[SBB] 3 Sage Sparrows + mixed flock, 8/9/2007

Hello All,

Skyline Ridge has been socked in by dense, clammy fog for most of this week, so when it finally lifted this AM I made the trek up to the overlook along the Ridge Trail, arriving there at about 8:15. I found no Sage Sparrows on the trail itself, but following a hunch about their fondness of groundfeeding on the dusty paths, I checked the fire road that parallels that section of trail just a bit higher up. There, near the very top of the ridge, I found a group of 3 SAGS foraging together on the roadbed (this spot is very, very close to the county line, but is still in San Mateo County). Unfortunately, only two were fully visible, the third remaining in a shrub a couple of feet above the others and pretty well screened. The two I saw well were both fresh-looking adults. I saw them on and off over a period of about 15 minutes, but did not observe any behaviors which would confirm breeding. If the 3rd bird had been begging, that would've been good enough for me, but it wasn't, and in silhouette its tail seemed to be of adult length, which doesn't prove anything but suggests that it's not a new fledgling, at least. And so the quest continues...

There was an exciting interlude at Alpine Pond on my way up from that side. I heard numerous warbler calls in amongst chickadees etc. in the willows at the west corner of the pond so I positioned myself with the sun at my back to watch for a while. There were 60-80 birds in all spanning several live oak trees and the willows at the water's edge. It was a lively scene including at least 8 Wilson's Warblers, 4 Black-throated Gray Warblers including begging juveniles, and after 20 minutes, a pair of juvenile Hermit Warblers that flew in together to join in the feeding frenzy. Other birds involved with this flock included multiple CB Chickadees, Bushtits, Wrentits, Bewick's Wrens, Hutton's Vireos and Purple Finches, and singles of Brown Creeper, "Western" Flycatcher, and even a juvie Lawrence's Goldfinch (two more LAGO were up at the SAGS spot, where they have been pretty consistent lately.)

This flock was not of migrants per se, but behaved like a good mixed flock of migrants will when they mix with local small insectivores; so I guess they are getting close to setting out on their big journey. The activity level was so high and noisy that I thought, it's only a matter of time before some accipiter notices all this...the little birds obviously thought the same thing, as a flyover Bandtailed Pigeon and later a Steller's Jay produced instant hush-down moments. Sure enough, after I had been watching for about a half-hour there was a sudden rush of wings and a tiny accipiter, almost certainly a Sharp-shinned Hawk, struck through the flock and ended up in the cattails and willows a few feet away. It was well screened in there but apparently had some prey.

Other notables in the area included a Red-breasted Nuthatch which called from nearby pines, and a Pileated Woodpecker heard farther to the west. (I also had a calling PIWO below MB05 in upper Stevens Creek Canyon on the evening of 8/6.)

Good birding to all,

Garth Harwood