[SBB] 4/8 Lawrence's Goldfinches, Bonaparte's Gulls

More scouting for the Audubon Birdathon (we're participating on the 20th) resulted in some interesting sightings today.

We went to Ed Levin, and further on Calaveras Rd to Marsh Rd. by Caleveras Reservoir. Because we passed Alviso on the way there, we stopped at the EEC, because we're so rarely birding when the gate is open. *deleting slight grumbling about the existence of said gate*

A pair of small, fluffy-fledgling BURROWING OWLS were observed in the distance on the left side of the road as one approaches the EEC, between the RR crossing and the new gate closure area. Most everything else observed was to be expected for this time of year, thought it was a treat to watch the CANADA GOOSE carefully turning each egg in her nest, to ensure proper incubation.

Driving out Zanker Rd. past the water treatment plant, we had three BONAPARTE'S GULLS overhead, already in beautiful black heads for the summer. Three minutes earlier, our teenage daughter had reminded us, "This is where we saw the Bonaparte's gulls, a couple years ago. I remember, they had black heads." :-)

Heading into the hills and following the directions posted here by Dean Manley, we found three LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES in the described redwood trees across from the hanglider parking area above Sandy Wool Lake. An obviously interacting male-female pair chased off a second female as we watched. Other singing males were possibly heard, through the amplified music of the human Easter-afternoon revelers made it difficult to be truly sure on that score. There were abundant BULLOCK'S ORIOLES in many areas of the park.

We embarked on an exploration of Sierra Rd, but found nothing more exotic than SAVANNAH SPARROWS at the cow paddock, though a different subspecies (nevadaensis) than we saw in the baylands.

Finally, we visited Marsh Rd. on our return, in hopes of finding the bald eagle reported there. We were unsuccessful in that quest, but did find a pair of AMERICAN WIDGEON in small pond on the left in the distance, shortly past the turn off Felter Rd. At the far dead-end of Marsh Rd, we also observed another nesting pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, building a nest in the first pine on the right of the driveway into the Sparrow-W Ranch. The nest is deeply buried and invisible, but the pair were very active in their gathering of dried grasses, even going so far as to uproot entire plants in their effort to apply nesting materials more bulky than their own bodies to the unseen nest site.

LiveLoveLaugh,

Ginger & Barry Langdon-Lassagne

The "Jack Sparrows" team