From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 03 00:57:07 2000 Subject: [SBB] Saturday birding, etc. -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, Lately I've been seeing VAUX'S SWIFTS on my morning commutes, at about 7:00-7:30am, along Coleman near Meridian Avenue in San Jose. They seem to be regular there at that time of day. Saturday we had a class field trip, starting in New Almaden at the Almaden Quicksilver Park trailhead. Near the trailhead parking area we saw a pair of COOPER'S HAWKS, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. An AMERICAN ROBIN was observed at its nest in a sycamore there. At the upper end of Almaden Reservoir there were GREAT and SNOWY EGRETS, species that until the last year or so I had never seen there (sign of a local population increase?). An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was singing upstream at Twin Creeks. Driving up Mt. Umunhum Road we saw a pair of CALIFORNIA QUAIL cross the road followed by a brood of downy young. At the upper end of Guadalupe Reservoir there was a female COMMON MERGANSER with half-grown young. Considering that there are at least 3 broods of young mergansers at Almaden Lake Park, and that there have been other broods at Almaden Reservoir, the local breeding population seems to be doing really well this season. BLACK PHOEBES have a nest with 4 young on the side of the large rock where the creek enters the reservoir. In the afternoon Cindy Cummings and I visited Almaden Lake Park. The pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES were on the little island of reeds in the middle of the lake. At the stream inflow there was a lone COMMON MOORHEN, and a bunch of young COMMON MERGANSERS were resting on the rocks and diving in the water below the bridge (attention photographers! Good photo ops here). The number of terns at the lake is the most I've ever seen there, with 80+ FORSTER'S TERNS and 1-2 CASPIAN TERNS. Question: I saw quite a few Forster's Terns that appeared to be in basic plumage (having dark eye patches rather than a solid black crown ). These were not juvenile birds (no brown coloration). Do Forster's Terns not gain full maturity until their second year? John Mariani [[email protected]] http://www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 03 06:18:24 2000 -------- I birded around Shoreline and Charleston Slough today, 3 Jul 00. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK over Shoreline Road was interesting. There were the usual 3 SURF SCOTERS on the lake by themselves. There was no evidence of skimmers on the little island in salt pond A1, though the FORSTER'S TERNS are doing quite well. Adobe Creek had 519 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, and the presence of juveniles would indicate that many are returnees from the breeding grounds. Also on the creek was a basic-plumaged dowitcher, which I assume is an oversummering bird, and a very worn GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. A few VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS have made their way to the bay edge and were over the north pond of the Palo Alto flood control basin with the other swallow regulars. A first-year type HERRING GULL was at the duck pond. Of course, there are small numbers of RING-BILLED and WESTERN hanging here with the CALIFORNIAS as well. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 1.5 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 03 09:31:55 2000 -------- Folks: This morning, 7/3/2000, I saw two adult and five imm. BROWN PELICANS feeding with the large flock of AM. WHITE PELICANS in Salt Pond A1. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 03 09:46:00 2000 Subject: [SBB] Almaden Lake / Common Merganser behavior -------- On Saturday, my son and my father and I went to Almaden Lake to have a look at the grackles. We only saw the male on the reedy island. There were lots of Common Mergansers, including a group of around 12 females/juveniles that appeared to be hunting cooperatively. They would swim and dive in unison and seemed to be driving fish towards the shallows where several Snowy Egrets were waiting to take advantage of the situation. It had the appearance of a feeding frenzy. When I got home, I looked in two books ("The Birder's Handbook" and "Lives of North American Birds") and found no reference to cooperative hunting by Common Mergansers, though both books mentioned this behavior by Red-breasted Mergansers. Has anyone else seen Common Mergansers do this? Don Ganton [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 05 10:30:39 2000 -------- Hi SBBers, I'm testing the listserver to see if not having a subject line prevents the [SBB] tag from appearing. Sorry for the inconvenience. Les -- Les Chibana List Bureaucrat South-Bay-Birds List [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 05 10:53:12 2000 Subject: [SBB] SBB list administrivia -------- SBBers, It appears that if you don't provide a subject line in your posts to the SBB list, the Stanford Majordomo listserver doesn't insert the [SBB] tag into the subject line. A few of our subscribers have noted that it's an issue of concern when SBB posts arrive without the identifying tag. This is understandable in light of the spam and viruses that proliferate on the Internet. So for the sake of those for whom this is a problem, please enter some descriptor in the subject line so that the [SBB] is automatically added. I have also plugged an overlooked and not-often-used hole in our list so that non-subscribed addresses can no longer post to the list. Some of you may remember the spam that stirred us up a while back. Thanks for your time. And now, back to birds! Les -- Les Chibana List Bureaucrat South-Bay-Birds List [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 05 10:55:41 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] SBB list administrivia -------- At 10:53 AM -0700 7/5/00, Les Chibana wrote: >SBBers, > >It appears that if you don't provide a subject line in your posts >to the SBB list, the Stanford Majordomo listserver doesn't insert >the [SBB] tag into the subject line. A few of our subscribers have >noted that it's an issue of concern when SBB posts arrive without >the identifying tag. To be honest, you shouldn't be filtering based on subject line anyway -- filter on the Sender line, which always identifies the list properly no matter what. -- Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:[[email protected]]) Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:[[email protected]]) And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 05 11:25:58 2000 Subject: [SBB] Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 11:24:58 +0100 -------- On Monday, 3 Jul 00, I stopped at Almaden Lake Park, where I found the pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES. The male spent the entire time I was there sitting in the top of the bulrushes on the little island, occasionally singing. The female came out of the bulrushes at one point and began foraging around one end of the big island and along the edge of the lake itself near the picnic tables. I saw her carrying some items as she foraged, but by the time she returned to the little island, she was not carrying anything. If she has a nest, she is probably incubating at this time. There were also up to 4 juvenile GREEN HERONS on the big island being attended and fed by adults. At least 2 broods of nearly-grown young COMMON MERGANSERS were on the lake as well. On Tuesday, 4 Jul, a CASPIAN TERN was at Chesbro Reservoir. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 1.4 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 05 11:44:35 2000 Subject: [SBB] ccfs BIRDS -------- I checked CCFS again on July 1 and July 3. I also checked the Calabasas Pond on July 3 but these had no shorebird habitat. The pond just south of the trailers continues to have plenty of birds with increasing numbers of Western Sandpipers. On the second visit many of these were close enough to check for Semi-P Sands but I had no luck. On July 1, there were 5 male B-W Teal. Since there were no male Cinnamon Teal that day, I suspect most of the female types were BW Teal too. I had one female for sure and most of the others were not warm colored, although that doesn't rule out juv Cinnamon Teal in my experience. Nick Lethaby Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc. Tel: 408 360 2131 e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 05 18:07:58 2000 Subject: [SBB] Bank Swallow. -------- Birders: While conducting a survey at the waterbird pond at CCFS today a nice Bank Swallow flew over. It was in a large flock of Cliff Swallows which also held one VIolet-green and one Northern Rough-wing. I had outstanding looks at the Bank Swallow, giving me ample opportunity to confirm the identification and make sure that it was not a juvenile Tree Swallow. This is my first Bank Swallow at CCFS. cheers, Al Alvaro Jaramillo Senior Biologist San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 (408)-946-6548 http://www.sfbbo.org/ Home of the California Fall Challenge!! [[email protected]] Birds of Chile and New World Blackbirds at : http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 07:58:10 2000 Subject: [SBB] Some birds from Henry Coe, 7/2 - 7/4 -------- We decided to take advantage of the relatively mild weekend weather and headed into Henry Coe State Park for a 3-day backpacking trip. Our route took us past Frog Lake to Skeels Meadow, then up to Mt. Sizer, down to Los Cruzeros, and back via the Narrows. Bird activity ranged from completely dead to very exciting; the best spot was at Los Cruzeros where we camped the second night. A CANYON WREN was working the large boulder immediately opposite our campsite. We wandered upstream a bit to find a lot of activity near the water, including bathing LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. There were at least 4 or 5 of them in a nearby tree. Also seen there were BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, WESTERN KINGBIRDS, and numerous CALIFORNIA QUAIL. Perhaps the best bird of the trip was one for which I can not confirm the ID. Near the top of Mt. Sizer we got a brief glimpse of a grayish empid on a snag. I did not get a chance to register the bill color but there was only a faint eyering if any. It flew off and we didn't see it again but could hear it giving a short 2 or 3 syllable scolding call. In listening to all the empid calls last night it most closely resembled WILLOW FLYCATCHER -- but would that be the right habitat? Complete list of sightings is below. David Armstrong Turkey Vulture California Quail Mourning Dove Anna's Hummingbird Nuttall's Woodpecker Northern Flicker Acorn Woodpecker Black Phoebe Ash-throated Flycatcher Western Kingbird Brewer's Blackbird Hutton's Vireo Steller's Jay Western Scrub Jay Violet-green Swallow Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Canyon Wren House Wren Western Bluebird American Robin Wrentit California Thrasher Willow Flycatcher Hermit Warbler Black-headed Grosbeak Spotted Towhee California Towhee Lark Sparrow Common Raven Northern rough-winged Swallow Dark-eyed Junco Band-tailed Pigeon Western Meadowlark White-breasted Nuthatch Bullock's Oriole Purple Finch Bewick's Wren Lawrence's Goldfinch __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 09:12:33 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Some birds from Henry Coe, 7/2 - 7/4 -------- CORRECTION We did not have hermit warbler on this trip. It snuck in there when I was cutting and pasting from a checklist -- apologies. --- David Armstrong <[[email protected]]> wrote: > We decided to take advantage of the relatively mild > weekend weather and headed into Henry Coe State Park > for a 3-day backpacking trip. Our route took us past > Frog Lake to Skeels Meadow, then up to Mt. Sizer, > down > to Los Cruzeros, and back via the Narrows. Bird > activity ranged from completely dead to very > exciting; > the best spot was at Los Cruzeros where we camped > the > second night. A CANYON WREN was working the large > boulder immediately opposite our campsite. We > wandered > upstream a bit to find a lot of activity near the > water, including bathing LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. > There > were at least 4 or 5 of them in a nearby tree. Also > seen there were BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, WESTERN > KINGBIRDS, > and numerous CALIFORNIA QUAIL. > Perhaps the best bird of the trip was one for which > I > can not confirm the ID. Near the top of Mt. Sizer we > got a brief glimpse of a grayish empid on a snag. I > did not get a chance to register the bill color but > there was only a faint eyering if any. It flew off > and > we didn't see it again but could hear it giving a > short 2 or 3 syllable scolding call. In listening to > all the empid calls last night it most closely > resembled WILLOW FLYCATCHER -- but would that be the > right habitat? > Complete list of sightings is below. > David Armstrong > > Turkey Vulture > California Quail > Mourning Dove > Anna's Hummingbird > Nuttall's Woodpecker > Northern Flicker > Acorn Woodpecker > Black Phoebe > Ash-throated Flycatcher > Western Kingbird > Brewer's Blackbird > Hutton's Vireo > Steller's Jay > Western Scrub Jay > Violet-green Swallow > Chestnut-backed Chickadee > Bushtit > Canyon Wren > House Wren > Western Bluebird > American Robin > Wrentit > California Thrasher > Willow Flycatcher > Black-headed Grosbeak > Spotted Towhee > California Towhee > Lark Sparrow > Common Raven > Northern rough-winged Swallow > Dark-eyed Junco > Band-tailed Pigeon > Western Meadowlark > White-breasted Nuthatch > Bullock's Oriole > Purple Finch > Bewick's Wren > Lawrence's Goldfinch > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! > Messenger. > http://im.yahoo.com/ > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus > mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this > mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 09:13:56 2000 Subject: [SBB] Los Gatos Creek Park -------- Hi, I birded Los Gatos Creek Park this morning before work. Almost as soon as I went past the gate on Dell Ave (near pond #2, not the main entrance), I saw a Great Blue Heron hunting and tons of Cliff Swallows apparently collecting mud. Over the bridge in the Oka Ponds area were a Green Heron, Caspian Tern and several Vaux's Swifts. On the way back, I saw more Vaux's Swifts by pond #2. Don Ganton [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 09:44:21 2000 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: This morning, 7/6/2000, there were 500-700 AM. WHITE PELICANS in flight from the Palo Alto FCB to Salt Pond A2W. Eight BROWN PELICANS were in Charleston Slough. An ad. PEREGRINE FALCON was consuming feathered prey on a tower on the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh; the unidentified prey appeared smaller than the many Long-billed Curlews and Willets present at the marsh. LEAST SANDPIPERS in Adobe Creek and the Mountain View Forebay were the first returning adults I've seen this season. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 11:08:05 2000 Subject: [SBB] Possible Virginia Rail sighting -------- [Apologies for duplicates from my cross-posting to two lists.] I got a report of a possible Virginia Rail sighting at Alpine Pond which is at the corner of Skyline Blvd. and Alpine Rd. in the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. The sighting was at about 5:00p on Sunday, 6/25. Two individuals were seen in the cattails opposite the Daniels Nature Center. They were seen at the end of a short path that goes into the cattails to the pond edge from the pond perimeter trail. The description was "a wading bird, with a 3" bill, blue/gray on the face, and red on the underside of the bill." In light of the bird(s) that had been detected at the nearby sag pond at Monte Bello OSP, this sounds like it's a viable sighting. Put this on your list of birds to look for the next time you're in the area looking for the Indigo Bunting or hiking at Russian Ridge or Skyline Ridge. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 14:05:11 2000 Subject: [SBB] Tequisquita Slough & San Felipe Lake -------- SBB, I'm passing along some observations made by Bryan Mori at the north edge of San Benito Co. Yesterday (7/5) there were 30 AM. WHITE PELICANS at San Filipe Lake. Today (7/6) Tequisquita Slough between the lake and Lake Road had 3 BLACK-NECKED STILTS with dependant young, agitated AMERICAN AVOCETS (possibly nesting), and an adult COMMON MOORHEN with downy young. Up to 8 juvenile BURROWING OWLS were seen along Lake Road near Shore Road. They came out of two different burrows 40' apart in annual grassland. I'm not sure, but there do not seem to be too many BUOW left still breeding in that region, no? David Suddjian, Capitola, for Bryan Mori -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 15:46:07 2000 Subject: [SBB] Mori's Owls -------- Folks: Today, David Suddian wrote: >Up to 8 juvenile BURROWING OWLS were seen along Lake Road near Shore Road. >They came out of two different burrows 40' apart in annual grassland. I'm not >sure, but there do not seem to be too many BUOW left still breeding in that >region, no? During the atlas (1987-1993) we probably didn't cover this area as well as we should have, although I did a good bit of roadside coverage of Lake and Shore roads. We had no owls in the Bolsa de San Felipe at all in this period. Subsequently, Steve Rottenborn found owls nesting south of Hwy 25, probably a few km south of this area. I anyone has specific records of owls in this area from previous years I would appreciate hearing about them. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 15:48:29 2000 Subject: [SBB] Vaux's Swifts, etc. -------- I saw one VAUX'S SWIFT yesterday, 7/5/00, on my drive home along Moody Rd. near Hidden Villa. I saw two swifts (prob. Vaux's) this morning, 7/6/00, along Page Mill Rd. about .5 mile above the junction with Moody Rd. Yesterday, 7/5/00, I took a noonish walk along Salt Pond A1 in the Shoreline Park area. There appeared to be a BLACK SKIMMER roosting/ incubating on "Tern Island" (a no-bino view, however). Today at noon, I saw one skimmer on the enlarged island at the base of Charleston Slough. The slough water level seems to be about 18" lower than what it has been recently. Is this from the supposed tidal action at the bayside outflow, or is it possible that evaporation can lower the level by that amount? I haven't been out there very much lately, so I don't have any recent perspective. Adobe Creek also looked low, I can understand that this may be due to evaporation with no rainfall runoff input. The long pond between the Mtn. View Forebay and Adobe Creek near the pumphouse is about completely dry, too. Also, regarding my note about the Virginia Rails (VIRA) at Alpine Pond at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve: the Open Space District database showed that VIRA have been reported there before. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 17:14:12 2000 Subject: [SBB] Fremont Older Open Space Preserve Birds -------- All, A pass through FOOSP at 1500 turned up a single White-throated Swift above the parking area; at least seven Band-tailed Pigeon and two California Thrasher along the Seven Springs Trail; a family group of five Bewick's Wren; and three juvenile Pacific-slope Flycatchers on an open perch above the parking area being fed by an adult. Also, three Black-tailed Deer were seen. Good birding, Michael Wienholt -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 20:47:10 2000 Subject: [SBB] non Anna's Hummingbird -------- Tonight, at dusk, I saw a new (to my yard) hummingbird species. I am very familiar with the Anna's Hummingbirds that visit my feeder, but the bird I saw tonight had a bright, burnt orange base to its back and tail. I also saw this color along the bird's side. The bird was feeding on butterfly bush and Mexican sage in a part of my yard which can gently be called a tangle. I've been keeping an eye on birds for years and this is definitely the first time I had seen this species in my yard. I live in suburban Sunnyvale near Ponderosa Park. In checking the field guide, it looks like the best candidates are Rufous or Allen's Hummingbird. Is one much more likely than the other at this time of year and in this part of the valley? I'm sorry my description is not more complete. I only saw the bird in flight from the side and rear. Rosalie Strait -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 21:17:47 2000 Subject: [SBB] Charleston Slough -------- Sorry this is delayed, but I wanted to check a second field guide, and I didn't have the chance before tonight.... July 4, Laurie and I wandered down to Charleston Slough, between about 11AM and 12:30. The place was rocking with birds. Here's the one I've been trying to figure out. Please take this ID with a huge grain of salt... Out around the island you normally find the skimmers on there was one bird I'd never seen before. It was tough (even with a scope) to get a good id on it, because it spent most of its time underwater. The bird was clearly a grebe of some sort. Based on a couple of guides I checked, it seems to be a pied-billed Grebe, and it seemed to be a late juvie (plumage closer to the winter plumage, with the summer black band on the beak very weak). I've definitely never seen this species there before (and given my track record, I'd love to know what it REALLY is... *grin*) Other species includes a couple of flights of white pelicans (I counted about 25 total), snowy egret, great blue heron, a couple of ruddy ducks, a few gadwalls (according to Laurie), and about 15 younger cinnamon teals (looks like the breeding went very well), 9 candian geese (three youngsters in the group), stilts, lots of avocets and a couple of long-billed curlews. There was a lot of activity around the skimmer island, with a number of birds (including about five white pelicans) actively feeding in the mud just offshore; whatever it was, it was good... We also saw four huge carp out in the slough; the tide was just turning, and they were feeding in the mud... -- Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:[[email protected]]) Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:[[email protected]]) And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 06 21:25:52 2000 Subject: [SBB] Fledging Cooper's Hawks, tanager, GOEA -------- All, At Hidden Villa in Los Altos yesterday (7/5/2000), a pair of Cooper's Hawks was closely attending their nest in Bay Laurel trees along the entrance road. Two fully developed young were evident in the nest, while a third sat on a branch level with the nest in an adjacent tree. One male Western Tanager in breeding plumage is still in evidence at HV, calling frequently while foraging for mulberries in the ornamental landscaping near the horse stables. A Golden Eagle was soaring above Sand Hill Rd. just west of 280 this morning at 9:20. --Garth Harwood -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 08:29:13 2000 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: Rosalie Strait wrote: >Tonight, at dusk, I saw a new (to my yard) hummingbird species. I am very >familiar with the Anna's Hummingbirds that visit my feeder, but the bird I >saw tonight had a bright, burnt orange base to its back and tail. This is likely either Rufous or Allen's, as suggested. Allen's nests here in the foothills and, while the majority of male Rufous are moving south along the Sierras and the Rocky Mountains, they are still found here as well. This is fall migration time for both birds. Concerning Pied-billed Grebes along the bay edge, they are fairly common at this time of year. Wintering birds will augment these numbers in a few months. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 10:03:29 2000 Subject: [SBB] Re: Vaux's Swifts, etc. -------- With great embarrassment, I realized that my single Vaux's Swift sighting on 7/5/00 was actually in an entirely different location, not along Moody Rd. The bird was seen along Hwy 9/Big Basin Way on the Boulder Creek side of Saratoga just beyond the small hydroelectric(?) plant on Saratoga Creek. I recall thinking that this was not that far from the area that they have been known to nest (Los Gatos). The other two swifts seen on 7/6/00 were along Page Mill Rd. Apologies for the brain short circuit... Les On Thursday, July 6, 2000, Les Chibana <[[email protected]]> wrote: >I saw one VAUX'S SWIFT yesterday, 7/5/00, on my drive home along Moody Rd. >near Hidden Villa. I saw two swifts (prob. Vaux's) this morning, 7/6/00, >along Page Mill Rd. about .5 mile above the junction with Moody >Rd. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 10:08:30 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Re: Vaux's Swifts, etc. -------- Is it unusual to see Vaux's Swifts around here? I'm sure that's what I saw at Los Gatos Creek the other day, but I sure wouldn't mind having a confirmation by someone else. Don Ganton *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 07/07/2000 at 10:03 AM Les Chibana wrote: >With great embarrassment, I realized that my single Vaux's Swift sighting >on 7/5/00 was actually in an entirely different location, not along Moody >Rd. The bird was seen along Hwy 9/Big Basin Way on the Boulder Creek side >of Saratoga just beyond the small hydroelectric(?) plant on Saratoga Creek. >I recall thinking that this was not that far from the area that they have >been known to nest (Los Gatos). The other two swifts seen on 7/6/00 were >along Page Mill Rd. > >Apologies for the brain short circuit... > >Les > >On Thursday, July 6, 2000, Les Chibana <[[email protected]]> wrote: >>I saw one VAUX'S SWIFT yesterday, 7/5/00, on my drive home along Moody Rd. >>near Hidden Villa. I saw two swifts (prob. Vaux's) this morning, 7/6/00, >>along Page Mill Rd. about .5 mile above the junction with Moody >>Rd. > > >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 10:17:01 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Possible Virginia Rail sighting -------- In regards to... At 11:08 AM 7/6/00 -0700, Les Chibana wrote: >I got a report of a possible Virginia Rail sighting at Alpine Pond which >is at the corner of Skyline Blvd. and Alpine Rd. in the Skyline Ridge >Open Space Preserve... > >.. sounds like it's a viable sighting. Interesting to see this species as a up-slope, elevation-al breeder. I remember seeing Virginia Rails in the Monte Bello sag ponds on a walk led by Ted Chandik some fifteen years ago on a Spring day; wouldn't be surprised that they have been around that area for many, many years prior. Plus, I have seen Virginia Rails at approx. 4800 feet in Hodgdon Meadow, Yosemite NP, as summer residents since regularly visiting the area - starting those visits in 1995. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 11:19:07 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] - -------- In a message dated 7/7/00 10:59:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: << All nests found to date have been in chimneys, which is considered an unusal choice for this species. We are at the extreme southern end of this species range. Interestingly, further north their preferred nest site is used Pileated Woodpecker holes. Maybe with the invasion of the central coast by Pileateds we may start to find some Vaux's nesting in natural nest sites. >> Elsewhere in the Santa Cruz Mountains region (San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties) Vaux's do nest in hollows of large broken-topped or fire-hollowed trees and in Pileated Woodpecker holes, as well as in chimneys. Forest nesting swifts are mosty limited to areas of old growth forest or second-growth forests retaining some old growth trees. Chimney nesters occur in forested areas and away from forests in suburbs. I'm not sure about the Los Gatos / Saratoga area, but over in Santa Cruz County chimney availability is greatly limited by the use of spark arrestors on the tops of chimneys. The southernmost confirmed breeding location in the Santa Cruz Mountains region is at Aptos, SCZ (in a chimney). The Monterey Breeding Bird Atlas project found evidence of "probable" breeding further south on the Big Sur coast in 1992, but as far as I know nesting has not been confirmed there yet. David Suddjian, Capitola -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 11:57:22 2000 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: VAUX'S SWIFTS nest in small numbers in the Los Gatos-Saratoga area and have done so since at least the 1940s. Birds have occasionally nested along the foothills as far north as Los Altos Hills. All nests found to date have been in chimneys, which is considered an unusal choice for this species. We are at the extreme southern end of this species range. Interestingly, further north their preferred nest site is used Pileated Woodpecker holes. Maybe with the invasion of the central coast by Pileateds we may start to find some Vaux's nesting in natural nest sites. Of course, finding an actual nest site is tough. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 13:05:32 2000 Subject: [SBB] Some county birds -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to CCFS (Coyote Creek Field Station) where we had 800 to 1000 Wilson's Phalaropes in three ponds located immediately west of the "Waterbird Pond". A Peregrine Falcon was in the area between these ponds and the Newby Island Dump. We then went to the EEC (Environmental Education Center) where we saw two Black Skimmers on the first small island in Salt Pond A18 near the center. Also several Least Sandpipers. We also had at least five Burrowing Owls on Arzino Ranch (plus one on Disc Drive). Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:11 PM, 7/7/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 13:46:55 2000 Subject: [SBB] Don Edwards/Baylands Birds -------- All, A tour of Don Edwards this morning beginning at 0830 turned up a Selasphorus hummingbird that was likely an Allen's but this bird had an almost blue-ish back in the overcast light. Forster's Tern and Black-necked Stilt were particularly raucous and aggressive in defense of nearby chicks. Good numbers of Least Sandpiper were also present. A Pied-billed Grebe was in the channel. On to Baylands, with a male/female pair of Surf Scoter on Shoreline Lake. The "tern island" was covered with Avocets - no Black Skimmer here. Good birding, Michael Wienholt -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 07 17:45:21 2000 Subject: [SBB] Vaux's Swifts (again) -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, This morning I again saw Vaux's Swifts along Coleman near Meridian Avenue in San Jose--they seem to be easy to see there at 7-8am, possibly at other hours but that's usually when I drive that way. I assume these are locally breeding birds, with chimneys the likely choice of nest sites, although there are some big sycamores along the road there--have they ever been known to nest in large deciduous trees, I wonder-- John Mariani [[email protected]] http://www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 08 09:14:52 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Mori's Owls -------- Bill Bousman wrote: > Folks: > > Today, David Suddian wrote: > > >Up to 8 juvenile BURROWING OWLS were seen along Lake Road near Shore Road. > >They came out of two different burrows 40' apart in annual grassland. I'm not > >sure, but there do not seem to be too many BUOW left still breeding in that > >region, no? > > During the atlas (1987-1993) we probably didn't cover this area as well > as we should have, although I did a good bit of roadside coverage of Lake and > Shore roads. We had no owls in the Bolsa de San Felipe at all in this period. > Subsequently, Steve Rottenborn found owls nesting south of Hwy 25, probably a > few km south of this area. In April 1997, I had two occupied Burrowing Owl burrows at Rancho San Benito, bounded by Highway 25 and the Pajaro River just outside Santa Clara County. I didn't monitor these locations long enough to confirm that the birds were nesting, but I suspect that they were. Fall surveys conducted previously by LSA (October 1991, I think) had found a number of BUOW in several locations around the ranch, many along railroad tracks where burrows had been filled prior to my 1997 surveys. During those surveys, I stopped by the intersection of Lake and Shore Roads several times and always saw a pair of Burrowing Owls there. Debi Shearwater and Al DeMartini had told me that this was the only location they knew of in northern San Benito County where Burrowing Owls could still be seen regularly. It's good to know that there are still birds there. Sorry that I haven't had much to report from Santa Clara County lately.... Cheers, Steve Rottenborn [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 08 15:19:02 2000 Subject: [SBB] More on Vaux's Swift -------- I saw one this morning flying over Alpine Pond, where I dipped on the Virginia Rail. It seems difficult to imagine where that could hang out. Incidentally how do you pronounce Vaux's Swift? Yesterday there was a Whimbrel in with the curlews at Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 09 07:10:41 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- The pair of BLACK SKIMMERS that have been hanging out on the tern island in front of the EEC are nesting there. The female was sitting on eggs when I was there on Sunday, 9 Jul 00, with the male loafing nearby. Another pair of SKIMMERS was on the island in Charleston Slough on Saturday, 8 Jul, and was also seen by Bob Reiling and his field trip group. Along the entrance road to the EEC on Sunday was an adult PEREGRINE FALCON, which looked to be fairly dark. However, I think this bird may just be a variation of the Anatum race. At the CCFS waterbird pond on Sunday were a few hundred WILSON'S PHALAROPES, only one of which was a juvenile. The adults were quite varied in their plumage, with some being nearly in basic already and others still in alternate. Numbers of WESTERN SANDPIPERS looked to be all adults (as expected). Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 1.5 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 09 23:33:16 2000 Subject: [SBB] Big Day -------- All, Over the weekend Jesse Conklin and I had a Cross-County Big Day which began in Alum Rock where we had both HOODED and BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW. We continued to Joseph D. Grant County Park where we encountered 4-6 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and a pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH. Continuing to Charleston Slough we found a pair of BLACK SKIMMERS and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE. From there we went to the coast (Ano Nuevo) where we found three BLACK SWIFT and numerous BANK SWALLOWS. Pigeon Point produced a pair of MARBLED MURRELETTS and many PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, HEERMAN'S GULLS, CASPIAN TERNS and COMMON MURRE. We ended up at Princeton Harbor where we found a flock of aprox 150 ELEGANT TERNS. Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 00:29:38 2000 Subject: [SBB] Re: Summer loons -------- El Granada just south of Princeton Harbor had 4 Adult loons. From their size and profile they were certainly Common Loons, but they were in a strange plumage between winter and summer -- white neck up to the throat but black backs for 2 of them. As a native Minnesotan I'm certainly familiar with loons, but this was a funny plumage for summer. -- Richard C. Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Palo Alto, California Part-time Economist [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 02:13:54 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- I don't know how many of you were watching the Oakland A's play baseball on Saturday night, but they had a bird on the playing field that night. A close up of this bird showed it to be a CLAPPER RAIL. I know that these birds are prone to dispersal, especially in the fall (they have even been found on street corners in San Francisco), but this seems like an early date. Still, I suppose that it was just a dispersant juvenile. On another note, I heard from Vickie Sivas-Young that she had a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW singing at CCFS last Wednesday. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 1.0 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 10:37:48 2000 Subject: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift -------- Discussions in various birding forums have said that "Vaux's" rhymes with "foxes". Apparently, the rule with proper names within common names is that they are pronounced as the family pronounced them. In this case, the family name was Germanic(?) as in Vauxhall, the car brand, and not French, which would probably end up rhyming with "foes". Les Chibana On Saturday, July 8, 2000, Andy Gibb <[[email protected]]> wrote: >I saw one this morning flying over Alpine Pond, where I dipped on the >Virginia Rail. It seems difficult to imagine where that could hang out. >Incidentally how do you pronounce Vaux's Swift? -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 10:44:21 2000 Subject: [SBB] weekend birds -------- ALL; Just did bits and pieces checking out shorebird locations this weekend. None of the Alviso spots (N. or Marina or State/Spreckles) had anything. While checking out a tern feeding frenzy N. of the Marina, I saw a Little Blue Heron fly by. Also a Brown Pelican dropped by. They have started flooding the fields either side of Zanker, just N. of 237. This area is now fenced off and posted so you can only look from the road. I saw 19 Greater and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs here, plus 4 (S-B?) Dowitchers. At CCRS, the pond just south of the trailers still had lots of birds with hundreds of W. Sandpipers. Also 2 Semi-palmated Plovers, 2 Lesser and 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 20 Wilson's Phalaropes, and 14 dowitchers. The shorebird pond had about 30 dowithchers. Checked out the pond by the VTA depot but these were almost dry. Lots of Gray Hairstreaks here. Nick Lethaby Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc. Tel: 408 360 2131 e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 10:55:24 2000 Subject: RE: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift -------- Les, and South-Bay-Birders: I had always thought the name was originally of French derivative but since the family had Americanized the pronunciation we would pronounce it fully. So, we were to follow the Americanized pronunciation rather than the French "VO" which is like the German word, wo, which means "where". X is not possible in German, and if this name were of Germanic derivative, then the spelling could have been originally "Vauchs" with the "au" pronounced like "ou" in "ouch, that hurts". Also, somewhere my name had lost its origin as "gh" is not possible in German, and was likely originally Feichtner. So, now all of you know why my family has pronounced the name with a "t" and with the "ei" as in Eisenhower (alias Eisenhauer). Now back to discussion of birds in Santa Clara County. Mike Feighner (alias Feichtner), Livermore, CA. > -----Original Message----- > From: Les Chibana [SMTP:[[email protected]]] > Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 10:38 AM > To: South, Bay Birds Mailing > Subject: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift > > Discussions in various birding forums have said that "Vaux's" rhymes > with "foxes". Apparently, the rule with proper names within common > names is that they are pronounced as the family pronounced them. In > this case, the family name was Germanic(?) as in Vauxhall, the car > brand, and not French, which would probably end up rhyming with "foes". > > Les Chibana > > On Saturday, July 8, 2000, Andy Gibb <[[email protected]]> wrote: > >I saw one this morning flying over Alpine Pond, where I dipped on the > >Virginia Rail. It seems difficult to imagine where that could hang out. > >Incidentally how do you pronounce Vaux's Swift? > > > > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to > [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 14:17:55 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift -------- In a message dated 7/10/00 10:38:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: << Discussions in various birding forums have said that "Vaux's" rhymes with "foxes". Apparently, the rule with proper names within common names is that they are pronounced as the family pronounced them. In this case, the family name was Germanic(?) as in Vauxhall, the car brand, and not French, which would probably end up rhyming with "foes". >> Sorry to draw this out, but.... John K. Terres "Audubon Society Encyclopeida of North American Birds" gives the pronunciation of Vaux as "Vawks", to rhyme with "hawks". K. Radamaker & M. Patten's 1990 article on pronunciation of bird names (in Birding 22:74-78) renders the pronunciation of the bird name it as "VAWKS-iz". I'm sure there are some other definitive sources on the people birds are named after. William S. Vaux (1811-82) lived in Philadelphia. I don't know if the name is Germanic or not, but Vol. 5 of the Handbook of the Birds of the World says the species' name in German is "Graubauchsegler"! In French it is Martinet de Vaux (p. 444) P.s., I happened to get a lead on a nest site in a fat, fire hollowed redwood snag in Big Basin just this morning. I should have asked the birds how to say their name ;-> David Suddjian, Capitola [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 14:30:02 2000 Subject: [SBB] RFI: Oregon NGS Map Yellow Rails -------- Hi All, My apologies for the multiple entries. Does anyone know what location the small orange spot in southern Oregon on page 146 (Yellow Rail) of the Third Edition NGS represents? Know anybody familiar with them in that area with respect to directions, time-of-day, whether they would be calling the 2nd weekend in August? Or still there? I have a vague memory of a lodge on a lake that advertised them as a feature. Does anybody recall anything about that? Thanks for your help and Good Birding, Bob Lutman [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 14:43:09 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields -------- At 10:44 AM -0700 7/10/00, [[email protected]] wrote: > >They have started flooding the fields either side of Zanker, just N. of 237. >This area is now fenced off and posted so you can only look from the road. ------------------------------------------------------- Any idea why they are flooding these fields? Ruth Troetschler 184 Lockhart Lane Los Altos, CA 94022 Ruth Troetschler -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 14:58:31 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields -------- At 2:43 PM -0700 7/10/00, Ruth Troetschler wrote: >Any idea why they are flooding these fields? I think they were bored. -- Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:[[email protected]]) Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:[[email protected]]) And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 16:25:53 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields -------- The San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant (sewage treatment) is under a flow cap during the summer, which means they get penalized for releasing too much fresh water into the south bay. They are trying to get rid of some of their fresh water effluent through evaporation. The fencing is because of all the illegal dumping that was occurring on their property. Hope that helps, Janet Tashjian Hanson Executive Director San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] 408/946-6548 -----Original Message----- From: Ruth Troetschler <[[email protected]]> To: [[email protected]] <[[email protected]]> Cc: [[email protected]] <[[email protected]]> Date: Monday, July 10, 2000 2:55 PM Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields >At 10:44 AM -0700 7/10/00, [[email protected]] wrote: >> >>They have started flooding the fields either side of Zanker, just N. of 237. >>This area is now fenced off and posted so you can only look from the road. > >------------------------------------------------------- > >Any idea why they are flooding these fields? > > >Ruth Troetschler >184 Lockhart Lane >Los Altos, CA 94022 > >Ruth Troetschler >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 16:28:28 2000 Subject: [SBB] [Fwd: [NBB] CLRA in Oakland] -------- South-Bay-Birders, East-Bay-Birders: Here is another post matching the one that went out earlier today, but coming from Dan Nelson of Petaluma over the all new North Bay Birds listserve. -- Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]] -------- Message -------- Subject: [NBB] CLRA in Oakland -------- Hi Birders, While "channel surfing" Saturday night, I tuned into the A's- Diamondbacks game at Oakland Coliseum. The A's had rallied from behind to tie, and the game went into extra innings. Then the camera crew showed some incredible views of an avian spectator "watching" the game from the mowed field level- a Clapper Rail!! It was about 9:45PM. Perhaps the clapping and applause had attracted it. (ha-ha). While I've heard stories occasionally of rails stranding themselves in parking lots and such, this one was quite humerous. The remodeled coliseum has a high rim encircling it, so it had to fly pretty high (for a rail sp.) to make it in. Perhaps the bright light confused it too. Regardless, I thought I would pass this one along for the "bird funnies". P.S.-There were something over 54,000 fans there, and the A's eventually won.- Dan Nelson ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0% Introductory APR! Instant Approval! Aria Visa - get yours today. http://click.egroups.com/1/6035/6/_/_/_/963269515/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 10 17:19:59 2000 Subject: RE: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift -------- As Dr. Charlie Collins, my grad advisor, once told me after I mis-pronounced it, "Mr. Vaux was a Texan." Its Vaux's as in "foxes". We detected them in several locations during last month's percolation pond surveys. I will try to send something more detailed out in the coming days. Tom -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 11 15:39:19 2000 Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Herons in Alviso -------- All, This afternoon (about 12:45 PM and 1:20 PM), Frank Vanslager and I saw two adult Little Blue Herons while walking the dike on the north side of the Guadalupe/Alviso Slough. One LBHE was on the intersecting dike between Salt Pond A12 and A11 (the closest dike to the Alviso Marina Parking lot), the other was on the dike between Salt Pond A11 and A10 (the next dike from the parking lot). Both birds were about 150 - 200 yds from the slough dike. Although both dikes on which the birds were seen have restricted access (posted) they could be easily found with binoculars (scope views are always best). From Hwy. 237 take the Gold St. exit north into downtown Alviso, jog to the left on 1st St. and continue north into the Alviso Marina Parking area. From the right hand (east) side of the parking lot follow the trail north and immediately left (west) along the southern edge of Salt Pond A12 to the first intersecting dike (one LBHE was seen here). The next dike is but a short distance further on (northwest). It is possible, with a good scope, to see an LBHE on this dike from the first dike. Good luck and take care, Bob Reiling, 3:44 PM, 7/11/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 11 16:00:14 2000 Subject: [SBB] Re: Little Blue Herons in Alviso -------- In a message dated 7/11/00 3:39:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time, RREILING2 writes: << north side of the Guadalupe/Alviso Slough. >> All, This should read Alviso Slough. Just one of those senior moments. Take care, Bob Reiling, 4:06 PM, 7/11/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 08:00:24 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Little Blue Herons in Alviso -------- On looking at my National Geographic to check the description of LBHE I realise that I saw a juvenile at Sunnyvale Baylands on Monday. I just couldn't reconcile the grey bill colour with any phase of Snowy Egret at the time, so I just assumed it was aberrant. To get to the bird (probably long gone by now!) drive to the parking lot at the eastern end, right by 237. Walk further on to the bridge over Calabazas Creek, before which you turn left. Walk to the end, passing one building, the reeds where the Night Herons usually are and one lagoon. Hang a left and the bird was in the channel running to the right of that path about half-way along the lagoon. Sorry this is a bit late. I was slow on the up-take. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[[email protected]]> To: <[[email protected]]> Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2000 3:39 PM Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Herons in Alviso > All, > > This afternoon (about 12:45 PM and 1:20 PM), Frank Vanslager and I saw two > adult Little Blue Herons while walking the dike on the north side of the > Guadalupe/Alviso Slough. One LBHE was on the intersecting dike between Salt > Pond A12 and A11 (the closest dike to the Alviso Marina Parking lot), the > other was on the dike between Salt Pond A11 and A10 (the next dike from the > parking lot). Both birds were about 150 - 200 yds from the slough dike. > Although both dikes on which the birds were seen have restricted access > (posted) they could be easily found with binoculars (scope views are always > best). From Hwy. 237 take the Gold St. exit north into downtown Alviso, jog > to the left on 1st St. and continue north into the Alviso Marina Parking > area. From the right hand (east) side of the parking lot follow the trail > north and immediately left (west) along the southern edge of Salt Pond A12 to > the first intersecting dike (one LBHE was seen here). The next dike is but a > short distance further on (northwest). It is possible, with a good scope, to > see an LBHE on this dike from the first dike. > > Good luck and take care, > Bob Reiling, 3:44 PM, 7/11/00 > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 09:28:28 2000 Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron ID -------- Folks: Andy Gibb's post on a possible immature LITTLE BLUE HERON suggests that it may be time again to discuss some of the ID problems with this age class. There are two ID problems here, one general, and one specific to this area. In general, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON shows three characters that distinguish it from an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is what we expect to find locally. First, the bill color should be a blue-gray, rather that a shiny or dull black. Second, the loral color should be blue-gray, not yellowish or a yellow gray. Third, the tips of the primary should be gray. If you cannot see all three of these characters well, then you probably have an immature SNOWY EGRET. But see below. Since LITTLE BLUE HERONS first started nesting locally in 1980, they have occasionally hybridized with SNOWY EGRETS. This results in many hybrid characters for immatures which can be quite confusing. When these birds become adults, they look something like a 1st-summer 'calico' LITTLE BLUE HERON, but normally different. Unlike Little Blues, which leave in September, at least some of these hybrids have been resident. The normal ID of an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON requires considerable care, considering how truly rare it is locally. But this is confused by the hybrid problem. Hence, unlike the adults, which are readily identifiable, immature records require a detailed description. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 09:55:27 2000 Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle -------- An immature Golden Eagle was roosting, then soaring near Sand Hill west of 280 this morning. Janet Tashjian Hanson Executive Director San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] 408/946-6548 -------- Attachment 897 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 11:23:23 2000 Subject: [SBB] S.C. Bird List as of June 30 -------- Bill Bousman has updated the list: "June brought two new birds, both "6's". An Ovenbird was in Milpitas on 6/12/2000, found by Jim Danzenbaker, and a Great-tailed Grackle pair showed up on 6/22/2000 (Tom Ryan). This brings the year to 254. The full list can be seen on: South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ Kendric ----------------------------------------- Kendric C. Smith, Ph.D. 927 Mears Court Stanford, CA 94305-1041 (650) 493-7210 (voice or fax) [[email protected]] http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/ ------------------------------------------ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 13:22:45 2000 Subject: [SBB] Re: Little Blue Heron ID -------- Bill Bousman wrote: > In general, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON shows three characters > that distinguish it from an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is what we expect to > find locally. First, the bill color should be a blue-gray, rather that a > shiny or dull black. Second, the loral color should be blue-gray, not > yellowish or a yellow gray. Third, the tips of the primary should be gray. > If you cannot see all three of these characters well, then you probably have > an immature SNOWY EGRET. But see below. Just to confuse things a bit: At the recent WFO meeting in Kernville, one of the slides shown for discussion by the expert ID panel was of a young Little Blue Heron which did not show any visible dark primary tips. Comments from the panel indicated considerable variablity in how much dark was shown there. On that particular individual, both the structure and color pattern (somewhat two-toned) of the bill were solidly on the Little Blue side. Despite what I would have regarded as some cautionary aspects, the panel seemed quite united on the ID. Perhaps Mike R. remembers more of the discussion and can add to this. Cheers, Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 13:26:00 2000 Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron, etc. -------- Hi, This morning, my son Will and I went to Alviso to look for the Little Blue Heron. It was a bit of a walk to the intersection of salt ponds A12 and A11, but the bird was there right where it was supposed to be. I found it with my binoculars, but a scope is essential to get any kind of a look. Then we went to the EEC and the Peregrine Falcon was perched on the tower on the road in. And, of course, the Black Skimmers were there on the island. Everything was conveniently where it was supposed to be. We also saw a fox below the little outlook area near the butterfly garden. Don Ganton [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 13:43:51 2000 Subject: [SBB] Unusual Hawk Behavior -------- Hawk Experts: For the past about two weeks, a mature male Red-Tailed Hawk has been around my house, calling almost constantly. He is usually perched when calling. I live in the southern Los Gatos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, just west of Highway 17, surrounded by oak woodlands. It is not unusual to hear RTH calling as the fly over. They rarely perch near my house. This spring, in a canyon nearby, as the hawk flies, I had seen a pair in courting behavior, and then heard them there and assumed they were nesting. But this male is calling non-stop! (If I didn't like hawks, it would be annoying!). Can anyone offer a "scientific explanation"? (My family has come up with several spiritual, mystic explanations!) Thanks. Sylvia White -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 16:06:49 2000 Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron Id -------- All: I don't regard the two tone bill as that a useful distinction from juv. Snowy Egrets, which commonly show an grayish-green base to the bill, especially at this time of year into September. Nick Lethaby Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc. Tel: 408 360 2131 e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 16:33:27 2000 Subject: RE: [SBB] Golden Eagle -------- I saw two Golden Eagles soaring over this same area this morning. The other morning, maybe Sunday, I saw a female American Kestral diving repeatedly on one of the eagles and she finally drove it away from the horse ranch. Deborah Bartens Naturalist-City of Palo Alto -----Original Message----- From: Janet T. Hanson [mailto:[[email protected]]] Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 10:00 AM To: South Bay Birders Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle An immature Golden Eagle was roosting, then soaring near Sand Hill west of 280 this morning. Janet Tashjian Hanson Executive Director San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] 408/946-6548 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 22:09:07 2000 Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle -------- Speaking of Golden Eagles, saw one soaring over Jasper Ridge on July 3rd that was being harassed by two smaller birds that turned out, to my surprise, to be kites. The eagle appeared unimpressed. Bob Buell -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 12 22:21:17 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Little Blue Heron ID -------- Thank you to everyone for their input to the Heron vs Egret debate. I should add to my description that the whole bird looked quite different; otherwise I would not have given it a second glance. Perhaps someone would like to comment on the difference in jizz between the two species? To my mind the bird that I saw was very hunched up in a way that I had not seen in a Snowy Egret. Again that was what drew my attention to it in the first place. I didn't know of the possibility of a hybrid, so I guess that really makes things difficult. And now another possibly unusual bird, this time at the pond to the north of the radar between Moffett and Sunnyvale Baylands. At first I thought it was a Dunlin: it was certainly that size, shape and structure. However, this had dark brown, somewhat mottled upperparts, clean pale underparts, a streaked pale brown wash on the breast and a brownish crown. There was a suggestion of an eye-stripe. The bill was about the length of the head and fairly sturdy, just like a Dunlin again. The sun was directly overhead, so I could only say that the legs may have been greenish. It was perched quite still on a rock. I have my own thoughts on what it was but my guide suggests that it is even more unlikely than a Little Blue Heron, so I'm a bit leery of making a pronouncement. Anyone any ideas? Andy. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[[email protected]]> To: <[[email protected]]> Cc: <[[email protected]]> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 9:28 AM Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron ID > Folks: > > Andy Gibb's post on a possible immature LITTLE BLUE HERON suggests that > it may be time again to discuss some of the ID problems with this age class. > There are two ID problems here, one general, and one specific to this area. > > In general, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON shows three characters > that distinguish it from an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is what we expect to > find locally. First, the bill color should be a blue-gray, rather that a > shiny or dull black. Second, the loral color should be blue-gray, not > yellowish or a yellow gray. Third, the tips of the primary should be gray. > If you cannot see all three of these characters well, then you probably have > an immature SNOWY EGRET. But see below. > > Since LITTLE BLUE HERONS first started nesting locally in 1980, they > have occasionally hybridized with SNOWY EGRETS. This results in many hybrid > characters for immatures which can be quite confusing. When these birds > become adults, they look something like a 1st-summer 'calico' LITTLE BLUE > HERON, but normally different. Unlike Little Blues, which leave in September, > at least some of these hybrids have been resident. > > The normal ID of an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON requires considerable > care, considering how truly rare it is locally. But this is confused by the > hybrid problem. Hence, unlike the adults, which are readily identifiable, > immature records require a detailed description. > > Bill > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 14 14:17:00 2000 Subject: [SBB] County birding -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to CCFS where the Waterbird Pond contained a nice flock of shorebirds. Unfortunately the water level is low which made viewing difficult (don't know if it's good for the birds or not?). We had 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 200+ dowitchers, about 1000 Wilson's Phalaropes and twice that many peeps (mostly Western Sandpipers). We had several possible Semipalmated Sandpipers but the viewing distance and air quality did not allow for proper viewing of the mantle and scapulars. We then went to the Environmental Education Center where Frank noted that the pair of Black Skimmers there now had at least one downy hatchling. When one parent returned (with food?) it could be seen moving out from under the other parents tail. A single breeding plumage Eared Grebe and two Bonaparte's Gulls were also seen on the salt pond. Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:23 PM, 7/14/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 14 16:42:57 2000 Subject: [SBB] Lesser Goldfinch diet -------- Recently I have been enjoying watching a dozen or so LEGO eating the leafy material of a large Sunflower Plant near my kitchen window. I was unaware that they ate anything other than seeds. They sure have made a mess of the leaves of the plant (a 'volunteer' allowed to grow in my landscape). At first I thought it was caterpillars busy at work. Karl _______________________________________________________ Say Bye to Slow Internet! http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 14 19:15:57 2000 Subject: [SBB] eTerns & southering shorebirds -------- Late Thursday, checked Fort Mason...no sign of Egrets...anybody know where they are "nesting" there? Late Friday, checked Heron's Head Park, nee Pier 98...it's filing up with windblown trash and hand-dumped trash no ducks, geese or shorebirds...one GREG, one Cas TERN, one WCSO lotsa WEGU and D-C CORM Now for the fun stuff, even later Friday, checked Ocean Beach between Pacheco and Santiago: >120 Elegant Terns including many juveniles,,,in with flocks of Heermann's & Western Gu 1 Cas. Tern 2 Whimbrel 13 M. Godwit >20 West. Sandpiper in breeding plumage 17 Sanderlings in breeding plumage, nary a gray feather to be seen Might the Sanderlings and WESA be some of the ones bound south of Equator? Godwits, however, do not go south of Panama. Whimbrels have been around all summer. Can we now declare the southern migration officially open? -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 15 05:27:36 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Saturday, 15 Jul 00, I found the BLACK SKIMMERS at the EEC tending young. The female was feeding two downy young, while the male sat next to them and continued to incubate the lone remaining egg. The FORSTER'S TERNS are doing well here, with many nearly-fledged young about and some adults still incubating eggs. Also in this area were a couple hundred WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 5 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, a breeding-plumaged EARED GREBE, and 3 eclipe-plumaged male LESSER SCAUP. The scaup were in the New Chicago Marsh, and I don't doubt that there are probably some females nearby, lurking on nests in the vegetation. A juvenile SAVANNAH SPARROW was here as well, following around an adult. Many of us are accustomed to judging scaup species by the shape of their heads. Particularly so if we have a lot of experience seeing both Greater and Lesser Scaup in numbers, which is quite easy in winter here. It is interesting, however, to look at Lesser Scaup in the middle of summer. They seem to have a much flatter head shape at this time of year, perhaps due to the vagaries of molt. Check out a scaup head now and then during the summer and see if you don't agree. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 1.8 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 15 11:34:53 2000 Subject: [SBB] Missing tail feathers -------- A friend just called to tell me of a fledgling Western Scrub-Jay with no tail feathers, but with some down where the feathers should be. I have often seen passerines missing tail feathers and always assumed the loss was the result of a close encounter with a cat or other predator. Considering this fledgling, however, it seems unlikely that it would have been able to escape such an attack. So the question becomes whether missing tail feathers can be a natural occurrence, in which case they might never grow in. Does anyone know? --Peter ------------------------------------------------------ Peter LaTourrette Bird Photography: http://www.birdphotography.com/ Bird Photo Gallery: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 15 14:01:04 2000 Subject: [SBB] LEYEs, GRYEs, BUOWs, and LETEs -------- I made a quick visit this morning, Saturday, July 15, to Harvey Marsh, just east of Sunnyvale Baylands Park over Calabezas Creek, entering from the eastern edge via 3-Com's parking lot. There I found many Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs feeding side by side -- making it an easier ID. There were also many Least and Western Sandpipers and numerous Dowitchers, 2 Whimbrel, a Long-billed Curlew and a Marbled Godwit. The southward migration seems to be happening. There were both American and Lesser Goldfinches, an adult Peregrine Falcon perched on a power pole, and a Caspian Tern sitting there with a large fishing lure embedded in its head and bill. When a skunk came out of the bushes, whirled around, and lifted its tail, I made a panicky retreat. At the Shoreline Park entrance parking lot just outside the heavy wooden fence north of the E12 parking marker, there is a mound with a large family of Burrowing Owls. Further along to the northeast, north of Crittenden Marsh the Least Terns are to be found. Mostly it is a distant scope view to the east to the birds perched on the north-running wooden walkway; the size difference to the Forster's Terns is readily apparent (in my scope). Occasionally a Least Tern will fly west, and one can tell it by its more fluttery flight before it gets close enough to spot its white forehead. Frank Vanslager -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 15 16:30:15 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Missing tail feathers -------- At 11:34 AM -0700 7/15/00, Peter LaTourrette wrote: > Considering >this fledgling, however, it seems unlikely that it would have been able to >escape such an attack. So the question becomes whether missing tail >feathers can be a natural occurrence, in which case they might never grow >in. Does anyone know? With kept birds (especially cockatiels), it's quite normal, because when they're young, they're klutzy, and tend to break them off as they're figuring out how the body operates. Once they fledge to adults, they grow in normally again. -- Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:[[email protected]]) Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:[[email protected]]) And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'" -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 15 21:35:51 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] LEYEs, GRYEs, BUOWs, and LETEs -------- >...and a Caspian Tern sitting there >with a large fishing lure embedded in its head and bill. I saw that bird a week ago, it was struggling to keep it's head up. I informed a ranger at Sunnyvale Baylands who said she'd call wildlife rescue. I guess she didn't or they couldn't find it. I know things like this happen and it's only one bird, but it made me sick. I hope that someone reading this knows the appropriate agency to contact to try to help it. It would be a shame for it to die a slow death. Thanks, Don Ganton -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 16 05:30:22 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- The pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES at Almaden Lake Park are evidently feeding young in the nest, as of 16 Jul 00. Shortly after I arrived, I found the male sitting in the top of the bulrushes on the small island. Soon, the female exited the bulrushes and began foraging around the edge of the lake, until I lost track of her. When she returned, some 15 minutes later, she was too quick for me to see anything before she rentered the vegetation. For a period of time, nothing seemed to be happening, and I started walking back along the trail towards the Coleman Ave bridge. Suddenly, I saw the male grackle fly by and go under the bridge. He was followed within seconds by the female, who flew over the bridge. In a couple minutes, the male returned and was carrying some small pale object in his bill. He went to the island, entering the bulrushes at the point where the female always entered and exited. He appeared within 5 seconds, clamboring up to the top, with his bill empty. I waited for some minutes for the female to return past the bridge, but never saw her. After a while, I spotted both birds in the bulrushes at the end of the large island. They flew from here to the other end of the island, where they engaged in a display of wing flicking at each other. This wing flicking was what you might normally see a young bird do that is begging for food. I wondered whether this was some communication of the need to feed young. Up until this point, the male had been relatively inactive (other than the one trip I saw him make), but from this point both birds began foraging and carrying objects to the island in earnest. I couldn't identify the objects these birds carried, but am quite sure it was food. The objects were small and undoubtedly not nesting material. Also, the fact that they were entering the bulrushes at the same specific point, and exiting within seconds with empty bills, suggests the delivery of food to young in a nest. Other breeding observations here: An adult GREEN HERON feeding an unfledged youngster in the reeds of the large island. A GREAT EGRET feeding another that was equal to it in size is indicative of young almost ready to leave the nesting area. A SNOWY EGRET was carrying nesting material into the reeds of the large island. Stripe-headed young PIED-BILLED GREBES following an adult and giving their incessant begging calls. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 3.3 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 16 10:32:27 2000 Subject: [SBB] Web Site Updated -------- South Bay Birders, I have updated the south-bay mailing list archive with the June messages at: http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/southbay.htm Gjon Hazard, Maya Decker and Martin Myers have contributed new photographs of the Black-backed Oriole in San Diego, Blue-headed Vireo in Orange County and Bermuda Petrel off North Carolina. They may be found under "California Birding" on the "Recent Rarities" page. Maya Decker also contributed photos of the adult male Smew in Tracy last winter in the "Photo Gallery." The "Mystery Photos" section has been updated with answers to last month's sparrow and vireo and debate has already begun on this month's tern and oriole. The site is at: http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ Follow the link to California Birding. Comments and feedback are always welcome. Enjoy! -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044: mailto:[[email protected]] Fall Birding Classes begin Sept 5: http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/ -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 02:13:52 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- Leda Beth Gray writes: > It seems that when both parents arrive at the box with food > for the chicks and one bird does this wing flicking that looks > like the same behavior that young fledglings do when begging > for food, the other bird immediately flies into the box. It seems > that the wing flicking means, "you go first". This may be what was being communicated in the Chickadee situation, but what I observed was somewhat different. At the time I saw the grackles performing this display, they were about 50 yards from the nest site and neither one had any food. Up until this point, I saw the male make one feeding trip to the nest, but he generally was just sitting in the bulrushes above the nest, perhaps a nest-guarding behavior, which is important when the female is incubating. When I saw this display, the thought struck me that the female might have been communicating the need for the male to adjust his behavior into a nest-feeding mode. The male also was wing-flicking back at the female, perhaps an affirmation of understanding the message. It is interesting to speculate on what messages are being communicated by birds when they perform various displays, but such a casual observation as mine is just that; a speculation. The two birds may have simply been affirming their pair bond before setting off on an arduous task. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 2.4 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 02:13:52 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- Leda Beth Gray writes: > It seems that when both parents arrive at the box with food > for the chicks and one bird does this wing flicking that looks > like the same behavior that young fledglings do when begging > for food, the other bird immediately flies into the box. It seems > that the wing flicking means, "you go first". This may be what was being communicated in the Chickadee situation, but what I observed was somewhat different. At the time I saw the grackles performing this display, they were about 50 yards from the nest site and neither one had any food. Up until this point, I saw the male make one feeding trip to the nest, but he generally was just sitting in the bulrushes above the nest, perhaps a nest-guarding behavior, which is important when the female is incubating. When I saw this display, the thought struck me that the female might have been communicating the need for the male to adjust his behavior into a nest-feeding mode. The male also was wing-flicking back at the female, perhaps an affirmation of understanding the message. It is interesting to speculate on what messages are being communicated by birds when they perform various displays, but such a casual observation as mine is just that; a speculation. The two birds may have simply been affirming their pair bond before setting off on an arduous task. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 2.4 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 07:55:54 2000 Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagles "birdfeeding" -------- Bob & others, Last year I observed a Golden Eagle at Anderson Reservoir with a juv. plumage White-tailed Kite in its talons. Both adult kites were diving on the eagle. I have also observed one of the male eagles at Anderson catch and eat a Yellow-billed Magpie. There is good reason for concern among birds about the presence of eagles. Tom > ---------- > From: [[email protected]][SMTP:[[email protected]]] > Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 10:09 PM > To: [[email protected]] > Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle > > Speaking of Golden Eagles, saw one soaring over Jasper Ridge on July 3rd > that > was being harassed by two smaller birds that turned out, to my surprise, > to > be kites. The eagle appeared unimpressed. Bob Buell > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 08:53:42 2000 Subject: [SBB] Green Heron - et al - "My Farm" -------- This morning saw an immature GREEN HERON at "my farm", La Rinconada Park in Los Gatos. Yesterday had 2 families of 5 each of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK--saw 25 species but nothing unusual. A Red Fox was on the path. Tried for the Grackles at Almaden Lake and all I saw was a Muskrat swimming by me. That was unexpected. In my backyard this morning counted 71 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS - where do they all come from? My LESSER GOLDFINCH have dwindled to just a few a day. Family of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK continue to come eat as does the family of HOODED ORIOLES. A pair of STELLER JAY are here daily which is new. Had only had one of those in my backyard perhaps once a year before. Gloria LeBlanc off Quito in Los Gatos "We can't change the financial winds, but we can adjust the sails" http://www.lgsia.com http://www.wallstreetgifts.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 09:09:33 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] :Wingflicking -------- Hi Mike and others, I've seen the "wing flicking" behavior in chickadee parents when they had young in a nest box in our yard, many times over several years. It seems that when both parents arrive at the box with food for the chicks and one bird does this wing flicking that looks like the same behavior that young fledglings do when begging for food, the other bird immediately flies into the box. It seems that the wing flicking means, "you go first". Leda Beth Gray From: "Michael Mammoser" <[[email protected]]> Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 13:30:22 +0100 To: "SBB" <[[email protected]]> Subject: [SBB] : The pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES at Almaden Lake Park are evidently feeding young in the nest, as of 16 Jul 00. Shortly after I arrived, I found the male sitting in the top of the bulrushes on the small island. Soon, the female exited the bulrushes and began foraging around the edge of the lake, until I lost track of her. When she returned, some 15 minutes later, she was too quick for me to see anything before she rentered the vegetation. For a period of time, nothing seemed to be happening, and I started walking back along the trail towards the Coleman Ave bridge. Suddenly, I saw the male grackle fly by and go under the bridge. He was followed within seconds by the female, who flew over the bridge. In a couple minutes, the male returned and was carrying some small pale object in his bill. He went to the island, entering the bulrushes at the point where the female always entered and exited. He appeared within 5 seconds, clamboring up to the top, with his bill empty. I waited for some minutes for the female to return past the bridge, but never saw her. After a while, I spotted both birds in the bulrushes at the end of the large island. They flew from here to the other end of the island, where they engaged in a display of wing flicking at each other. This wing flicking was what you might normally see a young bird do that is begging for food. I wondered whether this was some communication of the need to feed young. Up until this point, the male had been relatively inactive (other than the one trip I saw him make), but from this point both birds began foraging and carrying objects to the island in earnest. I couldn't identify the objects these birds carried, but am quite sure it was food. The objects were small and undoubtedly not nesting material. Also, the fact that they were entering the bulrushes at the same specific point, and exiting within seconds with empty bills, suggests the delivery of food to young in a nest. Other breeding observations here: An adult GREEN HERON feeding an unfledged youngster in the reeds of the large island. A GREAT EGRET feeding another that was equal to it in size is indicative of young almost ready to leave the nesting area. A SNOWY EGRET was carrying nesting material into the reeds of the large island. Stripe-headed young PIED-BILLED GREBES following an adult and giving their incessant begging calls. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 3.7 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 11:50:35 2000 Subject: [SBB] Sunday birds -------- Hi, folks: Mixed luck with some Santa Clara birding on Sunday (July 16).... I started by heading up Loma Prieta. On my one previous visit this year I missed both Black-Chinned Sparrow (a surprise, based on past experience) and Purple Martin, and I missed them again yesterday. Of some interest: at the ridge where the road runs along the county line (3.3 miles from Highland Ave.) there were about 300 Violet-Green Swallows on the wires. A few Cliff Swallows were mixed in, but I saw no Martins in the area. Next to CCFS. The wastewater plant ponds by the levee road are now too full of water for any shorebirds, but the waterbird pond habitat is in good shape. I counted 43 Greater Yellowlegs, with only 1 (maybe 2) Lesser. There were several hundred Long-Billed Dowitchers, and about 50 Western Sandpipers, but no other non-breeder shorebirds (not even phalaropes). I should note that it was not long after low tide, so many birds would have been elsewhere. I then made a run down to Almaden Lake Park, where I saw the male Great- Tailed Grackle (a long-overdue county bird) at the small reed island. It was usually concealed, and I saw no sign of the female. [By the way, did anyone else have a problem with Mike Mammoser's interesting post on the Grackles? The copy I got was cut off in the middle.] Also here were 2 Caspian Terns, an adult Common Moorhen (as usual), and young birds of various species, including a fresh juv. California Gull. After lunch I stopped by the EEC. An adult Peregrine was having an avian meal on one of the towers (off to the east). A single Red-Necked Phalarope (a moulting female) was at the south end of A16. And patience in watching the Black Skimmer nest spot on the south island in A16 was finally rewarded with a look at at least two small chicks along with the two adults. Cheers, Al Eisner -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 12:17:39 2000 Subject: Fwd: [SBB] Unusual Hawk Behavior -------- Birders, I forwarded Sylvia White's query to Brian Walton, Coordinator of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group at Long Marine Lab, UCSC. Here's his response. Les Chibana -------------------------------------- Date: Thursday, July 13, 2000 From: Brian Walton It seems to me she is hearing the baby repeatedly calling to the adults and may think it is the adult. She may think that the baby would be smaller. Also it is possible that it is an extremely vocal female who is calling for a male that is doing poorly due to inexperience or low food availibility. >-------------------------------------- >Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 >From: Sylvia White <[[email protected]]> > >Hawk Experts: > >For the past about two weeks, a mature male Red-Tailed Hawk has been around >my house, calling almost constantly. He is usually perched when calling. I >live in the southern Los Gatos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, just west >of Highway 17, surrounded by oak woodlands. It is not unusual to hear RTH >calling as the fly over. They rarely perch near my house. This spring, in >a canyon nearby, as the hawk flies, I had seen a pair in courting behavior, >and then heard them there and assumed they were nesting. But this male is >calling non-stop! (If I didn't like hawks, it would be annoying!). Can >anyone offer a "scientific explanation"? (My family has come up with >several spiritual, mystic explanations!) > >Thanks. > >Sylvia White > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 12:45:28 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Missing tail feathers -------- Pete and SBB, In the process of banding birds, I've seen many individuals missing tails. In many cases, the tail feathers were evidently lost before the bird encountered the nets, as no sign of its tail feathers were seen. I've also seen how easily some species will lose their tail feathers during the banding process; of course, while juncos and bushtits come to mind, scrub-jays don't, in my limited experience. I've also seen many tail-less birds in the wild getting around just fine (most recently, several male 'Akepa at Hakalau on the Big Island, disappointing from a photographer's POV!). The question is specifically about fledglings without tails. Complete tail loss is not the norm of molt for passerines. They usually replace tail and other feathers in some kind of gradual sequence, inner to outer, outer to inner, or some other odd pattern. A fledgling would have soft juvenal plumage and, I expect, weaker shaft attachments. So, the possibility of losing feathers, I believe, is greater than with older birds. When feathers are lost as a result of non-molt effects (aka "adventitious molt") like getting knocked off by branches, feather replacement probably occurs as soon as the individual's body can manage. Since this activity can require a lot of energy, it may be delayed if occurring during migration. If the feathers are crucial for migration, this could be a problem for the individual. Tail feathers don't seem to be that crucial for flight; migration may be a different issue. Since the bird in question is a scrub-jay, this is probably not a problem. Even if it has a short-distance, or local, migration, there's probably little danger for it in lingering while it's replacing its tail. I guess it may be possible for a bird to have a condition in which it never grows its tail feathers, but I have never heard of one. My guess is that the fledgling scrub-jay lost it's tail feathers while brushing them against a branch perhaps while trying to stay near its parents. It should start growing back soon enough. Les On Saturday, July 15, 2000, Peter LaTourrette <[[email protected]]> wrote: >A friend just called to tell me of a fledgling Western Scrub-Jay with no >tail feathers, but with some down where the feathers should be. I have >often seen passerines missing tail feathers and always assumed the loss was >the result of a close encounter with a cat or other predator. Considering >this fledgling, however, it seems unlikely that it would have been able to >escape such an attack. So the question becomes whether missing tail >feathers can be a natural occurrence, in which case they might never grow >in. Does anyone know? > >--Peter > >------------------------------------------------------ >Peter LaTourrette >Bird Photography: http://www.birdphotography.com/ >Bird Photo Gallery: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 17 18:12:12 2000 Subject: [SBB] For those interested in San Francisco birding only...article for audubon newsletter (golden gate chapter) -------- Half-Time: Big Year 2000 Well, the crazed San Francisco birders are at it again...a city-wide Big Year contest. There are seven contestants this time around, including three veterans of the 1998 showdown. Some people never learn. My excuse: I finished last in '98 and had to do better this time. But Hopkins won, and Murphy, he got sucked in because it was his big idea to start the Millenium with a Big Year.. He wrote: "The purpose of this competition is to generate some competitive interest in birding in the city but to also improve on the understanding of species, distribution and occurences within the city." A modest proposal, that. Official participants are Stephen Davies, Rich Ferrick, Harry Fuller, Alan Hopkins, Kevin McKereghan, Dan Murphy and Jay Withgott. Jay described himself as "new in town, having just moved up from Tucson AZ, and just gotten onto SFBirds [the email list]." Today Jay is just another wind-burned face squinting into the fog off the Cliff House, or trudging up Mount Davidson for another vagrant. That is one of the best stories of this Big Year: non-combatant, Paul Saraceni, has staked out Mt. Davidson as his regular nieghborhood birding spot. As a result all the competitors have been forced to chase species he's been reporting there: Merlin, Band-tailed Pigeons all winter long, all three western Swift species on May 19th, House Wren, Spotted Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, then in late spring Hammond's, Dusky and Ash-throated Flycatchers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, American Redstart. McKereghan finds a singing male Rose-breasted Grosbeak there. Add Brian Fitch's Townsend Solitaire on Davidson April 10 and you have a hot spot. It is the same spot the '98 BY found it's only Solitaire. Mt. Davidson is an island of trees and grassland in a sea of roofs and pavement. Well, it is not a tight contest as it was in 1998. Kevin McKereghan early established that he had the time, energy and skill to get nearly every gettable bird in town. He was ahead at the end of January with 148. He still leads with 204 through the first half. Second is Rick Ferrick with 192. After a slower start, Ferrick rallied with a prodigious 30 new species in April. Kevin is running several species ahead of Alan Hopkins' record-setting pace for 1998. Alan ended with 243. The overall Big Year total in '98 was 280 species. So far the BY2K total is 223, five ahead of the '98 cumulative pace. Here are some of the highlights so far, with thanks to Mark Eaton, a retired vet of the '98 Big Year, acting as this year's scribe. Jan. 2 Reigning BY champ, Alan Hopkins, does mini-Big Day, set record for the new millenium with 103 species for himself and Calvin Lu (another '98 retiree). They bag Loggerhead Shrike and Harrier at Candlestick, difficult city birds most years. Jan. 3, Saraceni issues his first of many daily reports on the birds of Davidson: includes House Wren and Lincoln Sparrow, must-get birds for all BY counters. Brian Fitch reports exotic KIngbird at south end of Lake Merced. McKereghan gets year's first Marbled Murrelet off the Cliff House. Jan. 5, Ferrick re-finds exotic Kingbird at Merced, setting off the first lengthy email debate over a bird's ID. Cassin's? Couch's? It turns out to be a Tropical Kingbird who hangs around for weeks, finally being ticked by every BY birder and dozens of others. Murphy bags a Marbled Murrelet off the Cliff House. Everybody has the Eurasian Wigeon wintering at Stow Lake. A debate rages over supposed Glaucous Gull at south end of Merced. Biggest email debate of the year so far. It is finally presumed that there were a series of legit Glaucous Gull sightings of one or possibly two individuals in the dense flock of Western, California, Mew and Glaucous-winged that are normally on Merced during stormy times. During January Merced also yields Swamp Sparrow, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Cinnamon Teal, Tennessee Warbler--all difficult S.F. birds. This is also the first full year for the newly recreated Crissy Lagoon. Regular reports on birds there come from Josiah Clark: Red-necked Grebe, Merlin, Peregrine, large flock of Greater Scaup (numbering of 340 at one point), Snowy Egret. In spring the list included Western Kingbird, a regular city transient that can be hard to find. Mid-Jnauary a Loggerhead Shrike set up a hunting territory at east end of Buffalo Paddock in Golden Gate Park. At the end of the month there was a report of a Northern Goshawk in San Francisco, but the bird could not be re-found. Also, several birders found the Baltimore Oriole wintering in the Arboretum. Withgott spots a Harlequin Duck off the Cliff House. Good find. February was lively though only 15 new species were added by the whole group. On Feb 10 Saraceni sees 400 Band-tailed Pigeons pass over Davidson. The next day, Fitch wrote: "I'll see your 400 and raise you 1075." That's how many BTs he counts in two hours atop Twin Peaks on February 11. Mid-month Dan Murphy reports Yellow-billed Magpies seen by his wife in Daly City, four miles south. Prescient. On Feb. 14, Hopkins and McKereghan spot Peterodroma off Cliff House, species undetermined. None of the petrels are less than rare for San Francisco shoreline. Same day Kevin has two Northern Fulmars, another difficult onshore bird. Davies has two Marbled Murrelets overhead at night. Feb. 18 Hugh Cotter, not in the contest, reports a Murrelet swarm off Cliff House. In addition to Marbled, one possible Anicent and a Cassin's Auklet. Feb. 21, Murphy and Fuller get small flock of early Vaux's Swifts over south end of Merced Feb. 23, Davies gets an Oldsquaw off Land's End. In early March an Oldsquaw joins the Scaup off Crissy Field for several days. Everybody scores. Feb. 29, Barn Owl spotted at Merced near Golf Club House McKereghan ends February at 157, way ahead. March 6, Andrew Rush creates a rush with report of Black-and-white Warbler in willows at east end of Mountain Lake. Bird is hard to find but is seen repeatedly over the next two weeks. March 11, Fuller finds American Pipits at Funston. Mid-March a few sightings of Yellow-billed Magpies occur around Sutro Heights. Murphy warns Fuller, who lives in that area, "You don't get to see any of the great birds that show up on your doorstep park. Sorry, that's just how it is..." At least Murphy missed 'em, too. Davies sees the Magpies on March 20 at the Veterans Hospital. First sightings in S.F. since 1991-2. March 26, Alan Hopkins' Bird Blitz finds Wrentit in McLaren Park. The Blitz totals 121 species in S.F. April proves to be the busy month that was expected. Many north-bound migrants: Western Kingbird, smaller flycatchers, Gnatcatcher, vireos, western and vagrant warblers, a Ross's Goose spends several days in Golden Gate Park. McKereghan, Withgott, Ferrick and Saraceni do a Big Day, getting S. F. record of 134 species. Overall another sixteen species added to the Big Year count. The first week of May brings unusual storms, catching many northbound birds beneath heavy fogs and hard rains. Big spring fallouts noticed along western edge of San Francisco. Dense flocks of Orange-crowned and Wilson's Warblers, knots of Tanagers, Warbling Vireos, Grosbeaks, flycatchers of varous kinds. A Dusky Flycatcher lands on Davidson. Chat show up in Glen Canyon and Golden Gate Park. A Red-eyed Vireo is found near Middle Lake. One non-contesant hears the bird box report, zips out to North Lake and adds eight city lifers in ninety minutes thanks to the fallout. Sacraceni gets his swift trifecta on Davidson, Willow and Hammond's Flyctachers show up, a Northern Parula sings for several days west of West Wash, White Pelicans check out Crissy Field, Magnolia Warbler is found by Davies near Vet's Hospital, two Hooded Warblers found in city. Seventeen more species added to the list, most the new ones since January. McKereghan is now at 200! June brings an Ash-throated Flycatcher through town and only three new species. ZZZZZ. July brought several post-breeding migrants. Elegant Terns are back in numbers, Sanderlings arrive wearing brown. Murphy had his first Tattler of the season on Seal Rocks. Wish me luck in September, I'm 19 species behind McKereghan, but at least I'm way ahead of where I was in '98. We are all looking forward to a big and busy fall: send those raptors, Waterthrush, Pectoral Sandpipers, Common Terns, vagrant warblers and wayward migrants this way, please. And some jinxes need to be broken. Murphy has no Say's Phoebe in eighteen months of Big Year birding: Fuller is O for 2 on Townsend's Solitaire. To follow the action, here's Eaton's webpage for the San Francisco BY2K. http://home.pacbell.net/mweaton/Birding/B2K/B2KResults.html -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 18 12:36:42 2000 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: Yesterday, 7/17/2000, I saw an eclipse male BLUE-WINGED TEAL at the North Pond of the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin. Today, 7/18/2000, I visited Almaden Lake Park for the likely-nesting GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES. The nest site is on the north side of the small tule-covered "island" that is at the west end of the main, phragmite-covered island. I guessed that it is about 3' above the water and a foot in from the edge. I found shade near the boat rental spot gave me the best scope view. In 45 minutes I watched the male fly to this site three times and the female once. Twice the male was carrying food that showed as a small white object at the tip of his bill. Prior to these flights he was foraging in the picnic tables on the east side of the lake and gleaning something from the undersides of the concrete picnic tables and benches. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 18 13:47:27 2000 Subject: [SBB] Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I walked the large (West) pond of the Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility in hopes of finding an early Common Tern. Unfortunately the only terns seen were Caspian (several sightings of single birds) and Forster's. Several Lesser Scaup were in the canal on the southern edge of the pond including a pair with nine downy young. Among the other ducks was an adult male Canvasback (in the East pond). The only gulls seen included several Ringbilled, 3-4 Western and a single adult Bonaparte's. Once again this year Brown-headed Cowbirds are abundant. One can't help but wonder if this is at the expense of Tricolored Blackbirds, a species that has been easily found in this area in the past but which we have yet to find this year? Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:53 PM, 7/18/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 19 18:45:56 2000 Subject: [SBB] California Condor sighting -------- Wednesday, at 12:30, at Julia Pfeffer Burns State Park, Barbara Hutchings and I got incredible views of a California Condor, eyelevel from about 60 feet away. The bird was soaring off the coastal bluffs and spotted on the beach trail in the eucalyptus grove. David Cook -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 19 18:51:51 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] California Condor sighting -------- >From the Monterey RBA for Sunday, 7/16/00: Big Sur Coast: Saturday, 6 CALIFORNIA CONDOR were seen feeding on a seal carcass, 7 miles south of Nepenthe. Les Chibana On Wednesday, July 19, 2000, David Cook <[[email protected]]> wrote: > Wednesday, at 12:30, at Julia Pfeffer Burns State Park, Barbara >Hutchings and I got incredible views of a California Condor, eyelevel >from about 60 feet away. The bird was soaring off the coastal bluffs and >spotted on the beach trail in the eucalyptus grove. > David Cook > >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to >[[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jul 19 23:00:47 2000 Subject: [SBB] Good night for birds -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, This evening my class and I met at Almaden Quicksilver Park (McAbee Road entrance) at dusk to do some birding. We walked up to the Senator Mines Area, and as it got dark we heard a young GREAT HORNED OWL calling from the ridge above us. Walking in the direction of the Great Horned we were rewarded with good looks at a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL that flew in and called above the trail. On our walk back to the parking area we heard a distant COMMON POORWILL, and saw what was probably a poorwill fly by us in the dark. Arriving at my parent's house (on the west side of the Santa Teresa Hills) after our owl walk I was surprised to hear a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL's primary song coming from right beside the house, and was able to spotlight it briefly before it flew off. There was also what sounded like either a Barn Owl or another young Great Horned Owl calling off in the distance. John Mariani [[email protected]] http://www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 20 01:52:56 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: <[[email protected]]> > > Once again this year Brown-headed Cowbirds are abundant. One can't help > wonder if this is at the expense of Tricolored Blackbirds, a species that has > been easily found in this area in the past but which we have yet to find this > year? As Bob mentions, cowbirds can easily be found in large numbers at this time of year at the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds. Tricolored Blackbirds, on the other hand, are somewhat nomadic and opportunistic as breeders. They may be found in a location one year and not the next. In addition, I don't know of any confirmed breeding records for them at the sewage works. According to the Birds of North America account, Tricoloreds are parasitized only rarely by cowbirds. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 20 09:04:50 2000 Subject: [SBB] Common Tern & other recent sightings -------- Hi all, Yesterday (7/19/00) I observed a single COMMON TERN sitting on the island on pond A4 adjacent to the bay trail between the Sunnyvale Dump and Twin Creeks Park. OSPREY were observed on 7/17/00 at Lexington Reservoir and Guadalupe Reservoir (adult female). Good birding, Tom -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 20 09:45:57 2000 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: Today, 7/20/2000, I saw an adult GREEN HERON over Stevens Creek at Crittenden Lane. Next to the small island at the south end of Charleston Slough I saw a female LESSER SCAUP with two downy young, probably a day or two old. Most field guides do not show the female eclipse plumage for this species and it can be confusing as most females lose all of the white that is normally seen around their bill and on their face. This female was typical in this respect, being completely brown. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 20 09:59:57 2000 Subject: [SBB] My backyard -------- When I returned from my 4-mile walk at 8:15 AM today, I counted 74 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS on the wires at the top of by backyard. They've all been down to eat, but they're easier to count on the wires. Is there this concentration elsewhere in our county? I know Bob Reiling and sidekick Frank make an effort to check out a new bird at the same time of day that it was previously seen. I find it interesting with the 2 STELLER JAY's that now come daily. I know they arrive after 9 AM and before 11 AM...it's been every day for going on 3 weeks now. Never in the afternoon, never in the early morning, never near dusk. I'm guessing the timeframe could be shortened more if I paid more attention. I must now be on "their route". Yesterday I had 3 LESSER GOLDFINCH immatures that were so cute fluttering their wings. I have a 4 foot thistle feeder, with 20 rungs. An adult would be feeding on the thistle and an immature would land on the same rung with it and flutter its wings. The adult, on occasion, would pass the food on to the immature. I'm so lucky I can spend time at my home office where I can watch the birds at my 18 feeders. In a month I typically go through at least 100 lbs of Safflower, 50 lbs of Black-Oiled Sunflower, 80-120 lbs of Dr. Geis, 20 lbs of Dove & Quail mix and Thistle depending upon the time of year. I'm now filling my Hummingbird feeders every other day since the HOODED ORIOLES and hummers drain them quickly. If you wonder who eat the Safflower it's primarily the House Finches and Band-Taileds. Now you know why I work so hard, have to pay these bills for seed! Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off Quito "We can't change the financial winds, but we can adjust the sails" http://www.lgsia.com http://www.wallstreetgifts.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 20 13:19:34 2000 Subject: [SBB] Another Great-tailed Grackle & other sightings -------- Today (7/20/00) Bill Henry and Suzanne Gearhart observed a female GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE at the northern-most of the Ogier Ponds, no male was observed, but it may be nearby. Other significant sighting from recent surveys include WOOD DUCKs with young at Almaden Reservoir on 7/19/00 (TR), Coyote Valley at the southernmost of the Ogier Ponds and in Coyote Creek downstream of the northernmost Ogier Pond (BH, SG). Tom Ryan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 20 23:48:48 2000 Subject: [SBB] Banded Coopers Hawk -------- Hello all; Just a quick note to all about what looked to me to be a young banded Coopers Hawk in the Campbell area. It had what appeared to be a 1/2 in. aluminum band on it's LEFT leg. No! I did not get any part of the number... I didn't get a long enough glance to be certain that it wasn't a Sharpie. By the time I got my binocs, and began to try to note the differences between Sharpies and Coop's, I noted the band--but can't say absolutely sure that it wasn't a large Sharp-shinned Hawk. My best call would be Coopers Hawk... Anybody else seen it? Best regards, Dusty Bleher Campbell, Ca. -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 21 08:43:00 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] County birding -------- ----- Original Message ----- From: <[[email protected]]> > > a male Agelaius Blackbird that had a red left wing shoulder patch with a > white edge and a red right wing shoulder patch with a very pale yellow edge. > I assume that Red-winged & Tricolored interbreed? Is this bird a hybrid, Freshly molted Tricolored Blackbirds have a buffy wingbar, until wear transforms it into a white color. Still, one might expect any individual to be at least symmetrical. Also, I don't have any references in front of me to even say whether they are in a molt cycle at this time or not. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 21 14:24:41 2000 Subject: [SBB] County birding -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to check on the Least Terns in Salt Pond A2E (the pond north of Crittenden Marsh). At one point we had thirteen perched on the access walkway with perhaps another half dozen flying over the pond. We carefully checked out several as they flew near us to make sure that they were Black Terns (now wouldn't that be a shame). Earlier in the Stevens Creek Mitigation Pond, we spotted a medium sized sandpiper with a down-curved bill near the northern edge of the "pond" (a long distance from where we were near the bridge). The bird was obviously smaller than a Willet that walk directly behind it and was generally shaped more like a very small Whimbrel than a Long-billed Curlew (in that it had a proportionally short bill). As we walked toward the bird, on the Stevens Creek side, a C-130 Hercules from Moffet Field flew over the pond and flushed the birds. Even though it was one of the last to fly we lost it in the flock and were subsequently unable to relocate it. My feeling is that the bird would be too small for a runt Whimbrel (being clearly smaller than a Willet which are significantly smaller than Whimbrel). We did have at least two Whimbrel in the area. I know that it's a missed bird but, any ideas or comments? We then went to Salt Pond A4, behind the Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility, where the only terns seen were one Caspian and one Forster's. While there we saw a male Agelaius Blackbird that had a red left wing shoulder patch with a white edge and a red right wing shoulder patch with a very pale yellow edge. I assume that Red-winged & Tricolored interbreed? Is this bird a hybrid, Alvaro? Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:28 PM, 7/21/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 21 15:05:43 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] County birding -------- Bob, It was probably just one of those annoying Eskimo Curlews. Gina Sheridan Santa Clara At 05:24 PM 07/21/2000 -0400, [[email protected]] wrote: >All, > >This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to check on the Least Terns in Salt >Pond A2E (the pond north of Crittenden Marsh). At one point we had thirteen >perched on the access walkway with perhaps another half dozen flying over the >pond. We carefully checked out several as they flew near us to make sure >that they were Black Terns (now wouldn't that be a shame). > >Earlier in the Stevens Creek Mitigation Pond, we spotted a medium sized >sandpiper with a down-curved bill near the northern edge of the "pond" (a >long distance from where we were near the bridge). The bird was obviously >smaller than a Willet that walk directly behind it and was generally shaped >more like a very small Whimbrel than a Long-billed Curlew (in that it had a >proportionally short bill). As we walked toward the bird, on the Stevens >Creek side, a C-130 Hercules from Moffet Field flew over the pond and flushed >the birds. Even though it was one of the last to fly we lost it in the flock >and were subsequently unable to relocate it. My feeling is that the bird >would be too small for a runt Whimbrel (being clearly smaller than a Willet >which are significantly smaller than Whimbrel). We did have at least two >Whimbrel in the area. I know that it's a missed bird but, any ideas or >comments? > >We then went to Salt Pond A4, behind the Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility, >where the only terns seen were one Caspian and one Forster's. While there we >saw a male Agelaius Blackbird that had a red left wing shoulder patch with a >white edge and a red right wing shoulder patch with a very pale yellow edge. >I assume that Red-winged & Tricolored interbreed? Is this bird a hybrid, >Alvaro? > >Take care, >Bob Reiling, 2:28 PM, 7/21/00 >-++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 21 15:15:51 2000 Subject: [SBB] Re: County birding -------- What were the color markings of this sandpiper? Was it like a Willet, a Whimbrel, or something else? This is not the same time of year as previous sightings, but was this bird about the size of a Curlew Sandpiper? Sounds like the same general location. Les Chibana On Friday, July 21, 2000, [[email protected]] wrote: >All, [snip] >Earlier in the Stevens Creek Mitigation Pond, we spotted a medium sized >sandpiper with a down-curved bill near the northern edge of the "pond" (a >long distance from where we were near the bridge). The bird was obviously >smaller than a Willet that walk directly behind it and was generally shaped >more like a very small Whimbrel than a Long-billed Curlew (in that it had a >proportionally short bill). As we walked toward the bird, on the Stevens >Creek side, a C-130 Hercules from Moffet Field flew over the pond and flushed >the birds. Even though it was one of the last to fly we lost it in the flock >and were subsequently unable to relocate it. My feeling is that the bird >would be too small for a runt Whimbrel (being clearly smaller than a Willet >which are significantly smaller than Whimbrel). We did have at least two >Whimbrel in the area. I know that it's a missed bird but, any ideas or >comments? [snip]> -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 21 15:19:58 2000 Subject: RE: [SBB] County birding -------- Could you tell if it had stripes on the head or what color the underparts were? Any "ketchup stains" on it?With the long view that you had, it's conceivable that it could still be a Whimbrel (at distance, foreshortening in your scope can mess up your idea of relative size). Little Curlew is half the size of a Whimbrel, with proportionately small bill and short legs, and as I recall, they look small next to a Willet, too. Curlew Sandpiper is the size of a fat Sanderling, and if it's molted already, is pretty pale below. Mark Miller > -----Original Message----- > From: [[email protected]] [SMTP:[[email protected]]] > Sent: Friday, July 21, 2000 2:25 PM > To: [[email protected]] > Subject: [SBB] County birding > > All, > > This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to check on the Least Terns in > Salt > Pond A2E (the pond north of Crittenden Marsh). At one point we had > thirteen > perched on the access walkway with perhaps another half dozen flying over > the > pond. We carefully checked out several as they flew near us to make sure > that they were Black Terns (now wouldn't that be a shame). > > Earlier in the Stevens Creek Mitigation Pond, we spotted a medium sized > sandpiper with a down-curved bill near the northern edge of the "pond" (a > long distance from where we were near the bridge). The bird was obviously > > smaller than a Willet that walk directly behind it and was generally > shaped > more like a very small Whimbrel than a Long-billed Curlew (in that it had > a > proportionally short bill). As we walked toward the bird, on the Stevens > Creek side, a C-130 Hercules from Moffet Field flew over the pond and > flushed > the birds. Even though it was one of the last to fly we lost it in the > flock > and were subsequently unable to relocate it. My feeling is that the bird > would be too small for a runt Whimbrel (being clearly smaller than a > Willet > which are significantly smaller than Whimbrel). We did have at least two > Whimbrel in the area. I know that it's a missed bird but, any ideas or > comments? > > We then went to Salt Pond A4, behind the Sunnyvale Water Treatment > Facility, > where the only terns seen were one Caspian and one Forster's. While there > we > saw a male Agelaius Blackbird that had a red left wing shoulder patch with > a > white edge and a red right wing shoulder patch with a very pale yellow > edge. > I assume that Red-winged & Tricolored interbreed? Is this bird a hybrid, > Alvaro? > > Take care, > Bob Reiling, 2:28 PM, 7/21/00 > -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to > [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 22 03:49:39 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- At the Ogier Ponds on Saturday, 22 Jul 00, I had a female OSPREY sitting on the usual perch along the edge of the south pond as you enter. This pond also had 9 WOOD DUCKS, 2 of them being eclipse-plumaged males. The blackbird colony, on the pond that is adjacent to the model airplane park, is now empty. However, there are many immature and downy young AMERICAN COOTS there. Also, a COMMON MOORHEN and GREEN HERON. There wasn't much happening at the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds, but I did find a COMMON MOORHEN sitting on a nest, with another adult and a nearly-grown immature nearby. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 1.1 KBytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 22 07:26:41 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility-cowbirds, Tricolored BB -------- >On -0400 7/18/00, [[email protected]] wrote: > >Once again this year Brown-headed Cowbirds are abundant. One can't help but >wonder if this is at the expense of Tricolored Blackbirds, a species that has >been easily found in this area in the past but which we have yet to find this >year? > >Take care, >Bob Reiling, 1:53 PM, 7/18/00- ------------------------------------------------------ and 20 Jul 2000 As Bob mentions, cowbirds can easily be found in large numbers at this time of year at the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds. Tricolored Blackbirds, on the other hand, are somewhat nomadic and opportunistic as breeders. They may be found in a location one year and not the next. In addition, I don't know of any confirmed breeding records for them at the sewage works. According to the Birds of North America account, Tricoloreds are parasitized only rarely by cowbirds. Mike Mammoser ----------------------------- I have an extensive file on Brown-headed Cowbirds. Though TRBL were not included in these studies, researchers found that both YHBL and RWBL are "acceptors" of cowbird eggs, but all concluded that raising a cowbird chick did not interfere with the fledging of their own chicks. They indicated that predation was the major cause of nest failure in these species. However, a new study of Indigo Buntings parasitized by BHCO found that the loud vocalizations of cowbird chicks in these nests led to more nest failures by predation. Whether any of this can be applied to Tricoloreds is up to you. Ruth Troetschler 184 Lockhart Lane Los Altos, CA 94022 Ruth Troetschler -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 22 17:27:39 2000 Subject: [SBB] Shorebird spots -------- When I reached the Crittenden area this morning, the tide was farther out than I had expected it to be, but shorebirds were still feeding on the tidal mitigation area west of Stevens Creek. There were 5 WHIMBREL (plus one on Crittenden Marsh), but no "miniatures". A mix of other birds included about 50 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERs. The salt pond north of Crittenden Marsh had about 20 LEASE TERNs, with some conveniently foraging moderately close to the west end. Also here was one BROWN PELICAN; and a female CANVASBACK was along Stevens Creek. The water level at the CCFS waterbird pond is now getting low, and no Yellowlegs at all were present; there were also no peeps, but I was there at about low tide, so that wasn't a big surprise. The only birds of note were two WILSON'S PHALAROPEs. The ponds along the levee still have too much water; and shorebirds are apparently not attracted to the current habitat along Spreckels St. in Alviso. The shorebird hotspot among the places I visited today was the northmost of the Calabazas ponds. (Reminder: these are the ponds north of Hwy 237 just east of - i.e., across Calabazas Creek from -- the east end of Sunnyvale Baylands Park -- or is it "Bayshore"?.) IN addition to hundreds of adult WESTERN SANDPIPERs (with the numbers growing as the tide came in), there were about 11 LESSER YELLOWLEGs, up to 18 GREATER YELLOWLEGs, and about 20 WILSON'S PHALAROPEs, plus small numbers of other expected species. That's it for now. Al -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 23 05:02:51 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- At the EEC today, 23 Jul 00, the adult PEREGRINE FALCON was again along the entrance road. There are now 3 downy young BLACK SKIMMERS on the island. One is only about half the size of the other two; most probably the one that was still in the egg last weekend. Good numbers of shorebirds at Calabazas Marsh included 36 LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Mike Mammoser -------- Attachment 931 bytes -------- From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 23 15:56:45 2000 Subject: [SBB] Ravens at Palo Alto Baylands -------- To everyone, We have three newly fledged Ravens that left the nest on the P.G.&E. tower by the sailing station. The White Pelican numbers are increasing by the day, what a sight! Deborah Bartens City of Palo Alto Naturalist -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 23 17:32:33 2000 Subject: [SBB] Common Tern at Charleston Slough -------- Just a few minutes ago at the base of Charleston Slough, 7/23/00, there was a COMMON TERN roosting on the largest island. One BLACK SKIMMER flew in, then out into the PA Flood Control Basin. A PEREGRINE FALCON made a few dives on the shorebirds, then flew off toward the Bay. I checked with each of the hundreds of (MARBLED) GODWITS and none said that they were from Hudsonia. Les Chibana -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 24 08:55:17 2000 Subject: [SBB] California Thrasher fledgling -------- Yesterday one of the CATH which relish our lard/peanut mixture was accompanied by a fledgling which was being fed the mixture in addition to more normal foods. Ruth Troetschler 184 Lockhart Lane Los Altos, CA 94022 Ruth Troetschler -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 24 09:09:52 2000 Subject: More Re: [SBB] County birding -------- All, The small "Whimbrelish" shorebird seen by Frank and I on Friday (7/21) was an overall warmer coloring than the Willet that was behind it. I made no mental note of striping on the head. Normal perspective would make any bird located further from me look smaller. The Willet was, at one time, fairly close to but behind the bird in question which looked smaller than the Willet. My main reason for mentioning the unidentified bird was to make birders aware that there was something different in the bay area. My personal opinion is that the bird was more the size and shape of an Eskimo Curlew than of a Little Curlew. A Curlew Sandpiper would be much to small in all respects. Of course, all of this discussion inappropriately assumes that all birds of the same species are the same size! My problem is that I cannot conceive of a Whimbrel being smaller than a Willet! Take care, Bob Reiling, 7/24/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 24 21:56:53 2000 Subject: [SBB] Inland birds -------- There are no rare or uncommon birds in this report, but since most of the posts have been from Bayside, and there is some breeding information, I thought I would describe some activity at Steven's Creek County Park. July 23, 2000. Route: Take first entrance from the north, turn into the first, large parking lot. Go to the picnic area immediately adjacent. West side of picnic area N of steel bridge: juvenile SONG SPARROW (SOSP) Above picnic area S of steel bridge: ROBIN feeding young (FY) in exposed nest Apple orchard remnant S of rest rooms: 1 adult and 1 juvenile WILSON'S WARBLER After leaving covered way, second path on left to creek: female BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (f BHGR) FY, PACIFIC COAST FLYCATCHER Along trail south to canyon (old quarry): another f BHGR and family group of four WESTERN WOOD PEEWEE. Overflight by BAND-TAILED PIDGEON. On northeast rim of canyon: juvenile SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, being harassed by three hummingbirds. At the top of the tallest Eucalyptus tree in the park: ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 1 adult and 1 juvenile BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. There were also significant numbers of SPOTTED TOWHEE, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, HOUSE FINCH, STELLAR JAY, LESSER GOLDFINCH, OAK TITMOUSE, CHESNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, MOURNING DOVE. Also: RED-TAILED HAWK, TURKEY VULTURE, BLACK PHOEBE, ACORN WOODPECKER, swallows, BUSHTIT, adult SOSP. - Chris Salander -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 25 08:25:00 2000 Subject: [SBB] - -------- Folks: Yesterday, 7/24/2000, I stopped at Salt Pond A2E, just beyond Crittenden Marsh and watched a mixed flock of FORSTER'S and LEAST TERNS foraging in the near corner. My best count of Least Terns was 11, with about a third juveniles--very spectacular as they hovered and plunged in the choppy waters. There were many white dots on the walkway towards the middle of A2E, some were bigger and some smaller, but a scope is needed to sort them to species. A BLACK SKIMMER was on the island in the south end of Charleston Slough and a second bird was just across the levee in Adobe Creek. The hundreds of roosting AM. WHITE PELICANS in Adobe Creek appear to be habituated to the joggers and bikers on the levee and provide marvelous looks. Bill -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jul 28 15:05:43 2000 Subject: [SBB] Some county birding (bayside ponds) -------- All, This morning I went to Calabazas Ponds where I saw an alternate plumage Jack Cole (scouting for a bird trip he will lead), a solitary Lesser Yellowlegs, one Green Heron, one Marbled Godwit, six Wilson's Phalaropes, 18 Semipalmated Plovers, 40 American White Pelicans about 300 dowitchers, 300-400 "peeps" (60 percent Least Sandpipers & 40 percent Western Sandpipers), and the "usual suspects". I then went to CCFS to check on the Waterbird Pond. (The starter on my old car went up in smoke on my last trip there on Wednesday so I didn't get to check it then. Luckily the bander's were there, having a slow day, and I was able to call AAA.) Today, I found that the water level is very low. In the pond I saw three Lesser Yellowlegs, five Greater Yellowlegs, about 75 dowitchers, a few "peeps" and "you know what". The fenced-in ponds west of the Waterbird Pond are also drying up but still had 100 plus Wilson's Phalaropes, I then went to the State & Spreckels St. in Alviso where I saw three to four Lesser Yellowlegs, about thirty Greater Yellowlegs and a few "peeps" (most if not all were Least Sandpipers). EEC was next, there I saw three, instead of the usual two, adult Black Skimmers on the first island, the occasional Willet, some Least Sandpipers, lots of Forster's Terns and eight Wilson's Phalaropes (for a short stay). Best of all was watching a group from SFBBO (Janet Hanson, Douglas Bell and the new intern Michelle) canoe out to the island where they banded the two young Black Skinners. As soon as the group got into the canoes, which were fully 150 feet away in the far southeast corner of the pond, the BKSK parents started flying quite close to then and making what I assumed was an alarm call. The adults continued this harassment during the entire time it took the group to get to the island, catch, band, photograph and measure the young. Later, even the third adult skimmer received some harsh treatment. Take care, Bob Reiling, 3:11 PM, 7/28/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 29 06:11:07 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Saturday, 29 Jul 00, I decided to do some shorebirding. The water level in the north pond at Calabazas Marsh was higher than last week, and peeps were noticeably absent. The few flocks of dowitchers here had nothing hidden in them. At Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh there were 6 or 7 WHIMBRELS in with the larger waders. A good number of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS (perhaps 50?) were mixed with roughly equal numbers of peeps (both WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS). As luck would have it, I managed to pick out an adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. An adult PEREGRINE FALCON flew over as well. Crittenden Marsh was difficult to scope because of the sunlight angle, but there were at least 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS out there. The salt pond north of Crittenden had 13 LEAST TERNS foraging over the southwest corner, and some additional number of them along the boardwalk in the distance. My weekly check of the EEC still had the 2 adult BLACK SKIMMERS shepherding 2 young, with another adult sitting some distance away. No sign of the third young skimmer. The PEREGRINE FALCON was again on a power tower along the entrance road. Four BURROWING OWLS were along Disk Drive in Alviso, with 2 more on Arzino Ranch. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 30 06:44:13 2000 Subject: [SBB] "My Farm" on Sunday -------- Interesting hour at "my farm" this morning (La Rinconada Park). I was greeted by the (fairly) resident GREEN HERON as I entered off of Bicknell. Then the chatter of 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS drew my attention as they flew over the creek. I hadn't seen a Kingfisher here since April before which they had been fairly regular in attendance. The berries are becoming ripe and several HOODED ORIOLES were eating. Also had BULLOCK'S ORIOLE and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. It had been 2 months since I'd seen a BROWN CREEPER. There were 2 this morning. As I stood very still, they came within 10 feet of me. I was trying to imprint their "sound" in my brain. With my dyslxia I have an enormous problem "capturing" a sound in my memory. the distinctive sounds are easy, like the chatter of the Nuttalls, Kingfisher and Orioles. The Cowbird I think is the easiest of all. Also sounds that I can attach a name to like "chi-ca-go" "give me 3 beers" even "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" but otherwise I'm a goner...titmouse (which I hear in my backyard daily) finches, robins, all a big sound blur too me. I also know the bouncing ball of the wrentit and the "walk" signal for blind people (Black Phoebe)... I'm digressing. But, it's SO frustrating. 150 IQ and I can't even identify a Robin by it's call!!!!! And "chip" sounds, nary a chance! Species seen today: 5 PACIFIC COAST FLYCATCHER (most ever), ACORN & NUTTALL'S WOODPECKERS, NORTHERN FLICKER, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, BEWICK'S WREN, CALIFORNIA & SPOTTED TOWHEES, BLACK PHOEBE, BUSHTIT, DARK-EYED JUNCO, CHICKADEE, TITMOUSE, HOUSE FINCH, RED-TAILED HAWK, SCRUB & STELLER'S JAY. See that totals 24, not bad for my little park. And surprisingly, no starlings, mourning doves or other garbage birds. The Acorn Woodpeckers are still going in and out of their nest hole, but didn't appear to be feeding. Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off Quito "We can't change the financial winds, but we can adjust the sails" http://www.lgsia.com http://www.wallstreetgifts.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 30 14:22:03 2000 Subject: [SBB] Birds this week -------- This past Sunday (7/23), Debbie and I were out for an evening walk around 9:30 and had a Barn Owl fly overhead near the corner of Harry and McKean in the Almaden Valley. We also heard 2-3 other owls calling (screeching) from the oak trees by the creek. From our back window, we can often hear them screeching in the evening. Yesterday, we went to Crittendon Marsh and had good looks at 15-20 Least Terns in flight (along with a couple of obliging Forster's Terns who happened by to give us size/bill comparisons with the Leasts). This was a life bird for me! Hugh McDevitt -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jul 30 23:17:22 2000 Subject: [SBB] Sunday birding -------- Howdy South-bay-birders, Today my class and I visited several wetland areas between Mtn View and Alviso, focusing primarily on shorebirds. Highlights: a juvenile TREE SWALLOW (strong superficial resemblance to Bank Swallow) at Coast Casey Forebay; a huge carp and a female HOODED MERGANSER along Adobe Creek opposite Charleston Slough; baby FORSTER'S TERNS of various ages on an island in Charleston Slough; lots of LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS (almost all were adults, but we saw at least one juvenile Short-billed); 3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS at the northernmost of the Calabazas Ponds; 3 BLACK SKIMMERS and numerous WILSON'S PHALAROPES at the first large pond near the EEC in Alviso; 4 BURROWING OWLS along Disk Drive; and 2 more LESSER YELLOWLEGS and an aberrant BLACK-NECKED STILT at the CCRS waterbird pond (the stilt was leucistic--its plumage was almost entirely white, and its bill was red with a black tip). John Mariani [[email protected]] http://www.birdswest.com -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 01:39:20 2000 Subject: [SBB] : -------- On Sunday, 30 Jul 00, I had a sub-adult COOPER'S HAWK in the urban area near hwy 85 and Great Oaks Blvd. This bird had a mostly-gray back, with a few immature brown feathers still apparent. The underside pattern consisted mostly of the crosshatched reddish marks, but still retained some streaking up by the throat. The head was still quite streaked and showed no semblence of a dark cap. I watched the bird working the parking lot of an industrial building, and got good looks as it perched low in a tree. At one point a CALIFORNIA TOWHEE flew, unknowingly, to the tree and was immediately attacked. It barely escaped. On Saturday I also had an immature COOPER'S HAWK perched along First Street, near Tasman. Mike Mammoser -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 09:23:45 2000 Subject: [SBB] Recent birds and butterflies -------- All: On Sunday, I spend some time birding at Crittenden Marsh and the adjacent salt ponds. Crittenden Marsh is getting quite good for shorebirds although my visit coincided with low tide. I saw 50 Greater and 7 Lesser Yellowlegs, 40 LB Dowitchers, 90+ Semi-palmated Plovers and 1000+ Wilson's Phalaropes. The salt pond N of the marsh had 101 Least Terns. Otherwise the last few weekends have been uneventful although I found 6 Lazuli Buntings along Berryessa Creek in Milpitas on July 16. I have seen singles here before and suspect this is a regular migration stop for them. In terms of butterflies, I saw a Purplish Copper at CCFS on Saturday and 6 Sandhill Skippers in a field in Milpitas on Thurday. There were Woodland Skippers at both CCFS and Crittenden. Otherwise just the usual common species. Nick Lethaby Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc. Tel: 408 360 2131 e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 11:44:52 2000 Subject: [SBB] historical records -------- Does anyone possess or know of an archive of pre-1950 bird records for Santa Clara County? I am specifically looking for records of species which no longer occur here, have changed their distributions or species that were not formerly noted that may have colonized the area. The bird records I am looking for could include things like field notes, filled in checklists, day lists, official/unofficial site checklists. Anything not already in published. Please do not send anything yet, just a quick note describing what you have or where to look would be great. Thanks, Tom Ryan -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 12:12:29 2000 Subject: [SBB] Recent SC Mtns. bird sightings -------- Some assorted sightings of birds and other flying things. On Friday, 7/28/00, while driving down Page Mill Rd. in the morning, an accipiter flew along the road for a hot second before turning to disappear through the oaks near gate 3 to Foothills Park (a bit above Foothills Open Space Preserve). The bird appeared to be an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk based on overall size and squared tail-end. On Saturday, 7/29/00, at Monte Bello OSP, along the Stevens Creek Nature Trail at southernmost creek crossing, there was a flock of PYGMY NUTHATCHES. A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was heard from the Canyon Trail junction with the Stevens Creek Nature Trail near the parking area. No buntings were in evidence. Lots of CA Newts are in the creek. Among the butterflies seen: Lorquin's Admiral, Calif. Sister, a Blue (Acmon?), Ox-eyed (Woodland) Satyr, a Western Meadow Frit. (or some kind of crescent). Flying mammals: with the hot weather, our roosting bat numbers have increased. We've had 7-9 myotis-sized bats roosting on our house. My guess is that they are Little Browns (M. lucifugus) and/or California (M. californicus) Bats. Just before they fly at twilight, larger bats (prob. Hoary - Lasiurus cinereus) fly south over Skyline Blvd. about 50-90 ft. above our house. Les Chibana, Palo Alto CA [[email protected]] -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 13:30:06 2000 Subject: [SBB] County birding -------- All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I birded the Coyote Creek Field Station Waterbird Pond. The water level is now looking good. While there we saw 28-30 Brown Pelicans flying in formation in the vicinity of Alviso, these birds were initially flying toward us (east) but they then turned and were last seen flying south. We then birded the pond at State & Speckles in Alviso (lots of yellowlegs with at least four Lesser Yellowlegs), the Stevens Creek Mitigation area (nothing new or special there), Crittenden Marsh and Salt Pond A2E. A2E has large numbers of Least Terns (more of them than are Forster's Terns?) with a possible feeding frenzy in the far southeastern corner of the pond (didn't see anything different though). Crittenden Marsh had 1500 to 2000 Wilson's Phalaropes, 12 to 14 Red-necked Phalaropes (flew in while we were there), lots of Semipalmated Plovers, several yellowlegs (both types), some Least Sandpipers, at least one Western Sandpiper, and a female Lesser Scaup. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:34 PM, 7/31/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 13:51:11 2000 Subject: Re: [SBB] Sunday birding -------- In a message dated 7/30/00 11:17:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [[email protected]] writes: << an aberrant BLACK-NECKED STILT at the CCRS waterbird pond (the stilt was leucistic--its plumage was almost entirely white, and its bill was red with a black tip). >> All, The leucistic Black-necked Stilt was still there this morning. This may be the same bird that has been seen a couple of times over the last year or so. The areas on the bird which are normally black are a buff color. The legs are also a pinkish rather than the normal reddish color. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:58 PM, 7/31/00 -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jul 31 18:51:36 2000 Subject: [SBB] EEC and Wigeon inquiry -------- All, I went down to the EEC both Saturday and Sunday and was able to see the PEREGRINE FALCON very well on the electric towers on the road in from the entrance. The small island at the reserve was abundant with WILSON'S PHALAROPES, and a few RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Three adult BLACK SKIMMERS were roosting among the many FORSTER'S TERNS, AVOCETS and STILTS. Both WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS were seen in good, roughly equal numbers. I was not able to see the young skimmers that Mike M. had reported, but I was treated to many fantastic photo opportunities as the adult BLSKs fed in the shallows and attempted to frighten me from the levy trail. As well, there were three LESSER YELLOWLEGS at the corner of State and Spreckles in Alviso but not much else of interest. A BURROWING OWL was sitting close to the road by the golf course on North First Street in the same area I have noticed them before. I know this is a very late report, but I noticed as I was looking through my notes that I found a male AMERICAN WIGEON at Charleston Slough near the outhouses on Saturday July 1. I failed to mention it at the time, and ofcourse I have not seen it since, but it seemed like an odd time of year so I wanted to mention it now. Was this likely an over-summering bird or a very early fall arrival? What is the status of AMWIs during summer in SC County? Matthew Dodder -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**== 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]]