[SBB] More on the Monte Bello burn (bird survey results etc)

Hello All,

On Tuesday, 6/12/2007, I conducted a slow walk-through survey of the proposed burn area at Monte Bello Preserve. It was pretty quiet within the burn area; as it was already hot and bright by 8:15, the birds may have been less obvious than earlier in the AM. Below, I have appended my results from this single visit (I hope to make more before the final decision is made on June 27). The biggest surprise on this occasion was a family group of Wild Turkeys with 6 young following their mother around; a Grasshopper Sparrow has been consistently singing from shrubs close to the green metal gate where the White Oak trail first turns downhill.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) has been responsive to concerns raised by birders and conservationists about the burn, and they seem ready to adapt their plans if good data are available on specific nest sites. Next week a District crew with others, including myself, will conduct a more thorough nest search.

Depending on what exactly turns up during these surveys, and the effort MROSD is willing to make to mitigate potential harm to nesting birds, there may be little to worry about, other than containing the fire itself of course. Those following the issue may want to know that the final decisions regarding this burn will be taken at a special meeting, open to the public, at District offices at 330 Distel Ave in Los Altos, 7:30 PM. I cannot attend that meeting due to a prior commitment. A written plan for the burn can be picked up there prior to the meeting. General questions and comments can go to Cindy Roessler, [[email protected]].

As noted below, most of the birds I located were actually at the edges of the burn area where trees meet the grasslands. While these are not to be burned, the birds nesting in them will surely be affected. But how severely? And to what distance? If anyone is aware of precedents for controlled burns or other disruptive activities with respect to these questions, please let me know.

Best regards,

Garth Harwood

Location:     Monte Bello OSP Gates 4, 5
Observation date:     6/12/07, 8:15-9:15AM
Notes:     This survey was undertaken to provide breeding bird data prior to a controlled burn planned for sometime near the end of June or early July. Wild turkey hen had 6 chicken-sized young; a surprising breeding confirmation for WITU in MB preserve. Other birds observed in territorial behavior within burn area included Grasshopper Sparrow (1 singing male near the green gate at the center of the area, Bewick's Wren (1 singing male), and Lazuli Bunting (1 singing male on rise between Gates 4 and 5). Most birds were heard or seen among trees at periphery of proposed burn area; at least some (such as buntings, towhees, and juncos) may have nests within shrubs of burn area while singing from more prominent positions at edges.
Number of species:     32

Wild Turkey     7
White-tailed Kite     2
American Kestrel     1
Band-tailed Pigeon     4
Anna's Hummingbird     2
Allen's Hummingbird     2
Acorn Woodpecker     5
Nuttall's Woodpecker     1
Downy Woodpecker     2
Northern Flicker     1
Olive-sided Flycatcher     1
Ash-throated Flycatcher     2
Hutton's Vireo     2
Warbling Vireo     1
Western Scrub-Jay     3
Common Raven     1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee     3
Oak Titmouse     3
Bushtit     1
Bewick's Wren     2
Wrentit     2
Orange-crowned Warbler     1
Black-throated Gray Warbler     2
California Towhee     4
Grasshopper Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco     2
Black-headed Grosbeak     2
Lazuli Bunting     4
Western Meadowlark     1
Purple Finch     2
Lesser Goldfinch     8
Lawrence's Goldfinch     1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)