From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 01 16:13:05 2001
Subject: [SBB] Western Kingbird at Sunnyvale WPCP
--------
Near the radar tower at Sunnyvale WPCP this lunchtime were dozens of Barn, Violet-green and Cliff Swallows with the odd Northern Rough-winged. Attempting to look inconspicuous among them, but failing, was only the second Western Kingbird I have seen there.
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 01 19:16:41 2001
Subject: [SBB] LETE
--------
All,
This evening at 5:45pm there were 98+ LEAST TERNS sitting on
and flying above the boardwalk across Salt Pond A2E (and in
nearby Pond B1) north of Crittenden Marsh. The birds are
distant from the nearest public viewing point at the northwest
corner of Crittenden Marsh and a scope is necessary to see
the birds at all well.
Mike Rogers
8/1/01
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 01 23:58:14 2001
Subject: [SBB] Peregrine, Homeless swifts & Exotic Doves
--------
The Peregrine is still at the Steven's Creek mitigation pond's.
For decades, White Throated swifts have lived under the tiles in the
building across from Palo City Hall. Not anymore. The swifts are gone
and the entrances are covered with netting. Anyone notice when this
happened???
Also, I found an lovely, tiny white dove at the Palo Alto Water
Pollution Control plant this morning. Any ideas??
Finally SFBBo is hosting its annual Fall Challenge kick-off at 6:30
tomorrow at Alviso 1290 Hope Street. Come hear the experts give their
tips on where to find rarities in the Fall.
Dick Carlson
--
Richard C. Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker
Palo Alto, California Part-time Economist
[[email protected]]
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 02 12:28:54 2001
Subject: [SBB] S. C. Co. Birds for June
--------
Things are a little late, but here are the birds for June.
Bill Bousman wrote:
We added four new species in June, to bring the county list to 250. An
adult COMMON TERN was found on 6/24/01 (Steve Rutledge, Julie Beers) which is
unusual for the summer, but we often find a few in Fall. A BLACK SWIFT found
on 6/10/01 (Eric Feuss) was within the range of dates for spring migrants over
the Santa Cruz Mountains. An overdue PHAINOPEPLA was seen in San Antonio
Valley on 6/2/01 (John Mariani). Finally, a friend of Kathy Parker found a
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK on Black Road on 6/8/01, and she made the id
that day. Interestingly, John Arnold saw another bird at his feeder
in Los Altos on
6/15/01. These are expected dates for this Eastern vagrant.
This leaves only three '4s' still not seen this year: Pectoral
Sandpiper, Least Tern, and Willow Flycatcher. Pectoral is very likely
(certain) by September. Least Tern should be seen this month. We missed
Willow Flycatcher in the spring migration (which is typical), but they are
more common in August and September.
In recent years, we've been getting on the order of 280 to 305 birds for
the year -- so the last 30 or 40 are going to be tough, but something
is sure to
fly in. (Indigo Bunting has already been found in July).
The complete list can be found on:
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/
------------------------------------------
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 02 14:07:07 2001
Subject: [SBB] County birding
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I checked out Salt Ponds A2E (first pond
north of Crittenden Marsh) and B1 (the pond north of A2E). There were about
half as many Least Terns as Mike Rogers saw yesterday, most appeared to be
juveniles or first year birds (the dark carpal bar visible on perched birds
while the bars and dark wingtips form an "M" pattern on the upper wing when
in flight, this pattern was best seen when viewed from behind as the birds
would pull up and hover). A small feeding frenzy in the southwest corner of
Salt Pond B1 provided excellent in-flight views of the LETE. Several (4-5)
adult LETE were also seen in Salt Pond A2E. Two Peregrine Falcons were on
different power towers, about one quarter mile apart, located over the
Stevens Creek Mitigation Pond. One PEFA, an adult, caught and ate a "peep"
while we were viewing it. Crittenden Marsh was quite dry with several
hundred "peeps" (mostly Western Sandpipers) and a single Whimbrel being the
only shorebirds present other than Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets.
Inspection of the closest flocks failed to yield any goodies. Two female
Ring-necked Pheasants flushed in front of us as we approached the east end of
the Shoreline overflow parking lot. We then checked out Shoreline Lake which
was full of wind surfers but little else of interest. The pond at State St.
and Spreckles Ave. at least had a few dowitchers and yellowlegs (including at
least one Lesser Yellowlegs). A trip to the Environmental Education Center
revealed that the parking lot is being totally redone (that is, there is no
parking) and a good look around Salt Pond A16 failed to add any joy to our
trip. A final stop at the Jubilee Christian Center parking lot, to view
Arzino Ranch, yielded eight Burrowing Owls, three more Ring-necked Pheasants
(two females and a male) and a Loggerhead Shrike (another was seen earlier
along the canal leading to the EEC).
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 2:09 PM, 8/2/01
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 02 16:18:06 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] S. C. Co. Birds for June
--------
Good afternoon all;
...
> This leaves only three '4s' still not seen this year: Pectoral
> Sandpiper, Least Tern, and Willow Flycatcher. Pectoral is very likely
> (certain) by September. Least Tern should be seen this month. We missed
> Willow Flycatcher in the spring migration (which is typical), but they are
> more common in August and September.
What I know about Flycatcher ID's could be written on the head of a pin.
But I might be able to help you with that Willow Flycatcher. If someone
that *knows* them is interested, I'd be happy to give them exact directions
to a place in Ed Levin where we've seen what we believe is a Willow
Flycatcher.
I'd logged it on my private list for 3 or the last 3 weeks. But it's always
accompanied with a large "?" mark. I see it there pretty regularly, but
given that I've not yet been able to convince myself with a positive ID, I'd
not formally logged or reported it here...
Dusty
...
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 03 16:27:48 2001
Subject: [SBB] MJM refinds COTE
--------
All,
Mike Mammoser cannot send mail to the SBB list from his new email
address and asked me to forward that he found what is apparently
the same COMMON TERN on the dikes between the two large ponds at
the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant at about 1pm today
8/3/2001.
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Sat Aug 04 16:29:06 2001
Subject: [SBB] Coyote Creek
--------
Not much to report from a walk along the east side of Coyote Creek north
of Montague Expy this morning. I heard at least one Western Tanager, but
otherwise - apart from Swallows and a Bullock's Oriole - I found only
year-round resident species. Unlike the past few years, I have not found
Black-Chinned Hummingbird on several walks here this summer.
A visit to the CCFS waterbird pond around 11 (probably not long enough
after low tide) also turned up nothing unusual. Two adult Common Moorhens
were the only slightly non-standard sighting. Wilson's Phalaropes were down
to about 9; and the only peeps were about 45 adult Westerns. The Spreckles
St. impoundment was pretty dead.
Al
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 05 10:56:16 2001
Subject: [SBB] Oka Ponds - Los Gatos Creek
--------
Good Morning All....
I have been walking from Oka Lane to Oak Meadow for the past three days and
the birding have been pretty nice.
Saturday: Oka Ponds/Los Gatos Creek Trail & Vasona: Birds worth noting:
American White Pelican (4) overhead
Belted Kingfisher Male/Female Adult
Black-crowned Night Herons 2 adults and 3 young
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 male adult and 1 young
Snowy Egrets
Great Egrets
Great Blue Herons
Green Herons
Pied-billed Grebes on nests
American Coots feeding young
Caspian Tern (1) at Vasona
Forster's Tern feeding young (Vasona & Los Gatos Creek)
Ash-throated Flycatcher
and the usual locals....
Sunday (8 am this morning): Oka Ponds & Los Gatos Creek Only:
Great birding this morning....birds worth noting:
Green Herons: first time around only one in the filtering ponds along Dell,
then second time around, 3 additional in the filtering ponds.
Belted Kingfisher: Adult male feeding a juvie male, had a lot of Kingfisher
activity (very noisy calling today) at the ponds: a gentlemen stopped and
made mention of hearing and seeing them each morning and was thrilled to see
the adult feeding its young. I also saw the female.
A special thank you to Don Ganton and Will who found an American Wigeon in
eclipse plumage, found it today in the second pond along Freeway 17, Oka Pond
side. It was swimming with the Mallards.
And an Ash-throated (sorry Don) along the Los Gatos Creek on the Oka Ponds
side.
The Cormorants numbers were at 6 today and a Gull (sp?) stole a fish from the
Mallards.
That's it...good birding to all....
My best regards,
Linda Sullivan
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 05 12:47:08 2001
Subject: [SBB] The COTE at Sunnvale Sewage Ponds
--------
All:
On Sunday, August 05, at 9AM I re-found the Common Tern at the Sunnyvale
Sewage Ponds where we had seen it on Tuesday. At first it was on a line of
poles about a quarter mile west from the dike, in that next pond that's
alongside the golf course; however, the long, dark, horizontal, Carpal Bar
and the all-dark bill made it easy to identify in the scope. Then it flew
closer, to the line of poles about a 100 yards from the dike. Its bill is
definitely all dark, as were its legs (I hesitate to say that the legs were
slightly reddish). And it shows no signs of any of the mottling of the
juvenile birds, looking closest to the Adult Non-breeding bird that Sibley
shows. So, considering the date, I would guess that it's a young bird, at
least into its second year, probably starting its third.
I've been asked for directions: For the shortest route, from the parking lot
go through the fence and take the road (zeroth causeway?) that runs along
just south of the power lines. Then, in a few hundred yards, take the path
down to the north, onto the first causeway. (This bypasses the first gate on
the first causeway, which is sometimes closed.) Proceed west on the first
causeway through a second gate which is normally either open, or closed with
a long chain which allows runners and hikers to get through. Proceed along
the northern edge of the Lockheed properties until you get to the dike
running north from the golf course. The bird had been regularly returning to
the first line of posts in that next pond to the west.
(Note: The second causeway is solidly closed off with a gate and razor-wire.
The third and fourth causeways lead to extra distances to walk, both at the
beginning and at their ends.)
Frank Vanslager
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 06 09:46:03 2001
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
This morning, 8/6/2001, there were two PEREGRINE FALCONS on the power
towers at the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh. A single BURROWING OWL was in a
natural burrow along Salt Pond A2W at Shoreline Park.
Bill
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 06 10:29:01 2001
Subject: [SBB] Need Help with Pelican at Los Gatos Creek
--------
Good morning all.
On my walk this morning I found a pelican on the little island in the large
pond, Dell Avenue Entrance pond. It looked like an immature brown pelican,
but I don't think brown pelicans are supposed to be here. It had no white
feathers at all, and it's bill was dark. If anyone is in the area and pops
into Los Gatos creek, can you take a look and let me know. It was sleeping on
my first pass of the ponds, on my second pass it was awake and moving around.
It is was on the smaller of the two islands, tucked up close to the tree
(shrubs) on the island.
Also, if anyone gets over to Los Gatos Creek, can you also check on the
Belted Kingfisher activity. There were three today, also at the large LG
pond but sitting on the line with the Cormorants. Their behavior was very
different than yesterday, with the adult female chasing off the young one
that was calling. Lots of wing flashing, crying, chasing...etc. Just wanted
to know if this is the adults saying no more food, get your own?
Other bird of note (wasn't there yesterday) a Killdeer.
Thanks in advance for any help you could provide.
Best regards,
Linda Sullivan
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 06 11:28:47 2001
Subject: [SBB] Bank Swallow, shorebirds, etc.
--------
Howdy South-bay-birders,
Yesterday (Sun. 8/5) I led a field trip to shorebird sites in the South
Bay, starting in Palo Alto and ending in Alviso. Although we saw a lot of
shorebirds we didn't come up with any real rarities.
Best bird of the day was a BANK SWALLOW that perched on a railing at the
pump house by Mountain View Forebay. We had a nice long look at it before it
flew off, and compared it to field guide illustrations of juvenile Tree
Swallow (which I have seen there in the past). Also at Mountain View Forebay
we had a brief view of a SORA in flight, and there was a duck that appeared
to be a BLUE-WINGED TEAL-it was slightly smaller, much grayer (no warm brown
coloration), and appeared shorter billed than the CINNAMON TEAL we saw
nearby.
Lots of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS and adult LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were in
the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin. Baby FORSTER'S TERNS were on the island
just north of the forebay in Charleston Slough.
In marsh along Stevens Creek, near Crittenden Marsh, we got to see a
VIRGINIA RAIL. At Crittenden Marsh the shorebirds were mostly just distant
specks, but we were able to pick out SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and saw a baby
BLACK-NECKED STILT. Along the distant boardwalk we counted 40+ LEAST TERNS,
but none came any closer than that.
At Calabazas Marsh (called Harvey Marsh on the map posted at the park)
there were hundreds of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, at least 1 SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER, and a few GREATER YELLOWLEGS, but not much else. If the water
level falls a little further this could be a really good shorebird spot in
coming weeks. We stopped at State & Spreckles in Alviso, but aside from
gulls, several GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and BLACK-NECKED STILTS, there wasn't
much there. At least the number of birds there seems to have risen since
last week--
John Mariani
[[email protected]]
www.birdswest.com
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 06 13:49:02 2001
Subject: [SBB] forwarding for Mike Mammoser
--------
*************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: <[[email protected]]>
>
> And it shows no signs of any of the mottling of the
> juvenile birds, looking closest to the Adult Non-breeding bird that Sibley
> shows. So, considering the date, I would guess that it's a young bird, at
> least into its second year, probably starting its third.
Writing of Common Tern, Olsen and Larsson in "Terns of Europe and North
America" say:
"Geographical variation in moult is considerable. North American birds
possibly moult earlier than European ones; birds in California are in winter
plumage during autumn migration ..."
Since Common Terns have been widely reported along the California coast in
recent weeks, there is no reason to draw any inference based on this date. A
bird in seemingly adult basic plumage is likely to be just that - an adult
in basic plumage.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 06 22:29:15 2001
Subject: [SBB] (SBB) Newpaper article
--------
All,
There was a photograph in this morning's San Jose Mercury showing a bunch
of HEERMANN'S GULLS passing themselves off as SOOTY SHEARWATERS.
Jean Dubois
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 07 13:47:07 2001
Subject: [SBB] Pump house Bank Swallow
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I decided to try for the Bank Swallow seen
by John Mariami on Sunday near the pump house located adjacent to Charleston
Slough, Adobe Creek and the Coast Casey Forebay. Shortly after we arrived
the (about 8:40 AM) we located the tiny swallow between Barn Swallows on the
top of the fence located above the inlet (outlet?) to Coast Casey Forebay.
After a while the bird left only to returned, several minutes later, to the
same location. As we indicated the bird was much smaller than adjacent Barn
Swallows, it had shorter legs, it had a very small black bill, the upperparts
were a dark brownish-gray, it had a bright white throat (that extended back,
up and around the darker, blackish-brown auriculars), a white lower chest,
belly, flanks, and undertail coverts. The bird had a fairly wide dark,
brownish-gray breastband. Another, narrow dark brownish-gray band ran down
the center of the breast and belly. This band was much longer than that
typically shown on BASWs in field guides and was obviously separated from the
breastband by a white area (this band is normally shown much shorter and as a
part of the breastband). We only were able to find a single blackish-brown
centered, whitish edged tertial (does this mean that it is not yet an
adult?).
Vivek Tiwari first reported a Bank Swallow at the pump house on 7/23 (seen
7/22) and it would seem likely that this is the same bird. My excuse for not
chasing it then was that I was on my way to Yosemite the next day, what's
your excuse?
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:43 PM, 8/7/01
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 04:17:52 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
The BANK SWALLOW was still at the Mt. View Forebay at about 11:30 am. It was
quite cooperative for about 10 minutes as I watched it with Mike Feighner,
Roy Carlson, and Tim ? It flushed with the flock, for some unknown reason,
and did not return during the next 10 minutes or so, that I remained there.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 09:31:55 2001
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
This morning, 8/9/2001, there was an adult BROWN PELICAN at Charleston
Slough and an adult GREEN HERON on Shoreline Lake. A BURROWING OWL was at a
natural burrow at Shoreline Park opposite A2W. The BANK SWALLOW continues at
the Mountain Forebay, perched on the railing above the inlet to the pumps at
the pumphouse. Also here were 2-3 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, 100+ CLIFF SWALLOWS,
and 10-20 BARN SWALLOWS. As Bob Reiling noted, the white of the throat and
breast noticeably curves around and behind the auriculars.
Bill
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 09:45:25 2001
Subject: [SBB] Bank Swallow
--------
All,
As Bill has already posted, the BANK SWALLOW continues at the
Mountain View Forebay pumphouse this morning 8/9/01. The bird
is an adult, being quite worn throughout with the exception of
the innermost single tertial (soft gray-brown and rounded with
a neat white edge) and many inner greater coverts; several of
the middle greater coverts are still growing in; the outer
greater coverts/primary coverts are missing/very worn. The
bird provides an exceptional opportunity for study, as it sits
quite close among the Barn Swallows. Apparently early mornings
before 9am or so is best time to find this bird.
Interestingly, the bird I found on 24 July 1999 at the northwest
corner of Crittenden Marsh (that stayed at least 3 days) was a
juvenile, so not all our July records are of the same age class.
(Records from the Forebay on 2 Jul 1998 and the CCFS waterbird
pond on 6 July 1997 were unaged.)
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 10:06:26 2001
Subject: [SBB] P.A. Baylands Show
--------
There was a terrific show this morning (Thurs. 8/9) in the Palo Alto Flood
Control Basin about a mile out on the levee trail. Dozens of White
Pelicans, American and Snowy Egrets, Forster's Terns, cormorants, gulls and
several Black-crowned Night-Herons were attracted to a school of fish. My
husband and I enjoyed the fuss as the egrets croaked at each other, the
terns screeched and dived, and the pelicans landed and took off. Everyone
seemed to be having a good time, though I can't speak for the fish.
Good birding,
Nancy Teater
--
Nancy R. Teater Hamilton Communications phone: +1 650 321 0252
[[email protected]] http://web.hamilton.com fax: +1 650 327 4660
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 10:25:44 2001
Subject: [SBB] Oka Ponds/Los Gatos Creek
--------
Good Morning All...
On my morning walk today I had a Kestrel at the bridge. The Brown Pelican is
still in the large pond at Los Gatos Creek, Dell Avenue. The Cormorant
numbers are still going up, now 20. The 4 Green Herons are still there and
the Snowy Egret and Black-Crowned Night Herons numbers have gone up too. The
Belted Kingfisher is still sitting on the lines this time with the Rock
Doves. Lots of American Goldfinch and Lesser Goldfinch in the creek.
Also, a good mix of Swallows, Northern Rough-winged, Cliff and Violet Green
Swallows along the Ponds on the Dell Avenue side.
Good Birding to all...
My best regards,
Linda Sullivan
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 11:59:57 2001
Subject: [SBB] BANK $$$ SWALLOW
--------
South-Bay-Birders:
If you still haven't seen the Bank Swallow at the Charleston Slough, you may
still have a good change of seeing it. It was still viewable at 11:30 AM
(8-9-2001) perched on the fence at the pump house. It does occasional leave
this perch but then does return.
Have we had other Bank Swallows in Santa Clara County in the past that have
had "extended" stays?
Mike Feighner
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 09 13:39:50 2001
Subject: [SBB] County birding
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I checked out Harvey Marsh (Calabasas
Ponds). There were lots of dowitchers, best birds included a single Wilson's
Phalarope, three Red-necked Phalaropes, a Sora, two Common Mohrhens, two
Green Herons, and four Lesser Yellowlegs (only three Greater Yellowlegs). A
good sized flock of Cinnamon Teal and a Gadwall nervously flew from one part
of the pond to another for no apparent reason. As we were leaving we saw
four Burrowing Owls on the bank on the northern edge of Hwy 237 between the
Hwy and the paved walkway on the southern edge of the marsh. We then checked
out the pond at State St and Spreckles Ave in Milpitas, here there were no
dowitchers but we did have six Wilson's Phalaropes and a few yellowlegs.
Next we went to the Waterbird Pond at the Coyote Creek Field Station (CCFS).
This pond also had lots of dowitchers and although it also had hundreds of
Wilson's Phalaropes we could find nothing else of interest. The Coyote Creek
Tidal Mud Flats, west of the pond, were empty and the gulls (and?) in Salt
Pond A18 were way out there (low tide and water level) so we called it a day.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:24 PM, 8/9/01
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 10 16:01:34 2001
Subject: [SBB] Night and Day
--------
Thursday evening at John Mariani's nightbird spot: I mainly went for
Common Poorwill, probably the most common Santa Clara bird I've never really
looked for. The area is up the service road and trail from the McAbee Rd.
entrance to Almaden-Quicksilver Park, particularly around the old Senator
Mine. [Curiously, about half the references I've seen to this mine - including
even signs within the Park - spell it Senador, and half Senator.] At about
8:35, a Poorwill starting calling from well uphill. It called incessantly
for nearly 10 minutes, then moved off. I didn't see it, and I didn't hear or
see one thereafter. (However, I'm not very good at picking up flying birds
in the dark.) A little thereafter, a Great Horned Owl started calling inter-
mittently for a few minutes. And at about 8:50, while there was still a little
light, a pair of Western Screech-Owls started a 5 minute period of interactive
trilling. All these birds vocalized without any prompting from me. AFter
dark, back at the park entrance (the picnic table area John has mentioned), I
heard a Screech Owl giving a barking call. Playing a tape briefly brought it
in quite close, where it repeatedly trilled, but was still hidden. A nice
evening, even thought I didn't see any of the above birds.
This morning I visited the Crittenden Marsh area. The water level at the
marsh has come down drastically since my last visit, and there were hardly any
shorebirds there. At the salt pond just north, I spotted at least 35 Least
Terns over by the low "boardwalk"; a Peregrine Falcon was on a tower toward
the Bay. Finally, I spent from just before 9 until about 10:20 at the Mtview
Forebay area, but didn't find the Bank Swallow. Initially few Swallows were
perched; later, a few came in to the pumphouse, more to the fence at the SE
corner of Charleston Slough. Richard Jeffers and Rosalie Lefkowitz arrived
partway through, and stayed later, but I presume they would have reported if
the bird had turned up. A number of Violet-Green Swallows were mixed in with
the Cliff and Barn, including a couple of nice looks at perched juvenile VG;
many of the Barns were fledgelings being fed. Other birds: 2 Black Skimmers
(adults) were on a small island near the south end of the Slough; 2 more later
came by, and all four took off for somewhere. Rosalie picked out a Blue-Winged
Teal in the Forebay. A Yellowlegs flying off wasn't well-seen, but its call
sounded like Lesser (I'll just say "probable"). Finally, among the small
numbers of peeps close enough to study, juvenile Westerns now outnumbered
adults, but adult Leasts were still in the majority.
Al
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 10 17:32:51 2001
Subject: [SBB] hummer
--------
hello all
a female selasphorus hummingbird (probably Allen's) has been visiting
my oriole (sugar water) feeder for the past 2 days (8/8 to 8/9/01).
Most of the time I have seen it, it is in the process of being chased
away by the resident male Anna's , but I have also seen the smaller
"Allen's" hold it's ground. I thought I'd report this as it is the
first time I've seen a selasphorus hummer consistantly in my yard,
near Camden and highway 85.
The HOODED ORIOLEs are still around, but more and more elusive.
Alan W.
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 12 05:03:30 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
This weekend I was only able to do a little birding, with nothing extremely
unusual to report. A juvenile LESSER YELLOWLEGS was at the CCFS waterbird
pond on Saturday, and a HOUSE WREN was in the vegetation near the trailer.
On Sunday 2 adult LESSER YELLOWLEGS were in the Mt. View Forebay. Also, a
single BLACK SKIMMER was in Charleston Slough and an apparent migrant HOUSE
WREN was in the coyote brush adjacent to Mt. View Forebay.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 13 01:28:20 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
This morning, 13 Aug 01, as I was leaving for work, a female-type
SELASPHORUS hummingbird was sipping from the flowers in my front yard. This
is undoubtedly a migrant, as I don't see them during other times.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 13 08:01:52 2001
Subject: [SBB] some Almaden birds
--------
Hello All,
Not much - but here are a few sightings from the Almaden area on Saturday,
Aug 11.
Almaden Reservoir: Nine WOOD DUCKS seen at the marshy upper end - seven
were perched in low branches of willow trees bordering the reservoir. Six
of them were eclipsed-plumages males.
Calero Reservoir: An eclipse/female-type GADWALL seen among all the many
Mallards - also about 12 Black-necked Stilts, 16 Forster's Terns (including
begging juveniles), and 6 Caspian Terns. I did not see the Clark's Grebe
this time. Of greater interest were 20 WILD TURKEYS crossing the road near
the horse corral; 15 of them were young of the year. Also of interest were
nine wild pigs making their way down the banks by the levee trail - two
adult females, one semi-adult, and six striped-back piglets.
That's it - Ann
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 13 09:27:34 2001
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
This morning, 8/13/2001, there was still an adult LESSER YELLOWLEGS in
the Mountain View Forebay. An adult GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL was at Shoreline
Lake at the boathouse. One BURROWING OWL was at the eastern mound at
Shoreline, next to the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh.
Bill
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 13 09:53:49 2001
Subject: [SBB] Alviso Salt Ponds
--------
All,
Yesterday 8/12/01, I made a 3+ hour bike loop around the Alviso Salt
Ponds, hoping for Little Blue Heron, rare terns or jaegers, and
unusual shorebirds. Had to be content with 2 alternate-plumaged RUDDY
TURNSTONES in Salt Pond A14. Little Blue Herons are normally
dependable in Salt Pond A9 at this time of year, but the water level
in that pond is deeper than usual, with only GREAT EGRETS foraging out
in the pond this time.
Starting at the Alviso Marina, I had a molting VAUX'S SWIFT in the
swallow flock (BARN, CLIFF, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were foraging
over the reed beds throughout the loop). Also at the Marina was a
very fresh-plumaged juvenile RING-BILLED GULL among many 20+ adults.
Salt Pond A12 was pretty empty; A11 had 10 WILSON'S PHALAROPES and the
day's only Aechmophorus Grebe, a WESTERN GREBE.
Many CASPIAN TERNS were feeding begging young on Salt Ponds A9 and
A10; many FORSTER'S TERNS were being fed on the A9/A10 dike and in
northwest pond A14 (145 birds at this latter spot). Parasitic
CALIFORNIA GULLS were seen taking the food away from the young FOTEs
after delivery by the adults - an easy meal!
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are once again nesting on the dike between
Salt Pond A9 and A10, with at least 26 occupied nests on the dike (and
more nest structures that may be active). The tallest of these nests
was over 1.5 feet tall! A scope is needed to view the nests well, as
the dike is closed for obvious reasons. At least 41 BROWN PELICANS
were also roosting on this dike, with a few more scattered on the
nearby ponds. Also many hundreds of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMRORANTS and
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS about - but no Booby :(.
Wintering ducks have yet to arrive in numbers, although a flock of 8
GREEN-WINGED TEAL may be newly returning birds. Most shorebirds were
roosting along the edges of Coyote Slough, including a few WHIMBREL.
Several SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were in Salt Pond A14, along with the
above-mentioned RUDDY TURNSTONES.
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 13 10:47:55 2001
Subject: [SBB] CCFS, etc.
--------
I stopped by CCFS and also Spreckels St. (Alviso) on Sunday morning,
August 12. By far the oddest sighting: as I drove along the CCFS levee
road a few hundred yards north of the trailer, at about 8:40 AM, I saw a
Barn Owl (apparently adult) standing on the lower road. I stopped to look
at it - it looked back, but didn't move. An hour later, when I returned,
it was gone. At the end of a walk around the riparian areas, coming to
the road junction north of the eucalyptus, about 10:30, I was startled to
see the Barn Owl again on the road. This time it was also startled, and
flew past me, eventually landing out of sight in the weeds farther north.
My walk didn't turn up much migrant activity apart from lots of Violet-
Green Swallows, and one or two Western Tanagers heard. But there must have
been some activity, since the banders told me they had earlier captured
a Nashville Warbler. (I avoided most of the far-southern areas with open
mist nets.) Also neat was a local family: Mr. and Mrs. Kite, with at
least two kids.
The CCFS pond had the usual suspects. Two Lesser Yellowlegs headed off
to the east, about 19 Greaters stuck around; there were close to 100 Wilson's
Phalaropes and an adult Moorhen, but only small numbers of peeps. At the
impoundment along Spreckels St. near State St. in Alviso, shorebird usage
has picked up. There were at least 45 Yellowlegs, among which I picked out
3 Lesser. The only Dowitcher here was a juvenile Short-Billed (the first I've
noticed this season). The only peeps were a handful of Leasts.
Al
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 14 10:19:44 2001
Subject: [SBB] fwd: Palo Alto Baylands birding bike ride 8/25
--------
I liked Mike Roger's birding by bike report and was thinking I'd like
to do the same sort of thing . . . and then I got this ride
announcement. Thought it appropriate to pass it on.
Patty
To: [[email protected]], [[email protected]], [[email protected]]
Cc: [[email protected]], [[email protected]], [[email protected]],
[[email protected]], [[email protected]], [[email protected]]
From: "[[email protected]]" <[[email protected]]>
Subject: [ROMP] Greenbelt Alliance Bike Ride from Bikestation to Baylands
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 16:15 +0000
Reply-To: [[email protected]]
X-Topica-Id: <997805748.inmta002.15557.1107363>
X-Topica-Loop: 700001927
List-Help:
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Biking the Baylands
Saturday August 25th
Palo Alto Caltrain Station 10:30 a.m.
Join Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's leading land conservation and
urban planning non-profit, on a flat and fun bicycle ride through the
Palo Alto Baylands, a premier spot for wildlife viewing. We'll
explore the levees, sloughs and marshes looking for clapper rail,
white pelican and other critters and greet our wintering shorebirds
and waterfowl returning from their breeding grounds.
Meet at the Bikestation Palo Alto, located at the Palo Alto Transit
Center, also known as the University Avenue Caltrain Depot, in
downtown Palo Alto. You can reach the Bikestation by Caltrain,
SamTrans, VTA and plain old pedal power. Please be aware that the
Dumbarton Express does not run on weekends but you can always just
pedal over the Dumbarton Bridge. If you don't have a bike, contact
the Bikestation to make rental arrangements. Please be aware that
the Palo Alto Arts Festival is happening this same weekend, so if you
chose to drive, the Caltrain Depot has plenty of off-street fee
parking. Bring fluids, layers, snacks and binoculars if you have
them.
Co-Sponsored by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and the
Bikestation Palo Alto.
For information regarding this Greenbelt Alliance tour, email
[[email protected]].
For public transit information, see www.caltrain.com,
www.samtrans.com, www.vta.org.
For bike rental information, please contact the Bikestation.
____________________________________________
Larry Chinn __o (650) 327-9636
Bikestation Palo Alto _`\<,_ (650) 328-0323 fax
95 University Avenue (*)/ (*) www.bikestation.org
Palo Alto, CA 94301-2324 [[email protected]]
Sent via the ROMP email list. To learn more about ROMP, visit
http://www.romp.org.
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 14 17:02:50 2001
Subject: [SBB] Intriguing Swallow in Mtn. View
--------
Today at lunch Tom Stewart and I watched what looked like an albino barn swallow sparring with CLIFF SWALLOWS for nearly 10 minutes. It was in the Mtn. View Forebay nearest Shoreline Lake. Tom thought it was slightly smaller than the Cliff Swallows, thus we thought it might be the previously reported Barn Swallow, however the color was strange for a swallow of any sort. The entire bird was a shiny off-white both above and below, except for darkish lower cheeks and a buffy throat. It had a short notched tail. Does anyone have any idea what this might be?
Other notable birds:
Dozens of AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and DOWITCHER, a COMMON MOORHEN, several nearby DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS preening and stretching, several SNOWY EGRET, GREAT EGRET, and a GREAT BLUE HERON in Adobe Creek.
There was a good view of a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON standing next to YELLOWLEGS and MALLARDS in the forebay. We had a good look at a PIED-BILLED GREBE and a molting RING-BILLED GULL at Shoreline Lake.
Karen DeMello
([[email protected]])
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 14 18:09:14 2001
Subject: [SBB] SCVAS Ano Nuevo Field Trip (Aug. 11)
--------
This is cross-posted because it is a report of a Santa Clara Valley
Audubon field trip to San Mateo County's Ano Nuevo State Reserve on Saturday
August 11. About 17 birders joined in a very pleasant walk to the outer
beach and back. Weather conditions were clear and windy, far from ideal for
birding here; we didn't quite reach 50 species. Highlights included the
expected specialties, Bank Swallow and Elephant Seal. We spent enough
time with the Swallows that I think most of the birders got satisfactory
identifying looks. The most unexpected bird was a Western Kingbird, fly-
catching at the beach; this species is a fairly scarce migrant along the
coast. Also a bit surprising was a Red-Shouldered Hawk flying near the
south point. An extraordinarily worn Brant was also at the point. Shore-
birds were in short supply, but included a few Ruddy Turnstones. We didn't
spot any Marbled Murrelets, a species which can be here in good numbers.
Finally, a subset of the group got to see Pygmy Nuthatches in pines close
to Highway 1.
I'd like to thank docent Bob Juhl for taking the group (with permission
of park rangers) close by the south point - it was in fact he who first spotted
that flycatching bird; and all the birders who helped make the trip an enjoy-
able experience.
Al Eisner
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 15 10:30:28 2001
Subject: [SBB] What's this bird?
--------
Seen in our car park in Santa Clara it caught my attention with its call, which was like a Lesser Goldfinch but descending and often doubled. At first it was in a tree where I just had an impression of greyness but it flew to the ground to feed where I could get the following.
Black crown down to the level of the eyes (just like a European Blackcap if that’s any help); pale grey finch-like bill; grey nape, cheeks and back with a slight mustachial smudge; black wings with possible white streak in primaries (difficult to distinguish from white underparts); short, notched black tail; and possible yellowish wash to upper breast. My view of it was almost entirely from behind with the sun behind me, so the black was pretty black and my impression of its front parts was very fleeting.
Would some juvenile goldfinch look this colourless?
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 16 08:32:29 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] What's this bird?
--------
I read the description below just before leaving work and was quite
surprised to have a bird matching the description show up at our
thistle feeder just before 7 PM. I ran for the camera and took a
probably useless handheld picture before the bird flew off. I set up
the tripod and was promptly rewarded with a visit from a Black-
headed Grosbeak (first fall, judging by NGS).
As I expected was likely, the puzzle bird returned later, and I got a
better look at it. I believe it was a male American Goldfinch in mid-
molt. This belief is reinforced by the fact that we've been seeing a
male AGMO periodically all summer, the first summer this has
happened in our west Menlo yard. I suspect it's the same bird.
> Black crown down to the level of the eyes (just like a European
> Blackcap if that’s any help); pale grey finch-like bill; grey
> nape, cheeks and back with a slight mustachial smudge; black wings
> with possible white streak in primaries (difficult to distinguish
> from white underparts); short, notched black tail; and possible
> yellowish wash to upper breast. My view of it was almost entirely
> from behind with the sun behind me, so the black was pretty black
> and my impression of its front parts was very fleeting.
George Oetzel Menlo Park, CA
(W) [[email protected]] (SFBBO) [[email protected]]
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
http://www.sfbbo.org
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 16 10:13:47 2001
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
This morning, 8/16/2001, I saw a PEREGRINE FALCON on one of the towers at
the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh. A basic LESSER YELLOWLEGS was in the Mountain
View Forebay.
Bill
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 16 13:43:56 2001
Subject: [SBB] County birding
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I checked out parts of CCRS. The most
unusual bird was an Ash-throated Flycatcher on the fence just north of the
banding trailer. The Waterbird Pond is still pretty slow (a dozen Wilson 's
Phalaropes, 40-50 dowitchers and at least four Lesser Yellowlegs among the
Greater Yellowlegs) but we did manage to find a couple Western Sandpipers
with the Least Sandpipers and two Semipalmated Plovers. We also had a
possible Semipalmated Sandpiper (unfortunately the bird was too far away for
me to see the scapulars and mantle well enough, Frank couldn't see over the
tall weeds and, the bill was not one of those really short fat-tipped ones).
We saw nothing of interest on the Mud Flat, in Salt Pond A18 or on the creek
trail south of the banding trailer. Things do seem to be picking up in the
pond at State St. and Spreckles Ave. in Alviso with perhaps two hundred
Wilson's Phalaropes, 50-60 Greater Yellowlegs (at least one Lesser
Yellowlegs), an equal number of dowitchers, a dozen Least Sandpipers and at
least one Western Sandpiper.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:41 PM, 8/16/01
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 16 15:44:18 2001
Subject: [SBB] Coyote Creek near Coyote Ranch
--------
All,
Today 8/16/01 over lunch I headed south to Parkway Lakes and the
portions of Coyote Creek south of here. Back in May, I had found
territorial Warbling Vireos along the creek here near the boundary
between atlas blocks 1015 and 1020. In fact the birds were so close
to the block boundary that I had to go back today to measure out the
location accurately. Breeding has been previously confirmed in block
1015, but not in block 1025. My "surveying" today indicated that the
birds were indeed very close to the boundary, being about 10 meters
into block 1015 (and within 100 meters of where Steve Rottenborn found
this species feeding young on 1 July 1995). Remarkably, I was able to
locate a begging young fledgling WARBLING VIREO following around a
singing adult there today. This is two weeks later than the previous
latest breeding confirmation (we have feeding young records on 1 Aug
and 2 Aug 1993 at very different locations in the county). Presumably
this late nesting is related to failure of earlier attempts, perhaps
not surprising in this narrow riparian corridor.
Further north in block 1020, I had a family of LESSER GOLDFINCH with
adults feeding young, which is more normal for this late date (we have
records of adults feeding young through mid-September!), but a new
breeding confirmation for the block.
Also a good raptor showing, with a molting adult GOLDEN EAGLE over
Tulare Hill, an immature PEREGRINE FALCON over Highway 101 at Metcalf
Road, an OSPREY perched north of the main pond at Parkway Lakes, and
an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK along the creek.
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 17 14:26:07 2001
Subject: [SBB] Baird's Sandpiper at Calero Reservoir
--------
Howdy South-bay-birders,
I visited Calero Reservoir this afternoon, and saw a juvenile BAIRD'S
SANDPIPER at what's left of Bailey Cove (park along Bailey Road at the
intersection with McKean, take the trail from the intersection down to the
lake, and the sandpiper was feeding with Killdeer on the green slime where
you first reach the water). It was still there when I left at 2 pm.
The water level has already fallen quite a bit, and Bailey Cove has
receded back almost to its mouth. The water level is lower than it was at
the same time last year, and there is plenty of good shorebird habitat.
Other birds seen at the east end af Calero today included 1 COMMON SNIPE,
about 8 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 50-100 KILLDEER, 30+ BLACK-NECKED STILTS, 20+
LEAST SANDPIPERS, FORSTER'S and CASPIAN TERNS, lots of PIED-BILLED GREBES,
lots of returning MALLARDS and AMERICAN COOTS, and a flock of about 20
GADWALL. Over by the boat launch I didn't see any shorebirds, just a
blackbird flock.
John Mariani
[[email protected]]
www.birdswest.com
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From [[email protected]] Sat Aug 18 06:08:01 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
Today, 18 Aug 01, a brief check of Calero Reservoir failed to show any
unusual sandpipers. However, there was an immature CASPIAN TERN with the few
FORSTER'S.
At the CCFS waterbird pond I found a juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, which
remained only briefly. Also present were 5 juvenile LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE among the WILSON'S.
The pond at State and Spreckles in Alviso had an adult STILT SANDPIPER. This
bird was heavily barred down the flanks and undertail coverts, remnants of
alternate plumage. The scapulars and back were a mixture of plain gray basic
feathers and dark brown alternate feathers. There was just a touch of
reddish color on the auriculars yet, but was only visible at certain angles.
A transitional bird. Also here were about 250 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, many
dowitchers (with at least 2 juvenile SHORT-BILLEDS), some GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Sat Aug 18 09:22:01 2001
Subject: [SBB] Rancho San Antonio County Park
--------
Mornings are so idyllic at Rancho San Antonio. Many of the usual birds
were present: 15 WILD TURKEY (the young are getting quite large), many
families of CALIFORNIA QUAIL, the dead tree by the creek before the farm had
several ACORN WOODPECKERS pecking about and going in & out, and of course
CALIFORNIA TOWHEE and WESTERN SCRUB JAY were all over.
The mammals this morning were more amazing than usual. At dawn there were 3
BOBCATS (or juvenile mountain lions? I couldn't tell) frolicking near the
parking lot between the bike path and the newly built house, RABBITS and
DEER everywhere (the spotted fawns look so sweet), and a large COYOTE a
mile past the farm by the now-dried-out pond.
If you are familiar with the trails and Rancho and want to calculate
mileage, check out:
http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/rancho.shtml
Karen DeMello
([[email protected]])
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 19 04:27:57 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
Today, 19 Aug 01, I returned to the pond at State and Spreckles in Alviso. I
failed to refind the Stilt Sandpiper, but did have an adult female RUFF.
This bird looked to be slightly smaller in body size than nearby dowitchers,
but easily stood as tall as them due to proportionately longer legs. The
legs were yellowish-green, probably slightly more yellow than a dowitcher.
The bird is transitioning in plumage, as expected, already acquiring the
whitish face and throat of basic plumage, but still retaining quite a bit of
blackish mottled feathering across the breast. Initially, the bird provided
excellent scope views as it foraged at the edge of the pond right along side
the road, but it eventually moved to a location just off the corner of the
fenced-in area.
Also present here were at least 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and half a dozen VAUX'S
SWIFTS overhead with the swallows.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 19 13:36:03 2001
Subject: [SBB] Hayward Shoreline
--------
Today at the shoreline were 1 or 2 Surfbirds, which may be of intrest to
south bay birders.
Good Birding
Bob
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 19 21:05:37 2001
Subject: [SBB] Harkin's Slough directions?
--------
Could anyone please describe how to get to Harkin's Slough near Santa Cruz?
Thank You,
Andrew Rush
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 19 21:33:41 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] Harkin's Slough directions?
--------
Andrew and SBB -
I'm guessing you would be taking Hwy 17 over the hill to Santa Cruz. Then
take Hwy 1 south until you get close to Watsonville. Near the north (west?)
end of Watsonville, take the Buena Vista exit and turn right. Follow for a
little less than a mile and then when you see the dump, turn left on Harkins
Slough Road. Follow it to the end and park. Walk out past the gate and
concrete barrier to where you can see the water clearly. The water in the
left ponds is very low now and you can walk out fairly far to get closer
looks at what's out there. Good luck, and report what you find to both SBB
and MBB.
> Could anyone please describe how to get to Harkin's Slough near Santa Cruz?
> Thank You,
> Andrew Rush
Steve Rovell
Marina, CA
[[email protected]]
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 03:51:56 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
Late Sunday afternoon, 19 Aug 01, I had 3 BLACK SKIMMERS on the island at
Charleston Slough.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 10:04:33 2001
Subject: [SBB] Coyote Creek birds
--------
On Sunday morning (Aug. 19) I took a walk along the east side of Coyote
Creek from Montague Expy to a bit north of Sycamore Dr. There's a bit more
activity here now, and I found one interesting migrant: a well-seen (but
silent) Willow Flycatcher in the riparian area about even with Barber Lane.
I also had one heard-only Pacific-Slope Flycatcher, and 3 or 4 Western
Tanagers.
Late afternoon, after running into Mike Mammoser, I headed back down to
look for all his good stuff at Spreckels St. Birders who were just leaving
when I arrived had seen the Ruff, but by the time I arrived a woman was
quite deliberately running her three dogs (one of them a serious bird-chaser)
through the marsh and impoundment. Isn't this part of the NWR? Even if there
isn't the manpower for patrols, there at least ought to be signs. (I don't
think she looked like an Alviso local, by the way.) In any case, once things
settled down, the birds were mainly concentrated far from the road, and any-
thing interesting still around was most likely obscured. I did eventually
see 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, but I'll have to try again for the rarer birds.
Al
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 10:26:58 2001
Subject: [SBB] stilt sandpiper
--------
Chris Wolfe and I had an adult Stilt Sandpiper at the waterbird pond at
CCFS around 10AM on Sunday (8/19). It was in among a flock of dowitchers.
It was molting out of breeding plumage, getting gray feathers in the back
and scapular area, and still had a good deal of barring along the flanks
and even a little on the undertail coverts. We never got a good look at
the front of the bird as it stuck right in the thick of the dowitchers. It
appeared very similar to the one Mike Mammoser described from State &
Spreckles on Friday, and was likely the same bird.
Claire Wolfe
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 10:41:51 2001
Subject: [SBB] RE: State & Speckles
--------
Good Morning All........
Sorry it took so long to post this....I would like to thank Mike Mammoser for
showing me the Stilt Sandpiper on Saturday, his kindness and sharing of his
knowledge was so very appreciated. Thanks Mike, you showed me a life bird.
Wish that Ruff would have been there on Saturday! LOL
I birded the Sunnyvale Water Treatment on Saturday before Alviso and had a
male and female Common Yellowthroat, three/four Ruddy Ducks still with blue
bills, and 3 female Ruddy Ducks, also 10-15 White Pelicans, Moorhen with
young, Coots with young. 4 Green Herons, 15 Snowy Egrets. I was surprised by
not finding the Burrowing Owls in their usual spot on the hill?
Mike M. mentioned all the birds at State and Spreckles, the only thing added
would be a Cooper's Hawk.
Did the EEC after State and Spreckles and had lots of Least Sandpipers and
one Savannah Sparrow. Northern Harriers (2) over the marsh when you looked
through the pavilion. Lots of Black-necked Stilts and a few Avocets. No Barn
Owl......
This morning at Los Gatos Creek / Oka Ponds:
The Brown Pelican continues at the large pond at Los Gatos Creek. The Coots
over at Oka Ponds were out with their 4 babies this morning, now 1 week old.
They are building another nest in the water about 6-8 feet from their old
one? Any ideas why?
Also, 2 American Widgeons on the Dell Avenue side in the control ponds.
Wishing you good birding.
My best regards,
Linda
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 11:29:41 2001
Subject: [SBB] Stilt SA and Ruff
--------
All,
I made a quick check of the pond at State and Spreckles just now
(8/20/01) and both the STILT SANDPIPER and RUFF were still present.
The STILT SANDPIPER is still heavily barred below with much basic
feathering in the back. The RUFF (REEVE) is still largely in
alternate plumage, with much black mottling below - the legs are
a dull greenish-yellow, so not much help in picking the bird out
among the many dowitchers.
A juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON, apparently of the tundrius race with
a pale forecrown and lighter brown back, made a half-hearted pass
at the shorebirds once. At least 30 VAUX'S SWIFTS were circling
the area with many BARN and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS.
Plenty of shorebirds here now, including 350 WILSON'S PHALAROPES,
both DOWITCHERS, both YELLOWLEGS, many BLACK-NECKED STILTS, and a
few LEAST SANDPIPERS too.
Bob and Frank pulled up while I was there - they had the STILT
SANDPIPER earlier this morning as well, but the RUFF was apparently
playing hard to get then.
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 13:26:53 2001
Subject: [SBB] Hooded Merganser Help Needed
--------
Good Afternoon All.....
This morning on my walk to Los Gatos Creek / Oka Ponds I found what I thought
was a young female Hooded Merganser. I did not report it because I need to
recheck and check again. I just got back from spending 45 minutes of
watching this duck. Since I have never seen a Hooded Merganser in this
plumage and of this age, it was a surprise.
She has a dark top bill and a yellow lower bill, she has the white streaks
down her back, but she has a brown eyes. Also, she does not yet have a large
head crest, which has thrown me off. I used the Sibley guide and she is a
mix of the Juvenile and the nonbreeding....
If anyone is in the area and can double check it would be most appreciated.
Also, does anyone have a record of this bird being there at this time?
Any help on identifying her would be most welcomed.
Wishing you good birding.
My best regards,
Linda
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 13:28:40 2001
Subject: [SBB] Reeve & Stilt Sandpiper in Alviso
--------
All,
I assume that Mike Rogers has sent a post on the Reeve and Stilt Sandpiper
that he, Frank Vanslager and I saw in the pond at State St and Spreckles Ave.
Frank and I had refound the Stilt Sandpiper earlier but were unable to find
the Reeve (even after checking the pond at Grand & Speckles and the Arzino
Ranch pond near Grand). The best birds at Salt Pond A16 (the Environmental
Education Center) were a basic plumaged Spotted Sandpiper and Vaux's Swifts.
We then returned to the pond at State & Spreckles where we met Mike who
subsequently refound the Reeve (we all had good bit fairly distant views of
the bird). Frank and I then went to Harvey Marsh aka Calabazas Ponds where
we found that the water level was way to high, only a few Black-necked Stilts
and American Avocets (6 or 7 total) were in the pond itself.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:18 PM, 8/20/01
--------
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 20 13:34:41 2001
Subject: [SBB] Direction for Hood Merganser
--------
Hi....
Sorry in my excitement I forgot to say where she was located....
>From Oka Ponds: Cross bridge, walk towards Dell Avenue Exit, the first pond
on your left would be where she is located.
>From Dell Avenue: Walk up the par course to the last pond on your right.
Thanks,
Linda Sullivan
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 21 08:48:42 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] Stilt SA and Ruff
--------
In a message dated 8/20/01 11:30:24 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[[email protected]] writes:
> the legs are a dull greenish-yellow, so not much help in picking the bird out
> among the many dowitchers.
>
>
All,
For those who do not have a lot of experience with Ruffs (Reeves) and intend
to try for this bird I would like to suggest that you look for a dowitcher
sized bird (in fact somewhat smaller) with a bright white belly, it also has
a darker back which accentuates the whiteness of the belly and flanks.
Good luck,
Bob Reiling, 8:44 AM, 8/21/01
--------
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 21 13:10:23 2001
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
Yesterday, 8/20/2001, two immature BROWN PELICANS were foraging in
Shoreline Lake in the morning. An adult PEREGRINE FALCON was on a tower at
the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh. In the afternoon, I saw two BLACK SKIMMERS
over the island in the southwest corner of Salt Pond A1 in Mountain View and
shortly after that I counted seven birds perched on the island in Charleston
Slough.
Bill
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 22 05:35:17 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
I went to State and Spreckles at lunch time today, 22 Aug 01, where Frank
Vanslager and Bob Reiling had the STILT SANDPIPER staked out. The RUFF was
found a little later by Frank. At least 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS were present as
well. The number of total birds was much reduced today, and the birds there
were tucked up sleeping well away from the road.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 22 14:15:20 2001
Subject: [SBB] Stilt Sandpiper & Ruff in Alviso
--------
All,
This afternoon Frank Vanslager, Mike Mammoser, Mary Kelly, Pat Kelly, Dave
Weber and I saw the Reeve and the Stilt Sandpiper in the pond at State St and
Spreckles Ave in Alviso. The number of birds in the pond were drastically
reduced from those seen on Monday and Tuesday but the birds were still hard
to find (Frank just managed to find the head of the Reeve peeking out from
behind an island). All subsequently got a distant but fairly good view of
the reeve. A good scope is highly recommended to find either of these birds.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 2:13 PM, 8/22/01
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 23 09:14:31 2001
Subject: [SBB] Almaden Reservoir
--------
Hello All,
Yesterday evening I visited Almaden Reservoir with my son and found 26 WOOD
DUCKS near the upper end. All the males were still in eclipse plumage.
Also seen were two CASPIAN TERNS.
That's it for now - Ann (the Wood Duck lady)
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 23 09:35:49 2001
Subject: [SBB] Stevens Ck North of L'Avenida
--------
All,
Early this morning 8/23/01, I checked the section of Stevens Creek
between L'Avenida and the Crittenden Road bridge for migrants. There
were indeed a few birds of interest, including 3 WILSON'S WARBLERS
(apparently all adults, including one singing male), 2 YELLOW WARBLERS
(at least one a hatching-year bird), 2 COMMON YELLOWTRHOATS (at least
one a hatching-year bird), 1 WESTERN KINGBIRD (hatching year), 2 HOUSE
WRENS, and, perhaps most surprising for this location, a singing
HUTTON'S VIREO. In the breeding bird arena, I had a CALIFORNIA TOWHEE
feeding a young BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (I have noted two other COWBIRD
breeding confirmations in the past few days, in both cases of begging
fledglings being attended to by HOODED ORIOLES.)
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 24 11:10:32 2001
Subject: [SBB] Fwd: [CALBIRDS] ABA Recommendations for FRS Radio Use
--------
For those of you who use, or plan to use, Family Service Radio (FRS)
communicators while birding, this information may be of value to you.
This appeared on Calbirds, the statewide email list, and the
organizational effort was made through the American Birding Association.
Les
--
Les Chibana
List Bureaucrat
South-Bay-Birds List
[[email protected]]
--------------------------------------
Date: Friday, August 24, 2001 11:01 AM
From: Steve Sosensky <[[email protected]]>
Hi All,
After a lot of work and dotting all the "i"s and crossing all the "t"s, the
ABA recommendations for use of FRS radios by birders is ready for prime
time. Please feel free to redistribute this message to your local lists,
and to publish your local channel/subcode widely if you do not adopt the
standard one.
-----------------
ABA FRS Committee Recommendations Brief Summary:
-----------------------------------------------
In May the ABA formed a 10 person committee to come up with a set
of recommendations for FRS radio usage for birding.
The following are the primary recommendations:
o States/Provinces should adopt and publicize a standard
FRS channel/subcode for birding communications.
- The ABA recommends the adoption of channel 11 & subcode 22
(11/22) to try to achieve a continent-wide standard.
o Radio communications should be considerate of other birders,
non-birders, and the birds.
The full recommendations document is included at the end of this
email and can also be viewed at:
http://americanbirding.org/resources/resfrs.htm
ABA FRS Committee Formation and Process:
---------------------------------------
(The full committee background text can be found at:
http://americanbirding.org/resources/resfrs1.htm)
In April 2001 a conversation developed on the BIRDCHAT mailing
list around the idea of a single standard to simplify figuring
out what FRS radio channel and subcode was in use in a particular
geographic region. (FRS radios are relatively inexpensive "walkie
talkies" that allow two-way communications between users within a
range of up to two miles.) This discussion finally settled on
the goal of proposing a single channel and subcode for birding.
In May the American Birding Association (ABA) was approached
about forming a committee to look into this issue. The ABA then
enlisted 10 birders with an interest and experience with FRS
radios to form a committee. Members were chosen to provide
representation across the ABA area (U.S. and Canada). The charge
to the group was to decide on a standard channel and subcode that
ABA would recommend to others.
The committee initially discussed issues around basic technology
and other factors to consider in the selection of one or more
channel/subcode combinations. Based on the results of these
conversations a small number of channel/subcodes were then
selected as candidates for the standard channel/code. Each
committee member then polled birders in their region about their
channel/subcode preferences. What was most impressive about the
polling results was the desire by a vast majority that a
continent-wide standard be adopted whatever the actual
channel/subcode was. After this polling and further
conversations the committee took a final vote and decided on
channel 11 and subcode 22 as the FRS standard ABA would recommend
to others.
A number of important issues came up in the committee's
conversations and through the regional polling that needed to be
addressed in an FRS recommendation. These included topics such
as what actual communications should take place over the standard
channel and what to do when non-birders were using the channel.
These issues and the continent channel and subcode standard were
then brought together in the general FRS recommendation document
that follows.
We hope these recommendations will be seriously considered by all
birders using FRS radios and adopted wherever possible. The
committee would like to thank all those who contributed their
ideas and opinions throughout this process. We are interested in
hearing back from people about the recommendations and about
experiences in implementing them. Send correspondence to a
committee member near you.
ABA FRS Committee:
Paul Green from Colorado
Don Crockett from Massachusetts
Ralph M. Eiseman from Illinois
Bob Hinkle from Ohio
Gail Mackiernan from Maryland
Barbara Mann from Ontario
David Sarkozi from Texas
Steve Sosensky from California
Jack Stephens from Washington
Noel Wamer from Florida
ABA RECOMMENDATION ON FRS RADIO USAGE FOR BIRDING
-------------------------------------------------
FRS Overview
------------
FRS radios are increasingly being used by birders who come
together (either planned or unplanned) to communicate the
location of interesting birds and to coordinate groups. They are
used in car caravans, at birding hot spots, and often at "chase
sites". These two-way radios are small, handy, and effective
for communications for about a two-mile range.
ABA FRS Recommendations
-----------------------
In an effort to improve communication of birders using FRS
radios in North America, the ABA is making the following
recommendations:
1) States/Provinces should adopt and publicize a standard
FRS channel/subcode for birding communications.
a) The ABA recommends the adoption of channel 11 & subcode 22
(11/22) to try to achieve a continent-wide standard.
i) States/Provinces without a standard are encouraged to
adopt 11/22 rather than coming up with their own
conflicting standard.
ii) States/Provinces with an existing standard other than
11/22 are encouraged to switch to the 11/22 standard.
b) The FRS standard chosen by a state/province should be
publicized through any FRS birding directories that are
created, through any RBA transcripts for the region,
and through any other relevant birding publications.
2) Radio communications on the standard channel/subcode
should be limited to:
a) Requests and reports about the location of
rare and interesting birds.
b) Coordination between birding groups/parties.
Examples of acceptable communications:
* "This is John Doe. Are there any birders here?"
* "Where are you and what have you seen?"
* "We're at Z. We saw a Y at X and a W at V."
* "Has anybody seen the X?"
* "I've relocated the X. It's at Z."
* "The ABA tour is now leaving X and heading to Y."
* "Let's meet on 10/22 to discuss lunch."
Examples of unacceptable communications:
* "So, he said..., then she said..."
* "Did you watch the game last night?"
* Any and all signals not made with human voice.
* Any conversations not germane to the bird or location
at hand.
3) Radio communications should be considerate of other birders,
non-birders, and the birds.
a) Radio users should be sensitive to the disturbance the
volume of their radio and their speaking voice can have
on others and adjust accordingly. In some situations it
may be inappropriate to use FRS radios.
b) When using a standard birding channel you are sharing the
airways with other birders. If you need to converse
frequently with people in your group, switch to a different
channel/subcode.
c) Radio communications should take into account the potential
impact on birds and habitat. For general guidelines see the
"ABA Code of Birding Ethics".
4) FRS radio feature recommendations:
a) Radios with 14 channels and 38 subcodes
b) No radios that have "over/roger" tones that can't be disabled.
These tones should always be disabled when in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
--------------------------
1) Q: What do I do if I have a radio that doesn't have 14 channels?
A: Chances are that your radio will not be compatible with the
11/22 standard or other 14/38 compatible standards. You will
have to purchase another radio if you wish to communicate with
birders using these standards.
2) Q: What do I do if I have a radio without 38 subcodes?
A: If you have a radio with the same channel as the local
channel/subcode you will be able to listen in on communications
from birders using the standard but you will not be able
to send a transmission that they can hear.
3) Q: What do I do if non-birders are already using 11/22?
A: Birders' use of 11/22 has no priority over non-birders' use
if they are already using it when you arrive at a location.
The best that can be done is to inform the non-birders that
11/22 is being used nationwide before switching your
radio's subcode to 21, 20, etc.
A suggested scenario is given below:
Scenario:
--------
S1) Birder: Arrives at location, radio set at 11/22.
"Hi this John Doe, any birders in the area?"
S2) Non-birder:
"Hey dude, we're already using this subcode!"
S3) Birder: "(in a polite voice) Sorry, this is the subcode
birders are using nationwide. We'll move to
subcode 21. If other birders contact you can
you tell them we're on code 21?"
S4) Non-birder:
a) "Sure. Thanks for moving." GOTO S5
b) "Dude, get off our code." GOTO S6
c) "That's too much trouble. It's easier
for us to move."
S6) Birder: "Can you also contact us on 21 when you leave
so we can switch back to 11/22?"
S7) Try subcodes 21, 20, etc. for a usable subcode, if it
isn't 21 recontact Non-birder on 22 with update if they
responded favorably above.
4) Q: What do I do if transmissions are being blocked by other
users of channel 11 or by other interference?
A: Switch to 10/22 and then 9/22 to see if those channels
are usable.
5) Q: What do I do if I hear birders overusing the channel?
A: By cooperating with the usage recommendations birders
can make the standard channel as useful as possible.
Unrelevant communications will cause people to switch
channels or turn off their radios, limiting communication.
The usage recommendations are not regulations to be
enforced however. Birders should not take on the role of
"channel police". Birders can make polite requests if
they feel that the channel is being overused.
A suggested scenario is given below:
Scenario:
--------
Birder 1: Arrives at location and other birders are
chitchatting away on 11/22.
Birder 1: "Hi this is John Doe, are there any birders here?"
Other Birders:
Hopefully, realizing that others are listening,
the other birders quit chitchatting.
But if they persist...
Birder 1: "(in a polite voice) Can you guys limit transmissions
on 11/22 to bird sightings and location info, it's
pretty noisy listening in on this end."
If they persist, switch temporarily to subcode 21 or
some other usable channel/subcode.
6) Q: Should 11/22 be used to coordinate birding groups (caravans, etc.)?
A: Internal communications of a large group can easily overwhelm
11/22 and make it unusable for others. Large groups should
choose a different channel/code for logistical discussions.
Separate radios can be set to monitor and report interesting
findings on 11/22, or radios with scanning features can be
used to monitor both channels.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The American Birding Association's FRS Recommendations may
be freely reproduced for distribution/dissemination. You
can download a copy from:
Please acknowledge the role of ABA in developing and promoting
these recommendations with a link to the ABA website using
the URL . Thank you.
Good birding,
Steve ,
Steve Sosensky, photographer www.sosensky.com
10834 Blix Street #213 818-508-4946
Toluca Lake, CA 91602 34*09'02" N, 118*22'47" W
Audubon in So. California www.SoCalAudubon.org/socal/
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SoCal FRS: use channel 11 code 22
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 24 14:15:13 2001
Subject: [SBB] No Stilt Sandpiper or Ruff :-(
--------
All,
This afternoon Frank Vanslager and stopped by the pond at State St and
Spreckles Ave but we were unable to refind either the Reeve or the Stilt
Sandpiper. There were even fewer birds in the pond then there were yesterday
(just a few dowitchers, yellowlegs and one Wilson's Phalarope with the
Black-necked Stilts). It may just be timing (low tide) but it feels like the
birds have moved elsewhere (perhaps to the salt ponds north and west of
Alviso). The water level in Harvey Marsh aka Calabazas Ponds is still too
high
Earlier we had checked out the Palo Alto Yacht Harbor area where the best
birds were a Western Flycatcher (probably a Pacific-slope Flycatcher, it
didn't call) at the Ranger Residence and two to three Vaux's Swifts over the
water treatment (?) facility. We also had a female scaup in the Duck Pond, a
Red-shouldered Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk near the water treatment facility.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 2:12 PM, 8/24/01
--------
Attachment
1.1 KBytes
--------
From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 24 14:38:48 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] No Stilt Sandpiper or Ruff
--------
I was at the Spreckels/State impoundment starting around 1:15 today.
After a few minutes, the adult Stilt Sandpiper was found feeding in the open,
and it eventually rested in the open. The smaller number of Dowitchers than
a few days ago definitely made things easier. I didn't see the Ruff, but
a number of Yellowlegs were evidently behind the fenced area, and I didn't
want to walk up there and disturb things. [I had gotten a decent if distant
look at the Ruff a few days ago, but only a glimpse of the Stilt S. on that
occasion.]
Al
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From [[email protected]] Sat Aug 25 05:00:31 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
This morning, 25 Aug 01, Mike Rogers and I had a SUMMER TANAGER along the
Guadalupe River. From Trimble, walk up the east side levee for about a
quarter mile. You will quickly see a large water tower on your right. About
100-150 yards past the tower is an interpretive sign on the levee. From this
sign look straight down to the riparian corridor, where a red shopping cart
along the edge of the willows marks the spot. The bird responded well to
pishing. We thought the bird to be an adult female, with fairly bright red
undertail coverts and a reddish underside to the tail. The rest of the
underparts were washed pale reddish, with the upperparts being generally
uniform brownish (with possibly a hint of red here and there).
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 26 08:20:29 2001
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
To continue Saturday's birding, 25 Aug 01, I guess I should have mentioned
the other birds Mike and I saw at Guadalupe River. We had at least 2 WILLOW
FLYCATCHERS, many PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, a few YELLOW and WILSON'S
WARBLERS, a couple HOUSE WRENS, a female/immature type HOODED ORIOLE, and at
least 3 WESTERN TANAGERS. I'm sure Mike will fill in anything I missed.
After leaving Mike on Saturday I checked the pond again at State and
Spreckles, where the STILT SANDPIPER was present.
On Sunday, 26 Aug 01, I again went to State and Spreckles (after finding
nothing unusual at the waterbird pond). The STILT SANDPIPER was immediately
obvious, and had been seen by a number of birders earlier. Soon Joe Morlan,
Dan Sanger, and Robbie Fischer showed up and after some amount of time Joe
found the RUFF.
Also, there may be some question about the sex of the Summer Tanager Mike
and I had at the Guadalupe River. We had pegged the bird as an adult because
of the wear in the wing covert feathers (not fresh like a bird of the year
would be). The assumption also was that a male would acquire a full red
plumage after its first year. So, in our minds it couldn't be a male.
However, in talking with Joe Morlan, he informed me that male Summer
Tanagers don't get the full red plumage until the prebasic molt of their
second year, until which time they can be quite blotchy in the redness of
their plumage. Considering that, this bird could very well then be a second
year male.
Mike Mammoser
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 26 09:53:04 2001
Subject: [SBB] Santa Clara Bird List: July
--------
RECENT ADDITIONS TO LIST: July 31, 2001
Bill Bousman wrote:
> As you will recall, June ended with a nice round 250 species for the
>year. Six new species were added in July, bringing the total to 256.
>
> A Little Blue Heron along Artesian Slough on 7/4/2001 (Ann Verdi) was
>the first adequately described this year. They've not been found in the
>Alviso salt ponds as in past years. An adult Semipalmated Sandpiper on
>7/15/2001 (Mike Rogers) was a good find and typical date. Juveniles are later
>and more likely. The first Least Terns showed up on 7/14/2001 (Frank
>Vanslager). They concentrated in salt ponds A2E and B1, mostly out of
>binocular range. A Willow Flycatcher was banded at CCFS on 7/22/01, and is a
>month earlier than typical fall passage birds. A Bank Swallow was found at
>the Mountain View Forebay on 7/21/01 (Vivek Tiwari). San Mateo County's
>Indigo Buntings proved infectious when an adult male was found at the
>Arastradero Preserve on 7/3/01 (John Meyer, Lisa Pavey).
>
> The only "4" not recorded this year is Pectoral Sandpiper. This bird is
>very likely in September; occasionally we have adults earlier. The rest of
>the year is going to be tough, but the new birds that are found will all be
>exciting.
The complete list can be seen on:
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/
------------------------------------------
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From [[email protected]] Sun Aug 26 10:48:19 2001
Subject: [SBB] Palo Alto Tide Table
--------
Deborah Bartens, City of Palo Alto Naturalist, has again provided
data for the coming High Tides at the Palo Alto Yacht Harbor.
The table can be viewed on:
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/
------------------------------------------
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 27 02:46:29 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] :
--------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth Troetschler" <[[email protected]]>
>
> We went to the area, but did not know whether to walk north or south
> along the levee. Please let me know.
Sorry for the confusion. The bird was north of Trimble. You might be able to
see the large water tank from the road, but I'm not entirely sure.
Mike
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 27 09:07:53 2001
Subject: [SBB] Calero Reservoir ducks, etc
--------
Hello All,
The duck population at Calero Reservoir is beginning to diversify and this
weekend (Aug 25-26) the following ducks were seen among all the many
Mallards at the upper end: (60+) GADWALL; (2) N. SHOVELER; (2) CINNAMON
TEAL; (6) GREEN-WINGED TEAL; (2) AMER WIGEON. Two COMMON MERGANSERS were
seen at the lower end near the dam. All ducks were still in basic plumage.
Shorebirds: two LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS; one SPOTTED SANDPIPER (still in
spotted breeding plumage) and others (Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, Greater
Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper).
Other waterbirds of interest: (50+) Canada Geese; several Forster's Terns;
and two Caspian Terns (1 adult, 1 juvenile)
Landbirds of interest: WILD TURKEYS with young feeding among the haystacks
by the horse corral; two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS in the fennel along the
levee trail; and 5-6 SAVANNAH SPARROWS in the weedy fields at "Bailey's
Cove".
That's it for now - Ann
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 27 10:12:17 2001
Subject: [SBB] SUTA at Guadalupe River
--------
All,
On Saturday morning 8/27/01, I birded the Guadalupe River with Mike
Mammoser. We headed south along the east bank of the river from
Montague Expressway to Trimble Road, completing this stretch in about
three hours, and then headed back up the west bank in one hour. As
Mike M. did not keep a tally of what was seen, his numbers were a bit
off and I'll correct them here:
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD sp. - 2 at bottlebrush along the west bank
WILLOW FLYCATCHER - 2+, at least one a hatching-year bird
"WESTERN" FLYCATCHER - 14 (4 calling like PACIFIC-SLOPE)
HOUSE WREN - 2
CEDAR WAXWING - 1 very vocal adult (typical return date and location
for the last few years)
HUTTON'S VIREO - 2 (unusual in lowland riparian!)
WARBLING VIREO - 2
YELLOW WARBLER - 4
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT - 4 to 5
WILSON'S WARBLER - 4 to 5
SUMMER TANAGER - 1 adult female
WESTERN TANAGER - 5 (including at least two adult males)
HOODED ORIOLE - 3 (including 1 AHY male)
Also of interest were a begging young BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (a pair of
CALIFORNIA TOWHEES being nearby) and SFBBO-banded CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEES (2) and BUSHTITS (2).
As there is some confusion about the sex of the SUMMER TANAGER, I will
elaborate a bit on this bird. I first found it at the location Mike
Mammoser described in his email when it came into pishing. This spot
is along the east bank of the Guadalupe River, about 1/4 mile north of
Trimble Road. A single cottonwood juts out into the overflow channel
above a gravelly area with a partially buried red shopping cart and a
suitcase opposite a brown interpretive sign on the east dike of the
overflow channel at this location. Mike M. got on the bird quickly
and we got good looks at the underparts before it moved off, only to
return again and provide great looks at all parts of the bird in
response to further pishing. The bird was observed in good light from
9:39am to 9:43am, for much of the time at a distance of only about 10
yards or less. I made a written description and a sketch in the field
immediately after studying the bird and summarize this below.
An obvious tanager, similar in shape but perhaps slightly larger than
the Western Tanagers we had been seeing (none present for direct
comparison) with a proportionately large bill. The identification of
the bird as a Summer Tanager was immediate, as the bird showed quite a
bit of dull red tones throughout the plumage, including on the wings.
[The bird looked most like the "red morph female" in the 3rd edition
of the NGS guide, rather than like anything in Sibley.] The bird's
underparts were a buffy tan with small red flecks and patches and a
single bright yellow spot along the centerline of the belly between
the bases of the legs (perhaps only one or two feathers [according to
Pyle's banding guide feathers replaced adventitiously during summer
are yellow even on adult males, which may explain this]). The
undertail coverts were a pinkish red and the underside of the notched
tail was red. The legs were a dingy fleshy color. The bird's head
was a slightly darker olive brownish color than the underparts, with
several small red flecks in the crown and sides of the face. These
red flecks were dull and not strongly contrasting, unlike the red of a
first spring male bird. Pale narrow crescents above and below the eye
(the eyelids?) gave the impression of a broken eye ring. The large
tanager-shaped bill was horn colored with a dark gray culmen, this
dark color extending down to just above the cutting edge of the
maxilla. A weak "tooth" was visible. The throat was whiter than the
rest of the underparts. The bird's upperparts and base color to the
wings were a brown color similar to that of the head. The upperside
of the tail appeared red, this color fading to reddish on the
uppertail coverts and further to pinkish on the rump. I studied the
wing carefully, looking for molt limits that might help age the bird.
The bird appeared somewhat worn, with no really fresh feathers or molt
limits apparent. The worn tertials were brown with a thin pale tan
edge and contrasted with the reddish edgings of the adjacent
secondaries. The median and greater coverts were brown with pink
leading edges and were also somewhat worn. Although clearly aroused
by the pishing, the bird did not vocalize at any time during our
observation.
The amount of red present in this bird eliminates a hatching-year
bird. According to Pyle's guide, hatching-year birds replace all the
median and 8 to 10 inner greater coverts in a partial prebasic molt
that occurs in July to September. This bird did not have
contrastingly fresh inner greater coverts. Sometimes 1-2 tertials can
also be replaced, which was again not the case in our bird. A
hatching-year male may sometimes acquire a few red feathers in this
prebasic molt, but can replace at most a couple rectrices with
orange/red edged feathers. Our bird had all the tail feathers with
red edgings. The uniform tail and tertials indicate an AHY (after
hatching-year) bird, which should undergo a complete molt on the
summering grounds between June and September. This bird has evidently
not completed this molt (or, possibly, completed it a while ago and is
already worn) and may stay around to accomplish this.
Regarding Joe Morlan's suggestion that the bird might be an SY (second
calendar year) male, most males acquire significant patches of highly
contrasting adult male red feathering on the head, back, or rump -
this often before red-edged adult feathers show up in the wings and
tail. The complete acquisition of adult male plumage should occur in
the second prebasic molt, which should happen at about this time of
year. Given the lack of any large, highly contrasting patches of red
on the head, breast, or back of our bird I suspect it could not be an
SY male, but is rather more likely an ASY (after second-year) red
morph female of the type depicted in the NGS guide. I will cc this
email to Peter Pyle to see whether he can comment on this.
More on Saturday evening birding in the next message :)
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 27 10:30:55 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] :
--------
Mike and all--
We went to the area, but did not know whether to walk north or south
along the levee. Please let me know.
Ruth Troetschler
----------------------------
At 1:00 PM +0100 8/25/01, Michael Mammoser wrote:
>This morning, 25 Aug 01, Mike Rogers and I had a SUMMER TANAGER along the
>Guadalupe River. From Trimble, walk up the east side levee for about a
>quarter mile. You will quickly see a large water tower on your right. About
>100-150 yards past the tower is an interpretive sign on the levee. From this
>sign look straight down to the riparian corridor, where a red shopping cart
>along the edge of the willows marks the spot. The bird responded well to
>pishing. We thought the bird to be an adult female, with fairly bright red
>undertail coverts and a reddish underside to the tail. The rest of the
>underparts were washed pale reddish, with the upperparts being generally
>uniform brownish (with possibly a hint of red here and there).
>
>Mike Mammoser
>
>
>
>
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 27 11:43:14 2001
Subject: [SBB] COTE, RED KNOT at Alviso
--------
All,
On Saturday evening 8/25/01, Alma and I biked around the Alviso salt
ponds during the high tide. Bob Richmond has been finding increasing
numbers of Surfbirds inside the bay in Alameda County, roosting at
high tide with Black-bellied Plovers, dowitchers, and turnstones over
the past week. I figured that the shorebird roost in Salt Pond A14
would be a good place to try for this species, which has yet to be
recorded in Santa Clara County!
The birds seen were similar to those on my trip two weeks ago. Seven
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were incubating nests on the A9/A10 dike and
an adult was feeding two large young at another nest. A total of 44
BROWN PELICANS was roosting on the same dike. Two WESTERN and three
CLARK'S GREBES on Salt Pond A10 were more than I noted last time.
Four CASPIAN TERNS included one begging fledgling. At the west end of
the A9/A10 dike was a group of 280+ FORSTER'S TERNS. I searched
carefully, but could find no other terns in with them - which actually
surprised me. Refusing to believe that there was no other species of
tern in this flock, I checked out a few terns foraging over an algae
slick just north of here along the western edge of pond A9. The first
bird I looked at was a basic-plumaged COMMON TERN. This bird kept
circling around to head upwind over the slick and provided great scope
views for ten to fifteen minutes until, at 6:34pm, it flew over to the
tern flock on the dike and landed. We observed it here for another
eight or nine minutes until it flew to a hidden roosting spot on the
dike. More on aging this bird below...
A pair of COMMON RAVENS eating an egg on the dike north of A9
indicates that some ducks (Mallards?) are still breeding. Continuing
on to A14 to the east we were greeted by many thousands of shorebirds,
with impressive large flocks of swirling birds moving throughout the
pond (especially when stirred up by a hunting juvenile PEREGRINE
FALCON!). Among the hundreds of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were two RED
KNOTS, a juvenile and an adult in fading alternate plumage. Also of
interest were 7 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 11 recently arrived NORTHERN
SHOVELERS, and a nice sunset.
As has been made clear in posts regarding the Sunnyvale Common Tern
earlier this fall, it is tough to confidently age these birds at this
time of year. The best match to the Alviso bird in Sibley's guide is
the illustration of the "1st winter" bird. The secondaries showed an
obvious dingy bar (not included in Sibley's "Adult nonbreeding"
illustration) and the primaries were mostly dingy brown, lacking the
more contrasting look and "wedge" shown in the adult illustration.
The black cap with white forehead, black bill, dusky carpal bar, and
dark outer edges to the tail feathers could fit any age class at this
time of year apparently. In her 1993 Birding article, Claudia Wilds
notes that "Most adult Commons leave the continent in September and
early October having molted very little", suggesting that birds in
basic-like plumage on this date must be sub-adult. However, Olsen and
Larsson (1995, Terns of Europe and North America) write "Geographic
variation in moult is considerable. North American birds possibly
moult earlier than European ones; birds in California are in winter
plumage during autumn migration, though no (or very restricted) moult
is seen in autumn in eastern and northern parts of USA (C. Wilds,
pers. comm.)". Thus apparently basic-plumaged birds in fall migration
can be adults out here (although no source for this fact was cited).
According to Olsen and Larsson, first-summer (one-year old) birds "may
be inseparable from moulting adults in late summer/autumn".
It is often possible to identify hatching year birds by remnants of
juvenile plumage, particularly brown in the forehead, brown or white
scalloping on the back or, especially, black/brown subterminal
anchors/marking in the tips of the tertials, greater coverts, or
scapulars. These latter dark markings are the last signs of juvenile
plumage to fade and should always be looked for on perched birds.
However, Olsen and Larsson note that "the palest birds [juveniles]
have predominantly pale grey feathers, with obvious suggestion of dark
only on tertials". The Alviso bird had no obvious subterminal
markings, but did have dingy dusky interiors to the tertials,
suggesting perhaps that it is not an adult - but perhaps not ruling
out a worn, pale juvenile. A hatching-year bird should have all the
primaries close to the same age. Primary molt begins in January
(occasionally December), so strong contrast between old and new
primaries in the wing rules out a juvenile bird in fall. The Alviso
bird's upperwing pattern may better fit an AHY (after hatching year)
bird in this respect. Older Common Terns molt primaries in both
Spring and Fall, with up to three generations of primaries being
present at certain times of the year. Perhaps in-flight photos of the
upperwing could help age our birds further. Otherwise, basic-plumaged
birds without signs of juvenile plumage should probably be left as
"basic, unaged".
Interestingly, Ron Thorn aged the birds he found at Redwood Shores in
nearby San Mateo County as "first-summer birds". These birds present
in late June and July can indeed be reliably aged as AHY on these
dates, since juvenile traits could not disappear this quickly
(assuming a juvenile could have even made it here from the breeding
grounds this fast!). Also, most "second-summer birds" should show
more adult traits, especially some red in the bill. Given that Ron
had five first-summer birds on 11 July, it is perhaps not surprising
that our birds are of the same age class (in fact they may include
some of the same birds, since only single birds have been seen at
Redwood Shores since mid-July).
Mike Rogers
P.S. Note that the date in my previous post should have been 8/25/01.
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From [[email protected]] Mon Aug 27 18:26:39 2001
Subject: [SBB] Ruff, Stilt Sandpiper continue
--------
Both the RUFF and the STILT SANDPIPER continue at State and Spreckels. The
STSA was somewhat difficult to pick out and we only found the RUFF on a
return visit after whiffing on our first attempt.
Mark
--
Mark Eaton
mailto:[[email protected]]
SFBirds Web Page
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SFBirds mailing list
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SFBirds
"The years 1990, 1991 and 1992 could not be located."
Anonymous
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 28 09:47:05 2001
Subject: [SBB] SWTH, LABU at L'Avenida
--------
All,
A quick check of Stevens Creek north of L'Avenida on the way into work
this morning 8/28/01 yielded the following birds of interest:
1 GREEN HERON
1 immature COOPER'S HAWK
1 "WESTERN" FLYCATCHER
1 HOUSE WREN
1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH (chasing ROBINS!)
3+ YELLOW WARBLERS
3 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS
2+ WILSON'S WARBLERS
3 LAZULI BUNTINGS
1 very young fledgling CALIFORNIA TOWHEE
For those who do not get the Monterey RBA email, the following report
of an EASTERN KINGBIRD just across the county line yesterday (if it
flies across the road it is in SCL!) at San Felipe Lake (a.k.a. Soap
Lake) may be of interest:
This report is a transcript of the new messages on the Monterey Bay Area
Birdbox. The Birdbox is brought to you by the Monterey Peninsula Audubon
Society and can be reached at 831-626-6605.
An EASTERN KINGBIRD was reported at Soap Lake today. Soap Lake, a.k.a. San
Felipe Lake, can be reached as follows: Take Highway 152 east from Gilroy.
After you pass Fraser Lake Rd. you will ascend a gentle rise. Right after
the rise, Soap Lake can be seen off to the right. You can park by the
emergency call box. There are two willows on the lake and the Kingbird was
perched on a fence post near the right hand willow. [Mark Paxton]
Mike Rogers
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 28 15:31:10 2001
Subject: [SBB] 0 for 2
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I tried for but missed the Summer Tanager in
the Guadalupe River channel. "The place" was easy to find unfortunately
SFBBO had a bird banding team working there with their office directly under
the Cottonwood that the bird had been seen in (they hadn't seen it). We
didn't want to mess up their mist netting operations and so we tried some
birding from the eastern dike. Lots of Western Tanagers, many calling, but
no Summer Tanager. Other "mentionables" included Yellow Warbler,
Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak and a Western Flycatcher that
refused to call. After a couple of hours we decided to try for the Eastern
Kingbird that was recently seen on the northern edge of San Felipe Lake. We
couldn't find it or any other kind kingbird for that matter. There was
precious little else, other than us, moving in the hot sun.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 3:11 PM, 8/28/01
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 28 15:49:58 2001
Subject: [SBB] Alamitos Creek Trail today
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Howdy South-bay-birders,
Walked home from Almaden Lake today--a long walk along the Alamitos Creek
Trail, partially done by choice and partially because I didn't have my car.
It was late morning/early afternoon, hot and not exactly the best time for
birding. Didn't find any cool rarities, but at least there were a few things
to see.
At Almaden Lake there was a GREEN HERON, a flock of 11 COMMON
MERGANSERS, an immature COMMON MOORHEN, 2-3 DOWNY WOODPECKERS, and 1
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. The eucalyptus there appear to be very infected with
lerps.
Farther upstream along the Alamitos Creek Trail, near the Mazzone
bridge, I saw 1 adult NUTMEG MANNIKIN. In fennel patches farther upstream I
found 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 5-6 YELLOW WARBLERS, and 2 WILSON'S
WARBLERS. Also heard a couple of COMMON YELLOWTHROATS chipping in the
riparian (there is a lot of nice thick emergent vegetation in the creekbed,
perfect for all sorts of rarities that I didn't find). Only saw 1 WESTERN
TANAGER on the entire walk (just downstream from Graystone Lane). Other
goodies included a juvenile SPOTTED TOWHEE with parent, and a juvenile
STELLER'S JAY, both oppsite Leland High School. The jay was a bit out of
place, on the open valley floor but staying close to dense shade. A HAIRY
WOODPECKER was heard along the Arroyo Calero near the end of Camden Avenue.
Non-bird sightings of interest--a scrawny Coyote just upstream from
Almaden Lake, Western Pond Turtles enjoying the heat more than I, a Western
Fence Lizard throttling a Jerusalem Cricket that was much much bigger than
its head, and more of those California Ground Squirrels with white tips to
their tails--looks like someone dunked them in white paint. Anyone out there
know if someone is doing this to the squirrels as part of some project?
John Mariani
[[email protected]]
www.birdswest.com
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From [[email protected]] Tue Aug 28 21:02:25 2001
Subject: [SBB] 165 Canada Geese and one...hybrid?
--------
I live near the Corn Palace on Lawrence Expressway. Every evening and
every morning we hear the wonderful sound of Canada Geese flying over
the house to stop over "our" tiny patch of open farmland in the midst of
suburbia. Today after getting home from work a huge flock (almost 100)
flew north over the house toward the cornfield to feast on rototilled
corn. I walked over there with the kids and counted over 165 geese.
One of the geese was marked quite differently from the others, not
really matching anything in the field guides. My best guess is it's a
Canada/Domestic Goose hybrid. The belly and flanks are white except
above the legs where the brown comes down from the back. The face is
white, with black on top of the head and extending down the neck. The
bill is black at the tip but orange or yellow near the base. The legs
are yellow-orange as well. The tips of the primaries were white, in
contrast to all the black-tipped Canada Geese around it. I posted a
picture at http://goldbug.com/birds/goose010828.jpg.
Barry
------
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 29 07:57:11 2001
Subject: [SBB] North American Birds Cover Photo
--------
All,
Congratulations go to our own Peter La Tourrette who's photo of the Greater
Sandplover, found in January of this year in Bolinas Lagoon, is the cover
photo for North American Birds, Winter Season. Most of us were ecstatic to
get a decent view of the bird, I can't imagine how much harder it is to get a
quality photo of it. A great photo of a great bird!
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 7:56 AM, 8/29/01
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 29 13:28:08 2001
Subject: [SBB] Charleston Slough
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Unusual for Charleston Slough this lunchtime, I thought, was a single Red-necked Phalarope. There was also at least ten Black Skimmers with the upraised wings of several others visible behind their island, which incidentally was almost swamped by the water level.
Andy.
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 29 14:56:07 2001
Subject: [SBB] Re: Stilt Sandpiper and Ruff at Alviso
--------
For those of you who are still interested in seeing the Stilt Sandpiper and
Ruff (Reeve) that have been hanging out at State and Spreckles in Alviso,
today at noon both birds were in clear view, standing near the middle of the
pond where the majority of the Dowitchers have been feeding (on and around
the two small islands in the middle of the pond).
The Stilt Sandpiper was standing on the left of the main flock, close to a
small group of about 6 Dowitchers. It is shorter and looks to be about half
the weight of the larger Dowitchers. Its bill is about half the length of
the Dowitchers and droops down. It was behaving very much like the
Dowitchers, mostly standing with its bill under its wing, then waking up and
feeding in synch with the Dowitchers around it. The Ruff was also staying
somewhat close to the Dowitchers but its behavior really made it stand out.
It was much more active and tended to stay slightly apart from the
Dowitchers. It remained active even when the Dowitcher near it were resting.
It is about the same size as the Dowitchers. It has a bright white belly
(with some darkish blotches on its flank). Its body shape was also
sufficiently different from the Dowitcher to cause it to stand out. Like
the Stilt Sandpiper, its bill is shorter than the Dowitchers and droops
down. I thought both birds were pretty easy to spot among the Dowitchers.
I've been trying to find these birds off and on for the past week. Today
was my lucky day.
Tim Johnson
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From [[email protected]] Wed Aug 29 17:54:57 2001
Subject: [SBB] Mt. Diablo Audubon Contact needed
--------
Sorry to take up bandwith with a strange request :
I am scheduled to give a talk at a Mt. Diablo Audubon Society meeting in
September.
But I can't remember the date and have lost all information on who the
contact was!
Mt. Diablo AS doesn't seem to have a webpage.
- What's the best way to contact a Mt. Diablo AS officeholder?
Thanks!
Vivek
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 30 08:14:49 2001
Subject: RE: [SBB] Mt. Diablo Audubon Contact needed
--------
>From http://www.audubon.org/chapter/ca/
Mt. Diablo Audubon Society
P.O. Box 53, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Phone: (925) AUD-UBON or (925) 283-8266
Contact Person: Barbara Wendorff, Corresponding Secretary
E-mail: [[email protected]]
-----Original Message-----
From: [[email protected]]
[mailto:[[email protected]]]On Behalf Of Tiwari,
Vivek
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 5:55 PM
To: [[email protected]]
Subject: [SBB] Mt. Diablo Audubon Contact needed
Sorry to take up bandwith with a strange request :
I am scheduled to give a talk at a Mt. Diablo Audubon Society meeting in
September.
But I can't remember the date and have lost all information on who the
contact was!
Mt. Diablo AS doesn't seem to have a webpage.
- What's the best way to contact a Mt. Diablo AS officeholder?
Thanks!
Vivek
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[[email protected]]
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 30 09:50:52 2001
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
Today, 8/30/01, an adult GREEN HERON was along Adobe Creek in the Palo
Alto FCB. A PEREGRINE FALCON was on a tower at the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh.
A BARN OWL was foraging in the Palo Alto FCB a bit after an obscured sunrise.
A VAUX'S SWIFT was foraging with VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS over the Mountain View
Forebay.
Bill
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 30 12:02:53 2001
Subject: [SBB] Cooper's Hunting on Ground
--------
This morning I watched a young Coopers Hawk standing on the ground staring
at a Ground Squirrel a few feet away. I'll swear I heard the ground
squirrel say "Nya, Nya, Nya, you can't catch me", which turned out to be
true. The Coopers gave up after a few tries. The ground squirrels appeared
quite pleased with themselves, never bothering to go into their burrows.
Anyone else see a Coopers acting so strangely?
This happened at about 9 a.m. at Shoreline Park where the bike trail goes
between the salt ponds and the golf course.
Richard C. Carlson
Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker
Part-time Economist
Palo Alto & Lake Tahoe, CA
[[email protected]]
650-949-9590
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 30 13:00:13 2001
Subject: [SBB] Reeve & Stilt Sandpiper still at Alviso
--------
All,
At 9:30 this morning Frank Vanslager and I first saw the Reeve and then the
Stilt Sandpiper sleeping with the dowitchers in the pond at State St. &
Spreckles Ave. in Alviso. The front of the Stilt Sandpiper is losing it's
barring (barring on the flanks is no help) so be sure and look for the
smaller size and the whiteness of the belly. You almost have to either see
the head of the Reeve or the chest to ID it as it is very close in size to
the dowitchers. Bring a scope if you have one because even then they can be
hard to find if they are not actively feeding. There must have been at least
a dozen Lesser Yellowlegs (in two groups) with a few Wilson's Phalaropes
mixed in and a half dozen Least Sandpipers around the edges. A single
Long-billed Curlew was sleeping on the edge of the pond and later flew
towards the water treatment facility. The Waterbird Pond at CCFS had good
numbers of dowitchers and a few Wilson's Phalaropes running around like they
were "peeps." A small flock of Least Sandpipers flew over but couldn't
decide where to land so they flew off. The mud flats west of the Waterbird
Pond only had a few ducks (Mallards). We then tried Harvey Marsh AKA
Calabazas Ponds which had lots of dowitchers, both yellowlegs, a half dozen
American White Pelicans and a medium to small flock of Least Sandpipers. The
reeds are getting awfully high and prevent any close viewing. All in all it
seems to be harder and harder to avoid birding the pond at State St. &
Spreckles Ave.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 12:57 PM, 8/30/01
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From [[email protected]] Thu Aug 30 15:26:09 2001
Subject: Re: [SBB] Cooper's Hunting on Ground
--------
Strangely, yesterday evening I watched a Cooper's on the ground at Rancho San Antonio. It was too far away and getting too dark for me to see what it was doing but it stayed for a few minutes before flying off. It was in the area bounded by the main trail from the car parks to the farm, a surfaced cycle trail and the tennis courts, an area which coincidentally was hosting a most unconcerned bobcat an hour earlier.
A propos of nothing the Stilt Sandpiper was showing really well at State and Spreckles this lunchtime, but only after a bunch of kids attempting to float a board with a seat on it had flushed most of the birds from further away to under our noses. Who said kids had no use?
Andy.
> This morning I watched a young Coopers Hawk standing on the ground staring
> at a Ground Squirrel a few feet away. I'll swear I heard the ground
> squirrel say "Nya, Nya, Nya, you can't catch me", which turned out to be
> true. The Coopers gave up after a few tries. The ground squirrels appeared
> quite pleased with themselves, never bothering to go into their burrows.
>
> Anyone else see a Coopers acting so strangely?
>
> This happened at about 9 a.m. at Shoreline Park where the bike trail goes
> between the salt ponds and the golf course.
>
> Richard C. Carlson
> Full Time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker
> Part-time Economist
> Palo Alto & Lake Tahoe, CA
> [[email protected]]
> 650-949-9590
>
> - **==-- **==-- **==-- **==-- **==-- **==-- **==-- **==
> 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]]
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 31 12:55:38 2001
Subject: [SBB] Some County Birds
--------
All:
This morning, Friday, August 31, Nick Yatsko, John Arnold, and I had good
views of the Stilt Sandpiper and the Ruff at the usual spot at State and
Spreckles (from the corner of the fence). At one point we even had them both
in the same scope view. There were also a number of Vaux's Swifts around.
A short stop at the nearby EEC turned up 4 Red-necked Phalaropes near the
first island, in addition to the more numerous Wilson's Phalaropes.
Frank Vanslager
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From [[email protected]] Fri Aug 31 15:28:32 2001
Subject: [SBB] More Almaden Valley/Calero birds
--------
Howdy South-bay-birders,
Yesterday evening I rechecked a few spots where Alamitos Creek parallels
Camden Avenue. Found about 4 WESTERN FLYCATCHERS, about 5 YELLOW WARBLERS,
and a misplaced STELLER'S JAY was still near Leland High School.
Visited Calero Reservoir this afternoon. The shorebird habitat at the
east end is about as good as it gets. Birds there included 50 BLACK-NECKED
STILTS, about 8 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 1 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, about 35 LEAST
SANDPIPERS, 4 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, plenty of KILLDEER, a large flock of
CANADA GEESE, lots of MALLARDS, GADWALL, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 4 COMMON
MERGANSER, 2 CASPIAN TERNS, 3 FORSTER'S TERNS, and a BELTED KINGFISHER.
I got a parking ticket on Bailey Rd-- I guess the no parking signs cover
more than just the area in front of the water district gate, so if you stop
there park on the opposite side, where there aren't any no parking signs
(although the pullout there is narrower and looks more dangerous to me).
John Mariani
[[email protected]]
www.birdswest.com
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