winged.  Today when I stopped by 
the house, there were many more collared-doves than the normal 10-15 that 
I've been seeing here, with at least 42 wildtype Eurasians, 2 paler birds 
that looked more like "Ringed Turtle-Doves", and a variegated "blonde" 
aviculturists' variety.  Given the sudden increase in numbers, I wonder 
whether there has been an influx of birds from the expanding, established 
population of Eurasians in addition to the locally released birds.

While talking to Mr. Morabito about the waterfowl he used to keep here (all 
of which were killed by dogs), I saw the White-winged Dove fly in to a wire 
in front of his house.  I got great views for about three minutes, with 
binoculars, from 20 meters.  I tried to point it out to Mr. Morabito, but 
from where he was sitting he couldn't pick it out among the slightly larger, 
paler collared-doves and kept getting distracted by the white and yellow 
Budgerigar that has been frequenting his feeders for several weeks and that 
was perched among the doves.

If you look for the bird, please be considerate of the Morabitos.  The wires 
in front of the house, and the dead/dying willows on the west side of the 
pond to the west of the house, are readily visible from the road, and that's 
where the doves can be most easily seen.  The doves eat seed from the ground 
in front of the house, where they are more difficult to see behind a fence. 
Today, I bought a $5 box of tomatos from Mr. Morabito as an excuse to walk 
into his driveway, talk to him about the birds, and look at the birds 
feeding, so you might consider doing that as well.

This is an interesting spot.  Two Clay-colored Sparrows were here one 
winter, and wild Snow and Ross's Geese have wintered with the goose flock 
that used to be present here.  Black-necked Stilts actually nest around the 
pond, one of few locations in the South County where they breed.  For some 
reason, I keep thinking that a Vermilion Flycatcher should be perched in one 
of those willows every time I drive past.....

Good birding,

Steve Rottenborn
Morgan Hill



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Rogers" <[[email protected]]>
To: "birders" <[[email protected]]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 5:05 PM
Subject: [SBB] Rottenborn finds WWDO


> All,
>
> Steve Rottenborn just called and said he found a WHITE-WINGED DOVE with
> 42 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES at the Morabito goose farm in Morgan Hill/San
> Martin. Take the Tenant Ave exit, go east to the first north-south road,
> and head south until the roads hits a "T" at the farm. Bring $5 to buy
> Morabito's tomatoes as a thank you!
>
> Mike Rogers
> Sunnyvale
>
>
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