[SBB] SFBBO Big Day - CAEG, YHBL at Arzino

[[[email protected]] (Mike Rogers)]

All,

Today 9/30/06, the Varied Twitchers (Ann Verdi, Pat Humphrey, Jim Thomas, Lori Cuesta, and I) started our SFBBO fundraiser big day at the Alviso Marina at 7:30am. We had good numbers of sparrows (FOSP, GCSP, WCSP, LISP, SOSP) in the brush all around the marina and also had 4 HOUSE WRENS, including two that were singing! Warblers included 5 YELLOW, 1 YELLOW-RUMPED, and 1 ORANGE-CROWNED. Groups of 7 and 40 BROWN PELICANS headed east and a male TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD was perched on the telephone poles by the cannery building. Both VIRGINA RAILS (4+) and SORA (2+) were calling from the nearby slough.

At State and Spreckles we found 3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS (3 more were seen later along the EEC entrance road), a SNOWY PLOVER, and 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES. The GOLDFINCH flock across the street included 40+ AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES and 3+ LESSER GOLDFINCHES. Along the entrance road to the EEC we were treated to 3 falcon species (a perched adult PEREGRINE FALCON, a hunting MERLIN, and a perched AMERICAN KESTREL) and a BURROWING OWL.

At the EEC a BARN OWL was in the nest box and 2 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, 2 HOUSE WRENS, 4 YELLOW WARBLERS, 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, 4 FOX SPARROWS (including 1 leucistic bird), and a DOWNY WOODPECKER were near the building. At least 3 VAUX'S SWIFTS were overhead with a large VIOLET-GREEN and BARN SWALLOW flock.

Arzino Ranch had SAY'S PHOEBE, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, RING-NECKED PHEASANTS, and WESTERN MEADOWLARKS. Ann noted a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD atop a horse - when we looked over there a CATTLE EGRET flushed up, but then landed again where we all could enjoy nice looks at it.

At our next stop at CCFS (near the trailer) we found two more DOWNY WOODPECKERS, at least one NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER, a BELTED KINGFISHER, more VIOLET-GREEN and BARN SWALLOWS, 7 "WESTERN" FLYCATCHERS, a SWAINSON'S THRUSH, and 2 HERMIT TRHUSHES. Warbler totals included 9+ YELLOW WARBLERS, 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 3 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, 1 male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER, and many YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. We heard an empidonax flycatcher making a "whit" call, presumably a Willow Flycatcher.

Back at State and Spreckles still no Ruffs, but a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE had showed up during our absence. The wires near the cannery building had no swallow flock at 1pm but a few VIOLET-GREEN and BARN SWALLOWS were perched on the wires just south of the marina.

Up at Shoreline Lake we added SURF SCOTER (3), HORNED GREBE (1HY), EARED GREBE (2, 1 retaining significant alternate plumage), FORSTER'S TERNS, and the day's only GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. Charleston Slough was full of shorebirds, including several DUNLIN and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. Over along Adobe Creek we added many species of dabbling ducks and were treated to a great show by a very dark MERLIN, apparently suckleyi, with very coarse dark streaking below and virtually no pale bands visible in the tail. Several dowitchers in the slough looked to be Short-billed by bill length, but everything calling was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. We finally picked out a juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER molting into basic plumage in nearby Adobe Creek. Unlike the juvenile Long-billeds, this bird had a completely gray mantle of basic feathers, but still retained juvenile coverts and tertials.

At this point (2:30pm) we had 107 species and Ann and Lori had to leave. Determined to find a Ruff, Jim, Pat, and I headed back to Alviso and hiked out along the railroad tracks north of the EEC entrance road. Looking back towards Spreckles Street I found two of the RUFFS, so we haded back over there and were treated to great scope views of all 3 RUFFS. DUNLIN numbers have grown rapidly, with 55+ birds including many juveniles and several with a few retained alternate feathers. One bird was still largely in alternate plumage, with mostly black underparts and many reatined coverts. A radio-banded BLACK-NECKED STILT was banded yellow over yellow over blue (left leg) and green over black radio (right leg).

We still had yet to see a Brewer's Blackbird, so we headed over to check the Arzino Ranch blackbird flock. A group of 400 blackbirds over near the southwest corner of the stables behind the Jubilee Christian Center included 300+ TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS, as well as RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS, and EUROPEAN STARLINGS. I commented that such a flock at this location at this time of year could have a Yellow-headed Blackbird and Jim promptly picked out an immature male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD that worked its way closer and closer to us until an adult PEREGRINE FALCON flushed the whole group. And yes, we did manage to find 3 BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS. Heading back to the cars over near the marina we added a juvenile COOPER'S HAWK, species number 111 for the day!

A great birdathon with some nice surprises!

Mike Rogers
Sunnyvale

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