Re: [SBB] San Antonio Valley

At the col between Arroyo Mocho and Colorado Creek on Mines Road (S of marker 25) I found two SAGE SPARROWS. Curiously, one was singing, which I have not experienced previously in the fall. Dropping down towards the creek, I found a flock of 15 goldfinches near marker 25. At least 10 of these were LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, feeding on the chamise seeds--the rest were Lessers. Here, I also heard a VARIED THRUSH, which is not so common in the Diablo Range as in the Santa Cruz Mountains in a good year (which this apparently is). Mines Road then climbs to another col to the San Antonio Creek drainage (about 0.55 mi. S of marker 23). Past this col is a heavily grazed area with some water seeps. There, I found large flocks of goldfinches, but I was unable to identify most of these as they moved about at a distance. At least 5 LAWRENCE'S were at this location. Dropping down into San Antonio Valley, I had a GREATER ROADRUNNER at Ruthie's Shopping Mall, which was a treat. As reported by Kathy Parker, there are substantial numbers of LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS in the valley right now. I counted 29 birds, whereas I normally tally about 10. I found the birds in five locations: about 6 were 0.4 mi. S of marker 19 (S of the junction), 7 were at the dogleg, 6 were near marker 16 (Bar Y Ranch), 3 were in a valley oak grove about 0.4 mi. S of marker 15, and 7 were in an oak grove about 0.8 mi. S of marker 15. Similarly, I tallied 30 Acorn Woodpeckers, whereas I normally count about 16. It looks like the oak mast production for the valley oaks has been very good. Many scrub oaks are also showing a substantial harvest, although they ripen later and many acorns remain on the trees. The blue oaks show mixed results--a few are quite good, but most show no production. Also south of the junction was a WHITE-TAILED KITE--although they breed at a few locations in the Diablo Range, we have never found them there in the summer. They have been recorded on the Mt. Hamilton CBC on 5 occasions in the last 27 years.

The chamise crop seems quite good, but this is the worst fall I've seen for sparrows. I found only three Fox Sparrows, all of the Sooty race, and only a few White-crowneds and Golden-crowneds.

Bill Bousman
Santa Clara County records compiler

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