From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 10:29:02 2001 Subject: [SBB] Screech Owl Egg -------- My neighbor has informed me that the WESTERN SCREECH OWL was finally able to secure his home from the squirrel and there is one egg today. This will be a rough year for him to provide us with much info since they have a very major construction project underway. Gloria LeBlanc http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 16:43:31 2001 Subject: [SBB] "Eurasian" GWTE -------- All, Today, while skating along the Stevens Creek Trail at Shoreline Park, we saw a "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal among the standard Americans in the narrow water way near Crittenden Marsh. The bird was about 100 yards down the channel that leads out of the pumphouse at 2100 Crittenden Lane and parallels the bike path. I was able to get a few photos of the bird, but I expect they will not be great. A family of Burrowing Owls has also set up an easily viewed home in a small grassy hill along the main road shortly before the bridge leading into the Shoreline Lake parking lot. That's all, Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 18:10:33 2001 Subject: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? -------- All: In my edition of Sibley (generously given to me by Nick Yatsko) there are some things that I'm not positive are simple errors: There are doubled-up Male/Female symbols on pages 84, 501, 513, 525, 529, and probably others that I've missed; and on page 52 there is the notation N>S. Does anyone know for sure if the author intended something more complicated? Frank Vanslager -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 18:45:28 2001 Subject: [SBB] Dark-backed Aythya at Sunnyvale WPCP -------- At 5PM today while biking around the ponds, I saw a lone dark-backed duck on the West Pond that resembled a Tufted Duck. The wind was blowing stiff and I got a glimpse of what appeared to be longer feathers on the back of the neck. The bird was in the middle of the pond and I had no scope, just 10 X 42's. I've seen Tufted Duck in late February in San Diego, so what is the likelihood of this being a Tufted? Michael Wienholt -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 19:40:58 2001 Subject: [SBB] Oka Ponds -------- Good Evening, Ran to Oka Ponds tonight and in the first pond was a male RING-NECKED DUCK with two females. In the second pond, a pair of BUFFLEHEAD, and in the third pond, three pairs of AMERICAN WIDGEONS, three pairs of GADWALLS. The NORTHERN-ROUGHED WINGED SWALLOWS have increased to about thirty. In the largest pond where three pairs of BUFFLEHEAD. Other than that it was quiet (except for the huge bullfrog!). Good birding to you.... Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 19:45:08 2001 Subject: RE: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? -------- Maybe another typographical error? It looks like you've caught some errors that are not even on Sibley's web site. See http://www.sibleyart.com/updates.htm for his list. Jonathan Hays -----Original Message----- From: [[email protected]] [mailto:[[email protected]]]On Behalf Of [[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2001 6:11 PM To: [[email protected]] Subject: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? All: In my edition of Sibley (generously given to me by Nick Yatsko) there are some things that I'm not positive are simple errors: There are doubled-up Male/Female symbols on pages 84, 501, 513, 525, 529, and probably others that I've missed; and on page 52 there is the notation N>S. Does anyone know for sure if the author intended something more complicated? Frank Vanslager -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 01 19:50:17 2001 Subject: RE: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? -------- I note that these errors occur only in sentences. Is it possible the doubled up symbols refer to the plural nouns "males" and "females" (which would be grammatically correct if substituted in those particular sentences) ? Jonathan -----Original Message----- From: [[email protected]] [mailto:[[email protected]]]On Behalf Of [[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2001 6:11 PM To: [[email protected]] Subject: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? All: In my edition of Sibley (generously given to me by Nick Yatsko) there are some things that I'm not positive are simple errors: There are doubled-up Male/Female symbols on pages 84, 501, 513, 525, 529, and probably others that I've missed; and on page 52 there is the notation N>S. Does anyone know for sure if the author intended something more complicated? Frank Vanslager -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 05:11:45 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- A walk along San Tomas Aquino Creek in Santa Clara today, 2 Apr 01, produced a MOURNING DOVE carrying nesting material and a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS nesting in an opening of a power tower along the creek. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 08:05:54 2001 Subject: [SBB] Another N. Pygmy-Owl -------- Hello All, On Saturday, Mar 31, I found another N. PYGMY-OWL - this one was perched on a sycamore branch over Herbert Creek along Alamitos Road by the O'Day property near Hicks/Alamitos Rds. By the way, all my recent N. Pygmy-Owl sightings have been early in the morning before 8:00 am. Not much else to report. Six WOOD DUCKS were seen in Almaden Reservoir with two males engaging in some sort of squabble with much splashing and flapping about; a female was nearby. Over 100 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flew about the blue oaks hillside near the reservoir. Many VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS skimmed over and about the reservoir, with lesser numbers of N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS seen farther down Alamitos Rd near the Twin Creek area. A displaying male WILD TURKEY was near the junction of Hicks/Alamitos Roads with more heard in the surrounding hillsides. Near the confluence of Guadalupe and Rincon Creeks along Hicks Road, a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was seen with a mixed flock of chickadees, juncos, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. An AMERICAN ROBIN was building a nest with bits of lichen in a forked limb overhanging the road at the Rincon Creek bridge. And finally, pairs of RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS were seen along the Stile Ranch/Fortini Trail in the Santa Teresa Hills - a good time to visit this area not only for birds, but also for special serpentine flowers which are beginning to make their appearance. Ann -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 08:49:46 2001 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: This morning, 4/2/2001, there were three AM. WHITE PELICANS on the North Pond of the Palo Alto FCB--I assume either late migrants or oversummering birds. Also in the North Pond were two male BLUE-WINGED TEAL. In the last month, the female-plumaged HOODED MERGANSERS in the channel across the bike path from Adobe Creek in the FCB leave early, but are found roosting in the evening. I saw only one this morning, just after sunrise. Two CASPIAN TERNS over the Mountain View Forebay are the first I've seen this year. The BLACK SKIMMER count has increased to 11 on Charleston Slough. The two BURROWING OWLS continue in the artificial mound across from the entrance to the GC at Shoreline. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 08:59:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] Sibley Guide -------- Frank and all- My guess is that the doubled gender symbols indicate the plural usage. It's a strange way to do it, but each one you mentioned, and a few others I found, are in the plural form. i.e. "some females...." As for N>S, this would appear to indicate that the Pelagic Cormorant is larger in the north than in the south, since > is the symbol for greater. You will notice that he uses the greater symbol when the female is greater than the male in species like the raptors. Jack Cole __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 10:10:57 2001 Subject: [SBB] Greater White-Fronted Geese -------- Yesterday afternoon (April 1) there were 5 Greater White-Fronted Geese at the Arzino Ranch in Alviso. By their barring or lack of barring, two appeared to be adults and the others immatures. I also picked out four Burrowing Owls, but didn't do a thorough check. Cheers, Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 10:15:02 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? -------- This is correct. Pyle and other references double the sex symbol in place of the plural forms "males" and "females". I think that Jack Cole has it right about the North > South indication. These codes are not mentioned in the key to the guide on the inside front cover. Les Chibana On Sunday, April 1, 2001 7:50 PM, Jonathan Hays <[[email protected]]> wrote: >I note that these errors occur only in sentences. Is it possible the doubled >up symbols refer to the plural nouns "males" and "females" (which would be >grammatically correct if substituted in those particular >sentences) ? > >Jonathan > >-----Original Message----- >From: [[email protected]] >[mailto:[[email protected]]]On Behalf Of >[[email protected]] >Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2001 6:11 PM >To: [[email protected]] >Subject: [SBB] More Sibley Guide Corrections? > > >All: >In my edition of Sibley (generously given to me by Nick Yatsko) there are >some things that I'm not positive are simple errors: There are doubled-up >Male/Female symbols on pages 84, 501, 513, 525, 529, and probably others >that >I've missed; and on page 52 there is the notation N>S. Does anyone know >for >sure if the author intended something more complicated? > >Frank Vanslager >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to >[[email protected]] > >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to >[[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 10:46:51 2001 Subject: [SBB] Alum Rock field trip (April 1) -------- A group of 23 birders participated in a long and pleasant walk through Alum Rock Park on April 1. Cloud cover kept things cool during all of the uphill walking, but the sun came out a bit later. We saw about 50 species, but missed the more unusual specialties this year, and even a few of the regulars (Golden Eagle, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Allen's Hummingbird). But we did find three Rufous-Crowned Sparrows (including one bird singing up close for all of us), a posing California Thrasher, several Brown Creepers, and a male American Kestrel that appeared to be repeatedly catching mice, taking them alive to a perch, but then dropping them. One Turkey was heard calling. The only spring migrants were Northern Rough-Winged Swallows, House Wrens (at least 7 birds singing), Bullock's Orioles (at least 6), and a couple of unco- operative Western Kingbirds (uphill from the top of the Todd Quick trail). Lingering winter birds included several sparrow species (one birder saw a Lincoln's), several Hermit Thrushes, a singing Townsend's Warbler (seen I think by just one person), and a few Kinglets and Yellow-Rumps. Raptors included both accipters and a White-Tailed Kite, along with numerous Red-Tails. We were told at the YSI that the captive Swainson's Hawk had died a few months ago at the age of nearly 30; an injured Red-Tailed Hawk was out for air. Thanks to all the participants for their contributions to the trip. Al Eisner -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 12:16:01 2001 Subject: [SBB] Marsh loop Sunday -------- Another lovely day on the bay yesterday. We saw our first Moorhen in the Forebay (to the right as you approach the pumphouse from the parking lot at the end of San Antonio) and enjoyed the swoops of Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows overhead and the Terns and Skimmers on the bay. Two of the Black Skimmers seemed to be courting--they would fly up together, then flutter at each other before swooping back down. Maybe we'll have baby Skimmers this summer? The male Common Yellow-throats were trying to get some courting in as well--we heard several call and saw one handsome fellow posing in the sunshine (there's nothing "common" about these little bandits--gotta wonder about the imagination of the person who named them!). It was terribly windy and not many hawks were hunting, but we did see one Kite and a male Harrier struggling along the hill line. What an amazing place. Natasha -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 12:19:59 2001 Subject: [SBB] Nesting Season -------- Folks: With the nesting season underway, this is a reminder that Mike Rogers and I are still collecting breeding records for the post-atlas data base. A "record" includes the species, the breeding evidence you saw, the date, and a precise location. By precise location I mean a description sufficiently detailed that Mike or I can locate it from a topo sheet. For urban records, this normally means you need to give us the street (including which side), the nearest cross street, and where in the block it is located ("2/3rds towards . . .). We try to locate records to within 50 m. For wildland records this is more difficult. It is difficult to succinctly tell you what is of most interest. Generally we are interested in all raptor records, as they are high on the food chain, and certainly records of uncommon or rare species. We are saturated with European Starling, California Towhee, House Finch, and House Sparrow records. However, away from the northern Santa Clara Valley, even these records may be of interest. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 12:49:47 2001 Subject: [SBB] Backyard birds -------- This past Friday, 3/30/01, my wife saw a tree full of Hooded Orioles in our South San Jose neighborhood (south of Santa Teresa Boulvard). I did get to enjoy the privilege however. Sunday afternoon we observed three calling Red-shouldered Hawks with their 'windows' showing clearly as they circled high above our back yard with a couple of Red-tailed Hawks nearby. We still have two Pine Sisken coming to our thistle feeders (one seems ill at times) and about six White-crowned Sparrows and one Gold-Crowned Sparrow with obvious evidence of molting to adult plumages. One brightly colored male Rufous Hummingbird buzzed our neighbors orange tree while we were on our patio enjoying our morning cup of coffee. About a dozen Cedar Waxwings zipped across the house but didn't stop to visit. The birds are there for those who are aware. Karl We change best when we learn from the past and plan for the future, while enjoying the present. _SJ _______________________________________________________ Send a cool gift with your E-Card http://www.bluemountain.com/giftcenter/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 13:20:13 2001 Subject: [SBB] Immature Lark Sparrows on SCVAS field trip -------- All, On Saturday's SCVAS field trip to Gilroy Hot Springs Road we picked up most of the desired species (Wood Duck, Common Merganser, Greater Yellowlegs, Golden Eagle, Wild Turkey, Warbling Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, Purple Finch, House Wren, Hermit Thrush, Western Bluebird, Bullock's Oriole, Orange-crowned Warblers (heard only) and Lark Sparrow). Some big misses included Tree Sparrow and Northern Harrier seen the day before. The timing of this years spring migration (local over wintering birds leaving earlier than usual, breeding starting earlier than usual and more southerly migrating birds arriving later than usual (or simply bypassing our neck of the woods) resulted in some of the more interesting observations. Two out of three Wild Turkey sightings were of solitary females apparently heading of to nest sites on the hillsides, male Purple Finches either did not sing or seldom got it right and at one stop along Canada Rd. we were fortunate to see three immature Lark Sparrows in a bush alongside the road from which they were apparently unable or unwilling to leave (in spite our close proximity). I got the impression that they were fresh out of the nest and just learning to move among the branches. An adult Lark Sparrow nearby was not quite so reluctant. We also could not help but notice that water flow in Coyote Creek was significantly lower than usual and that expected wet spots along Canada Rd. were dry. Take care, Bob Reiling, 12:45 PM, 4/2/01 -------- Attachment 1.7 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 13:20:14 2001 Subject: [SBB] County birding -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I did some birding around Charleston Slough in the faint hopes that something might have blown in (other than us). Lots of Scaup (both) and many small rafts of Ruddy Duck were actively feeding, lots of dowitchers (resting, as were most sandpipers), a few of most of the usual ducks (no Wigeon), several Forster's Terns, three Bonaparte's Gulls, at least nine Black Skimmers (usual place in Charleston Slough), one Greater Yellowlegs, one female Surf Scoter, one brightly marked adult male American Goldfinch and at least two Common Snipe (in the brush piles in Adobe Creek with Least Sandpipers tuck in and around them). Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:15 PM, 4/2/01 -------- Attachment 842 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 13:39:33 2001 Subject: [SBB] Immature Lark Sparrows (part 2) -------- All, I should have mentioned that a really big miss was the Western Kingbird (none seen in two days birding the area). The immature Lark Sparrows that were in a bush on the East side of Canada Rd, were down hill from a hilltop home about a quarter of a mile south of the MM Ranch. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:37 PM, 4/2/01 -------- Attachment 435 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 13:52:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] Mime-Version: 1.0 -------- Just after I left Tom Grey at Frenchman's meadow on Saturday, I heard my first Pacific Slope Flycatcher of the season near the intersection of Frenchman's and Mayfield. Last week I had the treat of hearing Hermit Thrush sing its full song in my backyard on campus. Dave Division of Immunology/Transplantation Biology Dept. of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine CCSR Building, Room 2115B 300 Pasteur Drive Stanford, CA 94305-5164 Tel: (650)498-4189 FAX:(650) 498-6077 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 15:41:39 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] -Hooded Mergansers -------- Along with the female/immature Hooded Mergansers near the pumphouse, a beautiful mature male and a female have been in the flood basin channel at the end of the Shoreline salt ponds. They have been there from February through at least last Tuesday. Richard C. Carlson Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Part-time Economist Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 15:48:31 2001 Subject: [SBB] White-headed Ruddy Duck redux -------- Sue Macias and I saw the white-headed Ruddy Duck again in pond A9 (by the mouth of Alviso Slough at Coyote Creek). It was in the corner by the levee between A9 and A10 (on the Alviso Slough side). The pond has several hundred Ruddy Ducks, as well as American Coots, American Wigeon, Canvasbacks, Pied-billed Grebes, Mallards, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Red-breasted Mergansers, Double-crested Cormorant, Western and Clark's Grebes, American Avocets and gulls galore. The levee between A9 and A10 is full of pre-nesting California Gulls and some Double-crested Cormorants (and one American White Pelican). It was unpleasantly windy out there today and we had some hilarious looks at California Gulls bathing at the mouth of Alviso Slough that were blown off-kilter as they opened their wings to bathe. Cheryl Millett San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory PO Box 247 1290 Hope Street Alviso, CA 95002 phone 408/946-6548 fax 408/946-9279 -------- Attachment 1.3 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 16:11:32 2001 Subject: [SBB] WT Swifts 4/2/01 -------- I had a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT over Coyote Creek, south of Tasman Ave yesterday (4/2/01). (Not sure if they have been reported yet). I am back as a Santa Clara County resident. Apt. on River Oaks Dr. near the Cisco Agnews Devastated Area. Does anyone bird the Coyote Creek between Tasman and Montague regularly? Would appreciate tips on access/parking. Thanks, Vivek -------- Attachment 1.5 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 17:41:50 2001 Subject: [SBB] Immature Lark Sparrows (part 3) -------- All, Oooops! Tree Sparrows should read Tree Swallows. Sorry, Bob Reiling, 5:42 PM, 4/2/01 -------- Attachment 186 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 17:56:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] What a morning for RUHUs -------- This morning proved to be a good day to observe Rufous Hummingbird psychology at a feeding site when “weathered in” during migration. I arrived at my banding site in the Diablos (near Felter and Sierra Roads) early this morning to 38 degree temperature and low 100 % cloud cover. The change in weather from last week was tremendous. For the last couple of weeks the mild pleasant weather was great not only for humans but also for migrating RUHUs. I had been netting few of the few hummers that came in to the pink eucalyptus flowers. Occasionally I could actually see and hear the male birds (perhaps an Allen’s in there?) zipping overhead heading generally in a north direction. This morning was a different story altogether. Straight off in the garden area, hummer activity was high. I could hear chattering Anna’s and squealing, zinging Selasphorus, and could see flashing gorgets of magenta and orange. The ANHU seemed upset at the intrusion of so many other bossy birds and though they tried valiantly to defend their turf, the RUHUs seemed to be winning. My extremely rough estimate of hummers in the small garden for the morning was about 5-8 ANHU and 8-12 RUHU. I never saw a female RUHU flying around, but their subtle presence was detected by netting 6 of them. Several different male RUHU took turns chasing each other, other hummers, one poor scrub jay that happened by, and, when the area was swept clear of anything with wings, rested atop prominent perches to glare to the left and right. This went on continuously. I caught, in addition to the 6 females, 3 male RUHU, 2 adult male, 1 adult female, and 2 young ANHU. There was no visual fat levels on the RUHU, their weights were normal, though. But several of the earlier captured birds (in March) did have quite a bit of fat and were thus heavier in weight. One of the male RUHU had 75% green on his back. One of the female RUHU was a second-year bird (born last year) because she had retained 4 juvenal tail feathers. I never cease to be amazed at the tenacity, perseverance, and resiliency of these beautiful little birds. Rita Colwell -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 21:32:11 2001 Subject: [SBB] Alviso EEC and Arzino Ranch -------- Hi, Late this afternoon, I took advantage of the extra hour of daylight and birded the EEC in Alviso and Arzino Ranch. While walking along the entrance road to the EEC, I flushed a Burrowing Owl. There were several Eared Grebes, one coming into breeding plumage in the salt pond. A Northern Pintail flew over as did a few Bonaparte's Gulls. I had a Loggerhead Shrike near the shelter that is across from the EEC. I then drove over to Arzino Ranch to see the Greater White-fronted Geese reported by Al Eisner. I found them easily enough, along with two more Burrowing Owls. I am also fairly certain that I saw a Cattle Egret fly from Arzino Ranch and land near Grand and Spreckles, but by the time I drove over for a closer look, it was gone. It appeared smaller than a Great Egret. The bill was more orange than yellow and the legs were dark. I know Cattle Egrets have been seen in this area before. Have any been seen recently? Thanks, Don Ganton -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 02 22:18:08 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Alviso EEC and Arzino Ranch -------- Could be one, Don. I've seen one hanging around the large Oka pond several times this winter. Haven't seen many, or that one for some time though. But I know they're around... Dusty Bleher Campbell, Ca. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Ganton" <[[email protected]]> To: "South Bay Birds Mailing List" <[[email protected]]> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2001 21:32 Subject: [SBB] Alviso EEC and Arzino Ranch > Hi, > > Late this afternoon, I took advantage of the extra hour of daylight and > birded the EEC in Alviso and Arzino Ranch. While walking along the entrance > road to the EEC, I flushed a Burrowing Owl. There were several Eared > Grebes, one coming into breeding plumage in the salt pond. A Northern > Pintail flew over as did a few Bonaparte's Gulls. I had a Loggerhead Shrike > near the shelter that is across from the EEC. > > I then drove over to Arzino Ranch to see the Greater White-fronted Geese > reported by Al Eisner. I found them easily enough, along with two more > Burrowing Owls. I am also fairly certain that I saw a Cattle Egret fly from > Arzino Ranch and land near Grand and Spreckles, but by the time I drove > over for a closer look, it was gone. It appeared smaller than a Great > Egret. The bill was more orange than yellow and the legs were dark. I know > Cattle Egrets have been seen in this area before. Have any been seen > recently? > > Thanks, > > Don Ganton > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 03 05:41:37 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- I stopped by the Arzino Ranch in Alviso today, 3 Apr 01, and saw the 5 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE. Two of them had barring consistent with adults, while the other 3 had barring that ranged from sparse to none. A single CATTLE EGRET was also present in the pasture. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 03 09:37:32 2001 Subject: [SBB] Wings,a free MAC database for bird records -------- Wings is a FREE relational database that manages bird records that works on a Mac. Version 2.0.2k was released on March 31, 2001 Information and downloads: http://homepage.mac.com/wings_4d/ Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ----------------------------------------- Kendric C. Smith, Ph.D. 927 Mears Court Stanford, CA 94305-1041 (650) 493-7210 (voice or fax) [[email protected]] http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/ ------------------------------------------ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 03 12:18:27 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Alviso EEC and Arzino Ranch -------- > I then drove over to Arzino Ranch to see the Greater White-fronted Geese > reported by Al Eisner. I found them easily enough, along with two more > Burrowing Owls. I am also fairly certain that I saw a Cattle Egret fly from > Arzino Ranch and land near Grand and Spreckles, but by the time I drove > over for a closer look, it was gone. It appeared smaller than a Great > Egret. The bill was more orange than yellow and the legs were dark. I know > Cattle Egrets have been seen in this area before. Have any been seen > recently? Not exactly recent, but we had a good look at a Cattle Egret at Arzino Ranch during the CBC. Perhaps that bird has stuck around for the past several months. ================================ George Oetzel Menlo Park, CA <[[email protected]]> -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 03 21:14:13 2001 Subject: [SBB] Tuesday birds, Almaden Valley -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, Today I did a little birding near home. BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and WILSON'S and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were singing near the footbridge at Almaden Lake Park. At the inflow to the lake there was an odd hybrid goose (Canada x domestic?) and the usual stuff--1 COMMON MERGANSER, the resident COMMON MOORHEN, and the regular gull flock (mostly CALIFORNIA GULLS--the Herrings appear to have departed). farther upstream, along the Alamitos Creek Trail, there were singing WILSON'S, ORANGE-CROWNED, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Other birds seen upstream included CLIFF and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, WESTERN BLUEBIRD, CALIFORNIA THRASHER, HOODED ORIOLE, more BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, and LINCOLN'S SPARROW. This afternoon I briefly visited Calero Reservoir, where I saw an adult GOLDEN EAGLE but not much else. Sunday night (April 1st) I heard a COMMON POORWILL calling near my parent's house at the foot of the Santa Teresa Hills. John Mariani [[email protected]] www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 03 21:29:44 2001 Subject: [SBB] Pine Siskins, Salmonella and Megabacteria -------- I had a chance to talk to Hillary Stern of For the Birds today about the Megabacteria and Salmonella outbreaks. Unfortunately, with megabacteria, there's a lot of "we dunno", but here is what I found out today. It's an oral-fecal transmission, so cleanliness of and around the feeder is important. If you see signs of sick birds around your feeders, take the feeders down -- Hillary's taken hers down for at least a month to avoid having the birds congregate and pass it around. If you have ill birds, you want them dispersed and not around the feeders. It's unknown how transmissible megabacteria is, and whether it's a primary infection or showing up in birds already weakened by salmonella. Hillary said the sisken she treated responded to anti-fungals, but not all of the common ones worked on the megabacteria. The megabacteria IS transmissible among different birds. there is literature that it will infect poultry -- so don't assume it'll stay with the siskens, and if you keep other birds, use caution with your sanitation. There is some very limited data that it can move to mammals, but how infectious it is isn't known (Hillary said they aren't treating it like they would Chlamydia, which can move to humans easily - she doesn't feel the need to be paranoid about it, but suggests being careful) If people have information about outbreaks, I'd like to hear about it so I can pass it along. And if you have other questions, let me know. The ones I can't answer I'll run by her when I see her.... -- Chuq Von Rospach, Internet Gnome [<[[email protected]]> = <[[email protected]]> = <[[email protected]]>] Yes, yes, I've finally finished my home page. Lucky you. It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 04 11:02:30 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Tuesday birds, Almaden Valley -------- Hello, all, I too did some birding at Almaden Lake yesterday, and besides the BULLOCK's ORIOLES, I saw a pair of KILLDEER, a female BELTED KINGFISHER, some ACORN & NUTTALL WOODPECKERS, an OAK TITMOUSE, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK in a tree just before the path dips under the underpass. He groomed himself a long time, so I had a good, leisurely look. Best, Sue Field -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 04 11:07:59 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Vaux's Swift -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul L. Noble" <[[email protected]]> > I have seen Vaux's Swifts & N. Rough-wing Swallows entering the overpass > structure at I280 & Arastradero Road in PA for the past 10 days ( since > about 3/25). They sure get into those holes at speed! Are you implying that Vaux's Swifts are breeding in this overpass? Or do you really mean White-throated Swifts? I may be wrong, but I don't think we have any Santa Clara County breeding records of Vaux's Swift in anything but chimneys. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 04 14:41:28 2001 Subject: [SBB] HOODED ORIOLES -------- For the first time this season I have BOTH a female and male HOODED ORIOLE in my backyard - together :-) they always make me feel like I've wandered into the tropics...they're so gorgeous... gloria leblanc Los Gatos off Quito http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 04 16:42:39 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] HOODED ORIOLES -------- On Wednesday, April 4, 2001, at 02:41 PM, Gloria LeBlanc wrote: > For the first time this season I have BOTH a female and male HOODED > ORIOLE > in my backyard - together :- I think my orioles are here. I came home this afternoon and the feeder was empty. Either the orioles are here, or half the hummingbirds in the state had a convention here this morning. Chuq Von Rospach, Internet Gnome [<[[email protected]]> = <[[email protected]]> = <[[email protected]]>] Yes, yes, I've finally finished my home page. Lucky you. How about never? Is never good for you? -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 04 18:50:09 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Vaux's Swift -------- I have seen Vaux's Swifts & N. Rough-wing Swallows entering the overpass structure at I280 & Arastradero Road in PA for the past 10 days ( since about 3/25). They sure get into those holes at speed! Screech Tom Ryan wrote: > Hi all,I observed my first Vaux's Swift of the year today (4/4/01). > There was just one individual flying with a mixed species group of > swallows over wetlands near the intersection of Zanker Rd & Hwy > 237. Cheers,Tom -- Paul L. Noble "Screechowl" [[email protected]] ^ ^ @ @ ( v ) ( ) / \ m m -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 04 20:40:30 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Vaux's Swift -------- Whoops! I meant white-thoated swifts. Duhh! Screech. P.S. Boy are you guys on your toes! Michael Mammoser wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Paul L. Noble" <[[email protected]]> > > > I have seen Vaux's Swifts & N. Rough-wing Swallows entering the overpass > > structure at I280 & Arastradero Road in PA for the past 10 days ( since > > about 3/25). They sure get into those holes at speed! > > Are you implying that Vaux's Swifts are breeding in this overpass? Or do you > really mean White-throated Swifts? I may be wrong, but I don't think we have > any Santa Clara County breeding records of Vaux's Swift in anything but > chimneys. > > Mike Mammoser > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -- Paul L. Noble "Screechowl" [[email protected]] ^ ^ @ @ ( v ) ( ) / \ m m -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 07:43:10 2001 Subject: [SBB] EEC -------- This morning there were two beautiful Pintails just inside the gate at the EEC. A little farther down the road, I got a glimpse of a nice Cinnamon Teal too. One last invite to the EEC this Saturday evening. Gates will be open later for a twilight walk at 5:30 pm followed by a nice slide show presented by Freddy Howell, owner of Wild Bird Center and SCVAS member. Shade grow coffee tasting too! No reservations necessary. Tell your friends! Thanks. Sharon Lee __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 07:59:46 2001 Subject: [SBB] apologies -------- Regarding International Migratory Bird Day Pre-Fligh event, slide show is at 7pm, NOT 7:30pm. Thanks __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 09:52:49 2001 Subject: [SBB] Vaux's Swift -------- Hi all, I observed my first Vaux's Swift of the year today (4/4/01). There was just one individual flying with a mixed species group of swallows over wetlands near the intersection of Zanker Rd & Hwy 237. Cheers, Tom -------- Attachment 1.1 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 09:57:28 2001 Subject: [SBB] Caspian Tern -------- Sorry for the delay & double posting, but I also observed a single Caspian Tern over the SCVWD pond at the corner of Coleman and Almaden Expressway last week on 3/28/01. Tom Ryan -------- Attachment 799 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 11:10:03 2001 Subject: [SBB] HOME, BLSK -------- All, At sunset yesterday 4/4/01 I walked out along Charleston Slough. A female HOODED MERGANSER was still in the channel opposite the Forebay and 12 BLACK SKIMMERS were in Charleston Slough. Upon leaving, another female HOODED MERGANSER flew into the channel next to the first bird (this was at 8:00pm and it was already quite dark). Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 12:32:50 2001 Subject: [SBB] Hooded Mergansers, Peregrine -------- Wednesday morning, April 4, there were 3 Hooded Mergansers -- 2 in the channel by the Forebay and one in Shoreline Lake. Also, a young Peregrine was harassing the shorebirds near the outer end of the Flood Basin. Richard C. Carlson Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Part-time Economist Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 13:55:10 2001 Subject: [SBB] Yellow Warbler and Cassin's Vireo return to Almaden Valley, etc. -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, Just returned from visiting some sites around the Almaden Valley. At O'Day's Lovely Dell, along the road into Twin Creeks, I was buzzed by a Selasphorus-type hummingbird and had my first YELLOW WARBLER for the season (a singing male). Other birds there included HOUSE WREN, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, etc. Didn't see any Wood Ducks, but there was a SNOWY EGRET and bunches of Western Pond Turtles at the upper end of Almaden Reservoir. Across the road from the New Almaden entrance to Almaden Quicksilver Park there were 2 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS holding down territories along the creek. In the Santa Teresa Hills I walked part of the Fortini Trail from the trailhead at the end of Fortini Road. Best bird was an unseen CASSIN'S VIREO singing from oak woodland beside the trail. Other birds here: RED-TAILED HAWK (apparently nesting again in the crown of a redwood), YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, HOUSE WREN, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, CALIFORNIA THRASHERS, 2 singing RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS, etc. John Mariani [[email protected]] www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 19:24:04 2001 Subject: [SBB] Hermit Thrush etc. -------- In the neighborhood near University in Los Altos, I saw a Hermit Thrush this afternoon. Since I often have glimpses of _possible_ thrushes but very few good sightings, I was very glad to see this one. Not much song; the nearby Bewick's Wren was hogging all the airtime! That wren has been singing his heart out recently, so I'm hoping for a nest! Also found my first Townsend's Warbler in that area since late 2000. The Goldfinches are out in force the last few weeks--includes mostly very bright Lesser Goldfinches, but also some American Goldfinches. It was a lovely day, albeit a bit nippy for April. --Natasha -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 05 23:08:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] Osprey -------- All, Just when I thought my OSPREY had left, she returned after just a little over 2 week's absence. She was still on her perch overlooking Vasona Reservoir this evening when darkness closed in. Jean -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 06 08:23:15 2001 Subject: [SBB] BAND-TAILED PIGEIONS -------- I'm living a Kodak moment. I have 61 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS in my backyard. In the center of my patio I have a tree whose branches I cut off every winter so there are just stubs...sorry I have no idea what type of tree it is...anyway, it's like I have very large leaves EVERYWHERE. The tree is absolutely covered with pigeons--shoulder to shoulder. Don't think another one could get on the tree if it tried. I also have some on the ground....this is my largest number of Band-taileds this year... Gloria LeBlanc http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 06 08:51:23 2001 Subject: [SBB] Geese and Weather -------- Folks: Al posted two independent queries, both interesting, and both perhaps unanswerable. Concerning Canada Geese, Grinnell and Miller (1944) considered the subspecies _canadensis_ to nest in the northeastern marshes and felt that most of the Great Central Valley wintering birds were also of this subspecies. They note that these birds reached a minimum at the beginning of the 20th century but recovered. Most notable in this recovery was an isolated local breeding record on Crystal Springs Reservoir in 1932 (see: Moffitt, J. 1939. Notes on the distribution of Whistling Swan and Canada Goose in California. _Condor_ 41:93-97; _Bird-Lore_ 35:112). It seems likely that this subspecies constitutes the wintering flocks recorded at Crystal Springs and Calaveras reservoirs over the last 50 years. Locally, breeding Canada's date from 1959 or so, but their origin and exactly what happened in the first few years is uncertain. Lidicker and McCollum believed that the birds nesting at Brooks Island, Contra Costa County in 1959 (see: Lidicker, W. Z. and F. C. McCollum. 1979. Canada Goose established as a breeding species in San Francisco Bay. _West. Birds_ 10:159-162), were the origin of our birds, but there is some evidence that there was a second source at Lake Merritt, based on captive birds, and I don't recall if the subspecies were identified in either case. The spread of Canada's from one or both of these spots seems clear, however. As concerns the effects of weather on spring and fall migration along the Pacific Coast, I recommend you take an afternoon and sit down with _Audubon Field Notes_ and read all of the Middle Pacific Coast Region reports from the late 1950s to 1970. What will amaze you is the number of very bright people exploring a great many hypotheses which, in the end, came to naught. New hypotheses are greatly to be desired, but a careful review of the past history is needed first. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 06 11:50:03 2001 Subject: [SBB] Fwd: Geese and winds. -------- There is some problem with e-mail between the SBB listserver and Alvaro's ISP, so this didn't get through. This is the message that Bill Bousman referenced in his recent post. To Al's #2 point, since we record wind direction at Coyote Creek for banding data, the prevailing winds there seem to be from WNW. It seems that large storm systems will cause winds to shift to come from the south, or high pressure to the north and east will shift winds to come from those directions. But these are temporal events. Les -- Les Chibana List Bureaucrat South-Bay-Birds List [[email protected]] -------------------------------------- Date: Thursday, April 5, 2001 10:47 PM From: Alvaro Jaramillo <[[email protected]]> Birders, I am cross-posting to Pen birds and South-Bay birds, sorry for the duplicate messages some of you will receive. I have been wondering about a couple of things and maybe you can help me out with these questions. 1) Canada Geese- I know we have had discussions on the identification of the small Canada Geese that show up here every once in a while, but what about the larger ones. I guess this is really two questions which I have not been able to solve. The Canada Geese that summer here and breed are presumably from an introduced population and were not historically part of the avifauna. Nevertheless does anyone know which subspecies they belong to? Any records of where the original stock was from? Secondly, in winter the wild migratory large geese that winter in the Central Valley, what form are they? Are these all "Lesser" Canada Geese (parvipes) or are they something else? 2) winds in the spring - I have been keeping track of the winds recently and at least here on the coast it is clear that the winds are almost always either from the northwest or west. This is true at this season when birds are trying to head north. I guess with these head winds or winds that are likely to blow things inland its no mystery why the coast is not necessarily packed with northbound landbird migrants in the spring (unfortunately). I have also noticed that often there are south winds locally in the Santa Clara Valley while winds may be from teh W or NW elsewhere in the Bay Area and this makes me wonder if this is why places like Coyote Creek are pretty good places for migration in the spring as is the Diablo range (at least the west flank). Has anyone looked into this locally? Also, is there anything out there that studies the effects of winds on small migrants and makes a determination of what ideal migration winds are? I assume that strong tailwinds are bad, as are strong head winds? How about cross winds or winds at an angle to the flight line? Since weather can be pretty static in the Bay Area during migratory periods, particularly the fall, its possible that local wind directions and strengths are more important in concentrating migrants in the area. It would be nice to set up a general hypothesis and see if it works or not. All for now, Al Alvaro Jaramillo Biologist San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 (408)-946-6548 http://www.sfbbo.org/ Home of the California Fall Challenge!! [[email protected]] Birds of Chile and New World Blackbirds at : http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 06 12:43:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: [pen-bird] Geese and winds. -------- Hi Al -- I suspect that your local breeding form is the Western (also called "Giant") Canada Goose (_Branta canadensis moffitti_). This is the form that was intoduced and breeds in the Monterey Bay region, and is the most commonly introduced and established form in other parts of the world (e.g., England and New Zealand). _B. c. moffitti_ is what Grinnell and Miller called _B. c. canadensis_. The latter is now the name for the Atlantic Canada Goose, which breeds and winters in eastern North America. The large Canada Geese in the valley in winter are the Western and the Lesser (_B. c. parvipes_). Palmer's Handbook of North American Birds (Vol. 2; 1976) covers the identification and distribution of Canada Goose subspecies fairly well. The winds come from the same direction down here, yet places like the Big Sur and Carmel River mouths are regularly packed with northbound migrants in spring. I doubt that these spring winds have much of an impact on where migrants appear. This is because winds generally don't pick up until after sunrise, which is well after most landbird migrants have set down and even after their "morning flights." Jeff Davis Santa Cruz, CA -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 06 13:57:25 2001 Subject: [SBB] Fwd: Canada Goose subspecies -------- I checked with Andy Engilis at UCDavis who is involved with some waterfowl studies. He had some additional comments to Jeff Davis's. Les Chibana -------------------------------------- Date: Friday, April 6, 2001 1:46 PM From: Andrew Engilis, Jr. Les - Some to add, but for most part Jeff is accurate. The term Giant Canada Goose is usually reserved for B. c. maxima; B. c. moffitti is the Great Basin (Western or Moffitt's Canada Goose). The latter is native to intermountain states, East of Sierra, but has been widely introduced all over the western US (and world). No doubt Monterey large geese are of this form. The large form thus in California is generally regarded as all B. c. moffitti. B. c. maxima has, in the past been introduced, from game farms (where it only exists, wild populations extinct), into Northern Sacramento Valley. Some birds are still reported and some gene mixing could have occurred between introduced Great Basin and Giants. I am unaware of any other large forms in California (B. c. canadensis or B. c. interior). That is it for large forms. As for Lessers, which I do not consider large forms, the two most common wintering are B. c. taverneri and B.c. parvipes. They are regular in the Central Valley but are rare along the coast, but am sure they wander your way from time to time. Separation in the field is very difficult if not impossible. Should be able to separate Common or Large forms from Lessers in the field. Hope this helps -- Andy -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 07:18:03 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- I wandered around today, 7 Apr 01, stopping first at CCFS and birding the riparian corridor. I was hoping that the recent rains may have downed some migrants. There were good numbers of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (some singing), with side-by-side views of a bright male Audubon's and a bright male Myrtle. A couple ORANGE-CROWNED, WILSON'S, and the ever-present COMMON YELLOWTHROAT rounded out the warblers. A few HERMIT THRUSHES were present as well. But no real migration fallout. I heard a GREAT HORNED OWL calling along the creek, but was unable to see it. A pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS has a nest in the cottonwoods just north of the trailer. One hawk would stand on the nest for some time, while the other one perched nearby. I don't think they have any eggs yet, because there is no incubating going on. I counted 12 active GREAT BLUE HERON nests in the rookery and 7 of GREAT EGRET. One of the egret pairs has just started a nest, laying down the foundation sticks only now. A pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES was perched in a willow near the rookery, and were in a location where they have bred in the past. A flyby adult accipiter couldn't be positively identified. Next stop was the Sunnyvale sewage ponds. At least 3 BURROWING OWLS were along the side of the old landfill. The immature SNOW GOOSE is still present. It's been doing some molting, and has acquired a fully white back. The dusky feathers seem limited to the wings and the head now. The North Pond of the Palo Alto flood control basin seemed to be carpeted with swallows, mostly CLIFF. There was also a group of 13 CANVASBACKS and 4 GREATER SCAUP here. Stops at other places didn't produce much of note. FORSTER'S TERN numbers seem to be building nicely, with about 20 counted around Shoreline and the FCB, and about 200 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were at the Palo Alto Estuary. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 07:30:34 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] thrush questions -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "amphibian" <[[email protected]]> > > I'm a little concerned about timing, since it looks like we're at best on > the edge of the year-round habitat. Can someone clarify whether Hermit's > sometimes stay in Santa Clara for the spring? There is some localized breeding of Hermit Thrushes in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Santa Clara Valley, but they will certainly vacate the valley floor and foothills during the breeding season. But that won't happen for another month or so (I'm sure someone has more accurate info). There's plenty of Hermit Thrushes around right now. Also, my impression is that we are a couple weeks away yet from the start of Swainson's Thrush migration (again, someone may have more accurate info on this timing). Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 11:45:00 2001 Subject: [SBB] RE: OKA PONDS -------- Good Morning, A quick run to Oka Ponds this morning produced a beautiful pair of HOODED MERGANSERS in the large pond by the bridge. The Swallow are in great numbers, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, BARN and VIOLET GREEN. The RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were calling. A few CANADA GEESE thrown in to the mix, other than that very quite. Did do a car run over to Los Gatos Creek Park, the large pond as you drive in was loaded with Swallows, a few Canada Geese and four White Domestic Geese? Only a three CORMORANTS and a handful of PIED BILLED GREBES! Good Birding to you all and best regards, Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 13:08:51 2001 Subject: [SBB] thrush questions -------- OK, so the other day I saw a lovely thrush in Los Altos, and the only two plausible candidates were the Swainson's and the Hermit Thrush. As reported, not much chance to hear its song. Good view of face (very distinct eye ring, distinct yellow malar swoop) and chest (very distinct dark chest spots). I did _not_ see colored lores such as Sibley shows in the Swainson's. I didn't get a good view of its tail, however, so I'm left without that color key. Working mostly from Sibley, using these details and the fuzzy logic of my "a ha!" recognition upon turning the page to Hermit Thrushes, I identified it as a Hermit--and I now fear I was premature in doing so. Here are my questions: I'm a little concerned about timing, since it looks like we're at best on the edge of the year-round habitat. Can someone clarify whether Hermit's sometimes stay in Santa Clara for the spring? Also I've noted that several other sources suggest that the Hermit's eye ring is much less distinct than what I saw and Sibley suggests. Any thoughts on local Hermit eye rings? It's also unclear whether we would have mostly "interior west" or "pacific" thrushes here--or a mixture. Seems like the Scrub Jays, for example, are mixed. Among other reasons, I ask because Sibley's "pacific" Swainson's is described as having "less bold spectacles and less distinct spotting on breast"--and if those are the ones we've got, it seems much more likely that I saw a Hermit Thrush! Thanks much, Natasha -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 13:27:54 2001 Subject: [SBB] Frenchman's Meadow, Stanford -------- On this cold morning, a singing HERMIT THRUSH near the playground. Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 15:11:29 2001 Subject: [SBB] OAK MEADOW/VASONA -------- Good Afternoon, Decided to check Oak Meadow/Vasona. The WESTERN BLUEBIRDS have returned to nest in box H2 across from the playground on the Vasona side. Last year this box produced three little babies (and great pictures). The parents are back and going in the box with big bugs.... At Oak Meadow, the BULLOCK'S ORIOLES are back nesting in the same trees as last year. A ROBIN was sitting on her nest as I took pictures of the Orioles. There were approx. 30 CEDAR WAXWINGS, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS where all over and YELLOW RUMP WARBLERS abound. Have a great birding day and best regards, Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 15:51:53 2001 Subject: [SBB] goslings -------- A family of Canada Geese including 7 goslings made two appearances today at the EEC. Sml __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 16:11:41 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: Hermit Thrush -------- Dear Natasha, Herm, the Hermit Thrush that spends every winter in the side yard of my house on the flats of Los Gatos, was still here as of three days ago. I don't see him every day, but did see him then. Kathy P. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 18:20:40 2001 Subject: [SBB] Opsrey & Forster's Tern -------- Good Evening, Read Mike Mammoser note on "searching for what the winds might have blown in", and with that I ran back to Los Gatos Creek/Oka Ponds. The Osprey was having a hard time flying with all the wind. The first of the seasons Forster's Tern was a real treat. Other than that the winds were really strong and the Mergansers were still in the large pond on the Oka Ponds side. Good birding and best regards, Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 18:37:14 2001 Subject: [SBB] Herm -------- Kathy Parker---glad to hear about your Hermit Thrush...it's like hearing from a ghost...you haven't posted for months!!! I've been lucky that a PURPLE FINCH pair have begun to grace by yard...a nice splash of color from him. I seem to have a covey of quail in my front yard and another in my back...or am I just seeing double? Gloria LeBlanc http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 07 18:56:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] Ash-throated Flycatcher arives, more Hermit Thrushes, etc. -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, This morning myself and a group from my class did some birding along Alamitos Road and Hicks Road. We started at the trailhead parking area in New Almaden. Across the road, in the riparian near La Foret Restaurant, we found PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, a singing YELLOW WARBLER (heard only), YELLOW-RUMPED (MYRTLE) WARBLER, and PURPLE FINCH, plus to add to the other HERMIT THRUSH reports we saw one high in a tree along the creek, and later heard one singing there. While birding there we also bumped into Ann Verdi, who birded with us off and on this morning, since we were making our rounds of the same places. At the intersection of Alamitos Road and Hicks Road near Almaden Reservoir we heard and briefly saw an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, our first for this spring. In this same area a WARBLING VIREO and HOUSE WREN were singing, and we later saw a displaying WILD TURKEY on a hillside near the intersection. Ann had seen a few WOOD DUCKS before we arrived at Almaden Reservoir, but by the time we arrived they couldn't be refound. We did see a SPOTTED SANDPIPER walking along the far shore, under shady oak woodland and dry brush above the waterline. It's choice of habitat seemed unusual, especially when it left the water to forage under bushes. From there we walked Alamitos Road to Twin Creeks. Birds found between the reservoir and Twin Creeks included VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, a CASSIN'S VIREO (heard only), HOUSE WREN, 2 singing YELLOW WARBLERS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (heard only), PURPLE FINCH, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, a pair of BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS, and a displaying WILD TURKEY (even when we couldn't see any turkeys we could hear their loud gobbling). Along Hicks Road we stopped to check the riparian upstream from Guadalupe Reservoir. We heard HOUSE WRENS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, and WARBLING VIREO singing, but otherwise it was pretty quiet--we listened for Wilson's Warbler but didn't hear any on this trip. Ann did find and share with us an AMERICAN ROBIN on its nest near the creek confluence. John Mariani [[email protected]] www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 08 15:14:24 2001 Subject: [SBB] County birding -------- All, On Saturday's SCVAS field trip to Stevens Creek we had an adult male Osprey flying North over us from the reservoir following which it turned west, great looks at some low and slow flying White-throated Swifts (a possible Vaux's but it was alone and never came in close enough), we had good looks at Warbling Vireo (one chasing another for a while), Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Hermit Thrush, Black-headed Grosbeak (another chase), Bullock's Oriole (a first year male and later an adult male) and Orange-crowned Warbler. We also had fair looks at Hutton's Vireo and Purple Finch (one a singing first year male). I also had a singing Cassin's Vireo for a short time for a county year bird. At one point Wrentits were gathering nesting material from a bush, in the open about ten feet from us, later Bushtits did the same in a tree just over our heads. One question coming out of the trip that I certainly don't know the answer to is "Do Hutton's Vireo's do as many as six to eight rapid, single note calls in their song?" My feeling is that perhaps three is the maximum. We heard a call that was slow for a Junco (and did not fall off at the end) and just didn't sound right (to me) for a Towhee (it had a bell like quality and was fairly loud). Take care, Bob Reiling, 3:00 PM, 4/8/01 -------- Attachment 1.5 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 08 17:13:49 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: thrush questions -------- Natasha the amphibian wrote: > OK, so the other day I saw a lovely thrush in Los Altos, and the only two > plausible candidates were the Swainson's and the Hermit Thrush. As > reported, not much chance to hear its song. Good view of face (very > distinct eye ring, distinct yellow malar swoop) and chest (very distinct > dark chest spots). I did _not_ see colored lores such as Sibley shows in > the Swainson's. I didn't get a good view of its tail, however, so I'm left > without that color key. Working mostly from Sibley, using these details > and the fuzzy logic of my "a ha!" recognition upon turning the page to > Hermit Thrushes, I identified it as a Hermit--and I now fear I was > premature in doing so. Here are my questions: (etc.) At this time of year, basically Hermit Thrushes are still here from the winter, and Swainson's haven't yet arrived. (The latter are possible, but no-one has reported one yet that I've heard, and the numbers don't pick up until late in the month.) The spotting description better matches Hermit; I have no idea what a "swoop" is. Did you get a look at the uppertail, which in Hermit would be a strongly contrasting rufous? There's an excellent set of articles on Thrush identification by Alvaro Jaramillo in Birding magazine last year, and perhaps he'll elaborate. By the way, he notes (and illustrates with photos) that it isn't quite the lores on Swainson's which are buffy, but the region immediately above the lores, forming a sort of spectacled look (although to my mind much less prominently so than on a Cassin's Vireo). In short, I think your first reaction was probably correct, but it's always good to check for all possibilities. Cheers, Al Eisner -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 05:35:59 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Sunday, 8 Apr 01, I went to check the south county. My first stop at San Felipe Lake showed at least 5 active GREAT BLUE HERON nests. Plenty of swallows overflying the lake, but I didn't concentrate on identifying them. San Felipe Road produced no kingbirds; the eucalyptus trees were inhabited only by TREE SWALLOWS, BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, and HOUSE FINCHES. A WRENTIT was singing along Llagas Creek right at Bloomfield Ave, which seemed totally out of place for this species. Also, a pair of AMERICAN CROWS was building a nest in the willows along the creek about a hundred yards north of Bloomfield (new COnfirmation for the block?). Further north along Llagas Creek, near Watsonville Road, the GREAT BLUE HERON rookery in the eucalyptus tree had at least 7 active nests. A pair of LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES was hunting east of Chesbro Reservoir, along Willow Springs Road near Hale Rd. Today, 9 Apr 01, San Tomas Aquino Creek in Santa Clara produced a female COMMON MERGANSER, a COMMON SNIPE, a female MALLARD with a single downy young chick, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and a BLACK PHOEBE building a nest under the hwy 101 overpass. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 08:14:33 2001 Subject: [SBB] "My Farm" -------- One really feels part of nature when you're standing under a tree to stay dry during a shower. And, afterwards the sun came out and "my farm" glistened. (La Rinconada Park) I saw an AMERICAN ROBIN carrying nesting material. Didn't see one warbler! Did see a LINCOLN'S SPARROW as well as the 2 crowned sparrows- although they weren't together. A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was a pretty sight. The pair of MALLARD's continue to inhabit the little creek. NUTTALL'S seemed to be everywhere and very vocal. Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off Quito http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 08:19:00 2001 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: This morning, 4/9/2001, I saw six AM. WHITE PELICANS in the North Pond of the Palo Alto FCB; one had a nuptial horn. A GREEN HERON was just north of the boathouse at Shoreline Park, perched at the top of a tree and squawking--territorial behavior? One female HOODED MERGANSER was in the channel across the bike path from Adobe Creek. The BLACK SKIMMER count was 11. Two BURROWING OWLS continue in the mound at Shoreline across from the GC entrance; they've been there at least since 3/8/2001. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 08:50:02 2001 Subject: [SBB] More Almaden stuff -------- Hello All, John Mariani has covered pretty much all of what was seen and heard around the Almaden area this weekend. I have only a few more things to add. On Saturday, Apr 7, before I met up with John's group I was checking out the riparian area by the New Almaden Community Center off Bertram Road and found a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER in the willows and a singing (chattering) HOUSE WREN in the brush by a large old rusting metal relic (presumably from the mining days). Two BULLOCK'S ORIOLES were back there as well. Of the four WOOD DUCKS seen, a pair was seen heading upstream and two males were headed in the direction of Larrabee Gulch. I also had three WILD TURKEYS by the O'Day property, one of which swooped in low over my head, another landed in the top of a willow tree plucking off little willow buds, and the third was seen in the hillside. On Sunday, Apr 8, my son and I hiked some trails around Mt Umunhum, starting at Barlow Road (an old fire road), then heading down to the Woods Road Trail - in all a hike of about 5 miles. It was a great hike, especially for wildflowers, but not too many birds were seen on this cold wintery-like day, but here are a few birds of interest seen: a pair of HUTTON'S VIREOS engaging in nest material gathering about 1/2 mile down Barlow Rd from the start of the trail. Feeding ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were also seen here. Otherwise, pretty quiet - mostly juncos, chickadees, Lesser Goldfinch, Bushtit, Spotted Towhee, N. Flicker, and oh yes, Anna's Hummingbird. The Barlow Rd trail shows good promise of more and varied birds on a better day with stands of Grey Pine, Knob-cone Pine, Douglas Fir, and Calif Nutmeg, as well as a good variety of oaks and chaparral scrub - but it is a "knee-cruncher" trail, very steep in places. Later in the day I checked back along Alamitos Road by the O'Day property and saw a CASSIN'S VIREO. My "m.o." of birding these days is to look for movement, then point my binoculars and hope for something interesting, and in this case it was. The vireo was feeding on grubs and didn't appear to be singing. Also saw a lone male WILD TURKEY displaying. That's it for now - Ann -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 10:14:32 2001 Subject: [SBB] thrush migration timing -------- All, Thrush ID is indeed difficult, especially when views are incomplete (as is often the case with these skulkers). As others have noted, it is a bit early to be finding Swainson's Thrushes still, while Hermit Thrushes have a few more weeks with us. The first Swainson's Thrushes to arrive are our local breeders. These birds can be found singing on their territories along Skyline by mid-April or slightly earlier. In rare cases we hear of records as early as the first week of April. The migrants (which outnumber our breeding birds but can go largely undetected since most are not singing) pass through quite a bit later. The Swainson's Thrush does not breed at the Coyote Creek Field Station, so banding data are good for determining the migration periods of this species. The first migrants are usually found in the last week of April, with 80% moving through between roughly May 10 and the end of May. The last 10% straggle through to mid-June and beyond, making this species one of our latest spring migrants (along with Willow Flycatcher). In fall the bulk of the migrants pass through between about 10 Sep and early October, with a few birds being found until the last few days of October. These late birds are probably not our local breeders. For instance a bird I saw along Stevens Creek on 10/26/99 was apparently (by color and call note) one of the Alaska breeding subspecies. Hermit Thrushes, on the other hand, arrive in mid-September and are still present throughout April, with a few birds found until about 10 May. Besides these overwintering/migrant birds, a few Hermit Thrushes breed up along Skyline and there have been some surprise summer banding records from CCFS, perhaps of failed or dispersing local breeders. Thus during the year there are two periods, from mid-April through the first week or so of May and from mid-September through October, when one has a reasonable chance of finding both of these species in the county and careful consideration should be given to both species. Outside these periods extreme care should be used for claims of the less expected species. Our breeding Swainson's Thrushes and many of our migrating birds are actually very rusty above, often leading to incorrect claims of Veery in California. These birds are quite distinctive and should be readily separable from our Hermit Thrushes. For other birds the distinctions may be more subtle and careful attention should be paid to face pattern and back/rump/tail contrast. Happy thrushing, Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 10:45:37 2001 Subject: [SBB] More thrushing -------- Hello all, Having read the various posts on thrush migration, I believe the pretty thrush I saw in my Palo Alto backyard this morning is a Hermit. I'm always surprised and pleased when I see anything other than the usual finches, juncos, titmouses and hummingbirds. Nancy Teater -- Nancy R. Teater Hamilton Communications phone: +1 650 321 0252 [[email protected]] http://web.hamilton.com fax: +1 650 327 4660 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 21:41:21 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Re: thrush questions -------- At 05:13 PM 4/8/01 -0700, [[email protected]] wrote: >Natasha the amphibian wrote: > > > OK, so the other day I saw a lovely thrush in Los Altos, and the only two > > plausible candidates were the Swainson's and the Hermit Thrush. As > > reported, not much chance to hear its song. Good view of face (very > > distinct eye ring, distinct yellow malar swoop) and chest (very distinct > > dark chest spots). I did _not_ see colored lores such as Sibley shows in > > the Swainson's. I didn't get a good view of its tail, however, so I'm > left > > without that color key. Working mostly from Sibley, using these details > > and the fuzzy logic of my "a ha!" recognition upon turning the page to > > Hermit Thrushes, I identified it as a Hermit--and I now fear I was > > premature in doing so. Here are my questions: > >(etc.) > >At this time of year, basically Hermit Thrushes are still here from the >winter, and Swainson's haven't yet arrived. (The latter are possible, but >no-one has reported one yet that I've heard, and the numbers don't pick up >until late in the month.) The spotting description better matches Hermit; >I have no idea what a "swoop" is. Did you get a look at the uppertail, which >in Hermit would be a strongly contrasting rufous? There's an excellent >set of articles on Thrush identification by Alvaro Jaramillo in Birding >magazine last year, and perhaps he'll elaborate. By the way, he notes (and >illustrates with photos) that it isn't quite the lores on Swainson's which >are >buffy, but the region immediately above the lores, forming a sort of >spectacled >look (although to my mind much less prominently so than on a Cassin's Vireo). All, First, I am flattered that Al liked the thrush ID articles. I am even more amazed that anyone actually read them, thanks! I think that Al covered the main points. The only thing I would add is that Hermits have this nice habit of cocking and flicking their tail, often accompanied by a quick droop or flick of the wings. This happens almost invariably when landing, or sometimes after a quick run or movement. American Robins do this too, but Swainson's Thrushes do not tend to do it. If you saw a nervous tail flick it tips the scales towards Hermit. Here close to the Ocean the subspecies of Hermit Thrush we see are very small with petite bills, they look cute and in bill size and shape are more like a bluebird. Swainson's Thrushes are bigger with larger bills. These differences are subtle, but once you begin looking for them they can really help you out in the field. cheers. Alvaro -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 22:39:38 2001 Subject: [SBB] Lawrence's Goldfinches, nesting at Arastradero -------- All, During nestbox checks at Arastradero this morning (4/9/2001), I made a careful check of the 80-odd goldfinches in the ripening fiddlenecks at the extreme southeastern corner of the preserve. As in the past at this location, there was at least one male and one female Lawrence's Goldfinch in among the Lessers. Other birds of potential interest at this location were a Selasphorus hummer (heard better than seen), a noisy House Wren which appears to be nesting in one of my boxes, and several excited Savannah Sparrows in the fiddlenecks with the goldfinches. About 20 Pine Siskins were foraging in nearby Blue Oak foliage. A pair of Western Bluebirds building a nest at the parking area provide excellent close-range viewing, and a male Northern Harrier coming into full adult plumage was hanging around at close range too. Several Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Oak Titmice are incubating their eggs this week, as is a single pair of WEBL (most are still in the nest-construction stage.) At Hidden Villa this evening there was a Vaux's Swift in among a large and fast-moving swallow flock. Two or three White-throateds have been around consistently for most of the spring. --Garth Harwood -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 23:09:27 2001 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero OSP -------- All, On Saturday, I took my Palo Alto Adult School Beginning Birding class to Arastradero OSP and we were treated to great views of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS near the golfcourse and a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE in the willows by the pond. A nesting pair of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were also seen and heard above the pond. A WILSON'S WARBLER and a "Myrtle" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER were near the small bridge by the water as well. Many TREE SWALLOWS, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS foraged over the fields and a few NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS by the pond. There was also a lone VAUX'S SWIFT among the many WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS near the entrance. A full report can be found at my site: http://www.birdguy.net/trip_report.html That's all for now, Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 09 23:20:44 2001 Subject: [SBB] PSFL -------- All, I heard my first PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER (six of them, infact) on Wednesday, April 4 along the San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto between Alma and the pedestrial bridge. As well, the area seems to have good numbers of Swallows, mostly VIOLET-GREENS, but a few TREE, CLIFF and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED. Haven't seen a Barn in the area yet this Spring. TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and both forms of YELLOW-RUMPED are present as well. Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 10:21:14 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: {SBB] Lawrence's Goldfinches, nesting at Arastradeo -------- Garth wrote: > During nestbox checks at Arastradero this morning (4/9/2001), I made a > careful check of the 80-odd goldfinches in the ripening fiddlenecks at the > extreme southeastern corner of the preserve. As in the past at this > location, there was at least one male and one female Lawrence's Goldfinch in > among the Lessers. > Other birds of potential interest at this location were a Selasphorus hummer > (heard better than seen), a noisy House Wren which appears to be nesting in > one of my boxes, and several excited Savannah Sparrows in the fiddlenecks > with the goldfinches. About 20 Pine Siskins were foraging in nearby Blue Oak > foliage. A pair of Western Bluebirds building a nest at the parking area > provide excellent close-range viewing, and a male Northern Harrier coming > into full adult plumage was hanging around at close range too. > > Several Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Oak Titmice are incubating their eggs > this week, as is a single pair of WEBL (most are still in the > nest-construction stage.) Garth: A perhaps careless reading of the title of your post suggested at first that you had nesting Lawrence's Goldfinches; however, the comma likely mean you didn't intend that. What's the story? Also, I'd guess the location isn't far from the main parking lot, perhaps along Arastradero Road. About how far from there is it, and is it accessible by a sanctioned trail? Thanks, Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 10:28:53 2001 Subject: [SBB] Locally Breeding Hermit Thrush -------- Mike's comment on locally breeding Hermit Thrushes prompts me to describe an odd population of likely breeders here in San Mateo County. I know this is out of the South Bay Birds area, but I think it is relevant information for the area. Perhaps this phenomena occurs elsewhere in our region. In May of 1996 while doing field work for the San Mateo County Breeding Bird Atlas I heard (and saw) a Hermit Thrush on Sherwood Point, a peninsula that juts southward into Lower Crystal Springs Lake (Atlas Block 5050). I assumed it was a late migrant and did not include it in my atlas sightings. On June 7, 1997 Peter Metropulos and I were again doing atlas work in the same area. This time we counted up to 6 individuals all singing in the area, with a few more on the adjoining atlas block (5055). All were still present and singing when we returned to check on the area on June 14, 1997. Conventional wisdom in SM County is that our breeders are restricted to the higher elevation areas along Skyline Boulevard, most likely in coniferous forest with limited understory. These birds were at approximately 800 feet in an isolated patch of chamise/chaparral. Because of the difficulties in arranging access to this closed area within the San Francisco Watershed, I have not been back since to check on these birds. I do hope to go in early May of this year to see if this population is still present. With a little luck I can also arrange a later visit. The only conclusion here at this point is that there is still much we don't know about Hermit Thrush breeding in the San Francisco Bay Area! Francis Toldi Burlingame, CA -----Original Message----- From: [[email protected]] [mailto:[[email protected]]] On Behalf Of Dr. Michael M. Rogers Sent: Monday, April 09, 2001 10:15 AM To: [[email protected]] Subject: [SBB] thrush migration timing Hermit Thrushes, on the other hand, arrive in mid-September and are still present throughout April, with a few birds found until about 10 May. Besides these overwintering/migrant birds, a few Hermit Thrushes breed up along Skyline and there have been some surprise summer banding records from CCFS, perhaps of failed or dispersing local breeders. Thus during the year there are two periods, from mid-April through the first week or so of May and from mid-September through October, when one has a reasonable chance of finding both of these species in the county and careful consideration should be given to both species. Outside these periods extreme care should be used for claims of the less expected species. Our breeding Swainson's Thrushes and many of our migrating birds are actually very rusty above, often leading to incorrect claims of Veery in California. These birds are quite distinctive and should be readily separable from our Hermit Thrushes. For other birds the distinctions may be more subtle and careful attention should be paid to face pattern and back/rump/tail contrast. Happy thrushing, Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 10:32:57 2001 Subject: [SBB] Wilson's are back too -------- Unless I missed it, no one has mentioned the arrival of WILSON'S WARBLERS. I've got several singing around my yard in Felton since, I think Thursday or Friday of last week (4/5 or 6). -- Paul Stevens [[email protected]] Tivo, Inc. http://www.tivo.com P.O. Box 649101 408-519-9194 Alviso, CA 95164-9101 Fax: 408-519-5339 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 14:28:50 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Locally Breeding Hermit Thrush -------- In a message dated 4/10/01 10:37:21 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: > Conventional wisdom in SM County is that our breeders are restricted to the > higher elevation areas along Skyline Boulevard, most likely in coniferous > forest with limited understory. These birds were at approximately 800 feet > in an isolated patch of chamise/chaparral. > That is not the case, as the species is a widespread breeder on the coastal slope in the southern part of SM County, occuring in varied conifer forest and chaparral settings. Many are at moderate to high elevation, but I think the distribution of suitable habitat is more significant than elevation. Many in the Pescadero, Butano and Gazos watersheds are at elevations below 400' for example. They do generally avoid any near proximity to the coastal zone. David Suddjian, Capitola -------- Attachment 1.1 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 14:48:53 2001 Subject: RE: [SBB] Locally Breeding Hermit Thrush -------- So much for conventional wisdom! Thanks for the clarification. That puts the northern county location in much better perspective. Sherwood Point is consistent with the areas you describe. It is a microhabitat with a distinctly interior feel. Could you describe in more detail the specific habitat for our local breeders, be they in San Mateo or Santa Clara (or Santa Cruz) Counties? Incidentally, the breeding records that David describes are amply represented in our soon to be published Breeding Bird Atlas data set. Francis Toldi Burlingame, CA -----Original Message----- From: [[email protected]] [mailto:[[email protected]]] Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 2:29 PM To: [[email protected]]; [[email protected]] Subject: Re: [SBB] Locally Breeding Hermit Thrush In a message dated 4/10/01 10:37:21 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: Conventional wisdom in SM County is that our breeders are restricted to the higher elevation areas along Skyline Boulevard, most likely in coniferous forest with limited understory. These birds were at approximately 800 feet in an isolated patch of chamise/chaparral. That is not the case, as the species is a widespread breeder on the coastal slope in the southern part of SM County, occuring in varied conifer forest and chaparral settings. Many are at moderate to high elevation, but I think the distribution of suitable habitat is more significant than elevation. Many in the Pescadero, Butano and Gazos watersheds are at elevations below 400' for example. They do generally avoid any near proximity to the coastal zone. David Suddjian, Capitola -------- Attachment 9.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 14:58:18 2001 Subject: [SBB] County birding, Twin Gates and Smith Creek -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and birded Twin Gates (left side of road above Grant Ranch County Park) and Smith Creek (beyond that). Best birds at Twin Gates were Pine Siskens (a moving flock of about 20 birds), Bullock's Oriole (two adult males battling over territory and a female), Western Bluebird (a few males), Oak Titmouse (two) and White-breasted Nuthatch (two). Best birds at Smith Creek were Lawrence's Goldfinch (two females and an adult breeding plumage male), Chipping Sparrow (two singing birds, one a well seen adult), Purple Finch (heard only), Orange-crowned Warbler (heard only), Bullock's Oriole, Wild Turkey (a lone female), and House Wren (two). We may also have had two to three singing MacGillivray's Warblers. The problem is that the birds were not doing the full song (although at least two birds did the same song) and we cannot positively rule out Yellow Warbler (doing a partial song). The song sounded like "sweeter sweeter sweeter wit to wit." Big miss of the day however, was a darkish gray looking Flycatcher that I thought was most probably a Hammond's but that I was only able to get two extremely short glimpses of it before it disappeared. In general the birding was slow but well worth the effort. People should be advised that they are working on the bridge over Smith Creek (only one lane open) and that parking is very limited near the fire station. My guess is that the bridge work will take all summer. Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:46 PM, 4/10/01 -------- Attachment 1.7 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 17:00:32 2001 Subject: [SBB] RUFF in Alviso -------- All, I made a quick stop at Alviso this afternoon 4/10/01. Not many shorebirds were in the wet fields, although I did have 3 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS (one chased off by a pair of BURROWING OWLS), 1 WHIMBREL, and 1 heard-only GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Across the road in the marsh at State and Spreckles, I had a female RUFF (=REEEVE) in with 60 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. This basic-plumaged bird showed little signs of molting in any alternate plumage, the legs were yellow, and there were still warm buff tones in the hindneck/upper back, suggesting perhaps a first-spring bird. Given that last fall's birds that spent from 29 Aug to 28 Oct here were thought to be an adult female and a juvenile male, this would be a different bird if it is indeed this age. Today's bird seemed to be molting in some new tertials, as the lower tertials were white-edged (rather than buff/yellow as on the upper tertials) and one on the right side was shorter than the one above it (regrowing). In flight the bird looked a little worn, but on the ground there was no obvious fraying or wear. Initially, the Ruff spent much of its time well concealed in the vegetation, but later it flew out to a more open pool. Unlike the dowitchers, it was actively foraging. Several pairs of dabbling ducks in full breeding condition were also around, including two pairs of AMERICAN WIGEON (they bred at Hayward last summer, so keep an eye out for a potential first county breeding record!), a pair of NORTHERN PINTAIL, four pairs of CINNAMON TEAL, and many pairs of NORTHERN SHOVELERS. A newly hatched KILLDEER was also racing over the gravel pond edge. Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 17:34:26 2001 Subject: [SBB] Warblers -------- Today ( 4/9) had a small flock of warblers working the oaks along Creek Drive in Menlo Park. Most notable were a singing Black-thoated Gray warbler and a singing Hermit Warbler. Many Townsend's Warblers and a couple Orange-crowned Warblers thown in. Screech. -- Paul L. Noble "Screechowl" [[email protected]] ^ ^ @ @ ( v ) ( ) / \ m m -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 17:42:42 2001 Subject: [SBB] more on pine siskins -------- Talked to Dr. Stern again today. She's been talking to the national wildlife lab. They're interested in getting samples of the birds for study. If you're willing to help, here's what to do: if you find a dead siskin, refrigerate it (please don't freeze it), and either take it to For the Birds in Los Gatos, or contact them -- they can get you instructions on how to get it to the labs for study. -- Chuq Von Rospach, Internet Gnome [<[[email protected]]> = <[[email protected]]> = <[[email protected]]>] Yes, yes, I've finally finished my home page. Lucky you. To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 18:11:40 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Locally Breeding Hermit Thrush -------- In a message dated 4/10/01 2:57:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: > Could you describe in more detail the specific habitat for our local > breeders, be they in San Mateo or Santa Clara (or Santa Cruz) Counties? > > Forest nesting habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains is principally Redwood - Douglas fir forest, old or young, with a hardwood component (tan oak, madrone, live oak). In such forest they are most numerous away from streams, up on slide slopes and ridges, often where the hardwood component is well developed and there is a fair amount of tall understory vegetation (huckleberry, sapling tan oak, etc.). On the coastal slope of the S.C. Mountains they are also found in manzanita - knobcone scrub, and can be pretty numerous in such areas. The scrub habitat is mostly used where there is a lot of seasonal fog. In the southern Santa Cruz Mountains (south of Soquel Creek) they are especially attracted to small brushy clearings in generally forested areas. One of my favorite experiences is sitting out along one of the high ridges, like Butano Ridge, amid the knobcone scrub, watching the sunset and listening to the Hermit Thrushes sing. David Suddjian, Capitola -------- Attachment 1.8 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 10 23:52:44 2001 Subject: RE: [SBB] RUFF in Alviso -------- I reached the intersection of Spreckles and State at 7:00PM after seeing Mike's message. Forgot about the small matter of the tides. The tide was in and there were no shorebirds. A RING-NECKED PHEASANT was calling at the end of Spreckles street. A male NORTHERN HARRIER was being harassed by RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs. On the way out, I found a/the RUFF in Arzino Ranch. It was with 6 Dowitchers in a patch of water west of the where the railway line crosses Zanker Rd. Did not have a scope. Would have needed that to compare this bird with Mike's notes. Vivek [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 11 05:55:52 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- I visited Alviso at lunch time today, 11 Apr 01. Checking the marsh at State and Spreckles produced nothing unusual (Jim Danzenbaker was there as well and saw nothing). The pond across the road at Arzino Ranch was equally unproductive. So, I went over by the railroad tracks, where a wet area in the field was present. All I found here of note was a LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Steve Miller showed up and continued to scope this area after I left. Maybe he has something more to report. Arzino, near the Jubilee Center, had 3 BURROWING OWLS. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 11 10:45:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] Band Tailed Pigeons -------- I had two Band-tailed Pigeons at my feeder this morning. The remaining Gold Crowns and White Crowns are in beautiful breeding plumage, and the Lincoln's Sparrow continues to show up frequently as it has for several months now. This morning it was feeding and then flew into the shrubs just below our dining room window. I have constantly tracked it on the calendar and am beginning to wonder just how long it's going to stay around. Where is its major breeding area? The quail crowd has lessened, but I still have several feeding and calling. Barbara Almaden Area __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 11 10:56:07 2001 Subject: [SBB] Band-tailed Pigeons -------- I had two Band Tailed-pigeons at my feeder this morning. Also, the remaining Gold Crowns and White Crowns are in beautiful breeding plumage, and the Lincoln's Sparrow continues to show up frequently as it has for several months. This morning it was feeding and then flew into the shrubs just below our dining room window. I have constantly tracked it on the calendar and am beginning to wonder just how long it's going to stay around. What is their primary breeding area? The quail crowd has lessened, but still there are several feeding in small groups. Barbara Harkleroad Almaden Area __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 11 13:45:10 2001 Subject: [SBB] Northern Pygmy-Owl -------- Wednesday noon, Shirley Gordon spotted a Northern Pygmy-Owl at Almaden-Quicksilver County Park. The bird was 6' down in a tall sycamore at the first big, right-hand, nearly hairpin turn a 1/4 mile up Mine Hill Trail from the New Almaden/Hacienda parking area. The lone sycamore is off to the left as one goes uphill, near the sharpest part of the turn. (I think this is the same turn in the trail, though not the same tree, in which Ann Verdi reported seeing a pair of Northern Pygmy-Owls on March 10th.) Thanks to Shirley's spotting and Frank Vanslager's scope, all those who were still there at the end of the SCVAS birdwalk which Shirley led were treated to wonderful views of the bird. Roland Kenner -------- Attachment 1.1 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 03:37:48 2001 Subject: [SBB] Fwd: Undelivered mail for [[email protected]] -------- > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com -------- Message -------- -------- Final-Recipient: rfc822; [[email protected]] Action: failed Status: 5.1.1 -------- Message -------- Subject: nesting boxes occupants -------- Hi, Two of my three nesting boxes in my Cupertino garden/yard have birds raising families in them. Bewicks Wrens and Chestnutbacked Chicadees. There is also a Bushtit nest suspended from a lower branch of my back yard California Pepper Tree. Last year I had a Bushtit nest in the front yard Pepper Tree. Unfortunately it was deserted. In the fall I opened up the nest and found a Cowbird egg and 3 Bushtit eggs in it. I took pictures of this. Dirk Thiele, Cupertino _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 05:43:08 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- I went to Alviso today, 12 Apr 01, and stopped at the EEC. There were a few hundred breeding-plumaged EARED GREBES on the salt pond. I saw GREAT EGRET, SNOWY EGRET, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON in the rookery. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was present near the Center and a female AMERICAN GOLDFINCH was carrying nesting material. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 10:02:04 2001 Subject: [SBB] Frenchman's Meadow, Stanford -------- There was quite a scene in the meadow this morning, the first really spring-like morning in several days. One pair of HOODED ORIOLES is established in the more northeasterly of the two fan palms; I located the nest woven below one of the palm fronds, and saw the female carrying a piece of down to it. The male was perched nearby, chattering occasionally and looking domestic. In, around and about the other fan palm 3 males were chasing one female while trying to chase each other off at the same time, chattering constantly, and regularly giving their high sharp flight call, along with occasional fragments of song. I watched the spectacle for a half an hour, but had to leave with the struggle unresolved. A male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was on top of one redwood, singing; one of the local nesting pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS was perched atop another. I also heard my first of the year PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER singing nearby, as well as a singing TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. A couple of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were around, including a very bright male Audubon's. Several BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS lurked. The regular summer squadron of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were overhead, and COOPER'S HAWK circled briefly. -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 10:47:44 2001 Subject: [SBB] Location of Frenchman's Meadow -------- In answer to several requests: Frenchman's Meadow is at the end of Frenchman's Road on Stanford campus. Coming from the Palo Alto side, take the circular Campus Drive around to the south side of the Quad (toward the hills), go east on Mayfield, then right on Frenchman's. The meadow is where the two palm trees are. Coming from the foothill side, turn off Junipero Serra onto Santa Maria, turn right onto Gerona, which will take you to the meadow. The street on Frenchman's is marked for residential parking only, but I don't believe this is enforced.... but for unimpeachable legality, turn up Estudillo a block or so and park on the street. I hope the HOOR show is still going on! -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 11:41:59 2001 Subject: [SBB] HOODED ORIOLE -------- Good Morning, Just thought I would post that a HOODED ORIOLE showed up just moments ago in backyard. He was here for the first time last year on Easter, amazing how close he came to arriving at Easter again this year! Best regards, Linda -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 12:21:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] thrush subspecies -------- Natasha, Hopefully this will help address your question of whether we have "Interior West" or "Pacific" thrushes in the valley. Checking Grinnell & Miller "The Distribution of the Birds of California" (1944) - available reprinted from Artemisia Press for only about $25 I believe - you can see we are listed as having 5 subspecies of Hermit Thrush (Hylocichla guttata=Catharus guttatus) and 2 of Swainson's Thrush (Hylocichla ustulata=Catharus ustulatus) in the state. These are: Alaska Hermit Thrush - guttatus Dwarf Hermit Thrush - nanus Monterey Hermit Thrush - slevini Sierra Hermit Thrush - sequoiensis Great Basin Hermit Thrush - polionota (the first two being winter visitors from the north (Alaska and British Columbia) and the latter three being summer visitor breeding birds, with "slevini" accounting for our local San Mateo County breeders) and Rocky Mountain Swainson Thrush - almae (=swainsoni) Russet-backed Swainson Thrush - ustulatus (including oedicus) (both of these being summer visitors, with "ustulatus" (including what is now oedicus) accounting for all California breeders except those in the Great Basin). Pyle's "Identification Guide to North American Birds" (1997) is more recent and has a complete list of subspecies for the whole United States. Also, these subspecies are listed in "groups" of the kind illustrated in Sibley. For Hermit Thrush, the first three subspecies are in the "guttatus" group, whereas the last two are in the "auduboni" group (it also appears that there may be more California subspecies now then in Grinnell & Miller's time). For Swainson's Thrush, "ustulatus/oedicus" are in the "ustulatus" group, whereas "almae" is part of the Olive-backed group. Now, to match up the names in the Sibley guide to subspecies or subspecies groups, go to the Sibley website at www.sibleyart.com and check out the subspecies page http://www.sibleyart.com/taxa.htm: Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus Pacific C. u. ustulatus group Taiga/Interior West C. u. swainsoni group Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Taiga/Eastern C. g. faxoni group Rocky Mountains C. g. auduboni group Pacific C. g. guttatus group Thus you can see that our local breeding Swainson's Thrushes ("ustulatus") are depicted as "Pacific", whereas "almae" is part of the Taiga/Interior West group. Grinnell and Miller do not list other subspecies for California, but some migrants of other subspecies do presumably pass through California, e.g. "incanus" from Alaska - a grayer-backed member of the "Pacific" group. Both our wintering and breeding Hermit Thrushes are "Pacific" birds, but gray-backed Interior West/Rocky Mountain birds are also found in the state (and may be found especially during migration). Both Grinnell & Miller and Pyle are outstanding references and well worth buying. With them you can do this kind of analysis for all our birds. Hope this helps, Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 15:33:08 2001 Subject: [SBB] Alviso Ruff -------- All, This morning shortly after nine and again at noon Frank Vanslager and I saw a basic plumaged Ruff in the weeds on the far side of the pond located at Spreckles & State St. in Alviso. Frank originally located the preening Ruff among a group of sleeping Dowitchers about 100 yds north of the intersection along a line with a wire fence which extends toward the pond. At noon the bird was actively feeding with Dowitchers and Black-necked Stilts in the weeds between the railroad tracks and the pond directly east of the intersection. In both cases it was hard to see all of the bird (it was behind an Avocet, Dowitchers and Pickle Weed in the morning and was moving through heavy Pickle Weed later) but it was fairly easy to find (a whitish fronted, small-billed bird among the warmly marked long-billed birds). Hardest to see were the legs (color) and the best we got was that they were yellowish (with no green). Sexing is also a bit of a problem in that the bird appeared to stand somewhat taller than the Dowitchers but also somewhat shorter in length (bill length difference?). My guess then is that this Ruff is most likely Mike Rogers Reeve. The slightly decurved bill, about the length of the head, seemed to be all black (at least at the distances we viewed it we could see no (expected) color at the base of the bill). The throat and the lower portion of the face were quite white with the chest, belly and undertail coverts appearing a light shade of gray (dirty?). It had a small, whitish supercillium and a dark eyeline. The crown was a fairly dark, uniform grayish-brown with a minimal amount of white at the base of the upper bill. The head, itself, often appeared to be quite small. The scapulars and the primaries were dark brownish-black centered with buffy edges. The white sides of the upper rump and the dark terminal tail band were well seen as it preened (the central stripe however, was not confirmed). During most of the noon sighting, as the bird fed, the feathers of the mantle were raised. Other notable birds included Whimbrel and Long-billed Curlew in "the pond" Pickle Weed, a huge yellowish Canada Goose chick on the far side of the tracks, five to six Common Snipe (in the weeds) and a gorgeous strutting cock Ring-necked Pheasant in Arzino Ranch (three to four Burrowing Owls there also). Coyote Creek Field Station was dead but we did have at least two almost all white gulls (whitish primaries) in Salt Pond A18. The whitest gull was quite large with an all black bill (probably a bleached out first winter Thayer's Gull) while the other somewhat darker shaded gull was the size and shape of a California Gull, had a bicolored bill with a dark tip (your guess on this one is probably better than mine). Take care, Bob Reiling, 3;30 PM, 4/12/01 -------- Attachment 3.1 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 12 19:57:01 2001 Subject: [SBB] RE: Caspian Tern(s) -------- Good Evening, Went to a few place to bird this late afternoon and evening bird. Oak Meadow: Was really busy with birds. I counted two pair of Bullock's Orioles (between the restrooms and the children's playground), but I do think there may be more than that present. Cedar Waxwings(30) still present in the same area. Lots of Robins, Bushtits and Towhees. The Acorn Woodpeckers (7) are always a treat to watch. Vasona: A Bullock's Oriole was spotted by the boat launch (they had a nest there last year). At the rookery there was a nesting (?) Black-crowned Night Heron with a Snowy Egret standing next to him! A Green Heron was there too. Oka Ponds: The Canada Goose is still incubating in the first pond towards the fence by the freeway. Two pair of American Wigeons present, along with four pairs of Bufflehead, a single pair of Hooded Mergansers and a single pair of Gadwalls in the large pond by the bridge. Just as I was leaving I spotted a tern. I followed it back over the bridge to the Los Gatos Creek Ponds side.....okay I ran.....A single Caspian Tern flew over the ponds, and after watching it for ten minutes, in flew six others. WOW.... Four Great Egrets where flying what looked like, back to Vasona, and a beautiful Red-tail Hawk circled the ponds. Four Ruddy Ducks, three female and one male in the large pond. Lots of Swallows (50) Northern Rough-winged and Barn. Good birding to all and best regards, Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 05:38:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- I went back again to Alviso today, 13 Apr 01, this time finding the RUFF in the marsh at State and Spreckles. The bird was behind the small fenced-off area that is just south of the intersection. It was in a wet area of pickleweed that is just adjacent to the open water. This bird spends a great deal of time hidden in the vegetation, so patience is recommended. My impression was that the size of this bird indicates a female, but recalling Bob Reiling's statement that it stood taller than the dowitchers made me wonder whether this might be the same bird we discussed at length last fall. Other than the mottled dark markings on the breast, which is expected for a spring bird that may be molting, I don't think this bird looked much different than the one last year. I wonder if it may have returned on its spring migration, or possibly been here all winter? Also in the marsh here was a WHIMBREL. A BARN OWL was roosting in the nest box at the EEC and another was roosting at SFBBO. Further up State Street from the marsh there was a very young juvenile EUROPEAN STARLING, with only minimal feathering and a huge bright yellow beak. It certainly looked to be out of the nest quite early. I don't imagine that it's long for this world, considering that it was sitting in the middle of the street. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 08:52:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: This morning, 4/13/2001, I saw five AM. WHITE PELICANS in the North Pond of the Palo Alto FCB, none with nuptial horns. In the channel across the bike path from Adobe Creek, a female and imm. male HOODED MERGANSER remain. White feathers are coming into the 'hood' of the imm. male. Eleven BLACK SKIMMERS are still on Charleston Slough and a BURROWING OWL is at the mound across from the entrance to Shoreline GC. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 11:25:43 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re:Ruff -------- All, This morning Mike Rogers sent me a note on my post on the Ruff (Reeve) that Frank and I saw in Alviso yesterday. In my post I said that the "primaries were dark brownish-black centered with buffy edges." Mike advised me that these feathers are in fact "the tertials, which completely cover the primaries when at rest." Although I was aware of my error shortly after sending my original message I had decided to let it slide. This was not a good idea, identification of feather groups of different types of birds is difficult enough without letting false statements stand and possibly adversely influence those who need to know. One of the better things about Sibley's new book is the section on bird topograph. In it he not only gives us a nice general drawing of a passerine and it's feather groups (included in most field guides) but he also gives several additional drawings to aid in identifying the different groups and how they might look depending on how the bird is positioned. More importantly he gives detailed drawings on the feather groups of shorebirds (our Ruff), ducks and gulls. Detailed written descriptions of rare birds seen are important for a number of reasons and these drawings will aid in this description (more importantly they will aid in the proper identification of the rare bird). Take care, Bob Reiling, 11:21 AM, 4/13/01 -------- Attachment 1.6 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 13:56:00 2001 Subject: [SBB] Alviso Ruff -------- Hi all, This morning at about 8:30 I went over to Alviso to look for the RUFF seen by Bob Reiling and Frank Vanslager. I found it in the same area as described by Bob as follows: On the far East side of the pond located at Spreckles & State Street, about 100 yds north of the intersection along a line with a wire fence which extends toward the pond. The bird was at the edge of the water next to the pickle weed in front of the railroad tracks. Amy McDonald -------- Attachment 1.1 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 14:26:34 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] - -------- The outer pond of the Flood control basin has about 20 White Pelicans, most with nuptial horns. Are these just unsuccessful males of the season??? Dick Richard C. Carlson Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Part-time Economist Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 17:43:56 2001 Subject: [SBB] S.C. Co. List as of March 31 -------- March was not quite bursting with spring, but added six new species, all of them typical early arrivals of locally breeding birds, excepting Common Poorwill, which may be partially resident. That brings us to 202. Caspian Tern, Common Poorwill, Western Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Wilson's Warbler, Grasshopper Sparrow Bill Bousman The complete list can be viewed on: South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ New Additions to SBBU Birding Sites on the Internet. Over 500 Bird Audio Songs and Calls eNature http://www.enature.com/ Bird Families of the World and Birds in Monterey Co. Creagrus @ Monterey Bay http://montereybay.com/creagrus/ Merlie (the Merlin) has apparently headed back North to Alaska(?) (average departure date 3/20). I hope I will see him again on October 20, as usual. Today, Jamie (the unusually marked female Red-tailed Hawk mentioned before) was on Merlie's tree. She looked so big (in comparison to Merlie) that I thought it had to be a Golden Eagle, but in the scope it was just Jamie. Kendric ----------------------------------------- Kendric C. Smith, Ph.D. 927 Mears Court Stanford, CA 94305-1041 (650) 493-7210 (voice or fax) [[email protected]] http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/ ------------------------------------------ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 13 21:15:49 2001 Subject: [SBB] Western Screech Owl web site -------- Even though it's unlikely we'll be able to view the owl in person this year...you can keep track of what's happening in the nest box of the WESTERN SCREECH OWL in Los Gatos. Science teachers love the site...and you will too!...check out www.parkers/to/owls Gloria LeBlanc http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 14 06:29:58 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- Mike Rogers and I went up into the Diablo Mountains today, 14 Apr 01, to look for migrants. Starting at Smith Creek, the fire station had at least 3 HOUSE WRENS, 3 CHIPPING SPARROWS, and many BULLOCK'S ORIOLES. We hiked the hillside above the road behind the fire station, where we came upon a couple small flocks of warblers. These included at least 3 ORANGE-CROWNED, 1 NASHVILLE, many YELLOW-RUMPED, at least 4 BLACK-THROATED GRAY, 1 TOWNSEND'S, and 1 WILSON'S. Many PURPLE FINCHES were singing, while the undergrowth still contained many HERMIT THRUSHES and CROWNED SPARROWS. Back down by the creek BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS were singing, as were BROWN CREEPERS and a pair of WARBLING VIREOS. The resident pair of HAIRY WOODPECKERS was being quite vocal, and both of us heard and saw our first HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER of the year. We then walked up the road from the fire station, seeing and hearing more BLACK-THROATED GRAY and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Suddenly, a calling NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL flew across the road carrying, what Mike thought to be, a small mammal. After briefly alighting with its prize, it flew to the neighboring tree and presented it to its patiently-waiting mate (PRobable breeding record). Even more, the 2 small agitated passerines that were excitedly scolding the owl were both HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS, and were later joined by an OAK TITMOUSE. Moving down to Grant Lake, we ran into Matthew Dodder and his birding class, who were looking at a couple of the 5 WESTERN KINGBIRDS that were in the area. The lake had a number of duck species still hanging around including AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, RING-NECKED DUCK, and BUFFLEHEAD. An immature GOLDEN EAGLE flew overhead, the many gaps in its wings indicating that it was in active molt. I left Mike at the lake, as he was going to continue birding the area. So, he may have more to report. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 14 12:07:07 2001 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero, LAGOs et al -------- I took a walk up the Corte Madera Trail in Arastradero Preserve this morning, and along the creek above the lake I heard or saw ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS (8+), WILSON'S WARBLERS (5+), PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS (3), WARBLING VIREOS (2), PURPLE FINCH (2), and HOUSE WREN (1). I heard what I am pretty sure was a Black-headed Grosbeak, and also heard what I thought was a Yellow Warbler, but I didn't see either and was a bit unsure of the i.d. in each case. There was a GREEN HERON at the upper pond. I ran into Garth Harwood leading a group in as I came out, and we'll see if Garth picked up either of my doubtfuls. He said the Goldfinch flock in the fiddlehead field was small (only about 10) with no Lawrence's. Apparently it picks up as the day goes on, because when I got back to the entrance at about 11 am (the field in question is on your left behind the sign as you enter the main part of the Preserve after crossing the road from the parking lot) it was up to around 40 mostly Lesser Goldfinch, among which I found 2 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH. One if these perched briefly on a coyote bush right next to the trail at the entrance, as you cross the road! The main flock was feeding about 50-75 yards in to the left off the trail when I was there, but they appear to move around. Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 14 13:19:03 2001 Subject: [SBB] owl web site -------- She's sitting on FIVE eggs. See the website http://www.parkers.to/owls -------- Attachment 597 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 14 14:58:55 2001 Subject: [SBB] Alviso RUFF -------- The RUFF (Reeve) found by Mike Rogers near the intersection of State and Spreckles Streets in Alviso was still present today around noon. When I left, it was still being seen by Matthew Dodder and a few other birders. As Mike Mammoser pointed out, this bird is a real skulker and some patience is useful to locate it. It was seen from the east side of the fenced-in area, almost straight out in line with the northern fence. It spent all of its time foraging in the vegetation on the far side of the pond. I got only split-second full views of the bird, and otherwise had to be content with views of the head or of the back. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 14 19:58:04 2001 Subject: [SBB] LAGO, RCSP -------- All, Our Palo Alto Adult School Beginning Birding class field trip to Joseph D. Grant County Park this morning was a success with many good looks at BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, 5 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS and a single male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH near the farmhouse. Other interesting birds, although not unusual were certainly nice. HOUSE WRENS were singings at various spots along the creek, three WESTERN KINGBIRDS, large numbers of TREE, VIOLET-GREEN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, CLIFF and BARN SWALLOWS and a single imm. GOLDEN EAGLE (thanks to Mike Mammoser who bumped into us along with Mike Rogers) near Grant Lake. There was also a pair of RING-NECKED DUCK on the water near the small island. A full report of the trip will be posted on my site shortly: http://www.birdguy.net/trip_report.html After that, Kenneth Petersen, Phil and Joan Leighton and I went to see the Alviso REEVE which was, as reported, hard to get a good look at... Les Chibana had already arrived and pointed us toward the bird. Patience was rewarded with good (but brief) looks at the bird as it skulked around the weeds opposite the fenced area at the corner of State and Spreckles in Alviso. Kenneth Petersen and I later visited Ed Levin Park to find many more BULLOCK'S ORIOLES a few Selasphorus Hummingbirds, two of which were definately RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS, and a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW near the sycamore trees on the hillside near the hang gliders. Finally, I went to Charleston Slough where there appeared to be 13 BLACK SKIMMERS on the island including one immature. A bit farther out along the main trail there were 85+ WHITE PELICANS soaring above Adobe Creek, many with large breeding horns on their bills and roughly 30 BONAPARTE'S GULLS with full black heads. Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 15 07:21:02 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Easter Sunday, 15 Apr 01, I drove down to Gilroy Hot Springs Road. Where this road intersects Canada Road I had a small flock in a valley oak that included 4 PURPLE FINCHES, 3 LAWRENCES GOLDFINCHES (2 males and a female), a male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, and a male HERMIT WARBLER. A BLACK PHOEBE was sitting on a nest here under the bridge and I heard at least 3 CASSIN'S VIREOS singing nearby (my first of the season). Also in this area, I had 2 WILD TURKEYS gobbling from up the road, a flyby adult COOPER'S HAWK, and a soaring adult SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Further up Coyote Creek I had 2 male COMMON MERGANSERS and a male WOOD DUCK. A BAND-TAILED PIGEON was performing some kind of display flight, where it would fly around in a circle at a rather slow speed with very shallow, almost fluttery, wingbeats. It then would land in the top of a tree and call for a while before repeating the display (courtship?). At the bridge entrance to Gilroy Hot Springs I heard my first PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER of the season. A BLACK PHOEBE was building a nest at this bridge, and I heard a calling RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nearby. At the intersection of Canada and Jamison I saw a soaring GOLDEN EAGLE. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 15 18:28:48 2001 Subject: [SBB] Grant Ranch CP - 4/14/01 -------- All, On Saturday 4/14/01 I birded Grant Ranch County Park. Mike Mammoser joined me for the morning and we started at Smith's Creek Ranger Station just before 8:00am. At least 3 CHIPPING SPARROWS and several BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and HOUSE WRENS were around the station, but we fairly quickly headed up into the oaks in the surrounding hillsides to look for migrant warblers and to escape the rescue dog training that was going on. We did find a few warbler flocks but, as expected for this early in April, the variety and numbers were a little limited. Highlights included a single NASHVILLE WARBLER, a WILSON'S WARBLER, three TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, 1 WARBLING VIREO, 7 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, 13 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS (some probably local breeders), and 6 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. We later checked along the creek, finding 2 WARBLING VIREOS, 3 more ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, and several BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS (total for Smith's Creek was 10). On the way out I heard a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER and we were able to track the bird down and get decent views. Next we made a check of the willows at milepost 15.48 on the way back to Grant Ranch. I again heard a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER from up the road. Heading in that direction turned up two agitated HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS mobbing a pair of NORTHERN PYGMY-OWLS (almost 11am!). One owl (presumably the male) brought a small rodent to the other and offered it in courtship. Also along the road here were two more BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, a HUTTON'S VIREO, and the day's second (and last) BAND-TAILED PIGEON. After this we headed to Grant Lake, where Mike located an immature GOLDEN EAGLE while I purchased a new annual park pass. The lake had the usual assortment of waterfowl (5 species of dabbling ducks including a male AMERICAN WIGEON, a pair of BUFFLEHEAD, and a male RING-NECKED DUCK) and foraging swallows. Mike had to leave, but I stayed and after diligently working through all five species of the expected SWALLOWS was rewarded with two low-flying VAUX'S SWIFTS. Also of interest at the south end of the lake were two easy-to-see SORAS out in the open in the small reed patches (one even flew to the cover of the Coyote bushes on shore) and numerous migrating COMMON YELLOWTHROATS (at least 24 around the lake and the ranch house). A loop east of the lake on the Canal Trail added 2 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, 3 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS and raised the total of WESTERN KINGBIRDS to 7. There were also a BELTED KINGFISHER, a singing RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW and a flyover PINE SISKIN in this area. After crossing the road, I headed to the ranch house on the Hotel Trail. Along the trail here there were 5 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES (including singing males on the fence), 4 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, many COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and 3 more PINE SISKIN. Carefully working the sparrow flock along the creek in front of the ranch house turned up both races of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, a few GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, and two more LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, but not the White-throated Sparrow I found here last fall. At least one GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was singing in the meadow between the ranch house and the road. Finally I headed to milepost 10.50 and walked in past the "White Barn" to the Washburn Trail. Highlights here included two more HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS along Aguague Creek, 3 more CHIPPING SPARROWS, another HUTTON'S VIREO, and single adult males of both SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER'S HAWKS, both likely half of a local breeding pair. From the windmill at the northern park boundary, I looked back at a stock pond and was amazed to see a CANADA GOOSE nesting in a tire on top of a post at the pond edge. This pond is far enough from Grant Lake that it is in a different atlas block and represents the first breeding confirmation (or even presence of this species!) for block 1035. Also heard WILD TURKEYs calling from here. I bushwhacked down to the pond to get a better look at the goose, which hissed violently at me without budging. Nearby it's mate flattened itself to the ground to the point of being nearly invisible. Also on the pond were a pair of BUFFLEHEAD, a pair of GADWALL, two MALLARDS, and the day's second GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Throughout the day a total of 5 male SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS had zinged past me on their way north. I could only identify one definitively as a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, but have little doubt that's what they all were. There are still plenty of wintering birds about, with totals for the day including 18 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, 7 HERMIT THRUSHES, 28+ YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (all ID'd being AUDUBON'S except for a pure flock of 5 MYRTLEs in the willows in front of the ranch house), 7 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, 73+ GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, and 33+ WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. Breeding confirmations were few; besides the CANADA GOOSE, I had a WESTERN BLUEBIRD carrying nest material and three BLACK PHOEBE nests (one still under construction). Plenty of birds checking out the many nest boxes though. All-in-all a nice Spring day, with 95 species of birds seen (or heard) in the park. Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 15 19:08:21 2001 Subject: [SBB] Bayshore Birdathon 4/15/01 -------- Today I led 4 first-time birders (who I had met at a party) to a birding trip at Mtn. View Forebay starting at 8AM. Highlights for me included SORA at the south-west corner of the Forebay, a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and a calling RING-NECKED PHEASANT in the trees at the north-west corner of Shoreline lake, 1 female HOODED MERGANSER, and a SURF SCOTER at Shoreline lake. Also a distant COMMON LOON. A WESTERN MEADOWLARK calling from atop a pine tree! A SEMIPALMATED PLOVER on the dry western side of the Forebay. Ducks include MALLARD, GADWALL. CINNAMON and GREEN-WINGED TEAL, N. SHOVELLER, CANVASBACK, RUDDY DUCK and GREATER SCAUP. 1 imm. male and 2 female HOODED MERGANSERs in the pound west of Adobe creek. We ended up with 62 species in 3 hrs, in essentially just a walk around the Forebay! Made a quick stop at PA Duck Pond (LESSER SCAUP) and then at Sunnyvale WPCP. The 2 BURROWING OWLS near the parking-lot did not disappoint. A flyby SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was appreciated by all. The SNOW GOOSE continues. A COMMON MOORHEN and a WESTERN KINGBIRD. Last stop Alviso and EEC. A male RING-NECKED PHEASANT and a couple of RED-TAILED HAWKS (one flying with a kill) put on a good show, couple of LOGGERHEAD SHRIKEs and AMERICAN WIDGEON. At the EEC, the BARN OWL in its nest box drew rave reviews. A kettle of soaring RAVENS and 3 NORTHERN HARRIERs was very interesting. Also a distant flock of AMERICAN PELICANS the seems headed in a north-east direction towards the Diablo hills. Closed with a BONAPARTE's GULL at the water-treatment plant. Ended with ~80 species at 2PM. Incidentally, at the end, the trip was upgraded into an SCVAS Birdathon! I offered the option to the trip participants, they were enthusiastic and agreed to donate some money to SCVAS, and were signed up as Birdathon'ers. Nice 6 hours of birding on a great day. Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 09:17:23 2001 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: This morning, 4/16/2001, I saw 4 AM. WHITE PELICANS in the North Pond of the Palo Alto FCB. These are likely a part of the larger flock that people have been seeing in the outer basin. The imm. male and female HOODED MERGANSERS remain in the channel across the bike path from Adobe Creek. Both birds were foraging and the male came up with a 5-cm crayfish. He did not share. In the outer Palo Alto FCB I picked up on a male NORTHERN HARRIER putting together the linked U's of the courtship 'sky-dance'. I counted 16 more linked U's as the bird moved across the basin. He did not follow a straight line and the ground trace of the flight included a large loop. I counted at least 12 BLACK SKIMMERS at Charlestson Slough. Along Salt Pond A2W, in the new-mown grass, I watched two WESTERN KINGBIRDS--my first in 295 commutes. I saw five plus birds at the Stanford dish yesterday, indicating a good migratory movement of these non-resident birds. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 17:05:33 2001 Subject: [SBB] County birding -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I tried for all those warblers at Smith Creek Fire Station. Unfortunately the "gods of bird migration" or our skill let us down as we only encountered one small flock (by we I mean Frank as I was looking somewhere else at nothing) and Frank got a Townsend's Warbler for our efforts. Best birds were a singing Cassin's Vireo that moved rapidly past us heading north, three to four Chipping Sparrows (in close and constantly singing), several Black-headed Grosbeaks, one singing Warbling Vireo, one singing Hutton's Vireo and House Wrens. Later Frank and I stopped by Lake Cunningham Park where we saw one each Ross's Goose and a Snow Goose (both in alternate plumage) on the small island on the north side of the lake. Take care, Bob Reiling, 5:09 PM, 4/16/01 -------- Attachment 1.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 17:13:27 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Grant Ranch CP - 4/14/01 -------- Well, I tried Smith's Creek on Sunday, not having heard Mikes' reports from Saturday at the time. I found much less activity: not even a House Wren or Warbling Vireo to be heard, although there was a good supply of Black-Headed Grosbeaks, and one singing "Solitary" Vireo which didn't come down the hill to where I could track it down visually. I also tried up on the hill above the old barn, but didn't run into any flocks. The only Warblers I had were a singing Wilson's, and two uncooperative chipping birds which sounded like Orange-Crowned. The highlight of my visit was a number of cooperative (and singing) Chipping Sparrows at the fire station yard. That's birding, I guess! Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 20:50:16 2001 Subject: [SBB] SCVAS field trip to Quicksilver on Saturday 4-14-01 -------- Since our leader, Shirley Gordan, is not on SBB and Bob Reiling hasn't posted, I will step up to the plate and list the highlights of the SCVAS trip to Quicksilver. For me, the highlight was watching a pair of HOUSE WRENS adding to the nest in a hollow of a tree at La Foret, right by the bridge and the road. We saw 6 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER's up in their normal spot at the "plateau" ... we had 3 BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, 1 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and another 34 species. The Northern Pygmy Owl was a no-show. A feel-good moment came when one of the other SCVAS-ers on the field trip (Tom) told me that because of my postings to SBB he had taken a friend of his to "my farm" (La Rinconada Park). His friend can't walk far, so the frequent benches along the path in the park is perfect for him. How nice of Tom to think of his friend and take him to "my farm." It made me feel good. Gloria LeBlanc http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 20:58:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] CEDAR WAXWINGS -------- A flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS was in my yard on Saturday afternoon. Perhaps, the same flock was at "my farm" on Sunday (just a mile away). I guess I shouldn't be surprised these birds are still in town. I just looked at Bill Bousman's chart and see they're here until mid-May. The HOODED ORIOLES are thankfully frequent visitors at my feeder now...so gorgeous. Unfortunately a pair of COWBIRD's have also arrived. My neighbor with the Western Screech Owl told me he got Chickadee babies yesterday in a box at his house. My Chickadee nest hasn't yielded any yet....guess I should look to see if there are eggs! Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off Quito http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 21:30:59 2001 Subject: [SBB] COLO on Shoreline Lake -------- All, This evening 4/16/01 I checked Shoreline Lake at 6:25pm. Vivek's COMMON LOON was easily visible from the Terminal Ave. end of the lake, swimming lazily near the island (not foraging). It is a first-spring bird in basic-like plumage. Also present were our resident injured SURF SCOTERS (1 adult male, 1 female) and male GREATER SCAUP. Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 21:37:38 2001 Subject: [SBB] Monte Bello OSP & Alpine Rd. -------- All, This message is cross-posted because some of these birds were probably passing over the county line during my oservations this morning. Sorry to those who got it twice! Three Chipping Sparrows and a Cassin's Vireo were present at Monte Bello this morning, 4/16/01, mostly in the grove of large oaks and bays just east of the green gate that marks the White Oaks Trailhead (a couple of the CHSP spent a lot of time out of view in the grasses by the gate, but the one which stayed in the trees was singing loudly, as the Cassin's did). This has been a good spot for Lazuli Buntings in the past and seems likely for Grasshopper Sparrow, but there were no traces of either of those today. An adult Sharp-shinned Hawk with a missing central tail feather was working the sky over the small pond a quarter-mile inside Gate 5 (definitely SCL Co.). Along Alpine Road in San Mateo County, a Lark Sparrow was singing from fence wires and from a couple of isolated cedar trees on Alpine Rd. 2.7 miles west of Skyline. A LASP remained nearby as I headed home a few minutes after 6PM, this time just a few yards from the isolated residence at 275 Alpine. Two other birds which flew before I got a good look were probably LASP too. A pair of Western Bluebirds was also present by the cedar trees in the morning. A group of 34 Common Ravens was circling then as well. --Garth Harwood -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 16 23:45:33 2001 Subject: [SBB] Sharpies courting (?) in Santa Clara -------- Well, at least I hope they're courting! Caught a quick, mostly unaided look at what were almost certainly two Sharp-shinned hawks circling around about each other overhead today. Guessing their location to have been about a block south of the intersection of Warburton and Flora Vista, and possibly a block east as well. We've seen a Sharpie here on a number of occasions and I'm hoping for a breeding neighborhood pair! What kind of trees do they like? I'd like to keep an eye out for a nest... Natasha -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 17 04:53:33 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Sharpies courting (?) in Santa Clara -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "amphibian" <[[email protected]]> > certainly two Sharp-shinned hawks circling around > about each other overhead today. Guessing their location to have been > about a block south of the intersection of Warburton and Flora Vista The accipiters such as Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, and Northern Goshawk are forest hawks. Built for quick sprints and maneuverability, they are well adapted for chasing their main prey, birds, through the trees and undergrowth. They are also known as fierce nest defenders. Of course their fierceness is directly proportional to their size, with Goshawk being the most aggressive. This tendency towards aggressive nest defence has led many people to assume that they would only nest in isolated areas of deep forest (to avoid interactions with other animals, such as humans, which would trigger a defence response). During the late 1980s and early 1990s field work was conducted for a breeding bird atlas in Santa Clara County. It was surprising to the participants that a number of urban nest sites were discovered for Cooper's Hawk. Most of these nests were in parks and riparian corridors and, as such, still relatively isolated from the mainstream traffic. However, one nest was found in 1997 that was built overhanging a residential street. In keeping with reputation, the parent birds regularly divebombed passersby. In spite of the lack of seclusion, the burgeoning Mourning Dove population evidently enticed this pair and allowed them to fledge three healthy young. In the past Sharp-shinned Hawk was thought to be only a winter resident in Santa Clara County; a nonbreeder. However, the atlas field work turned up a number of nest records for this species as well. In contrast to their cousin, however, these nest sites were all in rather isolated areas of the Santa Cruz and Diablo Mountains. No urban nest sites were ever discovered. Therefore, it is of great local interest if Sharp-shinned Hawk were nesting in the urban environment here. Needless to say, proper identification is important and, as all birders know, separating these two species is not a trivial matter. If such a nest site is found, please note the exact location and, by all means, let us know. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 17 09:39:01 2001 Subject: [SBB] Coe Birds -------- Amy and I took a three day walk from Bell Station along highway 152 to the most northermost point (and back) in Coe State Park over the Easter weekend. The wildflowers were varied and abundant. Bird activity was high, but only one rarity was encountered, a fly over Peregrine Falcon, which to the best of my knowlege, is a first park record. Of interest were the large numbers of Lawrence's Goldfinchs present; many hundreds were seen and heard, often outnumbering the Lesser's in mixed flocks. Also of interest was the large numbers of Western Kingbirds we encountered. Normally we see one or two birds a day in the area. We saw probably 50 different kingbirds on this trip. Numerous Poorwills were calling at night. James Yurchenco -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 17 13:15:53 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Sharpies courting (?) in Santa Clara -------- Such vigorous nest defense isn't limited to accipiters. I think it was in the early '70s that a pair of Red-tailed hawks nested between Stanford Stadium and El Camino. They regularly divebombed runners, a fact that was reported in the Palo Atlo Times. A friend and I were jogging there one day when another runner, about 50 yds ahead of us received the treatment. He didn't stop to nurse wounds, so it must have been just a close pass, rather than a really sharp peck on the head. It was quite impressive to see, though. Of course, I've been pecked on the head by nesting Mockingbirds. I suspect many others in this forum have also. ================================ George Oetzel Menlo Park, CA <[[email protected]]> -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 17 14:44:02 2001 Subject: [SBB] Coe Birds -------- Amy and I took a three day walk from Bell Station along highway 152 to the most northermost point (and back) in Coe State Park over the Easter weekend. The wildflowers were varied and abundant. Bird activity was high, but only one rarity was encountered, a fly over Peregrine Falcon, which to the best of my knowlege, is a first park record. Of interest were the large numbers of Lawrence's Goldfinchs present; many hundreds were seen and heard, often outnumbering the Lesser's in mixed flocks. Also of interest was the large numbers of Western Kingbirds we encountered. Normally we see one or two birds a day in the area. We saw probably 50 different kingbirds on this trip. Numerous Poorwills were calling at night. James Yurchenco -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 17 20:16:10 2001 Subject: [SBB] OSPREY -------- All, The good news is that my OSPREY is back. The bad news is that she has a fishline hanging from her mouth, indicating that she has probably swallowed a fish hook. The line extends below her talons so that it drapes over her perch. I'm concerned that it will become entangled on a limb, making her unable to fly. Does anybody have any good ideas? Jean [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 17 22:13:34 2001 Subject: [SBB] LAGOs at Arastradero Preserve -------- Both Monday and Tuesday mornings there were a few Lawrence's Goldfinches with the Lessers feeding on the fiddlenecks by the entrance trail on the south side of Arastradero. --Peter ------------------------------------------------------ Peter LaTourrette North American Bird Photo Gallery: http://www.birdphotography.com/ Jasper Ridge, Hawai'i, New Zealand: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 02:41:42 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Sharpies courting (?) in Santa Clara -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Oetzel" <[[email protected]]> > Such vigorous nest defense isn't limited to accipiters. I think it was > in the early '70s that a pair of Red-tailed hawks nested between > Stanford Stadium and El Camino. They regularly divebombed > runners, a fact that was reported in the Palo Atlo Times. Some birds simply refuse to obey the rules. In Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey, Arthur Cleveland Bent says of the Red-tailed Hawk: "These hawks are not at all courageous in the defense of their nest; they generally keep a safe distance or disappear entirely; only on rare occasions has one been known even to attempt to attack a climber; I have seen it only once." Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 10:24:41 2001 Subject: [SBB] Frenchman's Meadow, Stanford -------- A female HOODED ORIOLE was weaving a nest in the southerly (hillward) of the two fan palms in the meadow this morning, and yesterday as well. (The Birder's Handbook shows nest construction for this species as "MF?") There is a completed nest in the other palm. Two male BULLOCK'S ORIOLES were actively pursuing females around the meadow. The RED-TAILED HAWK nest is visible from the road about 20 feet down from the top of the tallest of a clump of redwoods at the back of 607 Gerona. HOODED ORIOLES are frequenting the fan palm at 635 Gerona, also visible from the road. In or near the meadow a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER was singing yesterday, and a WILSON'S WARBLER today; several YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were singing both mornings. As far as lingering winterers go, besides the Yellowrumps, I saw or heard WHITE-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, CEDAR WAXWINGS, and a single RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. A HERMIT THRUSH was singing here about ten days ago, but no sign of any since then. A HAIRY WOODPECKER was at the corner of Coronado and Mayfield. -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 13:35:09 2001 Subject: [SBB] Birds of Stanford Web site -------- I don't recall if this Web site was called to everyone's attention. It might have been and I was looking the other way. But just in case it wasn't, here's the URL or you can access from Kendric Smith's South Bay Birders Unlimited Birding Web Sites page . I found it very useful because the applicable species accounts and essays from the Birder's Handbook are on-line. A great resource for checking out details about the local birds. Don't overlook the Introduction and Sources links. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 13:59:33 2001 Subject: [SBB] Almaden Birds -------- Good Afternoon, This morning's birding took me to the Almaden Area. I started at Guadalupe Oak Grove. I thought it rather quiet. There were Acorn and Nuttall's Woodpeckers. White-breasted Nuthatches (5), Red-tailed Hawk, a pair of Canada Geese flying overhead. Heard were a Killdeer and California Quail. >From Guadalupe Oak Grove I headed to Almaden Quicksilver parking area to find the flycatchers that had been posted. I was disappointed in not finding them, but found by LaForet, a House Wren, (2) Black-headed Grosbeaks, (20) Cedar Waxwings, (2) male Bullock's Orioles. I walked down past LaForet to the New Almaden Community Center and thought it was just awesome. I saw (6) male Black-headed Grosbeaks, (8) male Bullock's Orioles, (3) female Bullock's Orioles, Cedarwaxwings, American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch and (4) Robins. >From here I went for a quick stop to Lake Almaden: Saw a single Common Merganser (sunning herself on her usual rock by the bridge) , (2) Caspian Terns, (4) Forster's Terns, on the sand bar (for the lack of a better description) also there was a Canada Goose sitting on her nest next to the sandbar. The rookery was loaded with Snowy Egrets (6) and 5 on and around the sandbar, (3) Great Egrets, (2) Black-crowned Night Herons. Killdeer (3) on the sand bar. >From there I decided to go to the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) Ponds. In the main pond there was a single male Ruddy Duck in full breeding plumage (great blue bill) and three female Ruddy Ducks, Green Heron, a single Forster's Tern, Great Egret. A pair of Canada Geese with four babies. Walking around the main pond I found, lots of turtles, a Muskrat, Killdeer, Black-crowned Night Heron, (10) Cedarwaxwings, a pair of Red-winged Blackbirds chasing off a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds. Okay, that's it. Good birding to all. My best regards, Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 16:33:08 2001 Subject: [SBB] Best Birds -------- Phil Dean and I did some birding around the area this week. The best birds (our opinion) were an early Western Tanager in Steven's Creek Park near the Cooley Picnic Area on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, a Northern Pygmy Owl along Gilroy Hot Springs Road; a Hammond's Flycatcher near the Hunting Hollow entrance to Henry Coe Park; the Golden Eagles at the nest near Calero Reservoir, and a Spotted Sandpiper on the sandbar at Lake Almaden. Jack Cole __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 16:57:46 2001 Subject: [SBB] Black Phoebe nest building -------- I have a question for any and all takers; There is a pair of Black Phoebe's building a nest on a neighbors spotlights under the eves of the house. Problem is they have been at it for over 40 days! I cannot find anything in the literature that describes length of time for a nest to be built, particular to this species. I cannot see if eggs are present, but I never see any brooding activity. The birds are active around the nest site, but do not seem interested in starting any incubation. Since sexes are alike, I have surmised that they may be of the same sex! Any ideas? Screech. -- Paul L. Noble "Screechowl" [[email protected]] ^ ^ @ @ ( v ) ( ) / \ m m -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 17:23:03 2001 Subject: [SBB] Shoreline Park PA Baylands -------- My morning bike and bird found 2 western kingbirds: 1 behind the Palo Alto dump and the other in the meadow near the Shoreline park gate. That meadow/hill area had several groups of Burrowing Owls and about 50 Pipits (late for pipits ??). The Common loon has left the lake as have the Goldeneyes. Very few diving ducks left anywhere -- a few laggard Canvasbacks and Scaup hanging around, plus 1 eared grebe and 1 Clark's grebe. The mitigation pond had 4 Whimbrel and 20 Semi-palmated Plovers along with many western Sandpipers, Willet and Godwits. There are now 14 Skimmers, including 2 (preparing to nest??) on the island in the second salt pond. One Hooded Merganser near the pump house. The Charleston Slough water management appears to have changed once again, allowing unlimited tidal flow in and out. Most of the old nesting islands are flooded at high tide, but it's now all mud flat at low tide. The Peregrine I saw on Sunday did not reappear. Relatively few hawks; no kites, no Redtails and only 2 Harriers. Dick -- Richard C. Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Palo Alto, California Part-time Economist [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 17:34:29 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: Black Phoebe nest building -------- For the 3rd year in a row, we have Black Phoebes nesting on our home near the San Mateo/Santa Clara County line along Skyline Blvd. They use a spot on top of the centerbeam of the roof under the eaves. I haven't been able to keep track of what they've been carrying into the nest area each time they fly in, be it nest or food material. But I'm seeing a similar thing to what Paul describes, albeit, not for 40 days. I wondered if the cold wave slowed down their nesting building. I just checked the Birds of Stanford web site, with the subset of the Birder's Handbook on it, and it notes that it may be only the female that builds the nest. But I think that Paul's surmission ('zat a woid?) is certainly a new way to look at sexing birds: since certain species are sexually monomorphic by plumage, they must be the same sex. :-) Les Chibana On Wednesday, April 18, 2001 4:57 PM, Paul L. Noble <[[email protected]]> wrote: >I have a question for any and all takers; > >There is a pair of Black Phoebe's building a nest on a neighbors >spotlights under the eves of the house. Problem is they have been at it >for over 40 days! >I cannot find anything in the literature that describes length of time >for a nest to be built, particular to this species. I cannot see if >eggs are present, but I never see any brooding activity. The birds are >active around the nest site, but do not seem interested in starting any >incubation. Since sexes are alike, I have surmised that they may be of >the same sex! Any ideas? > >Screech. > >-- >Paul L. Noble > >"Screechowl" > >[[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 17:50:09 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: [pen-bird] Re: Black Phoebe nest building -------- Sorry, I forgot to mention that the nearest available water for the phoebes to use at my home is about a quarter mile away at Peters Creek. This seems very odd to me because most references indicate that they're found nesting very near water. Les On Wednesday, April 18, 2001 5:34 PM, Les Chibana <[[email protected]]> wrote: >For the 3rd year in a row, we have Black Phoebes nesting on our home >near the San Mateo/Santa Clara County line along Skyline Blvd. They >use a spot on top of the centerbeam of the roof under the eaves. I >haven't been able to keep track of what they've been carrying into >the nest area each time they fly in, be it nest or food material. >But I'm seeing a similar thing to what Paul describes, albeit, not >for 40 days. I wondered if the cold wave slowed down their nesting >building. > >I just checked the Birds of Stanford web site, with the subset of >the Birder's Handbook on it, and it notes that it may be only the >female that builds the nest. But I think that Paul's surmission >('zat a woid?) is certainly a new way to look at sexing birds: >since certain species are sexually monomorphic by plumage, they >must be the same sex. :-) > >Les Chibana > >On Wednesday, April 18, 2001 4:57 PM, Paul L. Noble <[[email protected]]> wrote: >>I have a question for any and all takers; >> >>There is a pair of Black Phoebe's building a nest on a neighbors >>spotlights under the eves of the house. Problem is they have been at it >>for over 40 days! >>I cannot find anything in the literature that describes length of time >>for a nest to be built, particular to this species. I cannot see if >>eggs are present, but I never see any brooding activity. The birds are >>active around the nest site, but do not seem interested in starting any >>incubation. Since sexes are alike, I have surmised that they may be of >>the same sex! Any ideas? >> >>Screech. >> >>-- >>Paul L. Noble >> >>"Screechowl" >> >>[[email protected]] > > > > > >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to >http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 19:24:51 2001 Subject: [SBB] Starling nests, Cooper's drama -------- Starlings are particularly good at adapting human structures--saw two families nesting side by side in a pair of thingamabobs up on a telephone pole today. Yeah, that's a technical term ;). I have no idea what to call these devices, but they act as arms to hold wires away from the pole itself. Instead of the old style wooden cross bar, this pole has things which look from a distance like horizonal springs. Where the springs join the pole the "spring" look disappears and there's simply a metal tube--with a nice access port just big enough for a large bird to maneuver through. Since there's a "spring" on both sides of the pole, it's a duplex! In case anyone is interested, the pole is located on Fremont by Marymeade Park. It's the one located just past the bus stop. On a much more dramatic note, _something_ attracted two cats AND one of "our" Cooper's to suddenly all head for the same place simultaneously this afternoon. One cat rushed ahead. The trailing cat was looking around a little and caught sight of the Cooper's swooping into the action right overhead--and the cat leaped for the hawk! Fortunately for all concerned, he missed. Location: right on Milverton, a house or two in from University. I'm awfully glad I got to go home instead of rushing around all night taking various predators to the ER.. --Natasha -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 19:42:47 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] OSPREY -------- Call the Wildlife Center, they will know what to do about the Osprey. Janna -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 18 20:04:54 2001 Subject: [SBB] Birds along the NW County line -------- All, [Note: My email apparently malfunctioned and failed to send this to SBB birders. Pen-bird subscribers got this a couple of days ago.] This message is cross-posted to SBB and Pen-Bird because some of these birds were probably passing over the SCL/SMC county line during my oservations this morning. Sorry to those who got it twice! Three Chipping Sparrows and a Cassin's Vireo were present at Monte Bello this morning, 4/16/01, mostly in the grove of large oaks and bays just east of the green gate that marks the White Oaks Trailhead (a couple of the CHSP spent a lot of time out of view in the grasses by the gate, but the one which stayed in the trees was singing loudly, as the Cassin's did). This has been a good spot for Lazuli Buntings in the past and seems likely for Grasshopper Sparrow, but there were no traces of either of those today. An adult Sharp-shinned Hawk with a missing central tail feather was working the sky over the small pond a quarter-mile inside Gate 5 (definitely SCL Co.). Along Alpine Road in San Mateo County, a Lark Sparrow was singing from fence wires and from a couple of isolated cedar trees on Alpine Rd. 2.7 miles west of Skyline. A LASP remained nearby as I headed home a few minutes after 6PM, this time just a few yards from the isolated residence at 275 Alpine. Two other birds which flew before I got a good look were probably LASP too. A pair of Western Bluebirds was also present by the cedar trees in the morning. A group of 34 Common Ravens was circling then as well. --Garth Harwood -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 19 09:28:22 2001 Subject: [SBB] Bald Eagle - Skyline Blvd -------- This past Monday an adult Bald Eagle flew from the direction of Montebello Ridge in S-Clara County, west over my land in SM County and continued towards Portola Redwoods State Park in SM County. It's rainy and cool here today at 2400 ft. - this morning at 6:30 it was 37F. Happy Spring :-) Georgia Stigall -------- Attachment 427 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 19 13:42:43 2001 Subject: [SBB] Calliope Hummingbird at Ed Levin County Park -------- All, This morning at about 9:30 AM Frank Vanslager and I had good views of an adult male Calliope Hummingbird in a Pepper tree northeast of Sandy Wool Lake where the trail to "Sycamore Gulch" begins. The tiny bird had short straight bill, a green back (from the bill to the tail), had a dark "V" shaped gorget (some dark reddish-purple color noted but the angle to the sun was poor) with whitish streaks throughout gorget, it had a white line running from the gape to neck (between the gorget and the eye), the chest and upper belly below the gorget was white forming a "V" with the greenish flanks, the wings were long and appeared to reach the tip of the tail (most of our sighting was of the right side, somewhat from the rear and we never had a true side view). When last seen the bird flew up into a Eucalyptus tree to the east only to almost immediately fly southwest as it was chased by an obviously larger hummingbird. After a short search we continued birding up to and past the Sycamore Gulch to the east. Best birds were Grasshopper Sparrow (1), Rufous-crowned Sparrow (2+), Western Kingbird (a closely associating "pair"), Bullock's Oriole (two adult males and at least one female) Loggerhead Shrike and Golden Eagle (several sightings). On our way back out we checked the area where we last saw the Calliope Hummingbird only to quickly find Rufous Hummingbirds (at least two red-backed adult males but with many sightings). Only one Anna's Hummingbird and one green-back Selasphorous hummer (assumed Allen's) were seen, in addition to the Rufous. Many of the hummers would suddenly fly up, up and away to the north and out of sight. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:41 PM, 4/19/01 -------- Attachment 1.9 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 19 15:22:02 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: [pen-bird] Re: Black Phoebe nest building -------- All: As Black Phoebes have moved into residential areas, I have noticed that they seem to get along in areas where water from sprinklers or bird baths are readily available. I no longer think that they are restricted to creeksides. Ruth Troetschler --------------- At 5:50 PM -0700 4/18/01, Les Chibana wrote: >Sorry, I forgot to mention that the nearest available water for >the phoebes to use at my home is about a quarter mile away at >Peters Creek. This seems very odd to me because most references >indicate that they're found nesting very near water. > >Les >> -- Ruth Troetschler -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 19 16:43:44 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: urban Black Phoebe nest building -------- I suspect there was a Black Phoebe nest in the SRI-Burgess Park area last year. For quite awhile, I was convinced there were at least 3 BLPH in the park quite regularly. It's still fairly common to see one either in the park or at SRI, but they do seem to have dispersed. The nearest good water supply is the civic center duck pond. There are a couple of places at SRI where the watering system pretty reliably creates muddy patches. ---------------- George Oetzel <[[email protected]]> -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 19 16:53:25 2001 Subject: [SBB] Houston, we have incubation. -------- Just as I was suspecting the pair of Black Phoebes in my neighbors yard were just faking, I saw one of the pair on the nest this afternoon. Now if they can just avoid detection by the neighbor ( who destroyed the nest under construction last year) they might pull off a brood. Will keep up the surveillance. Screech. -- Paul L. Noble "Screechowl" [[email protected]] ^ ^ @ @ ( v ) ( ) / \ m m -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 20 15:13:45 2001 Subject: [SBB] shorebirds at Palo Alto -------- All, On the way back from Stanford to NASA today 4/20/01, I made a quick stop at the Palo Alto Baylands. The timing was just right for the mudflats in the old yacht harbor to begin uncovering, and these flats were loaded with alternate-plumaged shorebirds, mostly MARBLED GODWITS, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and DOWITCHERS (both LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED being present, but apparently mostly SHORT-BILLED). Also present were 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 6+ WHIMRELS (with another on the lawn at the nearby Palo Alto airport), and many alternate-plumaged BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and DUNLIN. Only a few WILLETS and a couple of LEAST SANDPIPERS around. The COMMON RAVEN nest on the tower at the yacht harbor mouth has six large young in it. No wonder this species is increasing in numbers locally! An adult PEREGRINE FALCON was perched on one of the towers further north. Still a lingering YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in the trees across the road from the duck pond. Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 20 16:52:05 2001 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek Marsh This Morning -------- I mostly ignored the rain and cold this morning and walked to the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh in the Mtn. View Baylands this morning. I saw a probable Peregrine Falcon on one of the electric transmission towers, two Marsh Wrens with nesting material, Barn and Cliff Swallows, Black Phoebes, a few Black-Bellied Plovers, Cinnamon and Green-Winged Teal, several Whimbrel, and several (heard only) Common Yellowthroats. Also various other shorebirds, whose IDs I'm a little shaky on. My only company was a few joggers who were doing their best to ignore the weather too. Here's hoping for better weather for the SCVAS trip to Jasper Ridge on Sunday. Nancy Teater -- Nancy R. Teater Hamilton Communications phone: +1 650 321 0252 [[email protected]] http://web.hamilton.com fax: +1 650 327 4660 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 05:22:59 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- Today, 21 Apr 01, I started the day at CCFS, hoping that the previous night's rain may have grounded some migrants. I found ORANGE-CROWNED, WILSON'S, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, as well as HERMIT THRUSHES, all in about equal numbers (around 6-8 each). Also found were a single WARBLING VIREO and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER. I then headed for Ed Levin Park, where I walked up the trail from Sandy Wool Lake to the sycamore bend. There I found Pete LaTourette and we stood and chatted, watching BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a HOUSE FINCH building a nest, LESSER GOLDFINCHES, a HOUSE WREN, SONG and LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and a couple RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS. Then, while looking at a NORTHERN HARRIER flying by, I got on a bird that flew through my field of view and noticed it was blue with some rusty brown on the upperwing. I mentioned to Pete that it looked like a BLUE GROSBEAK and proceeded to climb the hill to the point where it had landed. I didn't get very far when I heard Pete call that the bird had just come in to the top of the sycamore. We watched this adult male BLUE GROSBEAK for a minute while it sang from its perch before flying off. We saw it a couple more times later up the hillside and in the mustard along side the trail. Afterwards, I walked a little further up the trail, where I saw 1 and heard 2 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. Later, back by the parking lot, I met Dusty Bleher and we watched a female selasphorus and a few ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS in the eucalyptus, before he went up to look for the grosbeak. Back at the Elm Picnic Area I had about 5 WILSON'S WARBLERS singing from the trees, obviously migrants. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 09:56:12 2001 Subject: [SBB] International Migratory Bird Day -------- Hello Birders. The annual International Migratory Bird Day is swiftly approaching on Saturday May 12th. I'd like to invite all of you to drop by the Alviso Environmental Education Center's main event between 10am and 4pm. Here are the details: -SFBBO will be doing mist netting demonstrations weather permitting -free shade grown coffee tasting (this year's IMBD theme) **an SFBBO lead bird walk from 8:30am-10am RESERVATIONS REQUIRED at 408-262-5513 -An afternoon presentation by SFBBO. This is a great chance to learn about the organization and what they're doing here in the South Bay -Sulphur Creek Nature Center will be doing two presentations with various live birds...reservations will be taken starting at 10am on May 12th, the presentations will be at 1pm and 1:30pm **we will be raffling off a pair of Swift 10x42 binoculars generously donated by the Wild Bird Center. Also to be raffled off, a few pounds of shade grown coffee -Santa Clara Valley Audubon will be making pine cone feeders with visitors during the event -there will be arts and crafts for the younger birders as well as children's bird walks -the International Migratory Bird Day Poster contest awards (and if anyone is interested in the contest, e-mail or call me...it's still going on) AND, if anyone is interested in leading a bird walk in the afternoon, please let me know!! I'm having children's bird walks separately, so the audience would probably be primarily adults. By the way, everything listed here is FREE! To make reservations for the morning birdwalk with SFBBO, or if you're interested in leading an afternoon walk, e-mail me at [[email protected]] or give me a call at the EEC 408-262-5513. Thanks all! Sharon Lee __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 10:17:45 2001 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek CP -------- A quick jaunt near the Bay Tree picnic area this morning produced sightings of a pair of Night Herons, a Red-shouldered Hawk chasing off a Cooper's Hawk, a Spotted Sandpiper looking quite spotted, an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a Hermit Thrush and Black-headed Grosbeaks. I also heard Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Warbling Vireos and, I think, Western Wood-pewees if they are the hoarse sounding ones. There were several other noises I couldn't recognise. It's not fair: you only get about two months every year to practise the summer bird songs. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 12:41:50 2001 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek Park -------- This morning (Sat) I walked the creek from the dam to a ways below the park headquarters, including Villa Maria; and then checked the Camp Costanoan area above the reservoir. Quite birdy! Below the dam, first of the year birds for me were a beautiful male WESTERN TANAGER, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE (2), a CASSIN'S VIREO. and a YELLOW WARBLER. 2 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS and a HOUSE WREN up at Villa Maria, a singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK right by the ranger station, and 2 each of PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (so, with the usual Black Phoebes, a 5-flycatcher morning). Plenty (5+) of singing WARBLING VIREOS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, and WILSON'S WARBLERS. A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was calling, an accipiter sp (prob Sharpie) circled overhead, and a BELTED KINGFISHER patrolled the creek. At the Costanoan area, another WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, 2 singing male BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS quite close to each other, and another singing CASSIN'S VIREO. I noticed again how Lesser Goldfinch do a Cassin's Vireo thing -- not exactly an imitation, because they do it in their characteristic plaintive call note tone, but the same rhythm -- Up-pause-Down-pause-Up-pause-Down-pause-pause-repeat... -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 15:28:50 2001 Subject: [SBB] RDCR -------- All, Our Palo Alto Adult School Birding Class had a productive class field trip to Ano Nuevo this morning where we found many BANK SWALLOWS but few surprises. A full report will be posted on my site later this weekend: http://www.birdguy.net/trip_report.html After the trip Kenneth Petersen, Brian Christman, Julie Ayres and myself visited Skylawn Cemetary at the corner of Hwy 92 and Skyline this afternoon where we refound the pair of RED CROSSBILLS near the flagpole near the main parking lot. The birds were easily found after we heard their soft chattering calls. The remained close to the lawn and obviously showed a preference for the confers. After that a trip through Frenchman's Curve on Stanford Campus produced several HOODED ORIOLS among the palm and eucalyptus trees. Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 18:41:42 2001 Subject: [SBB] Kite nest in Gilroy -------- Hi Folks, A number of us from SCVAS attended the Gilroy Earth Day event today, in Christmas Tree Park along the Uvas Creek, where we had a White-tailed Kite nest. At first we were looking at a single kite on the top of a tree, and then I noticed a nest with two adult kites present a few trees to the right. They were feeding one or more chicks, tearing prey items for them. I was curious about the close proximity of the single kite to the pair and their nest. According to the Monterey Breeding Bird atlas, White-tailed Kites may breed "semi-colonially and show only week territoriality," citing Clark and Banks, 1992. Best regards, Leda Beth Gray -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 21 21:02:19 2001 Subject: [SBB] White-Throated Sparrow at Arastradero -------- I took a morning walk at Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto and found a White-Throated Sparrow where the Corte Madera and Acorn Trails meet. As I approached a eucalyptus near the Meadowlark Trail, I saw a raven fly into the tree from the opposite side. Suspecting nesting, I circled the tree searching for a raven's nest, and instead found myself eyeball-to-eyeball with a Great Horned Owl. The owl and not a nest was the object of the raven's attention. Other interesting birds included a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher and House Wren. I heard but didn't see Wild Turkeys and California Thrasher. Warblers included several Yellow-Rumped, two Wilson's and two Orange-Crowned. On the lake, at various times, I had a female Hooded Merganser, a displaying Ruddy Duck, Mallard with 8 ducklings, Double-Crested Cormorant and a Green Heron. Jan Hintermeister Santa Clara, CA -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 22 13:02:51 2001 Subject: [SBB] LAGO Arastradero -------- Yesterday 4/21, I was at Arastradero around 4PM. In the field left of the main entrance, there were many Goldfinches. The bushes east of the field, next to the road had many LESSER GOLDFINCHES calling from within. At one point a SCRUB JAY dove into the bushes and emerged with a bloody clump that looked like a small bird. In a clump of Fiddlenecks in the middle of the field were a dozen feeding LEGOs. One male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH was feeding with them, tending to stay lower than the LEGOs. A RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD above the parking lot was vigorously harassing a RED-TAILED HAWK, at times literally landing on the hawk's back. Quite a sight. Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 22 15:52:03 2001 Subject: [SBB] Backyard birds -------- Hi all, On this beautiful spring day, I was confined to home due to cold symptoms. While sitting out in the yard enjoying the warm sun, my wife and I hear a Red-Shouldered HAwk calling. We finally located a pair circling high above the neighborhood in South San Jose, near the Santa Teresa Hills. The 'windows'in the wings were plainly visible. Later, we saw about 50-60 CEdar WAxwings flying overhead and comeing to rest in a tree across the street. We were able to set up by 80mm Swarovsky scope on them and show my visiting mother-in-law the 'drops-of-red-wax' in the wings. We are still enjoying the visits of White-Crowned and Golden-Crowned SParrows to our feeders along with brilliantly colored male AMerican GOldfinchs mixed in with the LEsser Goldfinches (which usually remained year-round). It seems that they are remaining in the area much latter than in years past. We change best when we learn from the past and plan for the future, while enjoying the present. _SJ _______________________________________________________ Send a cool gift with your E-Card http://www.bluemountain.com/giftcenter/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 22 17:15:52 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] RDCR -------- Mathew and San Mateo County Birders: Today at just before 2:30 PM I spotted the pair of Red Crossbills at Skylawn Memorial Cemetery in San Mateo County. They were likewise near in pines near the flagpole. For directions see below... Matthew Dodder wrote: > All, > > Our Palo Alto Adult School Birding Class had a productive class field > trip to Ano Nuevo this morning where we found many BANK SWALLOWS but few > surprises. A full report will be posted on my site later this weekend: > http://www.birdguy.net/trip_report.html > > After the trip Kenneth Petersen, Brian Christman, Julie Ayres and myself > visited Skylawn Cemetary at the corner of Hwy 92 and Skyline this > afternoon where we refound the pair of RED CROSSBILLS near the flagpole > near the main parking lot. The birds were easily found after we heard > their soft chattering calls. The remained close to the lawn and > obviously showed a preference for the confers. > > After that a trip through Frenchman's Curve on Stanford Campus produced > several HOODED ORIOLS among the palm and eucalyptus trees. > > Matthew Dodder > http://www.birdguy.net/ > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -- Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda County -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 22 17:30:15 2001 Subject: [SBB] Mt. Hamilton -------- I attempted to bird Alum Rock Park this AM, but the entrance from Alum Rock Ave. was closed. So I headed up to the Twin Gate trailhead and hiked to the Line Shack and back. In the first group of oaks near the parking lot, I had Western Bluebird, several White-breasted Nuthatches, Oak Titmouse, a bright male American Goldfinch, 2 male and one female Lawrence's Goldfinches, and three Bullock's Orioles (one female and 2 males). Further up the trail was a large flock (about 20 birds) of Amercan Goldfinch gorging on oak buds. There were a few more Lawrence's Goldfinches mixed in with this flock. Further still up the trail I had good looks at Horned Lark and Lark Sparrow. Savannah and Golden-crowned Sparrows were also seen. At the wet meadow on the approach to the Line Shack were many raptors, including 5 Red-tailed Hawks, a White-tailed Kite, several American Kestrels and a brief glimpse at an accipiter. I also had a brief glimpse of a Myiarchus-type flycatcher which I assume was an Ash-throated. On the way back to Twin Gate I had a lone flyover White-throated Swift headed toward Grant Lake. Hoped-for Grasshopper Sparrow was neither seen nor heard on this 9 mile walk. I saw 2 bobcats. The wildflower display is impressive. A quick stop at Smith Creek at 15:30 turned up 2 House Wren (one carrying nesting material) and a Brown Creeper. Good birding, Michael Wienholt -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 22 19:51:23 2001 Subject: [SBB] HOOR and BUOR at Audubon / McClellan Ranch -------- This afternoon I stopped off at the Audubon / McClellan Ranch. There were two male and two female BULLOCK'S ORIOLES chattering in the sycamores above the nature trail entrance. In additional, there was a male and female HOODED ORIOLE feeding at the nectar feeder in front of the Nature Shop. The HOODED pair seemed to be quite interested in the large palm tree in front of the old Blacksmith Shop. Kenneth -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 22 19:55:19 2001 Subject: [SBB] "My Farm" (La Rinconada Park) -------- Mama Mallard now has 10 fuzzy ducklings in the creek. A pair of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERs are quite interested in a nest box on the border of the park. Linda Sullivan was describing to me very weird behavior that she had witnessed yesterday and she had come back to look today. She left before I saw them at 6:30 pm. She and I'd seen TITMOUSE going in and out of the box...what I saw was one of the ASH-THROATED looking in the hole of the box, sitting on top of the box, sitting on the wire next to the box, and repeating those positions over and over again.... while the 2nd one flittered near by. The box appears to be the size of a bluebird box. I'll let Linda tell her story about yesterday...we were trying to speculate on why they were behaving this way. I also saw a BARN SWALLOW and some NORTHERN-ROUGH WINGED and 2 VAUX SWIFTS. One of the 3 BUSHTIT nests appears to still be OK. The ACORN WOODPECKERS have drilled a lot of holes in a tree by the Bicknell entrance and seem to be nesting there, about a city block away from their nesting hole of last year. I saw STARLINGS coming and going out of their old hole in the huge Euc tree and no woodpeckers there today. In fact it looked like a baby Starling peeking out of the entry. Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off Quito Gloria LeBlanc http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 03:44:48 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Sunday, 22 Apr 01, I drove up to Henry Coe State Park for a hike, getting a nice look at a BOBCAT that was walking the road while I drove slowly along behind. I hiked from the headquarters out to Manzanita Point and back, taking the Springs Trail on the way out and the Forest Trail on the way back. Shortly after starting I came upon a small flock that included 3 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS and 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, as well as a WARBLING VIREO. Later, along the Springs Trail, I came into another flock that included at least 3 BLACK-THROATED GRAYS, 2 YELLOW-RUMPEDS, a WILSON'S, an ORANGE-CROWNED, and 2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (one singing persistently). Also with these birds was a single HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. Out at Manzanita Point there were a number of BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, which I presume are on territory (they were not in flocks, but were spread out and singing from the tops of the oaks). Also out here were 3 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, 3 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, and at least 3 CHIPPING SPARROWS. WILD TURKEYS were calling from various places along the hike. On the way back, along the Forest Trail, I had another HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. This bird was silent but I was able to study it at length, and felt I could differentiate it from Dusky Flycatcher. The lower mandible of this bird seemed to have more extensive orange than is typical of Hammond's. This would be more in line with Dusky, but probably not beyond the range of variation for Hammond's. Other characters all added up fine for Hammond's; more grayish head and throat, large-headed and short-tailed look, and, most telling to me, a long primary extension. Also along this trail I heard my first WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE of the season. There seemed to be a good number of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS still about, but I only saw 1 WHITE-CROWNED. I had 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS flush from a seep along the Springs Trail. I stopped briefly at Ogier Ponds on the way home, where I had a male COMMON MERGANSER and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 08:12:46 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Backyard birds -------- All: Beginning about 4/15 the number of Lesser Goldfinches using our 2 thistle feeders increased exponentially. The Goldfinches are either eating at the feeder or sitting in our young (40 ft) oak chattering. The feeders are nearly emptied daily. Obviously these birds have not begun to breed. (Mourning Doves move below gathering up the spills). A pair of Oak Titmice are feeding young--feeding pieces of our homemade lard/peanutbutter/oatmeal/cornmeal/flour mixture. Golden-crowned Sparrows are fattening on the same mixture. Ruth Troetschler Los Altos -- Ruth Troetschler -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 09:02:14 2001 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: Yesterday morning, 4/22/2001, I birded along Mt. Hamilton Road, starting over Halls Valley at M.P. 13.28 and spending most of my time at Smiths Creek. A RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW was in the California sage at M.P. 13.28 in the morning fog, but was silent. Best birds at Smiths Creek were a female COMMMON MERGANSER grunting as she flew over and two adult SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS. One of these had fluffed out undertail coverts, indicating an active breeder somewhere nearby. I ran into Al Eisner and we struggled to find any migrants in the oaks. Many black oaks on south facing slopes are fully open, while blue and a few valley oaks have barely started. I was lucky to find a single singing BLACK-THROATED GRAY and WILSON'S WARBLERS, the only certain migrants I found. This morning, 4/23/2001, I saw five AM. WHITE PELICANS in the North Pond at the Palo Alto FCB. These are probably birds that are oversummering. At least one female HOODED MERGANSER remains in the channel near the Mountain View Forebay pumphouse. I counted 14 BLACK SKIMMERS at Charleston Slough. A BURROWING OWL was at the mound across from Shoreline GC and a second bird was over a mound west of the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 10:21:27 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] "My Farm" (La Rinconada Park) -------- ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERs will nest in BB boxes. They build a very distinctive nest that can be identified by nose from as far as 2 meters... I fledged one nest last year at Ed R. Levin, and have seen two others being attended. Best regards, Dusty Campbell, Ca. ... > A pair of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERs are quite interested in a nest box on the > border of the park. Linda Sullivan was describing to me very weird behavior ... -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 10:45:21 2001 Subject: [SBB] Frenchman's Meadow, Stanford -------- This morning I saw an adult RED-TAILED HAWK incubating in the nest near the corner of Gerona and Santa Maria. The HOODED ORIOLE nest in the southerly palm that I saw being woven by a female weaving is now completed -- I saw her carrying plant down to it two days ago. A first-year male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was singing in the meadow this morning; two adult males were perched at the top of nearby redwoods, calling but not singing. At least 3 male HOODED were present. I've heard singing WILSON'S WARBLERS each morning, and a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER yesterday. As far as "latish" bird go, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are thinning out -- saw a single one this morning. (Didn't see or hear any at Stevens Creek on Sat.) No Zono sparrows. Flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS still regularly present. Saw a single HERMIT THRUSH. -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 10:56:04 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re:Peninsula flycatcher -------- It's a little out of the SSB area, but had my first spring WW Peewee yesterday at Edgewood Park Also some Semip Plovers in first plowed field inside gate at Webb Ranch on Alpine Road, allong with a Killdeer ------------ Previous Message from Tom Grey <[[email protected]]> on 04/23/2001 10:45:21 AM ---------- To: [[email protected]] cc: Subject: [SBB] Frenchman's Meadow, Stanford This morning I saw an adult RED-TAILED HAWK incubating in the nest near the corner of Gerona and Santa Maria. The HOODED ORIOLE nest in the southerly palm that I saw being woven by a female weaving is now completed -- I saw her carrying plant down to it two days ago. A first-year male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was singing in the meadow this morning; two adult males were perched at the top of nearby redwoods, calling but not singing. At least 3 male HOODED were present. I've heard singing WILSON'S WARBLERS each morning, and a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER yesterday. As far as "latish" bird go, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are thinning out -- saw a single one this morning. (Didn't see or hear any at Stevens Creek on Sat.) No Zono sparrows. Flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS still regularly present. Saw a single HERMIT THRUSH. -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 12:30:34 2001 Subject: [SBB] Pinnacles trip on Saturday -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, This is a little outside our area, but I thought it may be of interest to some Santa Clara County birders. Saturday we had a post-class field trip to Pinnacles National Monument. We started from the east, and walked the "Old Pinnacles Trail" from the Chalone Creek Picnic Area around the Pinnacles to the western entrance to the monument (this involved going through a cave at one point, flashlights required). Weather was dry but cool, a bit breezy at times. In the morning we encountered A LOT of singing migrants. Looks like the rainy weather on Friday precipitated a fallout of birds on Saturday. At the Chalone Picnic Area we had flocks of crowned sparrows, also 1-2 CHIPPING SPARROWS. Within the first mile along the trail we had numerous WILSON'S WARBLERS singing. Other migrants and breeding birds found within the first mile or so included HAIRY WOODPECKERS, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, HOUSE WRENS, CASSIN'S VIREOS, WARBLING VIREOS, several NASHVILLE WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, AUDUBON'S WARBLERS, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS. At various points along the trail we had HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS (about 4 total), and farther on we had 2 WESTERN TANAGERS, numerous PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, and a possible (too briefly heard) Yellow-breasted Chat. WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS were abundant, especially when we got near the cliffs, and the air was sometimes full of their rattling calls. Near the Chaparral Picnic Area at the western entrance to the park there were nesting BLACK PHOEBES and a few LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. A Fox Sparrow was singing from one of the willow clumps by the restrooms, and a HERMIT THRUSH later emerged from there. On the hike back we saw a PEREGRINE FALCON flying back and forth along the Balconies (Prairie Falcons are supposed to nest there, but we didn't see any). Also near the Balconies we heard and had brief glimpses of CANYON WREN. Generally the hike back was pretty quiet--the migrants that were singing everywhere in the morning were quiet or absent in the afternoon. The change in activity was pretty dramatic. On my way out of the park I stopped by the store at the private campground on the eastern entrance road. The manager there noticed my binoculars and told me I could go check the feeders in her yard--there I saw ANNA'S, RUFOUS, and BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS, also PINE SISKINS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES at the seed feeders. It really pays off sometimes to keep your binoculars on! Mammals seen in the park included a COYOTE and MERRIAM'S CHIPMUNK. It was too cold for reptiles to be out, and I think only one lizard was seen the whole day. John Mariani [[email protected]] www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 13:34:58 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: {SBB] Migration north -------- Andy wrote: > Apologies if this seems a little out of area. There was > quite a heavy passage of birds off Santa Cruz yesterday > afternoon. I was confident that the large straggly flocks > flying close to the water were Brants. There were also > flocks flying very high and in some kind of strung out > formation. They may have been Brants but I have seen > cormorants flying like this -- although not in their > hundreds as these flocks numbered. > > Another group of birds had about a dozen per flock, flew > close to the water and looked like loons. I fancied Red- > throated from a slight drooping of the heads. Large > straggly flocks of smaller birds completed the > procession – scoters? Observers in both San Mateo Co. and Santa Cruz County on Sunday reported thousands of Brant going by - a really large push. The Loons at this time of year are mainly Pacific, with smaller numbers of Common's (often flying a bit higher). Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 14:04:00 2001 Subject: [SBB] Red Crossbill -------- Monday morning at about 11:00 Frank Vanslager and I found the previously reported Red Crossbills at Skylawn Cemetery at Hwy 92 and Skyline. We saw a pair near the tops of pines near the big flagpole. Roland Kenner -------- Attachment 561 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 14:49:20 2001 Subject: [SBB] Blue Grosbeak no-show Sunday PM -------- Yesterday 2-3PM at the Sycamore "bend" at Ed Levin Park, the Blue Grosbeak was a no show. I did not climb up the draw but scanned the hillside quite a lot, to no avail. 2 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWs were feeding on the path. Vivek Tiwari -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 17:34:24 2001 Subject: [SBB] Smith Creek and Joe D. Grant CP 4/21/01 -------- My class did a field trip to the Smith Creek-Joe D. Grant CP area on Saturday. We were stalled at the Grant CP entry by the road closure of Mt. Hamilton Rd. because of the expected snowfall. There was only a dusting of snow visible at Lick Observatory and the road was opened a little before 9:00. 80 species for the day. Here are some of the highlights: PRAIRIE FALCON flying over the lake area possible NASHVILLE WARBLER at Grant CP, appeared to a female CHIPPING SPARROW, several active and vocal at Smith Creek Firestation LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH, one male, at the Grant CP lake parking lot Spring arrivals/migrants: Western Flycatcher, silent, at Grant CP Western Kingbird, 2 at Grant CP Warbling Vireo, heard at Smith Creek Swallows: No. Rough-winged, Violet-green, Tree, and Barn at Grant CP lake House Wren possible Black-throated Gray Warbler, heard-only Wilson's Warblers, silent Black-headed Grosbeaks Bullock's Oriole Breeding activity: Great Blue Herons, on-nest and carrying nesting mat'ls, Halls Valley American Coot, on nest in the Grant CP lake, mate brought nesting mat'l Lingering winterers/migrants and sometimes marginally occuring species: Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead on the Grant CP lake Sharp-shinned Hawk at Smith Creek Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush, one of the sagey areas btwn Smith Creek and Grant CP Yellow-rumped Warblers: 2 Myrtle's, several Audubon's Golden-crowned Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Pine Siskin, flock of about 20 at Smith Creek area Also seen, Golden Eagle, Wild Turkey, Orange-crowned Warbler, 2 feral pigs (sus scrofa) General impressions: quantities of birds seemed a bit low; although the was a lot of vocalizations at times, it seemed that many birds that were seen were silent; only a few flycatchers. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 18:12:40 2001 Subject: [SBB] Migration north -------- Apologies if this seems a little out of area. There was quite a heavy passage of birds off Santa Cruz yesterday afternoon. I was confident that the large straggly flocks flying close to the water were Brants. There were also flocks flying very high and in some kind of strung out formation. They may have been Brants but I have seen cormorants flying like this -- although not in their hundreds as these flocks numbered. Another group of birds had about a dozen per flock, flew close to the water and looked like loons. I fancied Red- throated from a slight drooping of the heads. Large straggly flocks of smaller birds completed the procession – scoters? None of these birds was really close enough to get any more than an impression of their general colour scheme. The sun was also coming round to behind them to make matters more difficult. Anyone any ideas? In any case it was certainly a sight worth seeing. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 23 20:10:25 2001 Subject: [SBB] Brants and Loons -------- All, This afternoon about 1:00 along the western side of Pillar Point Harbor were four Brants feeding in shallow water and at least one Common Loon diving out in the deep water. In adddition were a great variety of shorebirds including Blackbellied Plovers and Black Turnstones both in full formal courting attire. John -------- Attachment 1.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 07:28:11 2001 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: Yesterday, 4/23/2001, I saw a COMMON LOON on Shoreline Lake, perhaps the same bird seen there last week. A GREEN HERON was in flight over the Mountain View Forebay and along Shoreline Lake. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 08:51:03 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Cliff Swallows NB near Skyline Blvd. -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Les Chibana" <[[email protected]]> > There are some homes in the area where > the swallows were picking up supplies, but I wonder if these might > be using a natural substrate? That would be novel. Cliff Swallows are quick to use the eaves of houses for nest substrates. However, during the Breeding Bird Atlas field work years I found nests of this swallow on a natural cliff face near the spillway of Anderson Reservoir. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 09:29:08 2001 Subject: [SBB] HOME -------- The female HOME was seen late yesterday, 4/23, in the small pond immediately north of the paved walking path north of Mt. View Forebay, just west of the intersection with the Adobe Creek Trail. James Yurchenco [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 12:53:53 2001 Subject: [SBB] Black Skimmers at EEC -------- Early this morning (6:30-7:30am) there were 3 Black Skimmers flying over salt pond A16 adjacent to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge's Environmental Education Center in Alviso. They were calling and feeding in the pond near the tern islands. The tern islands are full of courting Forster's Terns, American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts, and there were also about 20 Bonaparte's Gulls in breeding plumage by the southwest corner of the pond. Cheryl Millett Biologist San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory PO Box 247 1290 Hope Street Alviso, CA 95002 phone 408/946-6548 fax 408/946-9279 -------- Attachment 1.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 13:06:50 2001 Subject: [SBB] Lazuli Bunting, Ed Levin Park -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I decided to try for (and missed) the Blue Grosbeak seen by Mike M. and Peter L. up above Sandy Wool Lake in Ed Levin Park. A nice year bird however, was an adult male Lazuli Bunting that Frank found singing in the top of one of the Sycamores. Later we had nice views of Lazuli Bunting singing at three to four different places on the hillside. At one point we saw that adult male Red-winged Blackbirds would chase the bunting, unfortunately they also chased two other small, bluish birds that we did not get a good look at. Other "mentionables" include at least two Grasshopper Sparrows on the ridge above the green gate (three to four sightings), Rufous-crowned Sparrows at various places on the hillside, Western Kingbird near the parking lot, many Bullock's Orioles, House Wren and Lesser Goldfinch. We also had both Crowned Sparrows, the only hummers seen were Anna's Hummingbirds, several (8-10) Forster's Terns were over the lake and a flock of about twenty American White Pelicans were circling over the hills to north of the park. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:07 PM, 4/24/01 -------- Attachment 1.3 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 15:08:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] Oka Ponds - Los Gatos Creek -------- Good Afternoon All..... I ran over to Los Gatos Creek this morning before work....I was very surprised to find no ducks other than male Mallards (12) in both Los Gatos Creek and Oka Ponds side. Not even a Cormorant, only two Coots! At the bridge, I came across approx. 100 Cliff Swallows, flying under the bridge and perching on the beams under foot. I could see them through the spaces in the floor boards. The gosling is getting big and still with its parents. The Canada Goose down by the Oka Lane entrance is still incubating. Had about 50 Cedar Waxwings in the large trees and a single male Hooded Oriole (first for me at Oka) in the trees by the Oka Lane entrance. On the way back to the car I walked the around the ponds on the Dell Avenue side, and found about two hundred Swallows gathering mud. Male Anna's Hummingbirds were doing displays. Back at the car were five goslings sitting in a puddle with both parents standing on each side of them. The sign above their heads read," No Standing". Where's the camera when you need one. Okay, good birding to all. Best regards, Linda Sullivan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 16:14:35 2001 Subject: [SBB] Cliff Swallows NB near Skyline Blvd. -------- This morning I saw several Cliff Swallows picking up mud at a small roadside puddle along Skyline Blvd. between Skyline Ridge and Long Ridge OSPs, indicating nest building. I don't recall seeing them engaged in this activity at this elevation in this area before, unless I've just missed seeing them doing this at Horseshoe Lake or Alpine Pond at Skyline Ridge. There are some homes in the area where the swallows were picking up supplies, but I wonder if these might be using a natural substrate? That would be novel. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 17:10:09 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Cliff Swallows NB near Skyline Blvd. -------- A friend and I once hiked a few miles up Panoche Creek from where it intertsects Silver Creek (April as I recall) and we saw a huge cliff swallow colony using a natural cliff face ( 100' up from the creekbed) Must have been several hundred to a thousand nests. All of this despite the fact clff swallows were using the I-5 overpasses for nesting not 10 miles away. I have never encountered natural substrate nesting cliff swallows in SC Co. Screech ----- Original Message ----- From: "Les Chibana" <[[email protected]]> To: "South Bay Birders" <[[email protected]]> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 4:14 PM Subject: [SBB] Cliff Swallows NB near Skyline Blvd. > This morning I saw several Cliff Swallows picking up mud at a small > roadside puddle along Skyline Blvd. between Skyline Ridge and Long > Ridge OSPs, indicating nest building. I don't recall seeing them > engaged in this activity at this elevation in this area before, > unless I've just missed seeing them doing this at Horseshoe Lake or > Alpine Pond at Skyline Ridge. There are some homes in the area where > the swallows were picking up supplies, but I wonder if these might > be using a natural substrate? That would be novel. > > Les Chibana > > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 19:31:37 2001 Subject: [SBB] Palo Alto Summer Bird Count! -------- All, Mark your calendars! Saturday, June 2 has been set for this year's Annual Palo Alto Summer Bird Count. I'd like to get you all started thinking about how you can help. The Count covers all the same regions as the familiar Christmas Bird Count, but provides much needed information about breeding bird species in our area. Because it's set for Saturday, and the weather is likely to be great, there's really no reason not to spend a few hours helping the effort. I think we'd all be birding anyway... All eight Regions will need to be covered as in winter, with Regional Coordinators to help assign teams to various spots within that Region. The Regions are as follows: Region 1 (Redwood City and East Palo Alto waterfronts) Region 2 (Palo Alto Baylands, Shoreline Park and Moffet Field) Region 3 (Residential Menlo Park, Atherton and Redwood City) Region 4 (Residential Palo Alto, Mountain View and Sunnyvale) Region 5 (Woodside) Region 6 (Los Altos Hills) Region 7 (Skyline Open Space Areas) Region 8 (Lower Skyline, Foothills Park and Montebello) I would like to ask the people who Coordinated these Regions to take them again and help ensure this year goes as smoothly as December did. It was a huge success! As the date gets closer, I will have a better idea which areas still need volunteers and I may send out another plea for help. Until the Regional Coordinators have committed, you may contact me regarding opportunities for the Count. Finally, to make sure I stay on topic, I'd like to add that I saw a NASHVILLE WARBLER by the dumpster of my apartment complex. This is the first time I've detected this species in my neigborhood, which is only one block from El Camino Real and typically not a real warbler hot spot. That's all for now, Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -------- Attachment 2.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 21:03:04 2001 Subject: [SBB] W Tanager, GOEA etc. at Hidden Villa 4/24/2001 -------- All, A Western Tanager was singing loudly in the central part of Hidden Villa today, 4/24/2001. With any luck it will nest here again, as WETA have for at least the past 2 seasons. A single adult Golden Eagle showed up as well (also seen on Friday 4/20), and was chased off by an angry Red-tailed Hawk. A RTHA sallied forth when I saw the Friday bird too, but strangely enough, it was a Band-tailed PIgeon that was pestering and alternately being pursued by the GOEA as it flew down Adobe Creek along Moody Road. A House Wren has been singing loudly from the big maple by HV's cow shed lately, and 2 separate Hutton's Vireo pairs have been observed carrying food in the past week. Butterflies currently flying at Hidden Villa include Bramble Green Hairstreak, Pale Swallowtail, Chalcedon Checkerspot, Propertius Duskywing, Buckeye, Spring Azure, Gray Hairstreak, Mourning Cloak, West Coast Lady, Yellow-orange Sulfur, California Ringlet, Cabbage White, and Veined White. I have seen at least 6 or 8 others there this spring, but not this week. For those who don't already know, the 1600-acre Hidden Villa Ranch is private, but open to the public for a $5 parking fee every day except Monday until summer camp starts in mid-June. There are 1600 acres of mixed habitats that rival any local open space for species diversity. It is 1.7 miles west of Foothill College at 26870 Moody Road in Los Altos Hills. --Garth Harwood -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Apr 24 22:53:10 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] W Tanager, GOEA etc. at Hidden Villa 4/24/2001 -------- In a message dated 4/24/01 9:03:55 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: > A single adult Golden Eagle showed up as well (also seen on Friday 4/20), > and > was chased off by an angry Red-tailed Hawk. A RTHA sallied forth when I saw > the Friday bird too, but strangely enough, it was a Band-tailed PIgeon that > was pestering and alternately being pursued by the GOEA as it flew down > Adobe > Creek along Moody Road. Thanks for this info Garth! I was working at the CNPS native plants nursery at Hidden Villa this afternoon - and I did look up from time to time (I've seen GOEA there a few times) but missed him/her. I'll be there again over the next several days so perhaps I'll get a sighting too. If so, I'll post here. Georgia Stigall Four Winds Nature Preserve -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 25 02:45:37 2001 Subject: [SBB] accipiters -------- I want to correct a couple things about my recent accipiter posting. I had mentioned that the fierceness of nest defense was proportional to the size of the accipiter. However, in reading Bent's Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey, it mentions that Sharp-shinned Hawk is considered more aggressive around the nest than Cooper's. Perhaps this explains why Cooper's seems to be more readily found in the urban areas. More tolerant maybe? Also, I stated that Sharp-shinned Hawk was thought to be a local nonbreeder in the past. This was based on my own experience and conversations I had with others. Bill Bousman kindly pointed out a few historical references to scarce local breeding in the literature. Certainly the Breeding Bird Atlas showed a more consistent and numerous breeding effort than was previously thought. Sorry for any confusion. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 25 11:18:12 2001 Subject: [SBB] Tanager, BT Gray Warbler -------- I took a moment this morning to look for a bird singing an unfamiliar song around my home along Skyline Blvd. near Long Ridge OSP. I found a female WESTERN TANAGER (not the singing bird) and heard BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERs and PURPLE FINCHes singing. I don't think I can describe the song adequately, but it was reminiscent of a Purple Finch's song in tonal quality and length, but it was delivered much slower with more space between notes. I saw our nest-building Black Phoebes carrying mud to their nest site on our house this morning. And one Cliff Swallow carried mud toward one of the nearby homes or the area of the cliff face at the Peters Creek waterfall in Long Ridge OSP. Last night I found a HUGE bug below our garage light. I looked it up in several field guides: a GIANT WATER BUG, Lethocerus americanus, aka "Toe Biter", "Electric Light Bug". It's supposed to be the largest No. American true bug. It's capable of nailing humans with its proboscis and delivering a painful load of chemistry designed to stun prey. It's about 2.5 in. in body length, 3 in. counting its forelegs held out in front. It was bigger than any flying cockroach that I grew up with in Hawaii! Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Apr 25 16:31:48 2001 Subject: [SBB] San Francisquito Creek -------- All, On my lunch time walk along the Creek I decided to visit my old haunts near University Drive and Creek Drive. The area had a pair of HOODED ORIOLS squabbling in a large palm tree and perhaps 7 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES. As well there were a pair of NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, a NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER in a nest hole, a singing WARBLING VIREO, a singing CHIPPING SPARROW and an unidentified SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD. I found it interesting that while this portion of the Creek was seemingly saturated with Orioles, on the other side of El Camino Real (from Alma to the pedestrial bridge near Sunset Magazine) I have not yet encounted a single Oriole this spring. No doubt this is just a fluke because the habitat seems identical. That's all for now, Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 26 14:43:17 2001 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek CP -------- All, I took advantage of the lingering overcast this morning 4/26/01 and made a late-morning trip to Stevens Creek County Park, hoping for a few recently arrived year birds and perhaps some migrants. As usual for this time of year, the park was very birdy, with 64 species being found, the first 50 of these in about an hour - great spot for a Big Day stop! Flycatchers were well represented, with 9+ OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS, 8 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, 5+ ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, and numerous PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS. Also had all three species of VIREOS, many WILSON'S WARBLERS, and a single pair of YELLOW WARBLERS between the upper end of the reservoir and Camp Costanoan. Six singing male WESTERN TANAGERS throughout the park likely included some breeders, although the bird at the Villa Maria Picnic Area was clearly a migrant. Two YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS included a singing male AUDUBON'S. A single OSPREY circled over the reservoir. Other birds of interest included 3+ WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, 2 unidentified male SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS, 4 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW, and a pair of HOODED ORIOLES. No kinglets, no Lincoln's Sparrows, no White- or Golden-crowned Sparrows, no Hermit Thrushes... Breeding confirmations for 13 species were obtained, the most interesting being occupied nests of WARBLING VIREO, HAIRY WOODPECKER, NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER, and BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Apr 26 21:12:15 2001 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek oddity -------- I was near the start of the Lookout trail this evening when I heard a very rich song coming from within a tree. I couldn't begin to describe it but it was way beyond anything I was expecting to hear. I couldn't trace the bird and then the song stopped. I started to walk past the tree and noticed something very dark hopping up the branches. Steller's Jay, I thought from what I could see of it. It reached the branches directly above me, about 50 feet up say, and began to preen itself. With the backlight all I could really say was that it was dark with a long black tail but I could pick no hint of blue out of it. It also seemed smaller than Steller's Jay. However, as it preened I could see a very ragged crest, which seemed too wispy for a jay. I couldn't figure it out then but on looking through my Sibley at home I am struck by Phainopepla. Is this possible? Anyway there were certainly Great Horned Owls calling further up the trail. Also there seems to be a number of Bullock's Orioles actually down on the bay. I have seen one couple at the Rengstorff House and a female at the Sunnyvale WPCP. The Snow Goose continues there too. A great time of the year, what? -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 27 09:16:22 2001 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero -------- I finally got a chance this morning to pay a brief visit to the southeast part of Arastradero Preserve as described by Garth. A flock of about 20 Lesser Goldfinches included one male Lawrence's Goldfinch; I didn't spot a female. Also here I saw my first Ash-Throated Flycatcher of the year. A pair of Western Bluebirds were taking food to a nest box near the hilltop, and a House Wren was singing atop another box. Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 27 18:03:05 2001 Subject: [SBB] Lake Cunningham -------- Hi. My name is Riccardo Magni and I'm new to the list. I saw some neat birds at Lake Cunningham in San Jose yesterday. New ones for me were the GREEN HERON, a pair of EARED GREBES, and four CASPIAN TERNS. The terns were active in a mating display, opening that big red beak very wide. Riccardo __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 27 20:35:21 2001 Subject: [SBB] Nesting CAGO -------- My wife, linda, tells me that a pair of CAnadian GEese have successfully nested in a planter box on the second story balcony of the Main Administration Building (BLDG 12) of IBM Corp. on Cottle Rd. The newly hatched goslings (3 of 4)were carried from the second story balcony to a ground level patio (patio box and all) by IBM security. The goslings were escorted by 'mom and dad' to a small lake on plantsite about 500 yards from the building. This is the second successive year they have nested in this box. IBM security secures the area from intruders (resident employees included) to allow them to successfully begin their family. We change best when we learn from the past and plan for the future, while enjoying the present. _SJ _______________________________________________________ Send a cool gift with your E-Card http://www.bluemountain.com/giftcenter/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Apr 27 23:41:36 2001 Subject: [SBB] Nesting Orioles, Cooper's, & Nuttall's & BH Grosbeak -------- Many thanks to Tom Grey for revealing the secret of Frenchman's Meadow to someone who would have never otherwise stumbled onto it! We visited after work yesterday and found both of the Hooded Oriole nests. Fabulous construction--and if you weren't looking, you'd never see them... Got good looks at several males and quick glimpses of probable females. Also found: apparently nesting pair of Nuttall's in a tree behind and to the right of the right-hand palm as you stand on Frenchman's looking at the Meadow. The great reports of this spot brought out another couple in search of Orioles last night and it was thanks to them that we also saw a male Black-headed Grosbeak in the same area as the Nuttall's. Apart from the very numerous mosquitoes it was a very successful trip. Today was another great day--I found our Cooper's nest in Los Altos! This is the third year we've known them to nest in the same rough area, but last year we couldn't find their nest. I had the impression today that they're still building--or at least filling in the fluffy interior. Lots of trips back and forth, and plenty of time with both off the nest. I wonder if they're feeling anxious: my first view today was of one joining a couple of crows in harrassing a local Red-tail. The new location is more exposed than the one we knew two years ago, but looks sturdy and stable. Of course I'm thrilled to have such a good view of all the action--looking forward to things to come and hoping the hawks are as successful this year as the last several. --Natasha -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Apr 28 18:53:43 2001 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero -------- A quick (three hours!) turn round the north of the preserve finally located the male Lawrence's Goldfinch near the junction of the Meadowlark and Corte Madera trials. I had never hiked the section north of Arastradero Road but at this time of the year it produces all five species of swallow and Vaux's and White-throated Swifts. Plus Western Bluebirds and distant views of a pair of Golden Eagles over the Stanford dish. There are still plenty of calling birds that I cannot recognise but I may have nailed Western Tanager at last. It's kind of distinctive? -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 07:44:32 2001 Subject: [SBB] "Imperial" Eagle -------- During the last Christmas count at Coyote Ridge, several birders enjoyed watching an unusually marked golden eagle at the dump. Someone nicknamed it "Headlights" but I prefer to call it the "Imperial" eagle. This big adult has much white on the "shoulders" and neck and is very striking. Last week I saw it twice, Friday and Saturday, along 101 between the dump area and the new golf course. In both cases it was flying low, eastward and upslope, apparently hunting the highway median strip. It was less than 20 feet off the ground and very easy to see even from the car. The white is easy to see from a great distance, but the effect is especially strking when the bird is coming right at you! This bird is worth watching for if you're at the Ogier Ponds or along the bike trail near the golf course. Rick Herder [[email protected]] Morgan Hill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 11:42:22 2001 Subject: [SBB] Birdathon, Solitary Sandpiper, Swainson's Thrush, etc., etc. -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, On Sat., April 28th, the "Almaden Eagles" team (Ann Verdi, Jim Danzenbaker, Amy Monborquette, Grant Webb, and myself) did a birdathon in the South County (only covering areas on the west side of the Santa Teresa Hills from Chesbro Reservoir north to Blossom Hill Road). We started at the ungodly hour of 4:30am, and birded until the last of us succumbed to exhaustion in the late afternoon. Our total was 107 species, which is a lower count than we got the last two years (our record high was 118 in 1999). Migrants and lingering winter birds were especially scarce, some of the resident birds were also AWOL, and weather (windy, cool, foggy, etc.) probably played a role. Next time we may alter our route to cover different areas earlier in the day when birds are more active. Not only were there many misses, but a relatively high proportion of the birds were "heard onlys." Even so, we had a good day with some great birds! We got Golden Eagle early, redeeming our team name after last year's embarrassing miss. Our best bird was a SOLITARY SANDPIPER that was seen from a pullout at the upper end of Chesbro Reservoir. It flushed from the stream just above where it flows into the reservoir, and we only got to see it in flight. What I saw was a small tringa sandpiper, with entirely dark brown wings and upperparts, dark rump, white outer tail feathers with black central tail feathers. It was much smaller than a Greater Yellowlegs that simultaeously flushed, and it flew upward with characteristic zig-zag flight--didn't hear it call. Jim confirmed the identification. It circled but didn't return, and may have flown to a small stock pond, creek, or other body of water across the road from the reservoir. We checked likely places, but didn't refind it (not surprising, as there are shores there with emergent vegetation where it could easily have hidden). Our other best bird was an early SWAINSON'S THRUSH that Jim found in New Almaden, in the riparian near La Foret Restaurant. Most of the regular breeding migrants were found in decent numbers. YELLOW WARBLERS were in New Almaden (1-2), at Twin Creeks (3-4 males singing), and at the SCVWD Pond (1 singing male). OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES were in New Almaden and Twin Creeks. Evidence of breeding included a WOOD DUCK with 7 young along LLagas Creek near Chesbro Reservoir, a CANADA GOOSE on a nest at Almaden Lake Park, a MALLARD with 11 young (location I've forgotten), BLACK PHOEBE nest at the Community Center in New Almaden, and a WESTERN BLUEBIRD going to a nest hole at Calero County Park. Here is the entire list: 1. Pied-billed Grebe 2. Western Grebe - 4 at Calero Reservoir 3. Double-crested Cormorant 4. Ruddy Duck 5. Canada Goose - On nest at Almaden Lake Park 6. Wood Duck - 3 at Almaden Reservoir, female with young near Chesbro Reservoir 7. Gadwall 8. Mallard - Female with young 9. Lesser Scaup - 2, Calero Reservoir 10. Common Merganser 11. Great Blue Heron 12. Snowy Egret 13. Great Egret 14. Green Heron 15. Black-crowned Night-Heron 16. Turkey Vulture 17. Osprey - 2 at Chesbro Reservoir 18. White-tailed Kite 19. Sharp-shinned Hawk 20. Cooper's Hawk 21. Red-shouldered Hawk - Only 1? 22. Red-tailed Hawk 23. Golden Eagle - McKean Road, near nest tower 24. American Kestrel 25. Wild Turkey 26. California Quail 27. American Coot 28. Greater Yellowlegs - 1 at Chesbro Reservoir 29. Solitary Sandpiper - 1 where creek flows into Chesbro Reservoir 30. Killdeer - Young seen near Chesbro Reservoir 31. California Gull 32. Caspian Tern 33. Forster's Tern 34. Rock Dove 35. Band-tailed Pigeon 36. Mourning Dove 37. Western Screech-Owl - New Almaden 38. Great Horned Owl - New Almaden, Guadalupe Reservoir 39. Northern Pygmy-Owl - Heard distantly near Guadalupe Reservoir 40. Common Poorwill - Hicks Road near Guadalupe Reservoir 41. Vaux's Swift - 1, Alamitos Creek Trail 42. Belted Kingfisher 43. Acorn Woodpecker 44. Nuttall's Woodpecker 45. Downy Woodpecker 46. Hairy Woodpecker 47. Northern Flicker 48. Olive-sided Flycatcher 49. Western Wood-Pewee 50. Pacific-slope Flycatcher 51. Black Phoebe - Nest at Community Center in New Almaden 52. Ash-throated Flycatcher 53. Western Kingbird 54. Steller's Jay 55. Western Scrub-Jay 56. Yellow-billed Magpie 57. American Crow 58. Hutton's Vireo 59. Cassin's Vireo 60. Warbling Vireo 61. Cedar Waxwing 62. Western Bluebird - At nest hole in Calero County Park 63. Swainson's Thrush - 1 in New Almaden near La Foret 64. American Robin 65. Northern Mockingbird 66. California Thrasher 67. European Starling 68. White-breasted Nuthatch 69. Brown Creeper 70. Bewick's Wren 71. House Wren 72. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 73. Bushtit 74. Tree Swallow 75. Violet-green Swallow 76. Northern Rough-winged Swallow 77. Barn Swallow 78. Cliff Swallow 79. Wrentit 80. Chestnut-backed Chickadee 81. Oak Titmouse 82. House Sparrow 83. Pine Siskin - Trail to Bald Mountain, Sierra Azul OSP 84. Lesser Goldfinch 85. Purple Finch 86. House Finch 87. Orange-crowned Warbler 88. Nashville Warbler - Heard before dawn along Hicks Rd. near Guadalupe Reservoir 89. Yellow Warbler 90. Black-throated Gray Warbler - Mt. Umunhum Rd. 91. Common Yellowthroat - Singing at SCVWD Pond 92. Wilson's Warbler - Mt. Umunhum Rd., near Twin Creeks, and along Llagas Creek 93. Song Sparrow 94. Golden-crowned Sparrow 95. Dark-eyed Junco 96. Rufous-crowned Sparrow - Mt. Umunhum Road and Stile Ranch Trail 97. Spotted Towhee 98. California Towhee 99. Western Tanager - Guadalupe Res., also along Llagas Creek near Chesbro Res. 100. Black-headed Grosbeak 101. Lazuli Bunting - Heard near Chesbro Reservoir 102. Hooded Oriole 103. Bullock's Oriole 104. Red-winged Blackbird 105. Western Meadowlark 106. Brewer's Blackbird 107. Brown-headed Cowbird John Mariani [[email protected]] www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 13:28:51 2001 Subject: [SBB] Almaden birds -------- Birds from a couple of hikes Debbie and I took in Almaden in the past week: Yesterday at the IBM Research facility, we had several Western Bluebirds and Lark Sparrows. Last Monday, we hiked from the Mockingbird Hill entrance to Almaden Quicksilver County Park out to New Almaden via Cape Horn pass and had the following highlights: Closest to Mockingbird Hill: singing Warbling Vireo, singing Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher (including one sitting on a nest near Cape Horn pass), Ash-throated Flycatcher, Orange-Crowned Warbler (heard only), Wrentit (heard only), accipiter (sp?), Violet-Green Swallow Nearer to and in New Almaden: House Wren, Purple Finch, Black-Headed Grosbeak, Bullock's Orioles, Olive-sided Flycatcher (heard only), Pacific Slope Flycatcher (heard only), unknown warbler (maybe Yellow?) that wouldn't sit still Hugh McDevitt -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 16:52:01 2001 Subject: [SBB] California Gulls starting to nest -------- On Wednesday morning I saw my first dozen California Gulls carrying nesting material to their traditional nesting site on the levee between ponds A9 and A10 by the mouth of Alviso Slough at Coyote Creek. Sue Macias and I had been watching them gather there and at the Knapp in recent weeks, but this is the first nest-building I've noticed there. Cheryl Millett Biologist San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory PO Box 247 1290 Hope Street Alviso, CA 95002 phone 408/946-6548 fax 408/946-9279 -------- Attachment 935 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 19:10:17 2001 Subject: [SBB] "My Farm" -------- A disturbing situation is happening at "my farm" (La Rinconada Park) - the EUROPEAN STARLINGS have arrived en masse. It appears as if the long time "home" of one colony of ACORN WOODPECKERS has been taken over by the starlings. Then, the Woodpeckers moved to the perimeter of the park. Today that tree was also overwhelmed with Starlings. I've never seen more than a handful of starlings on any given day in the park...and I've had months seeing none. In fact just this year, I saw one starling on Jan 12, none in Feb or March. There were lots and lots today. Another increase in population has occurred with the RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS. I saw none in January. Once February began there were a half dozen...now there are lots. But, not as many as starlings. I'm afraid these "varmits" are going to ruin "my farm"... On the happy side, I saw one ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER carrying nesting material - same location. On both Friday and Saturday I had over 100 CEDAR WAXWINGS eating, today only saw 2. Had a dozen VAUX SWIFT no swallows...Some days its swallows but no swift...and other days neither one. They seem to like to fly above the creek and gather bugs. The coyote is becoming a regular sight...he is not shy. A neighbor's cat has been killed. There were at least 3, maybe more, BULLOCK'S ORIOLES high atop the Euc - never saw an adult male. a pretty day... Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off Quito http://www.wallstreetgifts.com "largest selection of Wall Street inspired gifts" http://www.cowscowscows.com "site for the Chicago and NYC cows" http://www.lgsia.com "money management for YOU using 9 distinct portfolios" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 21:23:23 2001 Subject: [SBB] A surprise at Sunnyvale Dump -------- This evening I went to Sunnyvale Sewage Treatment Plant to see the SNOW GOOSE. While crossing the fairly full creek near the parking lot I saw 2 COMMON MOORHENS, one on each side of the bridge. The pair of BURROWING OWLS on the hill ignored the jack rabbit hopping by. The other burrow (around to the right) had only 1 Burrowing Owl present tonight. After backtracking to walk along the water towards the geese there was a 3' piece of driftwood floating by. It was just beyond the algae "pond". But wait -- the driftwood seems to have a black tail. Looking closer, this driftwood also has eyes and a nose: it's a BEAVER! A few stray MALLARD DUCKLINGS quickly scoot out of the way as the beaver drifts closer. The beaver looks up and dives under water as a SECOND BEAVER surfaces from the other direction. What a surprise! There were at least 4 MALLARD families in this portion of the creek. Each family had 3 to 9 ducklings, their heads glistening yellow in the low sun. The ducklings could actually run atop the algae, an amusing sight. Other birds included a pair of GADWALLS, RUDDY DUCKS, AMERICAN COOTS (harassing the ducklings and the beaver), a BLACK PHOEBE, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, a FORSTERS TERN, and a "mystery bird" hiding in the reeds. It seemed to be sitting on a nest (or possibly beaver twigs?) and it resembled a grouse with a white forehead and a dark band around the throat. I have no idea what it was, but it soon disappeared never to be seen again. All in all, an exciting evening at the dump. Karen DeMello ([[email protected]]) -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Apr 29 23:29:29 2001 Subject: [SBB] Vasona Osprey & White-throated Sparrow -------- All, As reported earlier, the Vasona OSPREY was last seen on the evening of 4/17. The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, along with the last GOLDEN-CROWN, was last seen on 4/24. Jean Dubois -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 03:29:49 2001 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Saturday, 28 Apr 01, I drove down to the south county, specifically to San Felipe Road off of hwy 152. Here I found a pair of CASSIN'S KINGBIRDS occupying the middle eucalyptus in the line of three that are growing along this road. They alternately would forage in the adjacent vinyard and then move into the euc, where they looked to be prospecting for nest sites. This is the same tree in which a pair nested in at least one previous year. Also in this vicinity were 2 WESTERN KINGBIRDS, a pair of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, at least 1 BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, and many TREE SWALLOWS. On the way home I found a male OSPREY perched by the northern-most pond of the Parkway Lakes chain. This is just south of hwy 101 and Bernal. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 06:08:51 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] A surprise at Sunnyvale Dump -------- Beaver, Nutria or Muskrat?? They look pretty similar, but beaver are unheard of, muskrat fairly common, I don't know about Nutria in Cal. Richard C. Carlson Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Part-time Economist Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 06:36:57 2001 Subject: [SBB] Sierra Spring -------- Strange Spring here at Tahoe. It's warm and dry but birds are late. Pine and Evening Grosbeaks hanging around in good number near lake level -- Lord, are they gorgeous. Only a few pussy willows, little remaining snow.. Only warbler is Yellow-rumped; no vireos, many Bluebirds. Lower down at Sierra Valley, the meadows are pretty dry and cattails still brown. Huge numbers of mostly male Yellow- headed blackbirds on farms near Steel Bridge -- few in marshes. Saw only 6 Cranes, 10 phalaropes, 1 Avocet, no Stilts, few ducks, many Ibis, and 3 Harriers. Surprising bird was Lark Sparrow near marshes!! Woodpecker Weekend June 2-4 should be interesting. Richard C. Carlson Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Part-time Economist Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] Richard Carlson Chairman, Spectrum Economics Palo Alto, CA 650-324-2701 [[email protected]] -------- Attachment 1.9 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 06:37:23 2001 Subject: [SBB] Woodpecker Weekend -------- San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory has space for one more couple at it's third "Wine, Wildflowers and Woodpecker Weekend" at Tahoe June 2-4. We see most of the Sierra specialties including White Headed, Black-Backed, & Hairy Woodpeckers and Red-Breasted and Williamson's sapsuckers. We also see Sandhill Cranes, Calliope hummers, Cassin's Finch and Evening Grosbeaks. This year Pine Grosbeaks are hanging around - maybe they'll stay. Richard C. Carlson Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Part-time Economist Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] -------- Attachment 1.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 08:02:15 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] A surprise at Sunnyvale Dump -------- Beaver are not unheard of in Calif. anymore. While on a field trip with Garth Harwood to Phipps Ranch last year, we saw evidence of beaver in the small creek there. He would be the beaver expert on this list and hopefully will respond and enlighten us all. (OK, it's not bird related exactly, but let's just say they do impact bird habitat) Amy Summerfelt (in Texas now, but still subscribing) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Carlson" <[[email protected]]> To: "Karen DeMello" <[[email protected]]>; <[[email protected]]> Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 8:08 AM Subject: Re: [SBB] A surprise at Sunnyvale Dump > Beaver, Nutria or Muskrat?? They look pretty similar, but beaver are > unheard of, muskrat fairly common, I don't know about Nutria in Cal. > > Richard C. Carlson > Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker > Part-time Economist > Palo Alto, CA > [[email protected]] > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 09:00:02 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] LEWO -------- > Of greatest interest, however, were Lewis' Woodpeckers. At least three > birds were seen in the vicinity of Eagle Lake near the southern boundary of > the park. Two birds were interacting in way that was likely territorial > behavior. The site they were found at is very similar to known nesting > areas in San Antonio Valley: large valley oaks surrounding a shallow pond > located in a flat area. The Santa Clara County Breeding Bird Atlas had no > breeding confirmations west of Mt. Hamilton. If the birds at Grant are > breeding, it probably represents a range expansion for this species. This > siting is also of interest considering the LEWO seen last autumn in the same > park (although not in the same location). > > We did not have the time to stay and look for a confirmation, but access to > the site is relatively easy, slightly less that 1.5 miles from the Smith > Creek Ranger Station entrance. If anyone is interested in documenting a > possible range expansion of an interesting and beautiful species, here is an > opportunity. Two weeks ago my wife and I saw a single Lewis' Woodpecker flying from San Antonio Valley Road on the other side of Mount Hamilton. Daniel Bump -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 09:25:02 2001 Subject: [SBB] LEWO -------- Amy and I spent the day at Grant Park Sunday 4/29. All the expected migrants were there. Highlights were a Nashville Warbler and a couple of Hermit Warblers. Of greatest interest, however, were Lewis' Woodpeckers. At least three birds were seen in the vicinity of Eagle Lake near the southern boundary of the park. Two birds were interacting in way that was likely territorial behavior. The site they were found at is very similar to known nesting areas in San Antonio Valley: large valley oaks surrounding a shallow pond located in a flat area. The Santa Clara County Breeding Bird Atlas had no breeding confirmations west of Mt. Hamilton. If the birds at Grant are breeding, it probably represents a range expansion for this species. This siting is also of interest considering the LEWO seen last autumn in the same park (although not in the same location). We did not have the time to stay and look for a confirmation, but access to the site is relatively easy, slightly less that 1.5 miles from the Smith Creek Ranger Station entrance. If anyone is interested in documenting a possible range expansion of an interesting and beautiful species, here is an opportunity. James Yurchenco -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 11:49:20 2001 Subject: [SBB] Breeding news, Frenchman's Meadow (Stanford) -------- An adult RED-TAILED HAWK was standing for a considerable time this morning on the edge of the nest near the intersection of Santa Maria and Gerona -- so maybe they've hatched (it's about the right time). The fan palm behind 635 Gerona has a visible HOODED ORIOLE nest to add to the two visible nests in the palms in the meadow itself. -- Tom Grey Stanford Law School [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 12:47:49 2001 Subject: [SBB] Picid road rage -------- This weekend I came across two Acorn Woodpeckers slugging out in the middle of Sandhill Road, right across from Jasper Ridge entrance. It looked like a ball of B&W feathers rolling around on the pavement. Two gang members were flying down to egg them on. Being the good cop that I am, I pulled over to break it up but all the perps fled the scene. I recall seeing two flickers do this once before - is beak-to-beak combat typical of woodpeckers? Ah spring! When a young woodpecker's fancy turns to ......thrashing the neighbor??? Janet Tashjian Hanson Executive Director San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] 408/946-6548 -------- Attachment 1.4 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 14:52:28 2001 Subject: Re: [SBB] Picid road rage -------- Dear Janet -- Walt Koenig and his colleagues at Hastings Reserve in Carmel Valley have shown that these types of physical interactions are associated with what they've called "power struggles." These occur when there are vacancies of either sex in the breeding colony and are most intense with a female vacancy. Did you notice if the birds you saw were females? Physical combat seems to be more unusual in other woodpecker species. Flickers, for example, reportedly resolve most of their territorial disputes with ritualized "dancing," where two birds of the same sex swing their heads side to side with their bills pointed upwards, sometimes while also giving "wicka" calls. Best, Jeff Davis Santa Cruz, CA >This weekend I came across two Acorn Woodpeckers slugging out in the >middle of Sandhill Road, right across from Jasper Ridge entrance. It >looked like a ball of B&W feathers rolling around on the pavement. Two >gang members were flying down to egg them on. Being the good cop that I >am, I pulled over to break it up but all the perps fled the scene. >I recall seeing two flickers do this once before - is beak-to-beak combat >typical of woodpeckers? >Ah spring! When a young woodpecker's fancy turns to ......thrashing the >neighbor??? > >Janet Tashjian Hanson >Executive Director >San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory >P.O. Box 247 >Alviso, CA 95002 > >[[email protected]] >408/946-6548 > > > > > > > > > >
This weekend I came across two Acorn >Woodpeckers slugging out in the middle of Sandhill Road, right across from >Jasper Ridge entrance. It looked like a ball of B&W feathers rolling >around >on the pavement. Two gang members were flying down to egg them on. Being the >good cop that I am, I pulled over to break it up but all the perps fled the >scene.
>
I recall seeing two flickers do this once >before - is beak-to-beak combat typical of woodpeckers?
>
Ah spring! When a young woodpecker's fancy >turns to ......thrashing the neighbor???
>
 
>
Janet Tashjian >Hanson
Executive Director
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box >247
Alviso, CA  95002
>
 
> -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 15:57:42 2001 Subject: [SBB] Fw: Mallards & their offspring -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Field" <[[email protected]]> To: <[[email protected]]> Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 15:39 Subject: Re: Mallards & their offspring > Greetings, all, > This morning at Almaden Lake, a pair of mallard ducks with nine ducklings > swimming upstream -- so cute! A little later, I heard a commotion and saw > that another brood swimming downstream had converged with this one. The > adult females were very vocal. I wondered how the little ones would > disentangle themselves & watched as one female climbed the bank, made a > semicircle on land (followed by her offspring), then all got back into the > water farther down. Lots of fun to watch! > > The lake was also busy with common & Caspian terns, killdeer, a spotted > sandpiper, coots, egrets, geese, common mergansers, and redwinged > blackbirds. > Best, > Sue Field > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 17:33:17 2001 Subject: [SBB] April 29th Big Day -------- All, Sorry for the length of this report, but a long day's birding generates a lot to talk about :) Yesterday 4/29/01, I joined up with Grant Hoyt, Mike Mammoser, and Dick Stovel ("The Vagrants") to do a Santa Clara County Big Day. Our goal was to try and beat 158 species, the number of species seen on the Vagrant's best previous Spring Big Day several years ago. This record was achieved by starting in the San Antonio Valley and working back towards the Bay and our itinerary yesterday was planned to follow a similar route. It began at 3:45am at the Denny's in Milpitas and didn't finish up until more than 17.5 hours later at the same location. End result was 158 species, a tie (although at the time, owing to missing a few species on the tally sheet, we thought we had fallen three short). Considering the late date (we missed many wintering birds, like Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and White-crowned, Lincoln's, and Fox Sparrows), we felt this was a pretty good performance. We arrived at the Santa Clara/Alameda County line on Mines Road (via Livermore) at 4:55am. As soon as we got out of the car, we were treated to a calling COMMON POORWILL over the ridge to the east. Playing tapes of owl calls induced a response from WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS (we had at least six at our two stops) and three GREAT HORNED OWLS were calling of their own accord. As it got light, whistled imitations of NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL brought out at least two of these birds as well. When we arrived at the Biel Ranch entrance, it was already quite light. Nonetheless, another COMMON POORWILL, 3 more GREAT HORNED OWLS, and at least one NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL were still calling. As the sun came up and warmed our frozen bones (it was really cold back there!), the birds began to sing in earnest, and we quickly logged chaparral species such as CALIFORNIA THRASHER, WRENTIT, and BEWICK'S WREN, as well as many other expected species. A stop near the "South Pocket" added more species, including BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, HAIRY WOODPECKER, and HUTTON'S VIREO. The chaparral further up the road failed to produce any sparrows, a telling sign that April 29th is a little late for a Big Day. Descending down to Colorado Creek, we heard an unusual warbler song. We speculated that it was likely a NASHVILLE WARBLER - which was confirmed when Grant managed to find the bird way up the other hillside and we got it in the scope. Copulating NORTHERN FLICKERS, another singing HUTTON'S VIREO, and our first ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS of the day were also nice. The riparian area near "Ruthie's Shopping Mall" was a little quite, but did produce a single lingering GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, while the oaks across the road harbored at least one WESTERN TANAGER, a pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, and yet another HUTTON'S VIREO. The pond further along the road added the day's first LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, a species which was seen later at many locations. A stop at the cattle guard north of San Antone Junction (the junction with Del Puerto Road) was very fruitful, producing at least 6 singing "BELL'S" SAGE SPARROWS and a "singing" GREATER ROADRUNNER (this latter bird being heard only). At the fire station near the junction we tallied more LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, the day's only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (two, at least one a "MYRTLE"), and three PURPLE FINCHES (1 adult male, 2 females) mixed in among the CHIPPING SPARROWS. I heard the mewing call of a SAPSUCKER from some pines west of the road, but couldn't believe it until the bird called again. I alerted the others and we searched in vain to try and see the bird from the road. Grant managed to hear it once more later, but we had to leave this as a "SAPSUCKER SP" for our list. Any sapsucker is very rare after the first few days of April in Santa Clara County. Perhaps the lingering snows in the Diablo Range fooled the bird into thinking it wasn't Spring yet. At the junction itself, the hummingbird feeders were loaded with hummingbirds - unfortunately for our effort, they were all ANNA's. Across the road we added the day's first WESTERN KINGBIRD and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, both of which were encountered in numbers thereafter. The pond east of the junction added a male WOOD DUCK, but no other ducks. Heading south again on Mines Road from the junction, Grant soon spotted our only VAUX'S SWIFT for the day, winging it's way low over the road. A stop further south failed to produce Say's Phoebe, which has nested here in the past, but did add a singing TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD, our only one of the day. There was also a lingering SAVANNAH SPARROW near the bridge here. Near the Gehri Bridge we added PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, CLIFF SWALLOW, and a large flock of lingering PINE SISKIN. Our only LEWIS'S WOODPECKER came 3.3 miles south of the San Antone junction, along with a singing LARK SPARROW, and a third WOOD DUCK - but no Phainopepla (they have bred here in the past). By now we were well behind schedule and the pace quickened. A quick stop at the top of China Grade produced 3 more singing SAGE SPARROWS and at least 2 LAZULI BUNTINGS. A few other migrants, such as BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS and a WILSON'S WARBLER were also foraging in the chaparral here. Quick stops for Rock Wren and at the Arnold Pond failed to produce anything new, so we headed on to the Mt Hamilton summit. Again the hummingbird feeders had only ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS, but a singing BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER nearby was nice (one had a territory here last year as well). The descent to Smith's Creek was quick, adding BAND-TAILED PIGEON and WARBLING VIREO from the car, and we arrived at the Smith's Creek Ranger Station at 10:43am, almost an hour and a quarter behind schedule :( and fairly late in the morning to hope to hear singing migrants. A NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW on the wire here was apparently hoping that the earth bank excavated by the bridge construction would furnish a nesting site. This species was not recorded in this block during our breeding bird atlas, as suitable breeding habitat was lacking then. We first headed east along Smith's Creek, adding the expected CASSIN'S VIREOS, BROWN CREEPERS, and more LAZULI BUNTINGS. Two BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS singing upslope may well have been local breeders, and the only real signs of migration were 10+ singing WILSON'S WARBLERS. We were about to give up on finding migrant flocks, when I pleaded for 5 more minutes to check the oaks southwest on the ranger station. I had used up most of my minutes, when I finally heard the wheezy songs of migrant warblers. Further investigation turned up a large flock here, with 5+ HERMIT WARBLERS (3 females, 2 males), 3+ TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, single BLACK-THROATED GRAY and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, a WARBLING VIREO, and 4+ WESTERN TANAGERS - a real splash of color for our day! A quick stop at milepost 15.48 turned up another Bird-a-thon team, but not many birds (it was now almost noon!). However, a quick walk up the road led to the discovery of a tooting NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, right where the courting pair was two weeks ago! The trip over to Grant Lake added 3 more LAZULI BUNTINGS, but no Rufous-crowned Sparrows, making a stop at Ed Levin Park later in the day a necessity. Grant Lake boosted our totals greatly, adding several ducks, including 5 "female" BUFFLEHEAD and a male RING-NECKED DUCK. Grant had been put on raptor detail, and scanned the area while the rest of us scoped the lake; he did admirably, coming up with a pair of GOLDEN EAGLES perched atop an oak way up the hillside and a distant ACCIPITER (our only one for the day!) that we felt was likely a Cooper's Hawk. The loop around the Canal Trail added a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD that flew by the front of our group near the eucalyptus grove here, 5 more LAZULI BUNTINGS, 4 more LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, another pair of WOOD DUCKS, 2 more GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, 2 WESTERN TANAGERS, and nice scope views of our second (and last!) LARK SPARROW for the day. We left Grant Lake at 1:10pm, stopping quickly for RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at Quimby Road, and then headed to Ed Levin Park. A single WHITE-THROATED SWIFT low over the car as we drove in was the only one for the day, making both our swifts drive-by birds :). The eucalyptus trees at the parking lot had no selasphorus hummingbirds, but were loaded with lingering CEDAR WAXWINGS. Sandy Wool Lake added our only WHITE-TAILED KITE and 2 CASPIAN TERNS. A quick hike up to the sycamores failed to produce the hoped for Blue Grosbeak, but did add another LAZULI BUNTING, a couple of RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS, and two GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. Given how late it was, we skipped the Elm Picnic Area, leading to our missing Allen's Hummingbird for the day. We arrived at the Coyote Creek Field Station at 3:05pm and quickly began adding ducks and shorebird to our list from the nearby sewage ponds. A quick hike along the creek added AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and brief views of at least 2 male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS, but failed to produce the normally dependable Downy Woodpeckers, a species we missed for the day! The nearby waterbird pond held more ducks and shorebirds, including nice breeding plumage WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS, and DUNLIN. A RING-NECKED PHEASANT squawked a few times from nearby. We bypassed the ducks at Arzino Ranch to get into the EEC before it closed. Here were a pair of BLACK SKIMMERS, the day's first WILLET, the day's only EARED GREBES, and an adult PEREGRINE FALCON that Mike spied through the heat haze sitting on a post below the dike. Back out at Arzino Ranch, our ducks were suddenly gone - and we ended up missing American Wigeon for the day :(. The marsh at State and Spreckles held no Ruff, but the BARN OWL was roosting at SFBBO as usual. Scoping Arzino Ranch from the Jubilee Christian Center added 4 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS and 4 BURROWING OWLS to our list. A stop at the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant added another BURROWING OWL and the immature SNOW GOOSE, but no Green Heron or Common Moorhen. At 5:22 pm, we left to catch the incoming tide at the Palo Alto Baylands, seeing another flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS over Highway 101 on the drive north. Shorebirds were indeed filling the old yacht harbor basin when we arrived, and we added MARBLED GODWIT, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and 11+ WHIMBRELS in short order. Both WESTERN and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS were also well-represented on the mud flats, along with 125+ BONAPARTE'S GULLS and 10 GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The duck pond across the street added 3 LESSER SCAUP, an injured female GREATER SCAUP, a "female" COMMON GOLDENEYE, and a male CANVASBACK, boosting our previously feeble bay duck total. Two unidentifiable AECHMOPHORUS GREBES were well out on the Bay off the yacht harbor mouth. Given the time, we had to pass on walking out the boardwalk to get Clapper Rail. A quick stop at the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin added 10 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, but no BLUE-WINGED TEAL. Unusual here were two calling SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS in among many LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS; except for periods of peak migration (now) this species is usually found only at the immediate bay edge in the county. At 6:22pm, we arrived at the Mountain View Forebay. We lucked into a GREEN HERON, but had trouble again with Moorhen. The COMMON LOON was easily visible on Shoreline Lake, as were the two resident injured SURF SCOTERS, 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and another "female" COMMON GOLDENEYE. Close to shore in southern Salt Pond A1 we had a WESTERN GREBE, at which point many of us were sure those Aechmos off of Palo Alto must have been Clark's Grebes :). At least 14 more AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS flew into the island in the northwest corner of Pond A1 as well. At least 9 BLACK SKIMMERS were on the island in Charleston Slough and tenth bird seen later in Adobe Creek was likely a different individual. Careful scoping of the hundreds of closely packed MARBLED GODWITS turned up two BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, our last "expected" shorebird species needed for the day. Five LESSER SCAUP and another male CANVASBACK were far out in Charleston Slough. At least 45 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were roosting on the Forebay mud flats, some mixed in with breeding-plumaged WESTERN SANDPIPERS. There were no Hooded Mergansers in their usual channel opposite Adobe Creek, but a COMMON MOORHEN there finally gave us our only look at this species for the day. Playing taped rail calls around the Forebay failed to elicit any response. Faced with limited remaining daylight, we opted to head for Stevens Creek County Park, in hopes of Hooded Oriole, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, and other goodies. This was largely a bust, as the birds we needed were no longer singing (although others were, such as at least 5 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES and a WESTERN TANAGER!). There were no Hooded Orioles at the fan palm just outside the park (one was here Thursday!); the sudden exodus of four people with binoculars from Dick's van only provided entertainment for two people on a nearby balcony, who must have wondered what was so special about that particular tree. Despite missing our target species, we did find an AMERICAN DIPPER along the creek above Camp Costanoan and added two more BELTED KINGFISHERS to our day list. We quickly sped back to McClellan Ranch, wondering whether Hooded Orioles ever fed in the dark. Only a minute after our arrival at 8:08pm, we were treated to 2 noisy HOODED ORIOLES returning to their favored fan palm. Desperate for a few more species, we once again headed back to the Forebay. A flashlight revealed a MALLARD where the MOORHEN had stood before - but still no Hooded Mergansers. Any rails that might have been present were equally unresponsive after dark, but a BARN OWL carrying food was nice. Heading back across Highway 237 to the Dennys in Milpitas, we stopped at the Alviso Marina. Once again we failed to get a response from any rails :(. We parted ways in Milpitas thinking we had reached 155 species, well short of the hoped for goal of 160. But Snow Goose, Ruddy Duck, and Song Sparrow had somehow been left off the list. We were actually at 158. A trip to Monte Bello for Saw-whet Owl and a stop at the Baylands for Clapper Rail would have done it. Or not having missed Downy Woodpecker and American Wigeon. Or maybe a week earlier we could have had a few more wintering sparrows. And so there is nothing left to do but get ready for next year! :) Mike Rogers -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Apr 30 20:17:06 2001 Subject: [SBB] Re: Mallard assault! -------- Speaking of spring 'events' I saw a horrifying scene in Redwood shores today. Six male Mallards were raping a hapless female mallard in the middle of a quiet lane. I broke up the assault, and the bloody hen managed to fly away followed by two of the males. Three of the remaining four males turned on one of the males and began to assault him. At this point I gave up and moved on. Ahh, spring....! Screech. ----- Original Message ----- From: Janet T. Hanson To: South Bay Birders Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 12:47 PM Subject: [SBB] Picid road rage This weekend I came across two Acorn Woodpeckers slugging out in the middle of Sandhill Road, right across from Jasper Ridge entrance. It looked like a ball of B&W feathers rolling around on the pavement. Two gang members were flying down to egg them on. Being the good cop that I am, I pulled over to break it up but all the perps fled the scene. I recall seeing two flickers do this once before - is beak-to-beak combat typical of woodpeckers? Ah spring! When a young woodpecker's fancy turns to ......thrashing the neighbor??? Janet Tashjian Hanson Executive Director San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] 408/946-6548 -------- Attachment 2.8 KBytes --------