Today I drove up to Calaveras Reservoir
to see the Bald Eagles nesting atop the PG&E tower, and made a few stops on
the way up and back. Shortly after Calaveras starts climbing uphill I
pulled out near the quarry on the left side of the hill. I was delighted
when a singing RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW finally perched on top of a bush by the
roadside. Before the entrance to Ed Levin I took a brief detour onto “Old Calaveras Road”,
and found a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE perched on electrical wires across from a storm
fence and a row of concrete barricades. After I turned onto Downing Road to go
to Ed Levin displaying WILD TURKEYS here and there on the road made an
interesting slow-speed slalom course! I finally stopped at the Elm Picnic
area below Sandy Wool Lake where I found a birder from Milpitas (sorry I didn’t
catch his name) who was checking out a long-time BARN OWL roost in a sprawling
pine tree, evidenced by the owl pellets on the asphalt path beneath the tree.
The pine tree, which had 3 big rocks clustered at the base, was nearest the NW
corner of the parking lot near the playground. I was glad that he pointed
the napping owl out to me since it was almost completely hidden in the dense
foliage near the top of the tree. Then on to see the group of LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCHES in the redwood trees directly
across the road from the hang-glider dirt parking lot at Sandy Wool Lake. The LAGOs were very boisterous and easy to find,
despite the unusual cold and wind. Afterwards I drove up to the BALD
EAGLE nest, and found both Eagles on the same tower. The one in the nest was
sitting about 1-1/2 inches higher than usual and I wondered if the eggs had
hatched. As I continued on past the eagle’s nest a VAUX’S
SWIFT flew over Calaveras Road,
and on my way back down to Felter
Road, a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT swooped low by the
road, and a HOUSE WREN was perched placidly on a fence post, which surprised
me.
Taking the scenic route back along the Calaveras-Felter-Sierra Rd.
loop, I found many YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES flying in and out of trees and
foraging in the grass along Calaveras
Rd. Three more White-throated Swifts flew
high over the entrance to Marsh
Road. Along the entire loop at least 9 or 10
LARK SPARROWS perched along roadside fences, as did dozens of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS
and 3 WESTERN KINGBIRDS. The corral on Sierra Road remained unusually quiet with
3 Western Meadowlarks and a Killdeer.
Happy birding!
Donna Heim
