[SBB] Byxbee Park, Sunnyvale WTF, Alviso Marina and New Chicago marsh/EEC

Early this morning I had to take my wife to the airport so I decided, unfortunately, on an early morning try for the Short-eared Owl in Byxbee Park. There was no sign of any Owls from 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM. In retrospect it seems obvious that early evening is a much better strategy since all Qwls will need to "break-the-fast" whereas those that are fortunate in their hunting may retire early. I did spot 12 CACKLING GEESE (at least three with a white neck-ring) with a small flock of CANADA GEESE on the eastern side of the hill, I had a COOPER'S HAWK and a PEREGRINE FALCON (1st of four sightings for the morning , another was seen fighting two COMMON RAVENS for access to the top of a power tower at the Sunnyvale WTF [it lost], another was on a power tower along the EEC entrance road and the fourth was eating a BLACK-NECKED STILT on a power tower near the southwest corner of the Emily Rentzel Wetlands [this may have been the first bird seen a short distance away in Byxbee Park]). Together, Frank Vanslager and I checked out the Sunnyvale WTF with the combative Peregrine Falcon and a BURROWING OWL being the only birds of note and a quick stop at the Alviso Marina netted three RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS in Salt Pond A12. A walk out the RR tracks then revealed that the mitigation pond (located between Salt Pond A12 and the RR tracks) has a lot of water in it but still hosts a single SANDERLING. Best birds at New Chicago Marsh/EEC were the afore-mentioned Peregrine Falcon and a first year GLAUCOUS GULL on the first island in Salt Pond A16 (several adult THAYER'S GULLS were also on the first island). Multiple scans for the Ruff along the EEC entrance road were for naught. At our last stop in the southwest corner of Emily Rentzel Wetlands we had great views of the misplaced BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and a of Peregrine Falcon (having lunch).