Re: [SBB] More About the Flamingo

["Kris Olson" <[[email protected]]>]

Frank and all,

This Flamingo(s) has/have shown up around the Bay for awhile. Apparently
they were escapes from Marine World when it used to be in Belmont. In April
2004 it was in Menlo Park near the Dumbarton Bridge and I copied these old
messages about it:

-- Kris Olson, MP


===================================
4/12/05

I wonder if these are the same apparently Chilean Flamingoes that have 
been hanging out around the Bay for a while? See the flamingo page 
accessed from my Escapees web pages
<http://www.birdnutz.com/gallery/escapees.htm>
I think it was surmised that these may have escaped from the SF Zoo or 
Marine World when it was in Redwood City. I photographed those birds on 
10/26/96 at Salt Pond A18 southwest of the BFI landfill in southern 
Alameda County along the Bay.

Les
---
Les Chibana

=======================================
4/12/05 From Dottie Calabrese:

I was able to spot both flamingos this morning at 10:15 a.m.   They were as 
described Sunday, north of the Dumbarton Bridge, far across salt pond R1.   
Both had their heads in the water at first, resembling salmon-colored bouys.

However, once they stood up, there was no mistaking them - definitely
flamingos. 
  I had chased after the ones (same?) in Alviso last year to no avail.   
Quite incredible to see them in the bay!     Dotty Calabrese




=====================================================================

At 05:38 PM 8/29/2004 -0700, Karen DeMello wrote:

>In R1 we saw a FLAMINGO (it looked like the Chilean Flamingo in the
>Sibley
>Guide as it had an all-dark bill).

Karen

    The Chilean Flamingo shouldn't have an all dark bill, dark terminal 
half yes, but not completely dark. The bill of the Lesser Flamingo looks 
dark from a distance. The following link has some images taken from our 
Birds of Chile field guide, the top illustration is Chilean Flamingo, 
middle is Andean F, and lower is Puna (James) F.

http://www.flamencosandinos.org/flamencos.asp

A key point for Chilean Flamingo is to look for grey legs with red knees.

regards

Al

Alvaro Jaramillo
======================================

Hi!

I would like to add that the Chilean Flamingo appears to be a different 
one than the one I saw last month on Salt Pond A14. The one a A14 was 
banded above the knee. This one on R1 did not appear to have a band.

Summer Brasuel

=====================================================

August 29, 2004

Subject: [SBB] R1/R2 west of the Dumbarton Bridge

This morning Jan Hintermeister, Summer Brasuel and I visited salt ponds 
R1 and R2 to do a Snowy Plover Survey for SFBBO.  The water was super 
high, even lapping over the frontage road a bit, and our normal parking 
place was also under water so we parked along a dry spot on the road.  
I wondered where the ponds were regulated by controlled pumps vs. tidal 
(today is full moon, so I'd expect higher water if it's tidal), or 
maybe some combination of pumps & tidal??     If anyone knows, I'm all 
ears.

In R1 we saw a FLAMINGO (it looked like the Chilean Flamingo in the 
Sibley Guide as it had an all-dark bill).  On OSPREY flew over and 
perched on a power tower.  A few BROWN PELICANS were also flying over 
R1.  On the little island in the northwest corner of R1 we saw 2 adult 
and 1 juvenile BLACK SKIMMER.  My local favorite!!!!

As for the smaller birds, there were loads of LESSER SANDPIPERS with 
some WESTERN SANDPIPERS here and there,  loads of RED-NECKED PHALAROPES 
floating in the water as well as on the little island, lots of WILLETS, 
a dozen or so SNOWY EGRETS, LONG-BILLED CURLEW, AMERICAN AVOCET, and 
BLACK-NECKED STILTS.  Close flying swallows came swooping by:  BARN, 
VIOLET-GREEN, and CLIFF.  We had a great look at the bright yellow 
markings of a perched SAVANNAH SPARROW.  Fly-by's included a GREAT BLUE 
HERON, a GREAT EGRET, and a NORTHERN HARRIER.

And what about the plovers?  In the eastern side of R2 we saw a couple 
of SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS, and after a couple of hours of searching we 
were thinking we'd be skunked for our survey.  But then Summer noticed 
a SNOWY PLOVER on the levy out by the island and careful scanning 
produced half a dozen total, most on the island.   There were also lots 
of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS on the island, and out by the frontage road 
there was a KILLDEER.

It was a beautiful day at the bay.

Karen DeMello
(Mountain View)

-----Original Message-----
From: [[email protected]]
[mailto:[[email protected]]] On Behalf Of
[[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 6:57 PM
To: [[email protected]]
Subject: [SBB] More About the Flamingo

All:
 
There have been some questions about the Flamingo in Coyote Hills Regional
Park.  Here’s what little I know.  It was visible in binos.  It was near the
western shore of the salt pond west of the Bay View Trail. It was a hundred
feet, or so, north of the line of pilings that extends eastward almost
across to the Bay View Trail (just about where the Soaproot Trail intersects
with the Bay View Trail.)  I got some good views in the Questar when it
extended its bright red and black wings, but I got so excited that I failed
to note the bill colors.  The bird then went to sleep with its head under
its wings.  Since Dave Kutilek was the one to bring the bird to my
attention, I tried to have him run the 5-miles around to reawaken the bird,
but he declined the honor.

 
A rough consensus thought that it was a Greater Flamingo but, in any case,
it is probably an escapee.  The one 2 years ago in Salt Pond A-14 was a
Chilean Flamingo.
 
Frank Vanslager


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