[SBB] Palo Alto SBC, Region 2 (Shoreline Park, Salt Ponds A1 and A2)

[Bill Bousman <[[email protected]]>]

Folks:

As with many other eager birders, I participated in the 27th Palo 
Alto Summer Bird Count today.  Jack Cole will undoubtedly provide a 
summary, but for now I'll mention a few interesting birds I saw.

Behind the Shoreline GC, on a pond off the maintenance road, I saw an 
adult GREEN HERON, my only one for the day.  A foraging VIOLET-GREEN 
SWALLOW there was far from any known nesting areas.  It must be 
nesting nearby, we just don't know where.

Shoreline Lake in the early morning was dominated by Canada Geese 
with their youngsters.  I had brief looks at a COMMON LOON (the 5th 
in 27 years), which others have reported on.  I agree with Frank that 
it may be the same bird he found 12 days ago, but a comparison of 
photos may revise this judgement.  A male and female SURF SCOTER 
remain on the lake, presumably from injury.  (But the resident 
injured Greater Scaup has apparently gone to his final reward.)

Checking out the Mountain View Forebay, I found at least one TREE 
SWALLOW foraging there.  Two weeks ago I noted a pair at the bird 
house on nearby A1, but did not see birds there today, so perhaps the 
young have fledged.

I then encircled Salt Pond A1 on my bicycle, thanks to a permit that 
the refuge gives Audubon for this summer count.  I covered a little 
bit of Charleston Slough, where the tide was out, during my 
perambulations.  June is when shorebirds are mostly absent, although 
we often have 1st-summer WILLETS and MARBLED GODWITS oversummering, 
on Charleston Slough---I counted 21 and 2, respectively.  I found a 
couple of WESTERN GREBES on A1 and another in Charleston Slough; a 
few usually oversummer.  The California Gull colony on the NE island 
in Salt Pond A1 seemed healthy with many fuzzy young.  On the island 
in the SE corner was a single BLACK SKIMMER (yesterday, 6/1/07, I saw 
three there).

Moving over to Salt Pond A2W, I saw one BURROWING OWL in a mound 
across from Michaels.  On A2W I found a few of our less expected 
oversummering birds including four EARED GREBES (mostly alternate, 
but one only partial), two more WESTERN GREBES, two female/immature 
BUFFLEHEAD, and a male SURF SCOTER on the Bay side of the salt 
pond.  The outer power towers had at least 32 Double-crested 
Cormorant nests.  The biggest surprise for me was the number of 
oversummering AMERICAN WIGEON.  I counted 7 males and 5 
females.  Some were obviously injured, but others could fly, 
including one pair that stayed together.  We've recorded this species 
in 17 of the last 26 years, and the count average is two birds.  The 
previous high (in 1985) was 9.  So Salt Pond A2W has passed this 
record without even hearing from other areas.  Later, covering the 
Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh, I found another male (injured) in the 
drying out channel next to the bike path.

I finished the day by going back to Shoreline Lake to try for a photo 
of the Common Loon.  While there, I found a nice alternate GREATER 
YELLOWLEGS on the island.  Interestingly, Forster's Terns are now 
nesting on this island.

Bill Bousman
Santa Clara County records compiler 



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