| [Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] |
|
Hello All,
I was wrapping up my early morning walk at Monte
Bello OSP's gate 5 pond at 7:45 today 5/29/2007, when I was stopped in my tracks
by a (very distinctive) BOBOLINK song. Thinking "no way!", I turned back to see
an all-dark bird facing me from a telephone wire a pretty long way off (maybe
500 ft) and strongly backlit by the early, bright sun (I was west, the bird
east). It sang several more times as I walked rapidly toward the closest point
on the trail for a better look, but it flew to the south (toward Horseshoe Lake
and SMC), and I never got another view. Between the time it took to visually
locate the bird, take it in through binoculars, then start a closer approach,
the "contact" I had with this bird lasted perhaps 90 seconds. I did not get a
decent view of it flying.
While I am very disappointed in the lack of more
visual information, that song is one of a kind, and what little I saw was
consistent with the species (general build of a small blackbird, all dark in
front view). Unless someone knows of a local imitator, I have to conclude
this was the real thing - so keep an eye out up there!
Up 'til then I had thought it was merely an
average-to-good outing. A Grasshopper Sparrow was singing from a Coyote Bush
along the hilltop above the trail, two Olive-sided Flycatchers were present to
the west of Page Mill Rd., and a female-type Selasphorus hummingbird was at the
pondside willows. Song Sparrows have fledged at the pond. And a pair of
Lazuli Buntings was making visits to a trailside shrub patch close to the ground
near the entry gate.
Good luck everyone -
Garth Harwood
|
_______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. South-Bay-Birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://plaidworks.org/mailman/listinfo/south-bay-birds_plaidworks.org