From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 07:36:18 1999 Subject: [SBB] Common Loon On Monday, May 31, I saw a basic-plumaged COMMON LOON at Calero Reservoir. The bird was seen near the upper end on the southeast side away from the posts marking the boundaries for jet-ski/motorboat activity. While interesting, this may not be that unusual for a late spring inland sighting as in 1992 Mike Feighner and I saw single basic-plumaged Common Loons at Almaden Reservoir (May 17) and Lake Elsman (June 14) while we were working on the Breeding Bird Atlas in the area. Ann ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 08:32:55 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] American Goldfinch vs Lesser > I have noticed that I rarely see American Goldfinch except near the > Bay. Is this a clear habitat preference??? American Goldfinches visit our thistle feeder regularly during the winter, but leave soon after acquiring breeding plumage. George Oetzel in the very low foothills of West Menlo Park ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 01 08:45:29 1999 Subject: [SBB] Vasona Marti & I checked the heronry at Vasona Lake again yesterday morning. The 5 Great Blue Heron chicks are still nest bound. Both adults were with the chicks in the 2-chick nest. The 3-chick adults were absent the entire time we were there. The Black Crowned Night Heron chick was busy exploring the water's edge and "flew" a few feet from one root to another. We saw just the one chick, though the adult that I thought was sitting on a nest last week was not there this time. The actual nest is obscured, so we couldn't tell if it harbored a chick. There was also a Green Heron chick on the roots near the water's edge. It still had a fuzzy head and looked as if it might be on one of its first ventures out of the nest. A Double Crested Cormorant swam up very close and looked quite interested, but didn't actually attack the chick. An adult GRHE flew in and perched in bright sunshine. Best look we've ever had at one of these. There was a lot of Snowy Egret traffic, with up to 6 birds in view at once. I believe there are at least 3 nests, but only one of them is actually in view. That bird sat on the nest the entire time. George Oetzel Menlo Park, CA (W) [[email protected]] (SFBBO) [[email protected]] San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory http://www.sfbbo.org ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 01 08:50:13 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Quail vs Scrub Jay We observed a male quail in a quail pair charging a Stellar's Jay twice. We had not seen this behavior before. Claire At 03:02 PM 5/29/99 -0700, Glenn Harkleroad wrote: >This noon while watching my Quail pair enjoying their lunch along with some >doves, in swooped the Scrub Jay scattering dove hither and thither. Mr. >Quail, however, did not take kindly to this invasion and quickly chased, on >foot, Mr. Jay, who rapidly retreated to the pine tree. I observed this >same behavior not more than two minutes later. The quail then finished >lunch and leisurely stolled away. > >Barbara Harkleroad > > >========================================================================== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > > ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 09:38:05 1999 Subject: [SBB] Conventional Wisdom Folks: For what it is worth, conventional wisdom suggests that SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS are largely gone form urban areas by April (MERLINS as well). Unlike COOPER'S HAWKS which does not show a significant difference in summer and winter numbers and breeds in our urban areas as well as more remote spots, SHARP-SHINNEDS are less common as breeding species and then only in the more remote areas. Hence, any SUMMER observation in urban areas is of great interest. Concerning Richard Carlson's question on AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES the answer is that they appear to breed only on the valley floor, either near the bay or along riparian areas. They are also found in areas such as these in the Pajaro area, but they do not appear to use apparently suitable areas in the mid-county. LESSER GOLDFINCHES are widespread in the county and may occasionally overlap into areas AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES use. 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 Jun 01 12:16:02 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Sunday, 30 May 99, I went to the Ogier Ponds for a couple hours. A male OSPREY was there the entire time, even successfully catching a fish and eating it on the bare-branched tree near the entrance road. A TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD colony is inhabiting the bulrushes in the southwest corner of the pond that is just north of the model plane park. I would guess that there are over 100 pairs there. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS are also present, but don't seem to be mixed in with the Tricoloreds. Three WOOD DUCKS flushed off the creek, and 3 GREEN HERONS were in the ponds east of the creek. An alternate-plumaged SPOTTED SANDPIPER was present as well. A flock of 35 CEDAR WAXWINGS was in the orchard bordering the ponds. Breeding activity that I noted was - a pair of WESTERN KINGBIRDS on a nest in a sycamore, and a pair of PIED-BILLED GREBES with 4 downy young. On Monday, 31 May 99, I visited Coyote Creek Riparian. The male REDHEAD was still on the waterbird pond. The "reach" area, adjacent to the methane plant, had broods of MALLARD, CINNAMON TEAL, and NORTHERN PINTAIL. The power towers at salt pond A18 had 10 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT nests, and a COMMON RAVEN nest on the tower at the southern end of the pond. Other breeding activity included a SONG SPARROW carrying food, a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT carrying food, GREAT BLUE HERONS with young in the nests, an agitated pair of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, and a BELTED KINGFISHER carrying food. As I was leaving, a male WOOD DUCK flew by near the hwy 237 gate. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 13:53:28 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Conventional Wisdom Mike Mammoser wrote: > > [[email protected]] wrote: > > > Concerning Richard Carlson's question on AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES the answer > > is that they appear to breed only on the valley floor, either near the bay > > or along riparian areas. They are also found in areas such as these in the > > Pajaro area, but they do not appear to use apparently suitable areas in the > > mid-county. LESSER GOLDFINCHES are widespread in the county and may > > occasionally overlap into areas AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES use. > > On Sunday, at the Ogier Ponds, I had AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES flying > overhead fairly continuously. As Bill wrote, breeding AMGO in the county are mostly confined to the edge of the bay and the drainages in the extreme southern portion of the county. In tromping around riparian habitat in the San Jose area for the past several years, I have not found this species breeding very far from the bay (i.e., they breed along only the very lower reaches of Coyote Creek and the Guadalupe River). The lone exception to all this that I've found has been the Ogier Ponds, where Mike Mammoser had AMGO on Sunday. I've found AMGO to be fairly common here throughout the summer, and I've confirmed breeding several times, even though I have not found the species breeding along Coyote Creek further downstream toward south San Jose. Why this species is distributed as it is in the county is far from clear. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 01 16:30:14 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Conventional Wisdom [[email protected]] wrote: > Concerning Richard Carlson's question on AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES the answer > is that they appear to breed only on the valley floor, either near the bay > or along riparian areas. They are also found in areas such as these in the > Pajaro area, but they do not appear to use apparently suitable areas in the > mid-county. LESSER GOLDFINCHES are widespread in the county and may > occasionally overlap into areas AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES use. On Sunday, at the Ogier Ponds, I had AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES flying overhead fairly continuously. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 16:52:34 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] birds Clysta Seney wrote: > so I'm not sure what you mean by too urban. The gist of my statement was that wintering birds should be gone by now, and this area seemed too urban for breeding birds of this species. Unlike Cooper's Hawks, Sharpies tend to nest more remotely here in Santa Clara County. (see Bill Bousman's reply on SBB) Actually, accipiters in general have been known as birds that prefer to nest away from human influences. However, during our breeding bird atlas in Santa Clara County, we found a number of urban-nesting Cooper's Hawks, providing evidence that seems to fly in the face of what was, at that time, the conventional thinking. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 19:05:50 1999 Subject: [SBB] LAGO, Osprey at Arastradero All, This afternoon (6-1-99) an OSPREY was hunting over Felt Lake on Stanford lands. It was seen from the eastern fenceline of the Arastradero Preserve at 3:15, and dove toward the lake at least once, unsuccessfully, over the next 5 minutes before heading west toward Portola Valley. At 4 PM I re-found a small group of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES among a flock of approximately 40 Lesser Goldfinches feeding in a mix of thistles and fiddleneck at the Preserve. The location was about 1/8 to 1/4 mile west of the Arastradero Road crossing of the Corte Madera Trail (to be precise, in a shallow valley containing two parallel, informal trails that cuts off to the left of the CM trail shortly after the road crossing). Three males and one female were seen over a 1/2-hour period at close range. A few PURPLE FINCHES were feeding among them for part of that time. At least two large, active young were present in the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest adjacent to Arastradero Lake. All of the WESTERN BLUEBIRD young (10 in all) in my boxes east of the parking lot fledged this week. --Garth Harwood ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 01 21:32:47 1999 Subject: [SBB] RFI: Third Edition National Geographic Pictures Dark? I just bought a new National Geographic Field ID book (3rd edition), and the paintings are all dark relative to the 2nd edition. Has anyone else bought one, and what is your impression? Thanks, Bob Lutman ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 02 09:44:30 1999 Subject: [SBB] GOLDFINCHES Birders: Just quickly looked at the banding data from CCRS for American Goldfinch. On lower Coyote Creek this species can be found in any month of the year, but it is very rare in December and January. Numbers increase in February and March, peaking in April and coming down in May and June. We have banded 200 individuals in June, and just over 600 in April. The numbers rise again in July and peak in August (nearly 700), decreasing in September and then plumetting to low levels in October and November. Note that this is a rough count based on netted birds and NOT standardized for how many hours we had nets open on different months. HOwever, I trust that he general pattern would remain the same if they were standardized. The Lesser Goldfinch shows an entirely different pattern, they are basically absent in January and February, with a tiny number in March and April. Then numbers begin to increase in May, June and July (with July being slightly lower than June). There is a larger increase in August and a peak in September, from there numbers decrease to very low amounts by December. Also, Lesser Goldfinches are vastly outnumbered by Americans at CCRS. Again, these are totals not monthly means, not standardized for net hours. But the difference in pattern between these two species is not likely to change if those improvements are made to the analysis. Its just that getting it any further would take time, but getting it to this point is very quick. Also keep in mind that there is a great deal of difference between years for these species, some years they are abundant and at other times they are much rarer. This is a good year for American Goldfinch here on the coast, they seem to be everywhere. More so than usual. So even at one site, these two species are doing different things. If anyone wants an exel chart showing the difference let me know and I can send attach it. These are the numbers: MONTH AMGO LEGO 1 4 8 2 50 1 3 214 14 4 608 12 5 308 34 6 212 81 7 402 73 8 669 177 9 415 225 10 88 79 11 61 34 12 10 20 cheers, Al Alvaro Jaramillo Wildlife Biologist San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] Birds of Chile, 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]] Wed Jun 02 10:03:08 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] GOLDFINCHES This is a bit out-of-range for this list, but is somewhat relevant. In Napa County, "at the north (wrong) end of the bay", American Goldfinches were (are) only known to breed in the city of Napa and points south towards bay. However, AMGOs are common winter and post-breeding visitors throughout Napa Valley north to Calistoga. Interesting that AMGOs appear to nest primarily on "coastal plain" in "coastal" counties in central and northern CA. AMGOs are common breeders in Modoc and other inland counties though. John Sterling Wildlife Biologist http://www.si.edu/smbc/start.htm http://www.neotropicalbirdclub.org ___________________________________ ________________V__________________ Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center National Zoological Park Washington, DC 20008 202-673-4908 FAX 202-673-4916 [[email protected]] ----- Original Message ----- From: Alvaro Jaramillo <[[email protected]]> To: <[[email protected]]> Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 12:44 PM Subject: [SBB] GOLDFINCHES > Birders: > > Just quickly looked at the banding data from CCRS for American Goldfinch. > On lower Coyote Creek this species can be found in any month of the year, > but it is very rare in December and January. Numbers increase in February > and March, peaking in April and coming down in May and June. We have banded > 200 individuals in June, and just over 600 in April. The numbers rise again > in July and peak in August (nearly 700), decreasing in September and then > plumetting to low levels in October and November. Note that this is a rough > count based on netted birds and NOT standardized for how many hours we had > nets open on different months. HOwever, I trust that he general pattern > would remain the same if they were standardized. > > The Lesser Goldfinch shows an entirely different pattern, they are > basically absent in January and February, with a tiny number in March and > April. Then numbers begin to increase in May, June and July (with July > being slightly lower than June). There is a larger increase in August and a > peak in September, from there numbers decrease to very low amounts by > December. Also, Lesser Goldfinches are vastly outnumbered by Americans at > CCRS. > > Again, these are totals not monthly means, not standardized for net hours. > But the difference in pattern between these two species is not likely to > change if those improvements are made to the analysis. Its just that > getting it any further would take time, but getting it to this point is > very quick. Also keep in mind that there is a great deal of difference > between years for these species, some years they are abundant and at other > times they are much rarer. This is a good year for American Goldfinch here > on the coast, they seem to be everywhere. More so than usual. > > So even at one site, these two species are doing different things. If > anyone wants an exel chart showing the difference let me know and I can > send attach it. > > These are the numbers: > > MONTH AMGO LEGO > 1 4 8 > 2 50 1 > 3 214 14 > 4 608 12 > 5 308 34 > 6 212 81 > 7 402 73 > 8 669 177 > 9 415 225 > 10 88 79 > 11 61 34 > 12 10 20 > > cheers, > > Al > > > > Alvaro Jaramillo > Wildlife Biologist > San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory > P.O. Box 247 > Alviso, CA 95002 > > [[email protected]] > > Birds of Chile, 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]] > ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 02 10:28:31 1999 Subject: [SBB] Goldfinches Well, I guess I might as well put my oar in the water. I live on the Stanford campus between Page Mill and Stanford Avenue, and we have Lesser Goldfinches all year round. You should see my bills for black thistle seeds for the year. We have had one American Goldfinch in our yard in all the years I have kept a list and feeders. 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 Jun 02 10:57:38 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] American Goldfinches Steve Rottenborn wrote: > Why this species is > distributed as it is in the county is far from clear. Unlike most other seed-eating birds that feed their young insects and other invertebrates, American Goldfinches raise their young on a mostly-seed diet. Back east they are known to breed late in the season for this reason, waiting for seed crops to mature before commencing. I don't know if that's true out here in the mild Bay Area climate, but I wonder if the distribution of favored "young-raising" crops might be a deciding factor in their breeding distribution? Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jun 02 15:46:04 1999 Subject: [SBB] Suburban Miscellany & Black Skimmers I have seen 4 Black Skimmers on the island in Salt Pond # 1 where they once nested on May 28 and 30. Today, Carol Belew and I saw two albinistic America Robins; the first at Alta Mesa Cemetery, had only a few white feathers on its backs and wings. The other, at Bols Park, was about 85-90% white, with normal soft parts and eyes, largely white feathering with some spots of red on the upper breast and spots of dark grey on the back and wings, and the undertail feathers were dark. Also of interest at Bols Park, was a Chestnut-backed Chickadee feeding a begging Brown-headed Cowbird. Does anyone know how frequently cavity nesters such as chickadees are parasitized by cowbirds? And just to chime in on the goldfinch discussion, for two years I have had both species coming for thistle seed all year round, with more AMGO than LEGO. Begging young of both were present in late June and July of last year. As the crow flies, I live in Palo Alto about a mile from the baylands. Phyllis ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 02 19:36:57 1999 Subject: [SBB] Goldfinches Howdy South-bay-birders, I've been reading this goldfinch thread with much interest. Here at the southern end of the Santa Clara Valley the situation is very different from that at CCRS, although the riparian habitat on the valley floor is similar in appearance. Here I've also noticed an increase in Lesser Goldfinches during the summer months, and as at CCRS they are present in lowest numbers in winter. But judging from my observations American Goldfinches seem to be completely absent from the Almaden Valley in summer (someone please let me know if I am wrong about that). Down here Am. Goldfinches are mainly spring visitors, most often found in riparian areas, although I've also sometimes had them down here in winter. They always seem to be outnumbered by Lessers though-- John Mariani [[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 Jun 03 08:39:09 1999 Subject: [SBB] More on American Goldfinches Folks: There are four subspecies of American Goldfinch: the widespread eastern subspecies that is found from Canada to the mid-south, an interior subspecies that is found through the Rocky Mountain states as well as the eastern plains and the Great Basin, a northwest subspecies that is west of the Cascade-Sierra crest in Washington and Oregon, and the California subspecies that is also west of the Cascade-Sierra crest and south to the edge of the deserts (Willow Goldfinch). The eastern subspecies is famed for its late breeding. It waits until the seed capsules of milkweed open and it uses the tassles to line its nest. This occurs normally in July. There is little evidence of delayed breeding in our subspecies based on atlas data. There are a number of records of nest construction in early May and young being fed in June. Grinnell and Miller (1944) suspected that both the northwestern and interior subspecies might occasionally show up in California, but there was no satisfactory specimen evidence. Although there is local movement within the range there is no migration for this species. Interestingly, based on John Sterling's comment, there were no records from Modoc County in Grinnell and Miller and even Small (1994) does not indicate that they breed in the northeastern part of the state. I wonder whether this is a recent invasion or was just overlooked (unlikely) by early investigators. I also wonder what subspecies is involved. I guess we need a California atlas, heh, heh. 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 Jun 03 09:23:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] Re: Cowbirds & cavity nesters Phyllis and all, For what it's worth, our local cavity-nesters recovery program has never yet encountered successful cowbird parasitism of any of the 10 species we've had in our boxes. This observation includes roughly 500 nesting events. Of course, it is limited by the fact that our nestbox entry sizes probably exclude cowbirds unless enlarged by woodpeckers etc. At my apple orchard in Pescadero, where Chestnut-backed Chickadees prefer hollow apple limbs over nestboxes for nesting, I have occasionally seen this species choose sites which would have been accessible to cowbirds. --Garth Harwood ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jun 03 09:41:12 1999 Subject: [SBB] CCRS migrants All: I made a quick check of CCRS this morning hoping the rain might have forced down swifts or some interesting warblers. Almost as soon as I got out of the car I noticed 4 swifts moving east over the trailers. They appeared large, but shorter tailed and broader winged than White-throated. I failed to see any pale markings on them. Unfortunately most of the views were of the birds moving away in poor light, so I couldn't really be sure what they were (although I think Black Swift was a distinct possibility). By the creek, I pished in a couple of Warbling Vireos, a Western Flycatcher, and a Swainson's Thrush. There was a female Rufous/Allan's Hummer just N. of the big Euc. Nick Nick Lethaby Technical Marketing Manager CoWare, Inc. Tel: 408 845 7646 E-mail: [[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 Jun 03 22:58:04 1999 Subject: [SBB] Birds Hi Birders, The Mute Swan should arrive at the Palo Alto duckpond any day now, unless something happened to him. So, keep your expecting eyes open. Arrivals: June2 95, June 3, 96, June 13, 97, May 26, 98 for a brief visit and then again June 13, 98 to stay until Sept. 2, 98. Other news from the Palo Alto Baylands: The American Ravens have added 5 joung Ravens to the world. They left the nest ca. 2 weeks ago. Mama has built a new nest diagonally across from the first nest and is either laying eggs or breeding, while father raven is hunting for food to feed the family. At the home front in my Cupertino Garden Oak Titmice that, as I reported earlier, moved from a nesting box to a hole in the English Wallnut Tree had one fledgeling Oak Titmouse, n o t a Cowbird as I had feared. Dirk Thiele _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jun 04 12:16:34 1999 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero (and North Dakota) I've been out of the area for over a month while all the spring activity was going on. I'd been planning to join in the Breeding Bird Count tomorrow, but a family obligation has prevented that. So I did a quick walk around ARastradero this morning to catch up on things, and for what it may be worth to tomorrow's counters, I found (mostly heard only as I was moving along fast) 5 LAZULI BUNTINGS, 2 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, 2 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, 1 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, 1 HOUSE WREN, 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 1 WARBLING VIREO, and 1 HUTTON'S VIREO. Over the last weekend I took a birding trip to North Dakota with fellow SBB-er Mike Wald and another friend. I've posted a trip report to birdchat, and would be happy to send it along to any SBB subscribers who won't see it there. -- Tom Grey Stanford CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jun 04 13:51:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] Some birds All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I saw a near breeding plumage female Red-necked Phalarope at Calabazas Ponds. (Time is running out there for several large fish as the biggest pond is drying up fast and the fish (carp?) are already half out of the water.) The ad male Redhead is still in the CCRS waterbird pond. A male Hairy Woodpecker and a closely associating female woodpecker were in the CCRS riparian corridor. We got good looks at a male Downy Woodpecker nearby. We also saw a Pacific-slope Flycatcher and had a calling Warbling Vireo. A pair of Bullock's Orioles were in the Eucalyptus tree near the trailers. Really slow otherwise even if you count the "Unmentionables". Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:52 PM, 6/4/99 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 06 13:08:55 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Indigo Bunting at Monte Bello OSP Michael, Indigo Bunting is a rarity around here, so this is a good record. However, there have been a few summer records in Santa Clara County (and more from other counties in the area). A bird that was either an Indigo Bunting or an Indigo/Lazuli hybrid bred in eastern Santa Clara County with a female Lazuli Bunting, and similar pairings have been recorded on a few occasions in Alameda County. I think that a pure pair of Indigos bred in San Mateo County a few years ago. There have also been some presumed hybrids that have oversummered, and any "Indigo" Bunting should be observed carefully for any signs of hybrid origin. Granted, some characters that would be expected on a hybrid (e.g., white on the belly) could be found on a pure Indigo as well, but it would be interesting to know what percentage of Northern California's "Indigo" buntings at least show characters that could be the result of hybridization. Did you see this bird well enough to determine whether the upperwings were entirely blue and black, or was there any brown in the wings or white wing bars? Also, was the belly entirely blue, or was there any white, brown, or orange there? Cheers, Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 06 13:17:41 1999 Subject: [SBB] Grasshopper Sparrow and Lawrence's Goldfinch All, During todays SCVAS field trip to Russian Ridge OSP we got good looks at a couple of GRSP, 3-4 LAGO and many Lazuli Bunting all within 1/3 of a mile of easy walking from Skyline Blvd (Hwy 35). Take the trail that starts near the parking lookout that is about 1 mile northwest of the Russian Ridge OSP parking lot. Go across Skyline and down the trail into San Mateo county. There wasn't much down in the trees but who cares. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:16 PM, 6/6/99 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 06 14:02:58 1999 Subject: [SBB] Summer Bird Count All: On 4 June, I found a COOPER'S HAWK nest (an adult either incubating or brooding small young) at the eastern Agnews campus. On 5 June, I participated in the Palo Alto Summer Bird Count, covering the bayside area in Palo Alto and Mountain View bounded by Highway 101, San Francisquito Creek, and Permanente Creek. Probably the highlight was a BRANT at the Palo Alto duck pond. I did not see this bird during my first two visits to the pond, but it was there at 15:00. The bird appeared to have some yellow line or netting around its neck, and after swimming around the pond for a while it drifted close to the edge. However, when I approached it, the Brant flew strongly around the pond before setting down again, so at least it flew well. Incidentally, I could not find it when I revisited the area at about 17:30. Also quite unusual was a basic-plumaged COMMON LOON that was present on Shoreline Lake all day. Good numbers of gulls were moving through the Baylands area throughout the afternoon, roosting for a while on the exposed flats of the yacht harbor or bathing in the duck pond before heading off to the NW. Several checks of these groups produced single first-year THAYER'S and HERRING GULLS, both of which are rare in the county in summer. Searching through hundreds of FORSTER'S TERNS (many of which had a dark "wedge" in the primaries like a Common Tern) at the mouth of San Francisquito Creek eventually produced a good adult COMMON TERN, seen only in San Mateo County. Interesting passerines for this part of the count circle included a singing male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH near the Palo Alto WPCP, singing male YELLOW WARBLER and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE along lower Matadero Creek, single PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS at the Palo Alto WPCP and along San Francisquito Creek at the end of Geng Road, and a SWAINSON'S THRUSH along S.F. Creek near the Palo Alto golf course. Other birds seen included 27 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS in the northwest corner of pond A1 (where there were also about 50 nesting pairs of CALIFORNIA GULLS), 14 BROWN PELICANS over the bay, the male WOOD DUCK at the Palo Alto duck pond, 3 CANVASBACKS (an injured female at the duck pond and two males in Charleston Slough), a female BLUE-WINGED TEAL in the north pond of the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin, one GREATER SCAUP and 3 SURF SCOTERS on Shoreline Lake, 34 LESSER SCAUP and 1 female COMMON GOLDENEYE in Charleston Slough, an imm. COOPER'S HAWK at the Palo Alto golf course, and one BLACK SKIMMER was on the island in the SE corner of pond A1. Five GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 4 LONG-BILLED and 42 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS (plus 60 unidentified dowitchers), and 14 WESTERN SANDPIPERS were in the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin (including Adobe Creek). Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 06 15:30:48 1999 Subject: [SBB] Indigo Bunting at Monte Bello OSP All, While on an early afternoon hike today at Monte Bello OSP, an unexpected male Indigo Bunting along the Indian Creek Trail just below the backpacker camp on the steep brushy slope. The bird was on an exposed perch on a bush far below the trail. This was the same area where two weeks ago Mark Miller's group saw the California Thrasher on the large rocks at the bend in the trail. As I am new to this area from SoCal, would anyone care to educate me on the likelihood of seeing this bird and its' status in the area? I am quite sure of the ID, but surprised to see it here. Comments? Also seen above the open slope just southwest of the backpacker camp, a pair of White-throated Swifts in courtship display, including vocalisations and tumbling in tandem. Others: Lazuli Bunting, Western Bluebird, Western Meadowlark all seen and heard within 0.5 mile of the camp. Good Birding Michael Wienholt ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jun 06 16:09:46 1999 Subject: [SBB] PABBC Saturday morning on Russian Ridge we counted 13 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and 21 LAZULI BUNTINGS in a loop from the vista point overlook north to Hawk View Trail and south to the Alpine Road parking lot. Between this area and Langley Hill Road we tallied 42 species, about average for this area of the count. One McGILLVRAY'S WARBLER was pished up in the expected area along the road above the Yerba Buena Nursery (by the tree with the white marker on it). As much fun as bird counts and bird walks are, 10 minutes of watching the backyard feeders can sometimes be just as exciting. Last week I watched as one lingering pine siskin fought to maintain a perch at the thistle feeder among the lesser goldfinches. A LEGO actually lit on the back of the siskin, but when the siskin pecked the goldfinch on the head, they seemed to call a truce. I then saw a female black-headed grosbeak, the first one in my yard in 19 years, on the ground under the sunflower feeder. It flew off, and moments later I saw another yard "first", a Swainson's thrush. After a few seconds, it too flew away. To top off the excitement, I saw another "first" when a mourning dove landed on the thistle feeder. Jack Cole ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 07 08:27:12 1999 Subject: [SBB] Common Loon Folks: On my bike commute home on Friday evening, 6/4/1999, I was surprised to see a basic COMMON LOON grounded on the Moffett Field perimeter road. The bird appeared alert. I called security later and they checked the location and the bird was gone. It seems likely that this is the same bird Steve found on Shoreline Lake on Saturday. 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 Jun 07 09:29:34 1999 Subject: [SBB] RE: Grasshopper Sparrow and Lawrence's Goldfinch REPLY RE: Grasshopper Sparrow and Lawrence's Goldfinch = For those who need to be accurate about their county lists, Russian = Ridge is almost entirely in San Mateo County. There is only a very = small, narrow wedge along Skline Blvd. about 1/3-mile NW of the = Page Mill-Skyline junction that's in Santa Clara County. Les RREILING2 wrote: >All, > >During todays SCVAS field trip to Russian Ridge OSP we got good looks at = a = >couple of GRSP, 3-4 LAGO and many Lazuli Bunting all within 1/3 of a mile = of = >easy walking from Skyline Blvd (Hwy 35). Take the trail that starts near = the = >parking lookout that is about 1 mile northwest of the Russian Ridge OSP = >parking lot. Go across Skyline and down the trail into San Mateo county. = = >There wasn't much down in the trees but who cares. > >Take care, >Bob Reiling, 1:16 PM, 6/6/99 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 07 10:26:58 1999 Subject: [SBB] Oak Meadow to Vasona Lake We checked out Oak Meadow Park through to Vasona late yesterday afternoon. Despite the large number of people who still remained in the park, we got a great look at a BEWICK'S WREN preening in the trees by the creek. There were lots of NUTTALL'S WOODPECKERS in both areas. The BLACK PHOEBE's nest behind the snack shack is still full with nestlings. We also spotted two GREEN HERONS in the creek. BULLOCKS ORIOLES are still present in the trees across from the boat docking area. We also two STELLERS JAYS, in addition to the regular Scrub Jays. We didn't see any Cedar Waxwings that were present in very large flocks there just two weeks ago. There are two other interesting things along the creek. A very busy beehive has been built in the cavity in a tree just past the train footbridge. (Cross the bridge from Oak Meadow and turn left. Follow the bees.) There is also dead tree on that same trail with the signature of the ACORN WOODPECKER with three holes drilled in a row. I understand the lowest hole is meant to be a decoy, the second to store food, and the top third one for nesting. Pat Curtis ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 07 10:40:02 1999 Subject: [SBB] Monte Bello and Skyline OSPs, etc. On the Palo Alto Summer Bird Count on Saturday, my group had a great time in the field. We spent the better part of 12.5 hours covering Monte Bello and Skyline Ridge OSPs. Our most surprising total was 50 LAZULI BUNTINGS. We were careful to not double count birds. This was our highest species total with 44 LESSER GOLDFINCHES coming in second. Other highlights were: 10 BLACK SWIFTS and 3 VAUX'S SWIFTS over Monte Bello Ridge; a pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS building a nest near the campground; WHITE-TAILED KITES at a nest near the MBOSP parking lot; 2 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS; 3 WESTERN TANAGERS; 5 CHIPPING SPARROWS total for both OSPs. Interesting comparisons and sightings: WOODPECKERS: 13 ACORN, 3 NORTHERN FLICKERS; no Hairy, Downy or Nuttall's (nor any flyby Pileated) FLYCATCHERS: ASH-THROATED outnumbered PACIFIC-SLOPE 12:6 (we were in chaparral more often than riparian habitat); no Western Wood-Pewees or Olive-sided WRENS: 3 BEWICK'S; no other wrens VIREOS: 10 each of HUTTON'S and WARBLING, no CASSIN'S WARBLERS: ORANGE-CROWNED - 14, BLACK-THROATED GRAY - 10, YELLOW - 1 Carpodocus FINCHES: PURPLE - 17, HOUSE - 10 Other nesting evidence or possibilities: COMMON RAVEN CF at MBOSP; WESTERN BLUEBIRDS a pair ON at Alpine Pond (SMCounty), CF at Black Mtn. campground; EUROPEAN STARLINGS CF at MBOSP; a pair of LAZULI BUNTINGS were visiting a coyote bush near the Canyon-Bella Vista Trail junction (but not seen carrying nest mat's or food), and several pairs of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were at Horseshoe Lake and Alpine Pond (both SMCounty) with males defending territories and mates. We found no Grasshopper Sparrows (surprising, since they were found nearby at Russian Ridge), Black-chinned Sparrows, Brown-headed Cowbirds, nor Lawrence's Goldfinches. We didn't see the Indigo bunting reported near the Black Mtn. campground. We found no blackbirds at the Monte Bello sag pond. Our route covered the Canyon Trail from Page Mill Rd. to the Bella Vista Trail, then the Bella Vista Trail to the Black Mtn. campground, the Indian Creek Trail down to the Canyon Trail, the Stevens Creek Nature Trail back to the parking area. At Skyline Ridge OSP, we went to Horseshoe Lake, then on the Ridge Trail back to Alpine Pond, cutting across the top of the ridge past the ranger station. On Sunday, near the Skyline/Russian Ridge OSP parking lot, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER sang from the stand of trees on the north side of the Page Mill/Skyline intersection; this finger of land between the two roads is part of Coal Creek OSP and a small part of it is in SM County. Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[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 Jun 07 10:45:56 1999 Subject: [SBB] Non-birds on PS SBC I forgot to mention that we saw some nice non-bird sp. too: 1 Whiptail lizard sp. on Indian Creek Trail Along the Stevens Creek Nature Trail- 2 San Francisco Garter Snakes 2 Alligator lizards mating And, of course, many Western Fence Lizards doing push-ups, and numerous California Newts in the creek. Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[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 Jun 07 10:47:36 1999 Subject: [SBB] RE: Monte Bello and Skyline OSPs, etc. REPLY RE: Monte Bello and Skyline OSPs, etc. I should have noted that in my PA SBC group were Harriet Gerson, = Edward and Janice Rooks, and Lisa Myers. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 07 12:03:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] Sunday At Ed Levin Park This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. --Boundary_(ID_zpBBIeRQBJgbRHjyTljpag) Content-type: text/plain Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hello everyone: My wife and I went to Ed Levin Park late Sunday (6/6) afternoon. Even before we got to the kiosk 2 mother TURKEYS were escorting 15 chicks across the road, maybe a week old. The gobbler walked behind us while we stopped the car. We then hoofed it up to the sycamore grove above Sandy Wool Lake where we had 3 broods of NORTHERN ORIOLE and 2 broods of HOUSE WREN, all fledged, being fed by parents. Lots of fledgling LESSER GOLDFINCHES here. A male BLUE GROSBEAK made a brief appearance (30 seconds) around 6:45 PM, sang a couple of times and flew off. I heard a couple more phrases around 8:00 pm up the hill but it was too dark to chase it. CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, HOUSE FINCH, SONG SPARROW, one male LAZULI BUNTING and a WESTERN KINGBIRD incubating eggs rounded out the list. Steve Miller --Boundary_(ID_zpBBIeRQBJgbRHjyTljpag) Content-type: application/ms-tnef Content-transfer-encoding: BASE64 Comments: Conversion error: (No formatted text for errno = 0) eJ8+IhwTAQaQCAAEAAAAAAABAAEAAQeQBgAIAAAA5AQAAAAAAADoAAEIgAcAGAAA AElQTS5NaWNyb3NvZnQgTWFpbC5Ob3RlADEIAQWAAwAOAAAAzwcGAAcADAADAAsA AQD+AAEggAMADgAAAM8HBgAHAAwAAwAaAAEADQEBCYABACEAAAA0QUNEMEQ0MjAz MUREMzExQjg3MDAwQTBDOTk5MkY5MwALBwEEgAEAGAAAAFN1bmRheSBBdCBFZCBM ZXZpbiBQYXJrAN4HAQ2ABAACAAAAAgACAAEDkAYAYAoAABwAAABAADkAYBM7Yxix vgEeAHAAAQAAABgAAABTdW5kYXkgQXQgRWQgTGV2aW4gUGFyawACAXEAAQAAABYA AAABvrEY+DVCDc1NHQMR07hwAKDJmS+TAAAeADFAAQAAAAkAAABTRU1JTExFUgAA AAADABpAAAAAAB4AMEABAAAACQAAAFNFTUlMTEVSAAAAAAMAGUAAAAAAAgEJEAEA AACYBwAAlAcAAEcQAABMWkZ1/4Tk0gMACgByY3BnMTI1cjIMYGMxAzABBwtgbpEO EDAzMw8WZmUPkk8B9wKkA2MCAGNoCsBzhGV0AtFwcnEyAACSKgqhbm8SUCAwAdCF AdA2D6AwNTA0FCGzAdAUEDR9B20S8mYHQPsFQAdtfQKDAFAD1BH/Ewv+YhPhFFAT shqEFNAHExXnsEhlbHYYsA3gYRdkYxQwEY4yMzgY5BZuIOxDRRXvFvs1F8EdXRRA +x5vH3V5CLEgHyEqD8ARnVwxNhfBI08DgkcJ0Wt/JM8hDCMRJu4OUCgPA3NUlwhw Kb8hDDUrvzg2LO/9H3RCLtEN4C6PIQwxoRf87x44BxMfyhwuNzWPIwc3JfskqRwu ORfeJ8g3JClsHC3/E/A9HyzHNyQuWj/+F88xiF83JDMtHCoCkQjmOwlvMPVJP2UO MDVKakuBSz9MSf9KVExySt9Or05tTe9MH0pv+RBgMjhUOlVRVQ9WGUpUf1ZCVK9Y f1g9V79V71m0OT8OUF0EXmFWg15gAoJzdNR5bAeQaAngdAAAA/AwZGN0bAqxAGBk auZ1X9AFEGdoBUJEwgwBDmMJwGCgAzBzbmV4XxjAB7AFsADAAnNzAFBzrGIyFFBf wGFA4WsJ4H5wC5BgmAhgYNALgBwwZf0cUGwBQGE7DDBiBB5QZOCbBKALgGdWUWKG YmEYoH5kAiBjQGLmYDBhMGhxIP4xX5MOUGQ/ZU9mUwBRZtz/AKBiDmlfamZfhA/A a29sf79mUw5QZs9vL3A/apMzAoL9ExBjZAB3AWEwapAccBxQpCBEARBhdTPhUArA gmEJwGFwaCBGAiHTY8QwcWktD5A4AUBmEOt7k2CYYgsgcglQfPIYMNl88nc0U6EY kHAB0HjSf2Ffdf93BnswefAFEAIwLSt6kANhOjQAb4JQU3UUYmoFkHSCUERhdPxl OmPEMaF7f3yPfZ9+rP9gIGqDDiF3AWeWDlCAD4Ee/lJmYRiRO/F+sASQY8Q5Mf+E L4U/hk9l34ePD4GSkAjQ8mIKsHQ4dVoPVHIwiZ/PiqaTIIuwC1B5L3qghpD7CxGM JXNjxB5RjS+OP49P/36vf7+VT5ZZgnKCFINJPQB3YJ+btJLTOZv/nQ+iQET4b2N1 B4ACMAXQemBIYbmgcm93oLCZsQGAboLQfwBgCfB5AKSgAgFjgIgyZZcA8KSgX+Bw TOBcdgiQ9HdrC4BkIxCoQgTwB0B/EGEBQA4AmYJqYqmlAhBv7wVCGLES8oNgbQtR g2AfwKg6XFyBoG96QW16kDcDEAeQrFBNDeADYHNvuQGAIE8BIA3gp5BcrgbWRQDA AxAudtB0pXAYoLegsGLBkJJ4AUCmoW5gMPdJUK+keZRjAyAS8wCABZD/HEBtwXLw DnBjgLIyAZAAIP+ywqiRpOEBwbIxGHAPcAAA53LwDNABkCAuSHKyKA5Q/7LiM+Bh ELNftG+1fw/AcvBvBYG3H7gvuT9sIxBy8Gz3tt+7n7ylKbWsMHC6f79f8byUYiAo ApHAf7JzMaD/vi/C78P/xQ+yoDkwxlKzL//Hv8jPtaweUMZfy9/M783//7KgPQDK 39Bv0X/ShAr5AzC3oI+bv2KxexwhCQAgi8IeeQIgg3AKhQqFTXkg2wPwEFAgAHBi wEnccKTi6nTawEViwEyQ4NfhegFcayCr44KwprBh3GAo8DYvNincwAGABJGq0Lhu LiDdoBxQA6BiARBnBbATgN0wIGeq4d2BdP1gMCCogBNg3nAyAARg4dGBBcBUVVJL RVkF8P/dMOEBB5AFoRxwarKBgBhg/Q3gawQgANCtkQQg4dIDYP3YwCzigN8g4MDc wN0hKZBqIAbwZOBBVOHh4WBi9wJg4tGWsGxywGLA4MDksH/c4djw3HDksGAA4SJf 0G9ecKgAYsDh0hyQcuBBV/cTgOHRA6BoqtAQUGLAeSDl6OBw4ZZzeRyQBGDhAb0J wG95UQGg7UIGEWTcYOZXqtADIExhcsDpEeOS/+ExiEF4EOCwA2AEcAQgrcABB7BP UlRIRVJOwa3wUklPTEXcwzIAIe/YSE9VU/FQV1J8RU7mAAdAAyAPQAmAZ98JgOYA 4MBqouuCYtxgCrHtpOFz4EACkEyq4PAj83PXkJFqwPFAU/KgUilQ8TDgREZJTkPw sAXwsNIb4EECkEHmEelRQkxVAfFQR1JPU0JFQf5L5hEBAOZxmYAIkPBQemD7qAB6 EW6uQNHwFBDpoAWRHaawc9+RA2De8SA2OvuakHnwTeYAcnBqsbzwBaD/6/DpUfBB HHAHgtzS83EH4P2twGbgQd0QamGW0f1X7NOfenB6IBig5PH8FDg6kpC/9MCs0Ovy 4eHpMfNQYpBw7+uylrDlYarQIN8Q3mHdgQ8YYRNxeSDgQUNBTEkSRvCATkn4YFRP Vz3wsEXmAPJ091PmAFNPRE5HgqBQQVL5MFeH5gDbMfh0TEFaVQUw8TMQVU5U92AH QNzSvPAqV/awVPDCSwkxQkl8UkTrsPrwgsCDUGqiZfxnZ+Tw/BPoUZBh4cOQkD1f 0C7bfNdE2A/ZFXtTP4NgeVGtYNqgaEANpn0AARFgAwDxPwkEAAADAP0/5AQAAAMA JgAAAAAAAwA2AAAAAAACAUcAAQAAADcAAABjPVVTO2E9QVRUTUFJTDtwPUxNQ087 bD1FTVNTMDFNMTYtOTkwNjA3MTkwMzExWi0xNDcwNjcAAB4AOEABAAAACQAAAFNF TUlMTEVSAAAAAB4AOUABAAAACQAAAFNFTUlMTEVSAAAAAEAABzB4pDdjGLG+AUAA CDCAARVsGLG+AR4APQABAAAAAQAAAAAAAAAeAB0OAQAAABgAAABTdW5kYXkgQXQg RWQgTGV2aW4gUGFyawAeADUQAQAAAEIAAAA8ODAwMkZDOTc1NTI5RDIxMUEzQUUw MDAwRjhCREM0NjMwMUI5NjM0NUBlbXNzMDFtMTYuZW1zLmxtY28uY29tPgAAAAsA KQAAAAAACwAjAAAAAAADAAYQl8yz1AMABxCGAgAAAwAQEAAAAAADABEQAAAAAB4A CBABAAAAZQAAAEhFTExPRVZFUllPTkU6TVlXSUZFQU5ESVdFTlRUT0VETEVWSU5Q QVJLTEFURVNVTkRBWSg2LzYpQUZURVJOT09ORVZFTkJFRk9SRVdFR09UVE9USEVL SU9TSzJNT1RIRVJUVVIAAAAAAgF/AAEAAABCAAAAPDgwMDJGQzk3NTUyOUQyMTFB M0FFMDAwMEY4QkRDNDYzMDFCOTYzNDVAZW1zczAxbTE2LmVtcy5sbWNvLmNvbT4A AACrxg== --Boundary_(ID_zpBBIeRQBJgbRHjyTljpag)-- ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 07 12:39:28 1999 Subject: [SBB] Lawrences Goldfinch, Lazuli Bunting, Grasshpper Sparrows Hi All, Saturday, Merry Haveman and I made a brief stop at Windy Hill OSP for the Summer Bird Count after completing our area at La Honda Creek OSP. Between the entrance gate (WH01) and the Cypress Grove, we had 17 singing Grasshopper Sparrows. We had one singing House Wren at the Cypress Grove where they have nested previously and one Lawrences Goldfinch singing from the top of a Cypress. We found 11 male Lazuli Buntings between La Honda Creek OSP and Windy Hill OSP. Our only warblers were 9 Orange Crowned and 12 Wilsons, all seen at La Honda Creek. La HOnda Creek was fogged in for most of the morning and very quiet. Good birding, Barbara Costa ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 07 16:51:10 1999 Subject: [SBB] PA SBC (Moffett Field area) On the Palo Alto Summer Bird Count on Saturday 5 June 1999, I covered Moffett Field, Mountain View Shoreline Park east of Permanente Creek, the Lockheed campus in Sunnyvale, and the adjacent salt ponds to the north. The count was mostly uneventful, but here are a few birds of interest: In the morning, as the tide pulled out, there were large numbers of MARBLED GODWITS (300+) and AVOCETS at mud's edge in the bay and in the Stevens Creek Mitigation Area, as well as 6 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS scattered about. There was a lone WHIMBREL in Steven's Creek near the bay. In Salt Pond B1 across from Stevens Creek was a female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. There were 18 WHITE PELICANS in the northeast corner of Salt Pond B1 and 11 BROWN PELICANS working the area around mouth of the Guadalupe River. I counted 16 BURROWING OWLS in all, 2 at Shoreline Park, 2 at Lockheed, and the rest on Moffett Field; except for 3 small juveniles (at a nest site near the Moffett Golf Course), all were adults. A lone LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was along the Moffett Field runway. The RED-TAILED HAWKS nesting on the big wind tunnel at NASA/Ames turned out 3 fledglings this year! A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was hunting in front of NASA/Ames around the Moffett exit off Hwy 101. A late pass along the levees turned up an EARED GREBE (in alternate plumage), a WESTERN GREBE, and a CLARK'S GREBE on Salt Pond A3W. On the islands in Salt Pond B2, north of the Moffett Field runway, there was lots of nesting activity by FORSTER'S TERNS (60+ sitting), AVOCETS, and CALIFORNIA GULLS (7 fuzzy PYs seen). No black skimmers were spotted here. DOUBLE-BREASTED CORMORANTS had 4 occupied nests in the northwest corner of Salt Pond A2W. William Cabot, (650) 964-3834, [[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 Jun 07 20:30:02 1999 Subject: [SBB] A few recent birds Howdy South-bay-birders, Here are a few recent sightings: on Friday I saw an adult GOLDEN EAGLE being chased by crows above the PW Supermarket on Almaden Expressway. Yesterday (Sun.) I did a walk from Harry Road up into the Santa Teresa Hills. At the beginning of the Stile Ranch Trail there was a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE--first one I've seen around here in a long time (over a year). There were plenty of RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS, and I saw one carrying food a short distance up the trail. John Mariani [[email protected]]. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 08 09:48:28 1999 Subject: [SBB] Pileated search On Sunday, I walked from Skyline to Table Mountain and back. I did not see a Pileated Woodpecker, but I heard one, and probably quite close. Along the east side of the loop on Table Mt., I heard extremely loud slow drumming (about 10 taps in three seconds), repeated 3-4 times over a minute. So far as I know no other local Woodpecker has such a slow steady drum. Is that correct? Un- fortunately, my view was blocked by a madrone grove. About a minute before the drumming I had heard a rapid call which I thought was probably Pileated from the same place. This was late morning. (I had also earlier heard one call in flight - that time single spaced notes.) I found nothing unexpected on the walk, but there was a nice variety of local breeders. 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]] Tue Jun 08 10:01:01 1999 Subject: [SBB] RE: Pileated search REPLY RE: Pileated search Al, I got a report from a person in my birding class who went down to Table = Mtn. to look for the Pileated Woodpecker on Sunday, 6/6/99, as well. She = reported having prolonged, distant views of it three times and thinks that = her group saw a male and a female; however, she wasn't certain of the = sexing. She didn't comment on whether they heard it on Sunday, but did = hear it a lot on 5/29/99. Les Chibana ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 08 10:33:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] 6/5 Summer Bird Count summary All, Thanks to the 60 or so of you who took part, the 1999 Palo Alto Summer Bird Count went off very well, with a preliminary total of 150 species (a few groups are as yet unheard-from). I don't have comparative figures for past years here at home but I believe this to be on the high side for the summer count. Lingering waterfowl and shorebirds found by the few but dedicated baylands counters did much to elevate the total. Unusual species added to the traditional checklist at the countdown included RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, BLACK SKIMMER, COMMON TERN, BRANT, HERRING GULL, THAYER'S GULL, COMMON LOON, HERMIT THRUSH, LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, PEREGRINE FALCON, and WILD TURKEY. The Hermit Thrush and the only reported HERMIT WARBLER were both found by Gloria Heller at Wunderlich Park. Several of these species, such as Wild Turkey, may be added to the main list this year as they have become more dependable since the last revision of the list. Please note that today (6/8/99) until midnight is the final day of the "Count Week", so birds that were missed altogether on count day, but which are encountered within the count circle, can be added to the species total as "CW" birds. (See list of significant misses below. Some of these should be fairly easy to pick up.) We've not had time to go through the forms with any thoroughness so far, but a few patterns emerged from those present at the countdown: --LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES are well-distributed in the count area this year. Sightings were reported from Arastradero Preserve, and from several points along Skyline Blvd. --LAZULI BUNTINGS and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were abundant, with a high count of 50 LABU at Monte Bello and two different teams reporting 17 GRSP each at sites along Skyline. Significant misses: Osprey Golden Eagle Virginia Rail Sora Western Screech-owl Great Horned Owl (!) Northern Pygmy-owl Northern Saw-whet Owl Red-breasted Nuthatch Cedar Waxwing Yellow-rumped Warbler Townsend's Warbler Rufous-crowned Sparrow Black-chinned Sparrow Pine Siskin For at least the second straight year TREE SWALLOW seems to have been missed on the actual count unless the Arastradero Preserve team saw them. They are already accounted for as Count Week birds however, as we have two active nests in boxes at the Preserve. Please report Count Week birds seen from Weds. 6/2 through Tues. 6/8 within the area extending from Mile 11 on Hwy 84 near La Honda to the west side of Dumbarton Bridge and from the southern edge of Edgewood Park south to Rancho San Antonio County Park. My personal highlight (with team members Tim Johnson, Mary Murphy, and Vivek Tiwari) was a female WESTERN TANAGER on the nest at Hidden Villa Ranch - an unusually low nest site for this species. We also had a total of eight BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS between Los Trancos OSP and Foothills Park, which along with the 10 found by Les Chibana's Monte Bello team seems to be a healthy number. It will be a few weeks before we have the grand total of this and other species, though. Thanks again to all who counted birds last Saturday. --Garth Harwood ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 08 15:44:59 1999 Subject: [SBB] Some good county birds All, This morning Frank Vanslager and I hit the "high" spots. At Table Mountain we had a single call from a Pileated Woodpecker located somewhere east of last years nest tree (directly inline with the sun at 9:51 AM). On the northern side of the loop trail we had a silent Red-breasted Nuthatch. Other "mentionables" include two fighting adult male Western Tanagers, lots of Cassin's Vireos and Orange-crowned Warblers, a couple of Hutton's Vireos, many Warbling Vireos, Purple Finches, Black-headed Grosbeaks, several Ash-throated Flycatchers, one Pacific-slope Flycatcher, at least one Olive-sided Flycatcher and near the top we had several Lazuli Buntings and a couple of Black-throated Gray Warblers. A big miss, especially in lieu of our recent sighting at CCRS, was Hairy Woodpecker which has always been seen or heard on our trips to Table Mountain. We then went to the end of the pavement at Loma Prieta. (This was no easy task as they a working on the narrow part of Hwy 35 and we had to back up more than once to let large re-surfacing equipment by). One of the first birds seen when we got there was a singing adult male Black-chinned Sparrow which was on the hill on the Santa Clara side of the road. We then climbed the hill to look for Purple Martins of which there were none :-( only a Red-tailed Hawk perched in their tree. Other mentionables include Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, several Ash-throated Flycatchers (which chased off a smaller, interesting looking flycatcher, probably a Western Wood-Pewee, that was working the bushes on the hillside), Orange-crowned Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, Olive-sided Flycatchers and a flock of six Common Raven. Take care, Bob Reiling, 3:44 PM, 6/8/99 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 09 10:12:09 1999 Subject: [SBB] Cliff Swallow, Owl A new house in my neighborhood needs no address. It is UNaffectionately called "The Monstrosity" by the neighbors. It proves the adage that money does not buy taste. An interesting event is occurring. Cliff Swallows are building mud nests under the eaves of "The Monstrosity". Lots of swallows. I am unaware of this species in my neighborhood before. (too bad its not bats!) The 4 Baby Western Screech Owls have not yet fledged and are continuing to grow! Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos near Quito Your PFO (Personal Financial Officer) 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]] Wed Jun 09 10:47:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] SBC followup All, More developments as count checklists and emails come in: Tree Swallows WERE found by the Arastradero team; my apologies for expressing any doubt of it! Pine Siskins were found by Barbara Costa and Merry Haveman on La Honda Creek OSP. Cedar Waxwings were reported by Dick Stovel as a count week bird, seen on 6/4. With TRSW and PISI, the official count stands at 152 species plus the count week waxwings. Didn't anybody hear a Great Horned Owl last week? --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]] Wed Jun 09 13:10:56 1999 Subject: [SBB] Re: Some good county birds Bob Reiling wrote: > This morning Frank Vanslager and I hit the "high" spots. At Table Mountain > we had a single call from a Pileated Woodpecker located somewhere east of > last years nest tree (directly inline with the sun at 9:51 AM). On the > northern side of the loop trail we had a silent Red-breasted Nuthatch. I forgot to mention that on Sunday (June 6) at Table Mt. I heard but did not see a Red-Breasted Nuthatch. 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 Jun 09 20:25:34 1999 Subject: FW: [SBB] Cliff Swallow, Owl As a subscriber, I read carefully the conditions all users were asked to observe when posting information on this forum. I respectfully ask that this subscriber do the same and confine her contributions to ornithological topics, rather than ungracious editorializing. ---------- From: Gloria <[[email protected]]> To: [[email protected]] Subject: [SBB] Cliff Swallow, Owl Date: Wed, Jun 9, 1999, 10:12 AM A new house in my neighborhood needs no address. It is UNaffectionately called "The Monstrosity" by the neighbors. It proves the adage that money does not buy taste. An interesting event is occurring. Cliff Swallows are building mud nests under the eaves of "The Monstrosity". Lots of swallows. I am unaware of this species in my neighborhood before. (too bad its not bats!) The 4 Baby Western Screech Owls have not yet fledged and are continuing to grow! Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos near Quito Your PFO (Personal Financial Officer) 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]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 09 22:37:25 1999 Subject: [SBB] White Tailed Kite Hi, I saw a Whitetailed Kite carrying whast looked like a Blackbird in it's talons. Location was Palo Alto Nature Interprative Center area. The Mute Swan has not arrived at the Duck Pond. I am getting concerned. California Towhees are making a come-back to my Cupertino yard after having been absent for several years. Last weekend I went to Blackberry Farm and saw a lot of Lesser Goldfinches on the Niger feeders and young Orioles(Hooded?) on the Oriole feeders. Then I took a walk along the creek and heard and saw a Song Sparrow, several California Towhees. I also saw a California Thrasher in a residential area of Los Altos. Dirk Thiele _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.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 Jun 10 11:18:43 1999 Subject: [SBB] West Valley College Saratoga Campus We walked through the West Valley Junior College campus in Saratoga this morning to see what we might find. We got really good looks at a CALIFORNIA THRASHER by the Art Lab. At the same location, you can view an AMERICAN ROBIN sitting on a nest over the outdoor light by the Art Lab as well. We also saw a HUTTON'S VIREO up close. It had landed on a footpath and let us approach. We think it might have been a juvenile just learning to fly. We also saw a number of SPOTTED TOWHEES, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, OAK TITMICE, and COWBIRDS. A number of different woodpeckers were present including the ACORN WOODPECKER and the NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER. We didn't have a lot of time but I'm sure there is more to be found at this site. Pat Curtis ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 10 16:08:33 1999 Subject: [SBB] skimmer Today, at noon, I observed a Black Skimmer on th ' island' in the salt pond behind the Don Edwards Wildlife Environmental Education Center. It was sitting, preening, and otherwise looking generally listless in the hot sun. Was this normal behavior? There was plenty of activity among the FOTE, AMAV (with young) and BNST on the pond. Two burrowing owls were perched on the fence along the railroad tracks near the entrance to the ECC, occasionally flying to the ground on either side of the fence, then back up to the fence. good birding, Karl ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 11 12:24:07 1999 Subject: [SBB] Anderson Lake County Park All, Things were quite slow this morning at Anderson Lake Co. Park. Best birds were an adult male Osprey over the reservoir northwest of the spillway, a Rufous-crowned Sparrow on the dam face and at least four White-throated Swifts southwest of the dam face. There's a short detour on Cochrane Rd. while their re-working on the road. Take care, Bob Reiling, 12:26 PM, 6/11/99 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 11 12:31:29 1999 Subject: [SBB] Countersinging Last week I watched (and heard) a California Thrasher countersinging to an American Robin--the Robin had been singing vigorously for about 5 minutes before. The two bird were only about 50 feet apart, each on the top of a tall tree. The duet only lasted a short time. Obviously the two spp have similar songs, but has anyone ever heard/seen this before? Ruth Troetschler 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]] Fri Jun 11 16:28:48 1999 Subject: [SBB] CORA/VGSW nests All, A few interesting breeding records from the Stanford campus today 6/11/99. A nesting pair of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS was at Tressider Union (side facing the parking lot). These birds were flying in and out of a crack (hard to believe the birds fit into it really) between a big beam and the concrete piling supporting it. They aggresively defended their foraging area against another VGSW, but were less bothered by the BARN and CLIFF SWALLOWS that snuck a pass through there when they were chasing the intruding VGSW. Although not a new breeding species for block 7040, such man-made nest sites are always of interest for this species. Also checked out the Green Library COMMON RAVEN nest (on a light at the left corner of the building as you look from the Quad). I could hear young in the nest and they were being attended by the pair of adults, but they were not visible (without binoculars anyway) and are presumably still quite small. This is a new breeding species for block 7040, although pairs have been observed in the area before (along with overflying birds carrying food). Also several WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS feeding young. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jun 11 16:38:27 1999 Subject: [SBB] HOOR nesting in Eucalyptus In a large eucalyptus tree across the street from my house, there has been a pair of Hooded Orioles nesting. The nest is quite visible from below. The young are quite vocal now when an adult arrives, as I think they will fledge in a couple of days. Curious though, I thought HOOR usually nested in Washitonia palms, several of which are in the neighborhood (one right across the street). I only know of one other record from a Eucalyptus (from Menlo Park). Does anyone know of other records of Hooded Orioles nesting in trees other than Fan Palms? Screech. -- Paul L. Noble [[email protected]] ^ ^ @ @ ( v ) ( ) / \ m m ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jun 11 17:05:20 1999 Subject: [SBB] BBS route 6/8/99 All, Early Tuesday morning 6/8/99 I did my Breeding Bird Survey, a 50-stop, 24.5-mile route crossing the valley from Metcalf Road to Calero, Almaden, and Guadalupe Reservoirs (3-minute counts at each stop). Start time for the first stop is 5:14am - no Common Poorwills or owls this time, although I did have WILD TURKEYS calling at stops 1 and 4. This species seems to be increasing in a variety of locations in the county. In general things were pretty quiet, with fewer singing birds than usual (perhaps because of the slightly later date this year - or maybe the cold wet spring). Despite this I did manage to find small numbers of the more uncommon species along the route including: GRASSHOPPER SPARROW - 1 heard singing at stop 7 west of the United Technologies Plant (also a LARK SPARROW here) and 2 more heard at stop 9 near the motorcycle park at the summit (also a HORNED LARK and a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW here) - a fourth was at stop 11 as noted below. A singing ROCK WREN was at stop 10 just west of the motorcycle park, while further down Metcalf Road at stop 11 I had a singing male LAZULI BUNTING, a fourth GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, and another HORNED LARK. Two more RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS were at stop 12. Down at Parkway Lakes there was a singing YELLOW WARBLER. The entire stretch along Monterey Highway was too noisy for much and thanks to the development in the Almaden Valley, traffic noise was a problem all the way past the IBM plant and Calero Reservoir until stop 34 near New Almaden. In fact, this route may have to be discontinued thanks to the sprawling urban development. West of the IBM plant a RED-TAILED HAWK nest was on a high voltage tower and the GOLDEN EAGLE nest below Calero Reservoir had two large young with the pair of adults on the next tower over. At least six CASPIAN TERNS at Calero Reservoir were of interest and one pair was involved in courtship feeding. New Almaden had the usual OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, a singing YELLOW WARBLER, an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, and a flyover WOOD DUCK. Further up towards Almaden Reservoir was a singing WESTERN TANAGER (probably breeding here). The reservoir itself had 3 female COMMON MERGANSERS, all three VIREOS, and another RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, this one carrying food. Hick's Road had lots of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS (including adults feeding young) and a singing PURPLE FINCH. Stop 48 produced a HAIRY WOODPECKER but failed to provide the usual WILSON'S WARBLER, which was heard singing in transit to stop 49 instead :(. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jun 11 17:14:48 1999 Subject: [SBB] Nesting LAGO and LAZB at Windy Hill This morning at Windy Hill I found a Lawrence's Goldfinch nest with the female presumably incubating. Also saw one pair of Lazuli Buntings with the female carrying nesting material. Several other LAZB's were singing without females in evidence. --------------------------------------------------------- Peter LaTourrette Bird photos: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society: http://www.scvas.org/ Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/ Peninsula Open Space Trust: http://www.openspacetrust.org/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 11 17:30:21 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On a walk today, 11 Jun 99, along Coyote Creek south of Hellyer I had some interesting breeding activity. An AMERICAN ROBIN was sitting on a nest that was situated on top of some pipes just outside the back door at work. A pair of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS was bringing food to a cavity that was used as a nest site last year by Nutall's Woodpeckers. BELTED KINGFISHERS are again carrying food to a location where they had nested last year. There are a couple of likely-looking nest burrows here, but I don't know which one they are using. 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 Jun 11 17:56:51 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] HOOR nesting in Eucalyptus I've seen Hooded Orioles nesting in a sycamore tree some years ago. Interestingly, they always seem to use the palm frond fringe to build their nest, regardless of what tree it's in. Mike Mammoser "Paul L. Noble" wrote: > In a large eucalyptus tree across the street from my house, there has > been a pair of Hooded Orioles nesting. > Curious though, I thought HOOR usually nested in Washitonia palms, > several of which are in the neighborhood (one right across the street). > I only know of one other record from a Eucalyptus (from Menlo Park). > Does anyone know of other records of Hooded Orioles nesting in trees > other than Fan Palms? > ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 11 22:06:37 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] CORA/VGSW nests At 04:28 PM 6/11/99 -0700, Dr. Michael M. Rogers wrote: > >All, > >A few interesting breeding records from the Stanford campus today >6/11/99. A nesting pair of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS was at Tressider >Union (side facing the parking lot). These birds were flying in and >out of a crack (hard to believe the birds fit into it really) between >a big beam and the concrete piling supporting it. They aggresively >defended their foraging area against another VGSW, but were less >bothered by the BARN and CLIFF SWALLOWS that snuck a pass through >there when they were chasing the intruding VGSW. Although not a new >breeding species for block 7040, such man-made nest sites are always >of interest for this species. > Mike and others: In Vancouver, Canada the Violet-green is the common breeding swallow in town. Over there almost all nests are in cracks and holes in houses. In fact, I don't recall ever seeing one up there nesting in a natural cavity. On a related topic, I had Violet-greens hanging around in my neighbourhood in HMB into late May. My guess is that they were setting up shop and breeding nearby. They breed in the HMB area, but usually a little higher up in the hills. I have not seen them lately, but wondered if Violet-greens may be breeding a little lower down this year due to the cold? cheers, Al Alvaro Jaramillo Wildlife Biologist San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 Alviso, CA 95002 [[email protected]] Birds of Chile, 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]] Fri Jun 11 22:10:04 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] HOOR nesting in Eucalyptus At 04:38 PM 6/11/99 -0700, Paul L. Noble wrote: >In a large eucalyptus tree across the street from my house, there has >been a pair of Hooded Orioles nesting. The nest is quite visible from >below. The young are quite vocal now when an adult arrives, as I think >they will fledge in a couple of days. >Curious though, I thought HOOR usually nested in Washitonia palms, >several of which are in the neighborhood (one right across the street). >I only know of one other record from a Eucalyptus (from Menlo Park). >Does anyone know of other records of Hooded Orioles nesting in trees >other than Fan Palms? In the east of their range, they are not so closely tied to palms. However, here in California they are. Even so there are a good number of records of them nesting away from palms in California, enough to say that they are not obligate palm breeders. I am not sure if the nest construction is always made of palm fibres or not, but my guess is that it is. Does your Eucalyptus nest appear to be made from Washingtonia palm fibres? regards Al Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country" California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert. [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, 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]] Sat Jun 12 11:50:23 1999 Subject: [SBB] PESCADERO and MERCED All, A trip to the Pescadero Area today turned up about approx. 30 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES still in Pescadero Creek. Does anybody know what the latest date for kittiwakes has been in previous years? Present there were also about 20 CASPIAN TERNS, roosting among the many CALIFORNIA GULLS and WESTERN GULLS. In the narrow waterway near the large shallow pool just north of the creek on HWY 1 there was a female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER with 8 young. At Phipp's Ranch there were no real surprises but many YELLOW WARBLERS, a few ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS, WARBLING VIREOS, BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, PURPLE FINCHES, etc. The RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS put on a nice show for our group. Good numbers of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flew over the ranch at regular intervals. We tried unsuccessfully to locate the Rose-breasted Grosbeak that was reported in the herb garden area. Has it been seen recently? Yesterday, in Merced NWR (I know this is REALLY pushing the area limits...) there was a pair of BLUE GROSBEAKS, 4-6 CASSIN'S KINGBIRDS (and many more WESTERN KINGBIRDS), ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, LARK SPARROW, and a single female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. The blackbird suprised me because there wasn't a drop of water to be seen in the area. Also I saw 5 SWAINSON'S HAWKS including one beautiful dark morph. Good birding, 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]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jun 12 17:55:43 1999 Subject: [SBB] Willow Flycatcher All, Today during the SCVAS field trip to Anderson Lake County Park we had fairly good looks at a Willow Flycatcher (possibly two) feeding on the north side of Coyote Creek (in James Boys Ranch) just west of the ranger headquarters at the end of Malaguerra Av. Take care, Bob Reiling, 5:59 PM, 6/12/99 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 13 11:28:51 1999 Subject: [SBB] weekend birds At Arastradero Preserve, 3-4 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH are still with the large flock of Lesser Goldfinch a few yards up the right branch of the first trail to the left off Corte Madera Trail after you enter the preserve. Around the big eucalyptus at the top of that hill near the entrance, on the south edge of the preserve, I saw a juvenile GREAT HORNED OWL, fledged (it flew) but with lots of down still on the head - also one of the adults. There is a pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS here. A little further along the south fence in the direction of the lake I saw a HAIRY WOODPECKER hammering on a phone pole. Two GREEN HERONS overflew the lake. The pair of KESTRELS are still using the nest in the bare palm trunk near the parking lot. On the Stanford campus, lots of activity by adult and young HOODED and BULLOCK'S ORIOLES around the meadow at the end of Frenchman's Road. A little way from there at the junction of Gerona and Santa Maria nearly full-grown young RED-TAILED HAWKS are standing out on the branch by their nest, flapping their wings, doing all that "on the verge" stuff. -- Tom Grey Stanford 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]] Sun Jun 13 18:28:22 1999 Subject: [SBB] Monte Bello 6/10: No Indigo, etc. All, While monitoring nestboxes along Monte Bello Ridge on Thursday 6/10/99, I checked the area where an Indigo Bunting was reported on the 6th, but none of the 8 buntings observed in the area of the backpacker's camp or top 1/2 mile of the Indian Creek Trail was anything other than LAZULI BUNTING. Both members of one pair of LABU were carrying food into a sage clump in the afternoon shade of the lone cottonwood at mile 0.3 of the IC trail (the female's offering was a very substantial-looking spider...what a treat.) Otherwise the only birds of note were a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW singing from a fencepost by some of the boxes and a heard-only CHIPPING SPARROW along the White Oak trail (quite a ways from the Ridge, but there's an isolated box there). The eleven established nestboxes at MB contained: Ash-throated Flycatcher: one nest with five eggs Violet-green Swallow: Two nests; one with 4 eggs under incubation, the other under active construction (late?) Western Bluebird: five nests, one emptied by a predator, (probably snake); one each with 5 and 4 young in the 7 to 10-day age range; one with a single, week-old young and 4 unhatched bad-looking eggs; and one with a new hatchling and one healthy-looking unhatched egg. I placed eight new boxes as well. These won't be used except as roosting sites until next year, unless one of those tardy swallows likes the smell of fresh redwood. That's it for birds, but if you're interested in butterflies read on: Exceptionally high butterfly diversity along the ridge included the following 13 species: --CHALCEDON CHECKERSPOT (many, all over) --PROPERTIUS DUSKYWING (near live oaks) --MOURNFUL DUSKYWING (same) --Speyeria sp. FRITILLARY (many, large and showy, on ridgetops among dandelions; this genus notoriously difficult to ID but probably CORONIS or CALLIPPE FRITILLARY) --SARA ORANGETIP along MB road near campground --PALE SWALLOWTAIL around chaparral --CALIFORNIA SISTER along Waterwheel Creek trail --NORTHERN CHECKERSPOT plentiful along Waterwheel trail --ACMON BLUE on soil in trails --SPRING AZURE, a.k.a. "ECHO BLUE", in chaparral at top of WW trail --CALIFORNIA RINGLET everywhere --NORTHERN CLOUDYWING along WW trail near nestboxes under oaks --PURPLISH COPPER at Waterwheel Creek on grassy slopes. It's only fair to mention that I'm new to the butterfly business and despite all possible care there may be an erroneous ID in there somewhere...anyone in a position to compare notes on the duskywings, cloudywing, or coppers? --Garth Harwood ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jun 14 08:46:49 1999 Subject: [SBB] Vasona Herons I checked the Vasona heron rookery again yesterday AM. No adult Great Blues were present. The nest that has had 3 chicks had just one remaining. I assume the other two have flown. In the other nest, there were still two chicks nest-bound. There were 2 adult Black-crowned Night Herons and a chick practicing BCNH poses on roots near the water's edge. One of the adults was in a location that I previously thought might be a nest, but it may instead be just a favorite resting spot. The only visible Snowy Egret nest now has two downy chicks. Other adult SNEG were also visible, but the nests are hidden. Neither adult nor juvenile Green Herons showed up while i was there. George Oetzel Menlo Park, CA (W) [[email protected]] (SFBBO) [[email protected]] San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory http://www.sfbbo.org ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 14 08:56:33 1999 Subject: [SBB] ELEGANT TERN I apologize for this double post... Yesterday, while attempting unsuccessfully to find the Mourning Warbler along Deniston Creek near Princeton, I saw a single ELEGANT TERN flying northeast toward Princeton Harbor. This was my first of the year. Have many others been seen in the area this spring? As well, there was a CASSIN'S VIREO, WESTERN TANAGER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, and COOPER'S HAWK. 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]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jun 14 09:46:09 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Saturday, 12 Jun 99, I went to the EEC in Alviso and found the BLACK SKIMMER still occupying the island in salt pond A18. Also present were 15 alternate-plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPES, a handful of alternate-plumaged EARED GREBES, and 8 BONAPARTE'S GULLS in basic plumage. Over at Crittenden Marsh I had a subadult PEREGRINE FALCON. I say subadult because the bird was streaked below and brownish above, but already had acquired the yellow legs and cere. On Sunday, 13 Jun 99, I attended "New Orleans by the Bay" and found an active COMMON RAVEN nest on one of the towers holding up the Amphitheater tent. Also, BARN SWALLOWS seem to be nesting in every restroom. 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 Jun 14 11:29:28 1999 Subject: [SBB] County Bird List Update Bill Bousman has updated the Santa Clara Co. Bird List as of June 7. The current total is 253. The list is posted on SBBU, along with a summary of the new additions. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 15 10:44:06 1999 Subject: [SBB] Query All: I'm working in Ghana in July. I've frequently been (and birded) in southern Africa, but not West Africa. Suggestions on a field guide, or other sorts of information, contacts? Thanks, John Meyer ************************************************************** John Meyer, Dept. of Soc., Stanford U., Stanford CA 94305 (650)7231868 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 15 11:48:51 1999 Subject: [SBB] Indigo Bunting I found a singing adult male INDIGO BUNTING at 8:00 pm in Long Ridge OSP (San Mateo County) adjacent to Skyline Blvd. about 200-400 yards from the Santa Clara County line. It was singing from a douglas fir and later in a live oak. This area is grassland with doug fir-oak woodland edge and is in the Peters Creek drainage. The song was similar to a Lazuli Bunting in timbre and pitch but was easier to phoneticize. It started with a descending (both in pitch and volume) "TEW, Tew, tew" then "te-wink, te-wink, te-wink". I first heard the bird and thought I would find a LAZB singing a variant song. I was surprised to see the solid blue breast. The blackish lores were easy to see, as was the horn-colored bill. The deep blue plumage was even in tone, darkening at the primaries. There were no brownish feathers visible that might indicate a SY bird. To get to this area, go 3.2 miles north on Skyline Blvd. from Saratoga Gap (where Hwy 9 crosses Skyline), or 3.2 mi. south from Page Mill/Alpine Rd. The Long Ridge OSP parking area, a wide turnout, is on a section of Skyline Blvd. that runs more east-west than north-south. The parking area is on the south side of the road, opposite the Grizzly Flat trailhead. Take the Peters Creek trail from the parking area into Long Ridge to the bottom of the valley, about .3 mi. Take the Ridge trail to the right about 50 yds. to a rail-less, short footbridge. Uphill from this point is a pair of doug firs. The INBU was singing from the trailside of the nearest fir. At one point, it flew south, across the trail to a live oak. For the SCL county listers, it's possible that this bird moves into SCL but it may not be likely, as the grassland stops at Skyline and the "edge" is the road. For others, it's an easy location to reach from Skyline Blvd. If you miss the bird at Windy Hill, you might try here. Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 15 11:56:49 1999 Subject: [SBB] RE: Indigo Bunting REPLY RE: Indigo Bunting Sorry, I neglected to mention when I found this bird. = I saw it yesterday evening, Monday, 6/14/99. Les ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 15 16:43:35 1999 Subject: [SBB] MODO Hello All A second pair of MOURNING DOVE nestlings fledged yesterday from their nest in a hanging fern in our backyard in San Jose. The same parent birds had also fledged 2 earlier nestlings from the same nest and layed the two new eggs 2 days after their first babies fledged!!. Now we'll have to see if they "triple-brood". Alan W. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 16 08:19:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] BLSK Folks: On my bike commute yesterday, 6/15/1999, I saw two of the BLACK SKIMMERS in the afternoon, roosing on a spit in the North Pond of the Palo Alto FCB. 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 Jun 16 11:47:33 1999 Subject: [SBB] White-throated Swift in odd place All, I had a white-throated swift foraging low over Stevens Creek Dodge last night at 8:30pm. near Stevens Creek Blvd and Keily. This is not far from the 280 overpass that they are occasionally seen at but it sure was an odd site. Nick Yatsko ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 17 10:13:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] INBU still present The singing male INDIGO BUNTING was still at Long Ridge OSP off Skyline Blvd. last evening, 6/16/99, at 7:45 - 8:15 pm. As I noted earlier, this is in San Mateo County, about 200 yds. outside of Santa Clara County. It was singing from the top of one of the "twin" doug firs where I found it on Monday evening. I haven't been able to check this area at any other time of day, so I don't know it's cycle. But when I've seen it, it seems to return to the firs after a brief stay somewhere else in the valley. Last night it flew east, toward the junction of the Peters Creek and Ridge Trails. The firs are actually just off the Peters Creek Trail near the bottom, about 100 yds. before junction, where it breaks out of the woodland into a grassy slope. The firs are on the right as you go downhill. Last night, its song was more like the guides note, in paired notes: "TEW, TEW, Teer, Teer, te-wink, te-wink, te-wink, te-wink, tee, tee, wink, wink........spit!" Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[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 Jun 17 10:23:07 1999 Subject: [SBB] PISI Last week, 6/9/99, a single PINE SISKIN was at our thistle feeder. This is along Skyline Blvd. between Page Mill Rd. and Saratoga Gap. Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[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 Jun 17 14:37:57 1999 Subject: [SBB] EEC 6/17/99 All, I had to make a lunchtime delivery to H. T. Harvey & Associates in Alviso today 6/17/99, so I made a quick check of the nearby Environmental Education Center afterwards. On the way in an immature PEREGRINE FALCON was perched on the tower near the bend in the road. This bird was similar to the one described recently by Mike Mammoser, being brown and streaked but with yellow legs, cere, and eyering. Salt Pond A16 had 56 alternate-plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPES (55 females, 1 male), 11 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 4 alternate- plumaged EARED GREBES, and 3 male LESSER SCAUP, but no sign of the Black Skimmer seen there lately. Nearby Mallard Slough had a COMMON MOORHEN, an alternate-plumaged WILLET, and 4 CINNAMON TEAL. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jun 17 14:45:17 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] EEC 6/17/99 In my posting from last weekend I mistakenly called this salt pond A18. My apologies for any confusion. Mike Mammoser "Dr. Michael M. Rogers" wrote: > Salt Pond A16 had 56 alternate-plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPES > (55 females, 1 male), 11 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 4 alternate- > plumaged EARED GREBES, and 3 male LESSER SCAUP, but no sign > of the Black Skimmer seen there lately. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 19 13:28:30 1999 Subject: [SBB] Nome, AK Anyone interested in our trip list from three days in Nome, let me know. Jack Cole _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jun 19 16:51:53 1999 Subject: [SBB] Index for NGS Bird Book An Index for the inside front cover of the new NGS Bird Book is posted on SBBU. South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ I prepared an Index for the inside front cover of the new edition of the NGS Bird Book, and started to post it on SBBU on May 27. Then I found that I had to reorganize things so that it would work on both Netscape and Explorer for both MAC and PC. Then other problems got in the way. Anyway, the index is finally posted with specific directions on how to set the Preferences for your browser and printer to make it work (hopefully) for whatever platform you are on. If the Internet download doesn't work for you (and I can't suggest a solution for you), then you can send a stamped, self-addressed envelope, and I will mail a copy to you. ------- I might add that it is almost too noisy to work in my back yard. All of the fledgling Lesser Goldfinches are crying "Feed Me", and I assume that the parents are saying, "Be quiet, I brought you to this great feeder, so eat already." Happy birding, 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]] Sat Jun 19 17:55:35 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Index for NGS Bird Book On Sat, 19 Jun 1999 16:51:53 -0700, "Kendric C. Smith" <[[email protected]]> wrote: >An Index for the inside front cover of the new NGS Bird Book is posted on SBBU. A similar index is available at http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/NatGeo3.pdf This version may be viewed and printed with the free Adobe Acrobat reader. Also I have updated the South Bay Birders archive to include the May 1999. Past messages may be browsed at http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/southbay.htm Enjoy! -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044: [[email protected]] Fall Birding Classes begin Sept 7: 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]] Sun Jun 20 15:40:01 1999 Subject: [SBB] Barn Owl, Black Skimmers Between 8:30 & 8:45 AM today, I watched a Barn Owl being vigorously harrassed and driven from three successive cypress tree clumps in the grassy area overlooking Shoreline Lake. The beleaguered owl eventually disappeared over the parking lot behind the boathouse with 4 crows, 6 mockingbirds and number of Brewer's Blackbirds in pursuit. Earlier today, there were two Black Skimmers on the island in Salt Pond no. 1 where they nested a couple of years ago. They appeared to be courting: raising their heads in synchrony, calling, and pointing at a spot on the ground (which might be called a scrape if you're optimistic.) The larger of the birds was driving off all the avocets and terns from a 25-30-foot circle surrounding them. After all this promising activity, they went to sleep. Phyllis ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 20 18:40:30 1999 Subject: [SBB] B-L Kittiwake - Here to breed? Hi all, I've just spent most of the day birding along the San Mateo coastline and I'm pretty amazed at the amount of Black-legged Kittiwakes still along the shore. My highest count was 91 at the mouth of Pescadero Creek (just inland from H/W 1). There were also quite a few drifting around Pigeon Point, but more to the point, there were quite a few just sat on the cliff face on the south side of Pigeon Point. By the amount of droppings on the rock, I'd say they had been frequenting this perfect breeding habitat for quite some time. It might be worth spending some time checking suitable breeding cliffs/islands for nesting birds. I'm not sure what the breeding status of this species is in S.California, but I would think it is quite a rare/non-existent breeder. Other birds I had today were 1 BLACK BRANT (very bleached and faded), and a 1s BONAPARTES GULL on Pescadero Marsh. A constant stream of SOOTY SHEARWATERS past Pigeon Point and also a few MARBLED MURRELETS offshore there. I had a quick look for the Yellow-throated Warbler reported yesterday by Ron Thorn at Skylawn Memorial, but dipped! All the best, Graham Etherington UC Berkeley ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 20 23:04:23 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] INBU still present We went to the site at 6:30 pm, and waited near the twin douglas firs. Nothing was seen or heard for 20 minutes. Then at 06:55, when I attempted pss a buzzing Spotted Towhee into view, a bird flew from the bushes behind us to the shrubs near the base of the twin trees. This bird first scolded, then began to sing. There it was in the center of a coyote brush, the male Indigo Bunting. It sang there for 5 minutes. Ruth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At 10:13 AM 6/17/99, Les Chibana wrote: >The singing male INDIGO BUNTING was still at Long Ridge OSP >off Skyline Blvd. last evening, 6/16/99, at 7:45 - 8:15 pm. >As I noted earlier, this is in San Mateo County, about 200 >yds. outside of Santa Clara County. > >It was singing from the top of one of the "twin" doug firs >where I found it on Monday evening. I haven't been able to >check this area at any other time of day, so I don't know >it's cycle. But when I've seen it, it seems to return to >the firs after a brief stay somewhere else in the valley. >Last night it flew east, toward the junction of the Peters >Creek and Ridge Trails. The firs are actually just off the >Peters Creek Trail near the bottom, about 100 yds. before >junction, where it breaks out of the woodland into a grassy >slope. The firs are on the right as you go downhill. > >Last night, its song was more like the guides note, in >paired notes: "TEW, TEW, Teer, Teer, te-wink, te-wink, >te-wink, te-wink, tee, tee, wink, wink........spit!" > >Les > >========================================== >Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[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]] 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 Jun 21 07:23:12 1999 Subject: [SBB] Rockies bird CD Greetings, CAbirders-- We at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology thought you might like advance notice that the latest CD from our Library of Natural Sounds, "Bird Songs of the Rocky Mountain States and Provinces," is now available. The compilation features vocalizations of more than 250 species found in the Rockies, including some really cool call types not found on any other guide, diagnostic rattle calls of longspurs; superb Empidonax vocalizationss; Great Gray Owl begging calls; the "bumblebee" sound of Calliope Hummingbird and much more. It's been endorsed by Kenn Kaufman. I posted this notice to BirdChat and to Colorado birds, but am also posting to non-Rockies listservs where there are particularly high concentrations of very active birders who might travel to the Rockies or, like me, just want to have the CD on hand to listen and learn. California sure qualifies! You can hear some of the sounds by listening to cuts on our web site at http://birds.cornell.edu If you're a newsletter editor, newspaper or magazine columnist, or have other connections, we would sure appreciate any exposure you could give this CD. We're also selling it wholesale to stores, if you fit into that category. We're a nonprofit and would like to make our money back on this production, which we hope will be a valuable tool for birders and researchers alike. Order info is at the web site, but for those of you don't have web access, the number is toll free 877-266-4928 (our local Wild Birds Unlimited.) ABA is also selling the CD. We would appreciate your feedback on the CD. Birders are a key audience we are trying to serve with our LNS CDs. Allison Wells Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca, NY ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 21 08:07:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] Birding Software?? I am considering buying "Bird Brain" for the Macintosh. Does anyone use this software, or have you heard evaluations of this software? I would value your comments. 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]] Mon Jun 21 09:07:13 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Birding Software?? Kendric, I used Bird Brain and liked it a lot. I switched to a PC last year, and would have continued to use it, but it's made only for the Mac. I now use AviSys, which is also fine, but more sophisticated. Nancy Teater ---------------- At 08:07 AM 6/21/99 -0700, you wrote: >I am considering buying "Bird Brain" for the Macintosh. > >Does anyone use this software, or have you heard evaluations of this software? > >I would value your comments. > >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]] -- Nancy R. Teater Hamilton Communications phone: +1 650 321 0252 [[email protected]] http://web.hamilton.com fax: +1 650 327 4660 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jun 21 09:23:41 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] B-L Kittiwake - Here to breed? This sounds incredible. Are you sure about the ID??? -- Richard C. Carlson Chairman, Spectrum Economics Palo Alto, CA [[email protected]] 650-324-2701 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 21 09:53:47 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] B-L Kittiwake - Here to breed? Richard Carlson wrote: > > This sounds incredible. Are you sure about the ID??? > Graham's not hallucinating. I had 45 at Pescadero Creek on Saturday and Al Eisner had 75 on Sunday. The remarkable saga of BLKI this spring and summer continues to be discussed on the Peninsula Birding Mailing List. Mark -- Mark Eaton 1524 36th Avenue mailto:[[email protected]] San Francisco, CA, 94122-3123 http://www.best.com/~eaton http://goldengate.ca.audubon.org "Please let us know you're here" - Sign in Doctor's Office ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 21 10:12:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] INBU Hello All Saturday morning, 6/19/99, I visited the area at Long Ridge OSP at 8:15AM and immediately found the INDIGO BUNTING described by Les Chibana. It never seemed to go far from the area near the small footbridge and two douglas firs along the Ridge trail. At one point, it aggressively chased away a male LAZULI BUNTING from it's "territory". A beautiful bird. There was a pair of WILSON'S WARBLER'S nearby as well. Alan ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 21 10:28:51 1999 Subject: [SBB] PIWO All, Sunday afternoon 6/20/99 Alma Kali and I made the descent to Table Mountain, hoping to find the Pileated Woodpeckers reported there of late. The descent down the road and the loop around Table Mountain failed to turn up any Pileated Woodpeckers, but we did have 7 singing male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, 3 WESTERN TANAGERS, 3 singing male LAZULI BUNTINGS, 2 singing male PURPLE FINCHES, a pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, and numerous VIREOS of all three expected species. An apparent family group of ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS was atop Table Mountain as well (ID by date, no adult male around). Heading back up through the redwoods instead of along the road, we finally located some loud tapping and managed to get two glimpses of a PILEATED WOODPECKER as it flew up to a tree and then off towards Table Mountain - also a few silent ACORN WOODPECKERS in here too, as well as a bleating baby RACCOON. Breeding confirmations included recently fledged ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, STELLER'S JAYS, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jun 21 10:49:01 1999 Subject: [SBB] RE: INBU REPLY RE: INBU I checked this area on Friday evening, 6/18, and didn't hear or see the = Indigo Bunting, but I realized that one does not need to walk to the = valley bottom to see the tops of the twin doug firs. If you stand in the = trailhead gate at the Long Ridge OSP and sight over the top of the kiosk, = you will see the tops of the twin firs. Then, if you walk down the path = about 75-100 yds., you will be on a part of the trail that looks almost = at eye level at the tops of these trees. A scope will be necessary for a = good view from this distance. Of course you may miss a chance of seeing = the bird closely as reported by Ruth. 1-2 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES sang = evening songs at sunset from Long Ridge. On Friday, I did a short walk down the Grizzly Flats trail at dusk. It was moderately quiet aside for about 4-5 BROWN CREEPERS at various spots = along the trail. Les Alan Walther wrote: >Hello All > >Saturday morning, 6/19/99, I visited the area at Long Ridge OSP at >8:15AM and immediately found the INDIGO BUNTING described by Les >Chibana. It never seemed to go far from the area near the small >footbridge and two douglas firs along the Ridge trail. At one point, >it aggressively chased away a male LAZULI BUNTING from it's >"territory". A beautiful bird. > >There was a pair of WILSON'S WARBLER'S nearby as well. > >Alan ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 21 14:06:28 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Birding Software?? Kendric and all-- I use Bird Brain for the Macintosh. I have found it satisfactory for my purposes but have not used other programs designed for other computers so cannot compare it to others. You will want to buy the World Birds section also unless you are interested in only resident US birds. Hope this helps. Ruth ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kendric C. Smith wrote: >I am considering buying "Bird Brain" for the Macintosh. > >Does anyone use this software, or have you heard evaluations of this software? 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 Jun 21 15:28:42 1999 Subject: [SBB] INBU at Windy Hill This (Monday) morning a little after 10:00, I found a male Indigo Bunting in Windy Hill Open Space Preserve in San Mateo County. I didn't notice any characteristics suggesting a hybrid, nor did I hear it sing. The INBU was in the cypress grove on the north side of Spring Ridge Trail, a short distance below WH01 gate off Skyline. I didn't see the bird after 10:30 even though I was in the area until 1:00. --------------------------------------------------------- Peter LaTourrette Bird photos: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society: http://www.scvas.org/ Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/ Peninsula Open Space Trust: http://www.openspacetrust.org/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 21 19:32:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] Birding Software?? Kendric, Several years ago I occupied a booth at the ABA convention in Park City, UT. My booth was next to the booth for the Bird Brain software product. = As a result, I got to meet and listen to the customers and users of Bird Brain who stopped by the table. Overall, customer satisfaction seemed quite high, which is generally an indication that the software will likel= y meet most of your needs. However, as Nancy Teater mentioned, it is made only for the Mac, which ma= y or may not be an issue for you. For PC-based software (if you are interested), also check out the site at www.glenalpine.com/lanius Good luck! /s/ John C. Robinson Owner, LANIUS Software (Software for Birders) www.glenalpine.com/lanius 925-932-4201 Writing at 19:21 PM on Monday, June 21, 1999 [[email protected]] On 6/21/1999 "Kendric C. Smith" said: >I am considering buying "Bird Brain" for the Macintosh. Does anyone use this software, or have you heard evaluations of this software? I would value your comments. 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]] Tue Jun 22 07:35:23 1999 Subject: [SBB] INBU at Long Ridge OSP The Indigo Bunting was present this morning, Monday June 21, from 9:15 to 10AM at the spot indicated by Les Chibana and Ruth Troetschler. Upon my arrival, the bird flew over my head from the twin Douglas Firs and went down into the drainage to the top of an Oak about 100 feet upstream (North). It seemed to work this area from 100 feet upstream of the Firs, to about 200 feet downstream. Unfortunately, I invariably lost the bird when he flew (the penalty for solo Questar viewing), but would eventually relocate it singing in the top of another Oak. There were a number of Stellar's Jays and Scrub Jays and Lazuli Buntings present, so "blue specs" were ubiquitous. At the start of the Russian Ridge trail, the Grasshopper Sparrows and Lawrence's Goldfinches were both singing. 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]] Thu Jun 24 10:43:53 1999 Subject: [SBB] WIWA at Smith's Ck All, This morning 6/24/99 I spent an hour and a half at the willow thicket at milepost 15.48 near Smith's Creek Ranger Station. Unfortunately, there was no sign of any MacGillivray's Warblers - the bird singing continuously this time was a male LAZULI BUNTING instead. However, immediately after arriving I heard a WILSON'S WARBLER sing three times and later I got great looks at this bright male on the other side of the willow thicket (in response to pishing). This species has also not been confirmed breeding in the Diablo Range (away from the extreme western foothills anyway) and was a real surprise here. Less cooperative was another bird skulking in the thicket that sang a short rapid jumbled song on a few occasions during my time there (I transcribed one rendition as "juppitee jewee jewit"). The quality was that of a warbler, but I have no idea what the bird was. Also here were many ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS (including juveniles) and BEWICK'S WRENS, a worn HUTTON'S VIREO, several PURPLE FINCH, a singing OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, and an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD that was at war with one of the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jun 24 11:28:52 1999 Subject: [SBB] Los Gatos Creek Trail This morning we walked the Los Gatos Creek Trail from Oak Meadow Park to the Old Mill past Old Town. At the very beginning of the trail, we spotted a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE nest in an oak tree. The parents were very vocal upon our approach, so spotting the nest was not too difficult! Pat Curtis ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 24 12:24:01 1999 Subject: [SBB] Pine Siskins at Arastradero While hiking with my son at Arastradero Preserve on Sat 6/19, I was surprised to find a group of 4 Pine Siskins perched on the power lines above the trail a short distance from the road. I got a good look with 10x binoculars and have no doubts about the ID. There were 2 Lesser Goldfinches perched nearby; all 6 birds flew off together and re-perched on wires farther to the SE. ---------------- George Oetzel <[[email protected]]> ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jun 24 12:56:22 1999 Subject: [SBB] Pine Siskins at Arastradero -Reply I had a single Pine Siskin at my thistle feeder (San Jose) last Saturday, June 19th, along with the usual Lesser Goldfinches. Very unusual for late June. Alan W. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 24 23:07:03 1999 Subject: [SBB] Photo of Windy Hill INBU Hi-- I just posted a photo of the Windy Hill Indigo Bunting, taken yesterday at the Cypress Grove, in my Photo Gallery referenced below. Looking at the photo I see some white in the undertail coverts. Does this indicate hybridization with LAZB? --Pete --------------------------------------------------------- Peter LaTourrette Bird photos: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society: http://www.scvas.org/ Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/ Peninsula Open Space Trust: http://www.openspacetrust.org/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 25 15:51:28 1999 Subject: [SBB] National Geo. Index I have a friend who is interested in the new National Geo. index. I fear I have lost the information that came from SBB on getting a copy of the index. Can someone help me? Barbara Harkleroad A Black Headed Grosbeak has been an occasional visitor to my back yard feeder the past few days. The elusive and occasional Wrentit was singing for me this morning. Two quail pair were present yesterday. Perhaps I'll soon be seeing the pudgy young ones feeding as I did last year. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 25 16:33:54 1999 Subject: [SBB] INBU @ Long Ridge OSP Geetings SBBers, The adult male INDIGO BUNTING was present and singing this morning at 6:45 am at the Long Ridge OSP. I came upon the bird perched on the top of small twin doug firs that stand beside the Peters creek trail where you first come upon some wooden handrails to the right . The bird was acting very territorial as it chased away a Junco that had the nerve to land in the same tree. The PILEATED WOODPECKER was also seen amidst much drumming in the vicinity of Table Mountain at Saratoga Gap OSP. Cheers, Roger Wolfe ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 26 08:36:51 1999 Subject: [SBB] Bird Brain Thanks to all who responded so quickly to the Nat'l Geo. book index. I'm sure I can manage from here. I queried Mac Connection about the Bird Brain software. They hadn't heard of it. Any ideas where I might locate it? Barbara Harkleroad ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 26 09:01:45 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Bird Brain At 8:36 AM -0700 6/26/99, Glenn Harkleroad wrote: > I queried Mac Connection about the Bird Brain software. They hadn't heard > of it. Any ideas where I might locate it? -- Chuq Von Rospach (Hockey fan? ) Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:[[email protected]]) Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:[[email protected]]) + The Jedi that I admire most met up with Darth Maul and now he's toast... (Weird Al Yankovic - The Saga Begins) ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 26 10:03:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] Vasona Lake We got to Vasona Lake early this morning. We found a COOPER'S HAWK nest in the Eucalyptus trees above and behind the main parking lot where the boats dock. We got some great looks at two of the hawks hunting from the Oak trees further up the hill. There were also plenty of HOODED ORIOLES up the same hill. We checked the island for the breeding herons and egrets. We saw GREEN HERON, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, and GREAT BLUE HERON, along with a SNOWY EGRET, on the island. We also spotted a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER near the creek. Pat Curtis ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 27 08:07:47 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Photo of Windy Hill INBU Peter LaTourrette wrote: > > I just posted a photo of the Windy Hill Indigo Bunting, taken yesterday at > the Cypress Grove, in my Photo Gallery referenced below. Looking at the > photo I see some white in the undertail coverts. Does this indicate > hybridization with LAZB? Pete, First of all, great photo. Second, I see nothing about the bird's underparts to suggest that it is a hybrid. The pale tips to the undertail coverts shown in the photo are typical of this species. Also, even if the undertail coverts had been more extensively white, pure adult (after-second-year) INBU can show varying amounts of white or brown on the undertail coverts and lower belly, making it difficult to determine whether white in these areas results from hybridization or natural variation within INBU. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 27 08:46:02 1999 Subject: [SBB] recent birds All: Some recent (and not-so-recent) birds: 7 June: 1 WESTERN KINGBIRD, 2 male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS, 1 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, 1 female SELASPHORUS sp. at CCRS. 9 June: 1 ad. and 2 large recently-fledged juv. GREAT HORNED OWLS, 17 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS (11 singing males), 14 RUFOUS- CROWNED SPARROWS, 7 ad. WILD TURKEYS (with 2 broods), 4 ad. LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES (1 with a young fledgling), a very late GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (seen; starlings can give very good imitations of the song, so beware "heard-only" late GCSP), and COMMON MOORHENS with young on private property at the north end of the Silver Creek Hills in south San Jose. 15 June: 15 MALLARD, 13 GADWALL, and 13 CANADA GOOSE broods of flightless young in the Fremont Lagoons. Recently fledged COMMON RAVENS were near a nest on a PG&E tower nearby. Two WESTERN KINGBIRDS were in a grove of elms out in the middle of grassland north of Cushing Road in Fremont, where this species nested last year (unusual at this bayside location). 22 June: Three WESTERN KINGBIRDS were at the elm grove in Fremont. A singing male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was a huge surprise along Coyote Creek near Brokaw Road in San Jose. This species is fairly rare on the valley floor at any season, but an adult male singing in cottonwoods and willows on 22 June was extremely unusual. An immature ORANGE- CROWNED WARBLER here was a postbreeding dispersant (this species does not breed anywhere in the vicinity). A PACIFIC- SLOPE FLYCATCHER was also at this location, and four more (three singing males, one paired with a female carrying food for young) were downstream near Sycamore Drive. The male REDHEAD and 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were at the CCRS waterbird pond, and a hatch-year ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was unusual along the levee road here (this species does not breed on lower Coyote Creek). The south end of Calaveras Reservoir had 3 occupied GREAT BLUE HERON nests (in the previously reported sycamore), a singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW along Marsh Road, and 25 Aechmophorus grebes. All those that I could identify were WESTERNS; two nests were occupied by apparently incubating WEGR, and three other nests were under construction. Four other pairs of WEGR were courting. 23 June: 24 ad. GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS (17 singing males; plus two fully fledged juveniles and two broods being fed by adults) at the north end of the Silver Creek hills. Good birding, Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 27 21:37:52 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Bird Brain >Barbara-- Bird Brain is advertized in Birding Magazine. Their phone number is 800-779-7256. They have a free brochure. Their web site is www.birdwatching.com. I note that the newest ad states that is available for both Mac and PC. Ruth ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >I queried Mac Connection about the Bird Brain software. They hadn't heard >of it. Any ideas where I might locate it? > >Barbara Harkleroad > > >========================================================================== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] 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 Jun 28 09:09:04 1999 Subject: [SBB] Vasona herons Marti and I checked the Vasona Lake island from University Ave again yesterday to see what has developed since our last check two weeks ago. Great Blue Herons: The 3-chick nest apparently is now empty. The two-chick nest still has both chicks. We saw an adult come to feed them. Snowy Egrets: The three chicks that were little fluff balls in a nest two weeks ago were out and wanderiing about in the branches near the nest. Two other SNEG chicks were farther along in development, taking short flights along the shore of the island. We saw an adult come in to feed chicks in a third nest that is hidden from view; we could hear the chicks. Black Crowned Night Heron: We saw one in an intermediate plumage, with well-developed black crown, but lacking much of the rest of the normal adult body color pattern. I suspect that this is the same chick that I've been watching for a long time. It flew away from the island while we were there. Green Heron: None seen this visit. Great Egret: An adult Great Egret was perched close to the GTBH nests the entire time we watched. It spent most of the time preening. This is the first time I've seen a GREG at this island. Is there a possibility that it is considering using one of the GTBH nests? Very late, to be sure, but suggestive behavior nonetheless. George Oetzel Menlo Park, CA (W) [[email protected]] (SFBBO) [[email protected]] San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory http://www.sfbbo.org ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 28 09:33:50 1999 Subject: [SBB] Junco Nest I have a Dark-eyed Junco nestin a hanging potted plant on my front porch. It contains 4 babies that hatched yesterday, June 27th. I always have Juncos in my yard in the winter, but they leave in the Spring. This year I had noticed that there were still some around. About 2 weeks ago, I went to pull a string that was hanging down out of the planter and a bird exploded out of it. When I looked in, there was the nest, no eggs. Four eggs were there on Wed., June 16th and the bird has been incubating ever since. She sits very tight on the nest. I have also had a family of Hooded Orioles coming to me cherry tree for the last 10 days - adult male and female and 2 young. Quite a bit of excitement for my yard! Kathy Parker ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 28 13:42:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds Some recent sightings: On 20 Jun 99 I had a pair of GOLDEN EAGLES in Santa Teresa County Park. On 21 Jun 99 I found the BELTED KINGFISHERS still carrying food to an embankment along the Coyote Creek Trail south of Hellyer. This time I determined which burrow they were using. On 26 Jun 99 I found numerous RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS singing in Santa Teresa County Park. An adult COOPER'S HAWK was being harrassed by a WESTERN KINGBIRD. On 27 Jun 99, at Ogier Ponds, the TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD colony had a single male fly in and then out, and a female carrying food in and a fecal sac out. Otherwise it was absolutely quiet; a big difference from a month ago when they were raising quite an uproar. WESTERN KINGBIRDS were feeding recently-fledged young in the sycamore tree where they nested. Eight juvenile ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were sitting in a willow, occasionally being fed by an adult. One TREE SWALLOW was among the numerous CLIFFS over the ponds. No sign of the Osprey that had been here a month ago. 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 Jun 28 13:44:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] weekend birds On Friday, 6/25/99, at dusk, I walked the Skid Road and part of the White Oaks trails at Monte Bello OSP. It was fairly birdy with lots of singing. PURPLE FINCHES and CHIPPING SPARROWS seemed to be the most plentiful, with one, or a few, each of ACORN and HAIRY WOODPECKERS, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, BROWN CREEPER, WESTERN BLUEBIRD, ORANGE-CROWNED and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, BLACK- HEADED GROSBEAK, and other usual suspects. I also saw 3 coyote pups behaving just like pups, chasing each other in the under brush. This trail goes from Skyline Blvd. through coyote brush and grassland, down into the oak/bay/madrone/fir riparian habitat. On Saturday, I saw 2 juvenile CALIFORNIA TOWHEES feeding at our house. The BLACK PHOEBES that nested in the same spot as a pair did last year fledged their young. And COMMON RAVENS have been very vocal and present in the vicinity of our house, much to the chagrin of the STELLARS JAYS. On adult raven was carrying food on Sunday, so they may have a nest near the house. This is along Skyline Blvd. across from Long Ridge OSP. While on a Reptile Ramble with MROSD docents Roger Myers and Tom Schoderbek, I mananged to record some birds while keeping my eyes on the ground: PURPLE FINCHES and CHIPPING SPARROWS were first heard on the walk with ASH-THROATED and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, ORANGE- CROWNED and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS filling in later. A few LAZULI BUNTINGS were heard, but nothing like on the PA SBC. Of course, on this walk, we stayed on the Canyon and Stevens Creek Nature trails, below the grassy slopes. Interesting non-birds, NIGHT SNAKE (rare), W. RATTLESNAKE, SANTA CRUZ (aquatic) and RED-SIDED (terrestrial) GARTER SNAKES, a gopher snake skin, juv. W. SKINK with glowing blue tail, CAL. RED-LEGGED FROGS, YELLOW-EYED SALAMANDER, a baby SLENDER SALAMANDER, CAL. NEWT, the omnipresent W. FENCE LIZARD, many damselfiles and dragonflies, and a scorpion. I saw a butterfly that I first IDed as a Cal. Sister, but I think that it might have been a Lorquin's Admiral. Amongst the flora, White and yellow forms of Mariposa Lily, a Globe Lily going to seed, a couple of Spotted Coral Roots. And the San Francisco Garter Snakes that I reported from the PA SBC were more likely Red-sided Garter Snakes, which are very common in the location that we saw them. Roger said that he's never seen a SFGS at Monte Bello (over 20 years of herping the area). Good birding! Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 29 08:13:32 1999 Subject: [SBB] Eagle, owls Hello SB Birders--- Yesterday, 28 June 1999, I had an adult GOLDEN EAGLE fly over my car as I drove south on I-280 at 6:55 PM. The bird was only about 30 feet over the roadway, and its golden mantle shone brightly in the evening sunlight. It was heading in the approximate direction of the Arastradero Preserve. I was midway between Alpine Rd. and Page Mill Rd. at the time of the sighting. Wonder when we'll find a nest site in the Midpeninsula foothills? On Sunday evening, 27 June, I observed a GREAT HORNED OWL family on the fringes of Los Gatos, thanks to Bobbie and Carl Handen. They have been seeing 2 young birds in the company of at least one adult for several days. Karen and I watched the youngsters for about half an hour as they perched nervously among the pines and oaks adjacent to the Handen's back yard, and the owls' noisy begging was rewarded when a parent flew in with a large rat in its talons. The young birds are showing transitional plumage as the brown feathers replace the fuzzy down, but the heads are still mostly white, with no discernable ear tufts. They are capable of flying at least 20 yards at a time, but since they have been observed in the same spot for over a week, it's likely that the nest site was nearby. Could be a new breeding confirmation for this atlas block. The Handens live on Westhill Drive, off Blossom Hill. (I can provide more specific details for the atlas committee if this is worth entering into the database.) ---Grant Hoyt To: [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jun 29 10:09:42 1999 Subject: [SBB] Indigo Bunting as Lazuli Steals Home Last night, 6/28/99, at 8:00p, the adult male INDIGO BUNTING was still present at Long Ridge OSP in the same location. The bird was silent during the short time I was there. He had a companion, a bird that was of similar size, shape and flight style. I didn't get a good clear view of the other bird; it appeared to NOT be as blue as the INBU. My guess is that it was a female bunting, probably Lazuli. Has there ever been a confirmed female INBU locally? The two birds flew from the doug firs to an oak near Peters Creek; the INBU perched atop the oak and the other bird disappeared somewhere below. After a few minutes, both birds flew back across the trail to the oaks at the base of the firs. It seems that the INBU's activity centers around the oaks at the base of the twin firs. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was in my yard on Sunday, and I heard it again this morning. May be a new yard bird. Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Palo Alto [[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 Jun 30 09:59:45 1999 Subject: [SBB] Bird box monitor cameras I have heard a number of reports about nest boxes near peoples homes, even one where they mounted a video camera in the nest box. This sounded tricky. I found a new device that would make this easy enough that more people could have nest box cameras. I am in no way affiliated with this company and don't have one of these cameras, yet. But it seems so perfect for the use that I wanted to pass it along to others. I hope none of you consider this spam. http://www.x10.com/products/x10_vk32a.htm Darn good price too, but only till midnight tonight, sorry about the late notice on that part. If anyone already has one and are using it for a nest box, please let us know how it works. -Chris ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 Jun 30 22:01:10 1999 Subject: [SBB] Almaden and Guadalupe Reservoirs, etc. Howdy South-bay-birders, In spite of the heat I went out and actually found some birds this afternoon. Stopped at the flooded upper end of Almaden Reservoir, where I heard WARBLING VIREO and saw a GREEN HERON in flight. Farther upstream, at the O'day property, there was more activity. WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 2 YELLOW WARBLERS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, and PURPLE FINCH were all singing there despite the heat. Tip: mid-afternoon can actually be pretty good where the road passes O'Day's, because many birds, especially finches, come to the creek to drink there (I once had Lawrence's Goldfinch there at this same time of year). At Guadalupe Reservoir I was surprised to see a GREAT EGRET--a common bird on the valley floor, but this is the first one I've ever seen there (I have never seen either Snowy of Great Egret at Almaden Reservoir either--they seem to avoid the hills). Later, while driving along Branham near Cherry Ave. in south San Jose, I saw an adult COOPER'S HAWK perched on a wire beside the road, pretending to be a Rock Dove. It was a pretty small bird, and at first I thought it might be a Sharp-shinned, but then on closer look its shape and plumage made me conclude it was just a very runty male COOPER"S. It had feathers from a recent kill still in its talons. John Mariani [[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]]