From [[email protected]] Sat May 01 11:14:32 1999 Subject: [SBB] SCVWD Pond this morning--Dunlin? I stopped by the SCVWD headquarters this morning hoping to see the Vaux's Swifts that John Mariani reported Thursday. I didn't see any swifts, but I did see what for me was an unusual sandpiper. At the pond's edge near the parking lot, there were two sandpipers, a Spotted and what I first thought to be a Western. I decided to just observe rather than immediately getting out my field guide. The second sandpiper was larger than the Spotted Sandpiper. It had a medium-length bill with a noticeable droop at the end. There was a lot of rufous in the back and wings and on the top of the head. There was also black on the belly. After looking in my Peterson's I thought that this must be a Dunlin in alternate plumage. The black on the belly didn't look as distinct as I might have expected, but all of the rest of the clues seem to fit--body size, bill size and droop, coloring. Is this a possibility? The only other Dunlins I have seen have been in basic plumage on the coast during winter. Hugh McDevitt ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat May 01 11:24:20 1999 Subject: [SBB] Fwd: failure notice This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_3d4dd953_4574f43b$50160a87 Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; >From: [[email protected]] >To: [[email protected]] >Subject: failure notice >Date: 1 May 1999 18:10:56 -0000 > >Hi. This is the qmail-send program at hotmail.com. >I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following >addresses. >This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out. > ><[[email protected]]>: >171.64.14.232 does not like recipient. >Remote host said: 550 <[[email protected]]>... User unknown >Giving up on 171.64.14.232. > >--- Below this line is a copy of the message. > _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------=_NextPart_000_3d4dd953_4574f43b$50160a87 Return-Path: <[[email protected]]> Received: (qmail 37722 invoked by uid 0); 1 May 1999 18:10:56 -0000 Message-ID: <[[email protected]]> Received: from 209.109.235.191 by www.hotmail.com with HTTP; Sat, 01 May 1999 11:10:55 PDT X-Originating-IP: [209.109.235.191] From: "Dirk Thiele" <[[email protected]]> To: [[email protected]] Subject: nest disaster Date: Sat, 01 May 1999 11:10:55 PDT Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; Hi Marilyn, I feel for you. I have been hanging nesting boxes in my (our) various back yards for 40 years or so. And I have had quite a few experiences, not all good ones. From nesting boxes falling apart (one I built when I was a child) to rats moving in, to sparrows taking over a Chestnut Backed Chickadee's nesting box and building their nest right on top of it to various kinds of Woodpeckers enlarging the entry hole and it's consequences. My advice to you would be to consider all the things that could possibly happen before you hang or mount a nesting box. If mounted on a post not to high above the ground, consider some sort of a baffle that would not allow an animal to climb up the post. You could make it out of chicken wire and shape it like a funnel pointing down. My Chickadee boxes are at least 15 feet off the ground mounted on a sturdy 2x2 or 2x4, bolted against a sturdy fence. They are also surrounded by a tall Eugenia hedge, thus keeping the boxes reasonably cool during hot summer days. This is a subject one can write a book on and in fact many books have been written about how to build, mount and protect nesting boxes and feeders. Better luck next time. Dirk Thiele _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------=_NextPart_000_3d4dd953_4574f43b$50160a87-- ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 01 12:47:27 1999 Subject: [SBB] Redhead Sat. morning I saw a male Redhead on the shorebird pond at CCRS. Only passerine migrants were a W. Tanager and a single Warbling Vireo. The Redhead maybe a new bird for the CCRS list although Al J. can confirm. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 01 16:03:29 1999 Subject: [SBB] Red-shouldered Hawk nest The Eden Park (Silicon Valley Blvd/Bernal and 101) RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest reported here about 2 months ago has hatched at least two eggs. The female continues to sit on the nest, with the male bringing food to the nest. My wife and I have been monitoring this nest weekly and today was the first time (with the help of a spotting scope) we were able to see two little white heads appear above the rim of the nest. This same nest successfully fledged three chicks last year. Further north along Coyote Creek (near the old abandoned perc pond) we saw two juvenile WHITE-TAILED KITEs. They appear to be at a branch hopping stage. Six trees to right of the juveniles we saw copulating WHITE-TAILED KITEs apparently planning a second clutch. Grant Webb ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 02 11:09:00 1999 Subject: [SBB] Hooded Orioles Yesterday there were many Hooded Orioles in the Poplar trees in Central Park in Santa Clara (909 Kiely Blvd.) between the lake and the creek. They were obviously having a territorial dispute and they were singing loudly and passionately at the same time. Dirk _______________________________________________________________ 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]] Sun May 02 13:05:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] Alum Rock Park None of the 40 of us on the Alum Rock SCVAS field trip this morning heard or saw a Northern Pygmy Owl. Did see the Great Horned Owl. The liquid sunshine that we enjoyed kept the total number of species seen to under 40. Highlights were: a pair of Western Bluebirds, a pair of Western Tanagers, 2 Vaux's Swift, a Lazuli Bunting, a Rufuous Hummingbird, an Ash-throated Flycatcher. A flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows are still there. Dave Cook led the trip. His son, David, was our eagle eye. Gloria LeBlanc 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]] Mon May 03 00:20:57 1999 Subject: [SBB] Alamitos Creek and Arroyo Calero Howdy South-bay-birders, Saturday morning (May 1) I had to leave my truck at a garage on Almaden Expr., then walked home via Almaden Lake Park, Alamitos Creek, and the Arroyo Calero. Birds seen/heard included 1 lingering adult HERRING GULL (at the lake), 6 COMMON MERGANSERS (along Alamitos Creek), 1 female Selasphorous-type hummingbird, numerous PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, 1 HUTTON'S VIREO, 7-8 WARBLING VIREOS, HOUSE WREN, 1 YELLOW WARBLER, at least 4 singing WILSON'S WARBLERS, 1 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, 3 HOODED ORIOLES, and plenty of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES. 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]] Mon May 03 08:42:41 1999 Subject: [SBB] Some birds All, On the SCVAS field trip to Mines Rd and Del Puerto Canyon we had Western Kingbird and calling Grasshopper Sparrows at approx 0.3 miles from I-5, a male Costa's Hummingbird, a female Black-chinned Hummingbird, a pair of Phainopepla, a Rock Wren, lots of Loggerhead Shrike and Bullock's Orioles at approx. 3.5 miles (near a huge rock on south side of the road with large holes in it and with signs of recent owl occupation), a Green Heron further up the creek, a pair of Lawrence's Goldfinches in the creek in the off-road portion of Frank Raines County Park and a Canyon Wren further up the canyon where the creek crosses the road. All of the foregoing were in Stanislaus County. The only "good" birds we had in Santa Clara County were a pair of Wood Ducks in the pond just east of "the junction ' and a single Lewis' Woodpecker just south of "the junction". Lots of Golden Eagles and bird watchers were seen in both counties. Because of previous commitments we had to leave early and did no birding in Alameda County. (However, two day birds and another Green Heron were seen from the moving car.) Take care, Bob Reiling, 8:32 AM, 5/3/99 ========================================================================== 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 May 03 08:57:07 1999 Subject: [SBB] Heron nests I checked again or heron and egret nests at Vasona Lake and the Oka Ponds Sat (5/1). The small island by the Vasona Lake dam has 2 Great Blue Heron nests, one with 2 active youngsters, the other with a sitting female. When I first looked, there were 4 adults present. By the time I brought the spotting scope back, one had departed. There were also several Snowy Egrets at the island and foraging elsewhere on the lake. I would guess that I saw at least 6 different birds, implying that there may be 3 nests hidden on the island. The GBHE nests are not visible from the trail in the park. There's a good vantage point on University Drive, from which you can look down. However, the nearest parking is a half mile or so away. I bicycled to the spot using bungies for the tripod and a pannier for the scope. It was "Kids Fishing Day" at the Oka Ponds. The bicycle was useful again, as parking was even more difficult there. The island that held four SNEG nests last year has much less brush this year. There were people on the bare ground of the island fishing. The only birds were blackbirds. In short, another SNEG nest site has been wiped out. There's a larger island in Oka Pond #4, which is also much less visited. It lacks brush suitable for Heron & Egret nests, but might otherwise have promise. The only SNEG I saw at the ponds was foraging near it. I wonder if there's a possibility that some suitable bushes and trees could be planted to provide future nesting habitat? Volunteers? ---------------- 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]] Mon May 03 09:24:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] Birds at Jasper Ridge on Saturday (May 1) Hi all, We have just switched over to a new protocol for conducting bird surveys on Stanford University's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and did our first one on Saturday. The area I covered this time (with new birding partners Chip Haven and Charles Preuss) is basically the same as the "Area D" section I've done for the last ~6 years. The new protocol is a series of point counts in different habitat types. We did 7 point counts in our area, each attempting to cover a 40 meter circle for a 7 minute period. As expected, our species numbers overall for the day were lower than the older style transect surveys (which are also going to be continued by other birders interested in that approach). Our best birds of the day included 1 Western Tanager (migrant only on the Ridge) inside one point (and another while walking between points), 1 Lazuli Bunting found singing while walking back to the Docent Center after leaving the survey area, and 1 House Wren found singing inside Area D but not within earshot of the nearby point. The latter was the first House Wren I've seen on Jasper Ridge ever. Just a few miles further upslope in Portola Valley they are regular, but they have always been scarce on the Ridge. There were also about 4 Wilson's Warblers, only a couple of Pacific-slope Flycatchers, 1 Western Wood-Pewee, 1 Olive-sided Flycatcher, and a couple of Sharp-shinned Hawks. At the end of the day I also had one Golden-crowned Sparrow still lingering near Searsville Lake. The most interesting result from the day's surveying was that our "best" point was unexpectedly in one of the Redwood groves (actually a tiny cluster of these trees, as there aren't any "groves" left on the Ridge). This area is one we habitually think of as being rather dead. In winter this can certainly be the case, with the absence of much bird vocalization and with the presence of rushing water nearby from San Francisquito Creek. On Saturday, however, we had 11 species (most at any one point) here and it included the Western Tanager mentioned above. Our "worst" point was in a fairly pure Chaparral patch, where we missed California Thrasher (started singing moments after our time expired) and Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher which can usually be found here reliably this time of the year. We ended that point with only 4 species. Obviously some irregularities will even out over time, as we expect these surveys to continue indefinitely. It does suggest, however, that our preconceived notions of bird distribution and abundance might not correlate well with results from more rigorous and structured surveying. The previous weekend on Sunday, April 25, Pete LaTourrette and I did our last transect-style survey in the same area. The best bird of that day, as we were driving out, was an Osprey Pete spotted perched on a snag near the lake. Otherwise that day was a bit slow with nothing special noted. We did have 1 Wilson's Warbler and 4 swallow species but no interesting migrants, few lingering winter birds, and missed Western Wood-Pewee, which may have been late returning. Cheers, Richard [[email protected]] Warning: Compaq Computers has a policy of monitoring email sent and received by its employees ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 03 10:09:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Saturday, 1 May 99, I hiked in to Table Mountain, where the pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS is still present in the vicinity of last year's nest site. I also had at least 2 MOUNTAIN QUAIL calling either from the drainage or the hillside across from the back of Table Mountain. On the walk in there were plenty of singing BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS and a few PURPLE FINCHES. A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was heard near Skyline. A pair of COOPER'S HAWKS flew by, the male dressed up with his puffy white undertail coverts. A WESTERN TANAGER and an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER were at Table Mountain. As for breeding, I saw DARK-EYED JUNCO, AMERICAN ROBIN, and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE carrying nesting material and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER begging from an adult. On Sunday, 2 May 99, I birded a little around Alviso, but only had a couple of CATTLE EGRETS at Arzino as notables. 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 May 03 11:02:01 1999 Subject: [SBB] Skyline Ridge OSP 5/1/99 I'm crossposting this report because this Preserve is partly in Santa Clara County and mostly in San Mateo County, for you "county-hounds". I was on a wildflower walk on Saturday, and heard/saw the following: Santa Clara County: 2 singing BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERs; one above the northern parking lot; the one singing near the ranger residence near Alpine Lake was doing a song variation that was unfamiliar to me, but I saw it. San Mateo County: a pair of RING-NECKED DUCKs on Horseshoe Lake. Several CHIPPING SPARROWs singing and active at the edge of the Christmas tree farm near disabled parking lot. Lots of PURPLE FINCHes singing by Alpine Lake. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERs were singing all through the Preserve. Oh yes, the wildflowers were nice! 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 May 03 11:12:31 1999 Subject: [SBB] Big Year Competition Three years ago Stanislaus County had its first ever big year. We logged a total of 237 out of 284 species from our county list for a total of 84%. In the year 2000, we are going to try again. This time we would like to extend a friendly challenge to other counties. Let's see who can get the highest percentage of their county list in one year. County lists will have to be set and accepted prior to the beginning of the year. Any new county species will not count against the established county total, but will count in your year's total. For example, Stanislaus County has a set total of 286 county species as of 12/31/99. Harold Reeve finds a Hooded Warbler in May (which would be a county record). This would add to our year total, but our preset county list would remain at 286 for the competition. I will be posting the ongoing tally on our webpage. Documentation of rarities will have to be dealt with by each county's record keepers or appropriate records committee. I will also be keeping track of the highest person 's total for our county. The high count for the last big year was 233. I am taking myself out of the competition this time around, but will add my species seen to the county list. Any takers? We had a lot of fun last time. Jim ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 03 12:07:02 1999 Subject: [SBB] Mines Road, 5/2/99 Sunday was breezy, cold and drizzly along Mines Rd. from south Livermore to San Antonio Valley Rd. just past the Junction. Del Puerto Rd. was comparatively warmer and dry. I took part of my class on a trip down this route, including a stop at Del Valle Reservoir. Some highlights: Alameda County: Both adult GREAT HORNED OWLs were with their nestlings in the sycamores at the Murrietta Wells Winery. One male WOOD DUCK rested on a rock in the creek. A single WILD TURKEY was seen within a mile south of this stop. At Del Valle, 2 CASPIAN TERNs hung out with the FORSTER'S TERNs. A WILSON'S WARBLER foraged along the East Shore Trail between the boat launch ramp and Hetch Hetchy Campground. 5 COMMON MERGANSERs (2 M, 3 F) were on the lake as well as 1-2 CLARK'S and 1 WESTERN GREBE. Only 1 silent RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW was seen about 200 yards north of the boat launch ramp. A pair of PHAINOPEPLA were in the vicinity of mile 4.22. At MP 6.26, we found 2 singing LAZULI BUNTINGs, 1 appeared to be a 1st spring male. A GOLDEN EAGLE soared by, as did a PRAIRIE FALCON. On the far side of the canyon below us were 2 GRAY FOXES, digging and foraging near the dirt road. Santa Clara County: A male PHAINOPEPLA, a couple of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHes, several heard-but-not-seen SAGE SPARROWs were near the cattle guard north of San Antonio Junction. One female Selasphorus hummingbird joined the throng of ANNA'S HUM. at the feeders at the Junction. 1 WOOD DUCK, 1-2 BUFFLEHEAD, and a pair of MALLARD were in the long pond just south of the Bill Gherli Bridge. 1 WOOD DUCK was in the pond (Mallison?) just east of the Junction. Stanislaus County: 1 male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD hung around the last bits of tree tobacco and other shrubs along Del Puerto Rd. before I-5 at about 3.8 mi. from the freeway. 1 BURROWING OWL about 1.5 mi. west of I-5, also on Del Puerto Rd. BULLOCK'S ORIOLE and WESTERN KINGBIRD activity was high in many spots. At one point, near mile 4.0 on Del Puerto Rd., 6-8 kingbirds flew overhead, does that make it a flock? :-) Because it was late in the day, we didn't try too long for Lewis' Woodpecker, checking between the YL Ranch and the Junction and east to the pond. We didn't see the Bald Eagles, but a couple of Boy Scout leaders said that they saw 2 of them on Saturday, in the same area, across from the Hetch Hetchy Campground. 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 May 03 13:37:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] Over Mt. Hamilton On Saturday (May 1) I started by heading up to Smith's Creek. Fog on the way there kept bird activity low. And while the Smith's Creek area was in the clear, it was pretty dead there, much as it had been two weeks earlier. (Okay, Les, how did you manage to find all those birds there in between?) Not finding much higher up on Mt. Hamilton either, I went on to the San Antonio Valley, where the birding was somewhat more productive. Highlights of the trip: Wood Duck - a total of at least 9: a pair at mile 10.58 of San Antonio Valley Road; two pair plus an extra male seen on the way back at mile 9.93 (could well have included the first pair, which had flushed in that direction, but I could have easily missed additional birds here, due to limited vantage points); a pair at the Gehri Bridge in the Valley; and a pair 0.5 miles east of the Junction. Lewis's Woodpecker - I saw only one (I didn't search intensively after that), about 1/4 mile south of the Junction, where it was flycatching and apparently carrying food. All I found at a traditional location at mile 2.29 was nesting starlings. Sage Sparrow - 2 heard singing (one seen) at the cattle guard north of the he Junction, and 2 more heard on del Puerto Road -- a good showing, considering that I was in appropriate habitat only past noon. Golden-Crowned Sparrow - small groups seen at Smith's Creek and at one stop on the way up to there. Lawrence's Goldfinch - I only managed to dig out one uncooperative pair at the Fire Station. A better spot was near mile 6.59, where I had nice views of at least one pair (and probably more were present, but much of the P.M. viewing was into the sun). Cheers, Al Sorry, I forgot one: Black-Throated Gray Warbler - 1 heard singing about 1/2 mile east of the Mt. Hamilton summit; this has been a good spot for at least the past few years. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 03 15:28:00 1999 Subject: [SBB] ARASTRADERO PARK All, I led my Beginning Birding class on an evening walk through Arastradero Park, off of Pagemill Road. The group was treated to fantastic views of bullock's orioles, western bluebirds, california thrasher, great-horned owl and white-tailed kite. We had a fleeting look at a pair of vaux's swifts as they flew over the trail. The entire list for the group's 2 hour walk is as follows: Mallard Great Blue Heron California Quail White-tailed Kite Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel Great-horned Owl Anna's Hummingbird Acorn Woodpecker Nutthall's Woodpecker Black Phoebe Vaux's Swift Northern Rough-winged Swallow Violet-green Swallow Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Common Raven Western Scrub Jay Chestnut-backed Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Bewick's Wren Wrentit California Thrasher American Robin Western Bluebird European Starling Red-winged Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Bullock's Oriole Song Sparrow Spotted Towhee California Towhee House Finch Lesser Goldfinch 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 May 03 18:23:00 1999 Subject: [SBB] Monterey Deep-water Pelagic - 5/16/99 Hi Birders - Those wishing to have a chance at Short-tailed Albatross, Pteradromas, Horned Puffin and other deep-water species should join us Sunday, May 16th. Steve Bailey and Jim Booker will be leading an 18-hour pelagic trip from Monterey. Cost is $165 with an $80 refund if the boat returns at 1:00 PM. Otherwise, the trip departs at 3:00 AM from Sam's Fishing and returns at around 8:30 PM. Call Jim Booker at (831) 899-4452 to reserve a space. WE NEED FOUR MORE PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS TRIP FLY, SO YOUR RESERVATION IS CRITICAL. The April 25th trip was cancelled due to a lack of participation. That day was beautiful and windless. Jim's next trip is Saturday, July 31st, a trip to the outer Monterey Sea Valley. Cost for that trip is $65. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 03 21:30:22 1999 Subject: [SBB] San Mateo Update Hello all, In some respects our Bluebird activity is about a month behind last year. Maybe that's good. The smaller cavity nesters are doing great. In my own yard a Titmouse nest completely fledged 6 on 5-1 and a Bewuick'sWren has a nest full that is aggressively being fed. Interestingly, the adults are coming to a suet feeder stick. The Pine Siskins seem to have left, so now the Goldfinches have the Niger sock feeder to themselves. At Filoli we have 2 Bluebird nests of 4 eggs being incubated, a full nest of Chickadees, but no Swallow activity, but they're flying around. The 10 boxes at Edgewood Park have no activity yet. We suspect the grass is too tall. Maybe the Swallows will provide some action. At Canada College 6 boxes have 1 nest hatched and 1 ready to hatch. Lee Franks was able to band the hen in the latter box, our first in our San Mateo program. We're looking forward to banding fledglings, if not more incubating hens. Runnymede has a hatched nest of 7 Titmice and 2 partial Bluebird/Swallow nests. 3 hanging Bluebird boxes and 1 junior box (4x4-1 1/4" hole) at Sunset Gardens yielded a Chickadee nest with 6 eggs in one box. At Menlo Country Club we have 2 Bluebird nests with 6 hatched and 1 hen incubating with additional boxes for Swallow nesting. One of 3 hanging boxes around the Woodside Town Center has 1 Chickadee nest of 7 eggs. A junior hanging box at the Woodside Library garden also has 7 Chickadee eggs. I'm anxiously waiting to see what warmer weather will bring. I'm experimenting with a nest box liner to expediate inspection and banding activity. Anyone using such a device? Howard Rathlesberger ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 04 11:59:52 1999 Subject: [SBB] SBBU Update Hi: 1. The Santa Clara County Bird List has been updated. The total is 236. 2. I have replaced the old endangerd bird list with a link to the new Audubon Watch List by State. Even the California Quail is on the California Watch List. 3. I have revised the code for the pop-up menus at the bottom of most pages, since one person reported error messages when using the old pop-up menus. Well, let me know if you have any problems. 4. Do you have suggestions for other features or links for SBBU? Let me know. On a personal note, we just returned from a week in SW Arizona on a Sierra Club birding trip. Great leaders and a great trip, except that Arizona is in real trouble (the birds and the people) from the late feeeze (the sycamores may be dead, since the leaves were killed), there are no wild flowers, and very little water. I found that the cattlemen "OWN" the use of ALL the land. The Mexican Wolves are being killed as fast as they are reintroduced. A very sad situation. There is a drought, but the golf courses are running water down the streets. The "water wars" are not far off. 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 May 04 13:25:39 1999 Subject: [SBB] Blue Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings & Rufous-crowned Sparrows All, This morning in Ed Levin Park Frank Vanslager and I saw a first spring male Blue Grosbeak singing on the hillside north of the Cottonwoods above Sandy Wool Lake (and subsequently in the top of one of the Cottonwoods). Later, on the hillside above the Cottonwoods and just over the ridge behind the trees we saw an adult male Blue Grosbeak. (We had walked to the highest hang-glider launch site in hopes of finding a Grasshopper Sparrow and we're coming down the hill toward the Cottonwoods when Frank spotted the adult male BLGR flying toward the ridge-line. He pursued and refound the bird on the other side of the hill several minutes later). When last seen the adult male was flying back over the ridge toward the Cottonwoods along with a possible female Blue Grosbeak (the same GIS but with no apparent blue on it). Several Lazuli Buntings, Rufous-crowned Sparrows, a pair of House Wrens, two fighting male Bullock's Orioles (young and old), Western Kingbirds, an Ash-throated Flycatcher, a Black-headed Grosbeak, Vaux's Swifts, a White-throated Swift and lots of Lesser Goldfinches made for a most enjoyable morning of bird watching. A good sized flock of Cedar Waxwings was near the parking lot. Of course we also had the usual "unmentionables". Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:23 PM, 5/4/99 ========================================================================== 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]] Wed May 05 09:35:05 1999 Subject: [SBB] Waxwing This morning I had a waxwing following behind a larger group (15) of waxwings and was giving a different call. I rushed inside and wrote down brzzzssssh with the b being a soft b almost a p sound. None of my bird recordings have Bohemian. The undertail coverts appeared dark, but the sky was bright and the undertail in shadow. I'm not sure if the bird was just a Cedar Waxwing crying "wait for me" or if it was a Bohemian. I have never heard this call before. Any ideas? Jim Gain Modesto ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 05 09:43:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] Calif. Thrasher My friend who lives in Monte Sereno knows how the Thrasher got its name--it knocked over repeatedly and thrashed her orchid containers on the ledge outside her kitchen window. At first, they thought it was squirrel doings until they saw the Thrasher on the ledge pecking at their window. What of interest would it find in the redwood chips in which the orchids are potted? Barbara Harkleroad Almaden ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 05 14:10:16 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Calif. Thrasher I assume the thrasher was searching for insects under the chips. Much of our back yard is covered with wood chips, and we now have a pair of thrashers visiting regularly. They thrash vigorously at the chips, scattering them all over. In particular, they excavate regularly around some stepping stones, piling the chips atop the stones. I'd always wondered about the special application of that big bill, and now I understand both that and the name. One took a bath in our bird bath today & half emptied it. I'm hoping we will soon have a few baby Thrashers in the yard as well. George Oetzel > My friend who lives in Monte Sereno knows how the Thrasher got its > name--it knocked over repeatedly and thrashed her orchid containers > on the ledge outside her kitchen window. At first, they thought it > was squirrel doings until they saw the Thrasher on the ledge > pecking at their window. What of interest would it find in the > redwood chips in which the orchids are potted? > Barbara Harkleroad > Almaden ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 05 15:56:25 1999 Subject: [SBB] Ed Levin County Park I stood where the trail crosses the sycamore gulch above Sandy Wool Lake from 11:00 to 1:30 today, photographing birds. The photography was slow, because the birds aren't often close enough for good shots, but the birding was interesting. Lots of breeding activity going on. The sycamores are only just starting to leaf out, so the visibility is much better than it will be later on. I recommend that any of you who have not been there go try it out. Middle of the day turns out to be OK, because almost all the birds come to that spot to bathe. Anna's Hummingbird, Mourning Dove, Western Kingbird, Black Phoebe, House Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, California Towhee, Song Sparrow, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock's Oriole, Western Tanager, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch, and House Finch all were at various times in or under the sycamore trees. I elected not to go farther up the hill looking for Grasshopper Sparrow. --------------------------------------------------------- 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]] Thu May 06 09:37:18 1999 Subject: [SBB] Wilsons Warbler I had a beautiful male WILSON'S WARBLER in my Los Altos backyard this morning. Only the second I have seen there in 6 springs. Also, a few days ago a BEWICK'S WREN family fledged with at least 3 fledglings. A joyous spring. Mike Clark ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 06 11:52:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] Arastra -- Palo Alto My morning bike trip to the Arastra Park found predators aplenty. A Great Horned Owl continues to roost in the first oak at the trail intersection just across the first bridge. Kites, Kestrels and Red Shouldered Hawks were all over the place. They were joined on the ground by a Bobcat. The 4 Sharp Shinned Hawks seen recently were gone. There were at least 4 House wrens, 4 of the once missing Acorn Woodpeckers and 4 Lazuli Bunting. -- 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]] Thu May 06 14:53:29 1999 Subject: [SBB] Warbler Watch Greetings, California birders-- After several good migration fall-outs in key parts of the country, Warbler Watch reports have picked up. Thanks to those of you who are sending in your reports! If you haven't been, we encourage you to to -- it's fun and it will make a big difference for birds. http://birdsource.cornell.edu You can enter reports retroactively, too. While you're there, check out the cool maps in the Warbler Watch Maproom! Best birding, and thanks for your reports, Allison Wells Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca, NY [[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 May 06 17:25:45 1999 Subject: [SBB] No subject given Did you get it ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 06 20:00:58 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Do you have nestboxes in use? Hi Garth, I just checked one of my nesting boxes that I hung a year ago at one of my client's home in Palo Alto and it had 2 feathered fledgelings of Oak Titmice in it. The box was slightly damaged by an unprofessional tree pruner, dropping a branch on it. I took the box down for repair and that was when I noticed the fledgelings. I rehung the nesting box and the parents are continuing to feed. Dirk >From: [[email protected]] >To: [[email protected]] >Subject: [SBB] Do you have nestboxes in use? >Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 14:30:12 EDT > >All, > >The Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and California Bluebird Recovery >Program for Santa Clara County would very much like to know of any birds >using nestboxes in your yards, workplaces, etc. Certain species such as >Bewick's Wrens (BEWR), Chestnut-backed Chickadees (CBCH), and Oak Titmice >seem to use "backyard" boxes as readily as ones placed in parklands. Most >native cavity nesters, including all of the above, are in decline >statewide. >Not only do we simply want to count the number of birds raised in >artificial >nesting structures locally, we also want to figure out how to meet the >needs >of each of these species in our area. A single yard can produce a highly >significant number of birds: last year, only 66 CBCH and 55 BEWR were >reported across the entire state! > >Minimum information required is simply location of the box(es), species, >and >number of young fledged. Standard procedure is to look into the box about >once a week to do a head count. (Fear not; I have never known of a case >where >this caused nest abandonment.) The number of fledges is the last known >number >of healthy young seen on one of these checks, providing there is no >evidence >of predation etc. once they're gone. > >Some species are beginning to fledge young now, so time is of the essence >to >start checking in on them. Thanks for your assistance! > >--Garth Harwood, Santa Clara County Coordinator >California Bluebird Recovery Program >========================================================================== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to >[[email protected]] _______________________________________________________________ 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 May 06 20:44:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] Lark Buntingssss A student in my birding class just let me know that she had 17 Lark Buntings last Saturday in eastern Stanislaus County. She described them well in their varying plumages. She had 12 males and 5 females. 15 of them were together in one spot. I'm rushing out tomorrow to find and photograph them. I feel confident in her descriptions. It's the same general area as others were found earlier this year and 2 years ago. At the intersection of Warnerville Rd. and Crabtree Rds go west on Warnerville. The buntings were along the first quarter mile close to a turkey farm. They were flying back and forth across the road and out into the grasslands. The other 2 buntings were on Cooperstown Rd. 1 mile east of Willms Rd. between the bridge and the rock outcroppings next to the road. Its probably easiest to get to Warnerville Rd. from Knights Ferry and Hwy 108/120. Head south on Willms Rd to the intersection of Warnerville and Crabtree. She called me once and didn't try again. She didn't even leave a message on the answering machine. I'll have to retrain my students...... Jim Gain Modesto ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 06 22:55:38 1999 Subject: [SBB] April archive now online South Bay Birders, The archive of South Bay Birds messages for April 1999 is now on line. Also, this month's mystery birds have generated some fascinating commentary. The photos were contributed by Albert Ghiorso and Peter LaTourrette. As always, we welcome further discussion. The site is at http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ The photo gallery at the California Bird Records Committee site has been updated with new images of Whooper Swan, Long-billed Murrelet, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Great-winged Petrel, Short-tailed Albatross, Scarlet Tanager and Field Sparrow. This site is at: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/photos/ Enjoy! -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044: [[email protected]] California Birding; Mystery Birds: 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]] Fri May 07 12:02:24 1999 Subject: [SBB] Great North American Bluebird Count Put your birdhouse on the map! The first-ever Great North American Bluebird Count, May 14-17, invites you all to log on to http://birds.cornell.edu and report your sightings of cavity-nesting birds. The event, cosponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Nest Box Network (NBN) and the North American Bluebird Society (NABS), hopes to draw attention to cavity-nesting birds, including swallows, chickadees, and of course, bluebirds during this Internet-based count. It's part of Birdhouse Online, a new NBN/NABS interactive web site that has been collecting reports of cavity-nesting birds since March 1. Participation is free, and you don't have to have a nest box (though there's lots of information about nest boxes and other related topics at the web site). Just log on whenever you see bluebirds and other cavity-nesters. View maps, regularly updated to reflect breeding indications, such as nesting material, eggs, and young. There's also a coloring contest for kids! We named this count for bluebirds because they are a conservation success story, rebounding after population crashes in the early part of the century. Their comeback was due in part to the efforts of concerned citizens who put up nest boxes around their yards and farms. Now we need the data that are waiting in and around these nest boxes, and sightings of cavity-nesters, to help ensure the future of all cavity-nesting species. Please log on to http://birds.cornell.edu. You can send current sightings (and previous reports) to Birdhouse Online at the same address. While you're there, visit our popular Nest-box Cam (listed in the New York Times!), which is giving a "birds-eye view" of the inside of a nest box in South Carolina, home to a Carolina Chickadee family. The North Carolina nest box archive shows some interesting photos of different species investigating a box, including a bluebird at one point bringing in nesting material. If you are a reporter or have such contacts, or would just like to see our press release, please let me know and I'll email it to you. Anything you can do to help spread the word would be greatly appreciated! Good birding, Allison Wells Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca, NY [[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 May 07 14:48:20 1999 Subject: [SBB] Yellow-headed Blackbirds At noon today, 5/7/99, I observed four Yellow-headed Blackbirds flying around the reeds and field with Red-winged Blackbirds at the Arzino Ranch. I watched them from the Jubilee Christian Center parking lot. At the EEC were Bonaparte Gulls & Forester Terns on the island in Pond #16 and a pair of Lesser Scaup floating nearby. 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]] Sat May 08 10:41:22 1999 Subject: [SBB] Birds at Vasona Lake We saw a number of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and HOODED ORIOLES on our bird walk this morning, May 8, 1999, over at Vasona Lake. There were a few flocks of CEDAR WAXWINGS still present. CLIFF SWALLOWS have built their mud nests on the sides of the small foot bridge. They are filled with birds. The BELTED KINGFISHERS were having an aerial battle over by the creek. We also saw a juvenile BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON feeding in the creek. There is a BLACK PHOEBE NEST built on the drainage pipe behind the snack shack. FORSTER'S TERNS were also present. 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]] Sat May 08 11:43:08 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Frenchman's Triangle Frenchman's Road on the Stanford Campus had two male Western Tanagers (neither called), a silent Olive-Sided Flycatcher, four calling Pacific Slope Flycatchers, and two singing Wilson's Warblers. There was also a silent empidonax that I only got a brief look at - it suggested to me a Hammond's - gray breast and head with a short tail, although I gather this wouldn't be very likely at this location (are these typically seen only further inland during migration?). The Hooded Orioles allowed close study (both male and female) - the male was giving a single finch-like upslurred call note in addition to the usual low pitched chatter. A Black-Shouldered Kite was attacking a Red-Tailed Hawk overhead. - Dave David B. Lewis Division of Immunology/Transplantation Biology, Room H-307 Stanford University School of Medicine 300 Pasteur Drive Stanford, CA 94305-5208 Tel: (650) 498-4189 FAX: (650) 498-6077 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat May 08 19:01:51 1999 Subject: [SBB] Smith's Creek/Grant Ranch All, I spent the morning (5/8/99) at Smith's Creek Ranger Station and then birded a little in Grant Ranch Park over the hill. Not a lot of singing activity or migrant flocks, but a few goodies were out there for those who persevered. Lots of late lingering birds as well. Smith's Creek was a little slow, but I finally found a little hot spot along Mt Hamilton Road about a quarter of a mile back towards Grant Ranch from the Smith's Creek Ranger Station. Below the road here is a clump of willows with water running down to the creek. My attention was drawn to this spot by a singing male MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, but scanning with binoculars from the road revealed many warblers in the willows. Closer investigation turned up at least 3 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, 5+ ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 3 WILSON'S WARBLERS, 1 to 2 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, 1 YELLOW WARBLER, and a female BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. The MACGIILLIVRAY'S WARBLER was singing off and on for over a half hour, mostly from the middle of a thicket, but I did manage some brief looks at it. Across the road from here I had a single singing NASHVILLE WARBLER. Besides this, migrants were few, with 10 other WILSON'S WARBLERS, 1 singing male YELLOW WARBLER at the ranger station, and 5 singing BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS. Lingering winter birds were more interesting. The best was a very late drab female VARIED THRUSH, but a single HERMIT THRUSH (very gray bird) was also somewhat late. Also had at least 3 GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, 2 flyover PINE SISKIN, and 2 heard-only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Only 2 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, 1 CASSIN'S VIREO, and no Western Tanagers seemed like low totals for here. Other good birds included a soaring adult SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in breeding condition and a pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. On the descent to Grant Lake I had an immature GOLDEN EAGLE and a VAUX'S SWIFT. Grant Lake itself had 5 species of swallows, a single WHITE-THROATED SWIFT, and 4-5 more VAUX'S SWIFTS. East of the lake the Canal Trail had a few more migrants, including several LAZULI BUNTINGS (including females as well as singing males), 3 WILSON'S WARBLERS, and a SWAINSON'S THRUSH. Also a HUTTON'S VIREO and 6+ lingering AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. Three adult WILD BOAR and 10 piglets were rooting up the hillside here. Another immature GOLDEN EAGLE may have been the same bird seen earlier. A quick stop along Quimby Road added another WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, a singing PURPLE FINCH (new for block 1030), and a pair of HUTTON'S VIREOS carrying nest material (new CO for block 1030!). I next checked the trail that passes the barn with the rusty roof and heads down to Aguague Creek. Most of the action was between the road and the barn here, with 3 singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, a low-flying adult GOLDEN EAGLE just a few feet off the ground, a late LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and two active nest boxes housing TREES SWALLOWS and WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. No migrants were noted along this trail, perhaps because it was getting late in the day and the wind was picking up. Most interesting wildlife included another WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, a pair of WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, and a stealthy BOBCAT. Winter's having a hard time letting go! Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun May 09 00:27:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] Saturday birding Howdy South-bay-birders, Saturday I went birding with Robert and Kay Grimmond, a couple here on vacation from the U.K. We started in Morgan Hill, and wound up at Alum Rock Park, about 110 species later. After a relatively unproductive visit to Calero Reservoir, we stopped to scope the Golden Eagle nest on the tower along McKean Road. It now holds at least two young. Walking from Almaden Reservoir to Twin Creeks we found Olive-sided, Ash-throated, and Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewee, Cassin's and Warbling Vireos, House Wren, Yellow, Orange-crowned, and Wilson's Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Bullock's Oriole. Between the bridges upstream from the cabin area we enjoyed an American Dipper. Black-throated Gray Warblers were singing along Mt. Umunhum and Hicks Roads, but eluded our attempts to see them. Investigating a different warbler song along Hicks Road produced a Nashville Warbler. Just upstream from Guadalupe Reservoir we had nice scope views of a male Western Tanager atop a tall sycamore. From there we drove north to the bay. We added Glaucous-winged Gull and a male Wood Duck at the Palo Alto Duck Pond. From the marsh boardwalk at Palo Alto Baylands we saw a male Northern Harrier and a Clapper Rail (thanks to Kay's sharp eyes!). Shorebirds at Mountain View Forebay included many Semipalmated Plovers and alternate plumaged Long-billed Dowitchers, Western Sandpipers, and Dunlin. On an island in nearby Charleston Slough we counted at least 5 Black Skimmers. Following Peter LaTourrette's directions we hiked to the "sycamore gulch" above Sandy Wool Lake in Ed Levin Park. There were plenty of Lazuli Buntings singing there, and patience paid off with 2 Blue Grosbeaks--a male upslope in an elderberry bush, and a female in a sycamore beside the path. Down by Sandy Wool Lake we had our only Loggerehead Shrike of the day. At Alum Rock Park we failed to find Northern Pygmy-Owl or Canyon Wren, but did find a Spotted Sandpiper in alternate plumage upstream from YSI. Walking back to the car we saw a Cooper's Hawk (our 4th or 5th for the day) and a flock of Vaux's Swifts. 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]] Sun May 09 09:48:46 1999 Subject: [SBB] 72 YHBL at Arzino All: On 22 Apr., I had 40 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in one of the salt ponds on the north side of Coyote Creek in Newark, just outside Santa Clara County. On 23 Apr., the PECTORAL SANDPIPER was still at Arzino Ranch. On 28 Apr., I saw 10+ VAUX'S SWIFTS over Page Mill Road near Foothill Expwy. in Palo Alto. The same day, while looking for the ad. Little Gull at the San Jose WPCP in Alviso, Scott Terrill saw a 1st-winter LITTLE GULL fly out of one of the tanks near the main WPCP offices and head toward the sludge ponds [since then, Scott and I have spent a lot of time looking for LIGU in pond A-16 and at the WPCP, with no success]. On 3 May, there were still 22 AMERICAN PIPITS near the Agnews site in northeast San Jose. On 8 May, Rebecca and I birded around Alviso a little. When we pulled up to the edge of Arzino Ranch at the Jubilee Christian Center, the first blackbird I saw was a female YELLOW-HEADED, foraging in the small pool that remains here. While scoping the horse pasture, I spotted a nearly pure flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds, about 35 in all, with only a few cowbirds and Red- wings mixed in. These birds settled down in the field to forage, and more and more YHBL flew from the cattails in the field to this flock. Eventually, the entire blackbird flock flew up, made a broad circle around the field, then flew to the stables. I counted a total of 72 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS in the flock, about 50 appearing to be females and the remainder appearing to be first- year males by virtue of their larger size and darker plumage. I then drove to the stables, where I was able to relocate about 45 of the birds scattered around; again, I did not see a single adult male. So, if Mike Mammoser's count of 24 here on Saturday included any adult males, they can be added to my count of 72 to increase this already-record count! We then birded around the EEC, where there were about 100 BONAPARTE'S GULLS in A-16, and the CCRS waterbird pond, which had a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. Finally, we walked north from the Alviso marina to check the impoundment along the railroad tracks; there were 3 WILSON'S and 5 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES here. 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 May 09 19:42:02 1999 On 5/9/99 two MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS were seen just before the entrance to the Yerba Buena Nursery on Langley Road off Skyline (this is the well-known location for breeding). There was an incredible concentration of BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS in this area (at least 15 were heard singing along about 1/4 of mile of the road), as well as the usual ORANGE-CROWNED and WILSONS WARBLERS. There were also two WINTER WRENS singing about a quarter mile up from the nursery towards towards Skyline. Checked Russian Ridge for any grasshopper sparrows, and while I didn't hear any, there was a nice view of a long-tailed weasel. David B. Lewis Division of Immunology/Transplantation Biology, Room H-307 Stanford University School of Medicine 300 Pasteur Drive Stanford, CA 94305-5208 Tel: (650) 498-4189 FAX: (650) 498-6077 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun May 09 20:24:16 1999 Subject: [SBB] [Fwd: Returned mail: Host unknown (Name server: list.stanford.com: host not found)] Received: from mail-gw3.pacbell.net (mail-gw3.pacbell.net [206.13.28.55]) by mail-sf2.pacbell.net (8.8.8/8.7.1) with ESMTP id UAA14700 for <[[email protected]]>; Sun, 9 May 1999 20:22:25 -0700 (PDT) Received: from localhost (localhost) by mail-gw3.pacbell.net (8.8.8/8.7.1+antispam) with internal id UAA11377; Sun, 9 May 1999 20:22:25 -0700 (PDT) Date: Sun, 9 May 1999 20:22:25 -0700 (PDT) From: Mail Delivery Subsystem <[[email protected]]> Subject: Returned mail: Host unknown (Name server: list.stanford.com: host not found) Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> To: <[[email protected]]> Auto-Submitted: auto-generated (failure) The original message was received at Sun, 9 May 1999 20:22:23 -0700 (PDT) from ppp-206-170-4-124.wnck11.pacbell.net [206.170.4.124] ***Help Understanding Common Mail Problems*** A problem has been encountered in attempting to deliver your email message. The system generated error message appears below this informational section. A few common problems are described here to help you resolve your mail problems. Problem Cause ============= ========================================================= User Unknown: The user ID you sent email to does not exist at the host or mail domain you specified. You may have mispelled the user ID or that user's account may have been closed. Host Unknown: The host or domain name does not exist. You may have mistyped it or been given incorrect information. Note: [The user ID is the part of the email address to the left ===== of the '@'. The host (computer system) or mail domain is the part of the address to the right of the '@'.] *** ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors ----- <[[email protected]]> <[[email protected]]> ----- Transcript of session follows ----- 550 <[[email protected]]>... Host unknown (Name server: list.best.com: host not found) 550 <[[email protected]]>... Host unknown (Name server: list.stanford.com: host not found) ----- Original message follows ----- Return-Path: [[email protected]] Received: from rich (ppp-206-170-4-124.wnck11.pacbell.net [206.170.4.124]) by mail-gw3.pacbell.net (8.8.8/8.7.1+antispam) with SMTP id UAA11354; Sun, 9 May 1999 20:22:23 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <[[email protected]]> Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 20:21:46 -0700 From: Rich <[[email protected]]> Reply-To: [[email protected]] X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01C-PBWG (Win95; U) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: [[email protected]] CC: [[email protected]] Subject: Blue Grosbeaks (BG) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The Blue Grosbeaks have arrived in numbers this weekend. But where do they all go? On April 22 @ 7:30PM I spotted the first BG on the west side of Patterson Pass. It flew north towards the Delta. Last week end I spent several hours both Saturday and Sunday searching for BG's, I found none. This week end I was @ road marker 6.21 for 8 AM and @ 8:08 AM the first BG appeared it fed for 4/5 minutes in the willows and flew off west. A second Male BG appeared by 9AM it to flew west after feeding. Two Western Tanagers also flew by (actually this were paired) heading west also. I made another pass @ Patterson pass around 4 PM nothing no BG's. Today I was back on the pass by 8AM @ road marker 6.21 a female appeared @ 8:30. Down @ the large cotton woods @ the botton of the pass going west a first yr. male, a walk up the road to road marker 6.86 another BG male on the fence line with good lighting from the backside simply a wonderful shade of blue the BG is blessed with. Back up to road marker 6.21 and a singing male is now present, on to road marker 6.04 another adult male was present. There are two areas I need help with from other birders. If your heading up to Patterson to see the BG's please stop to check road marker 4.72 you'll need a scope. This area is a "wet hill side" which as slide it has many wwoody plants the best is a great willow, many wild flowers are presently blossoming this area has had BG's in the past and road marker 4.35. Once again this is the southern hill side, looking across the road and up you'll see a large congregation of woody plant the BG's have nested here on and off for several years depending the plant growth and foliage density. My records show that this is very late for these birds to be arriving, is it the windy weather? Never the less a good showing did develop. My question is how many more BG's use this raparian corridor during the week WHILE NO ONE IS AVAILABLE TO COUNT? Burrowing Owls are present by the wind power gate address 14680 park there and walk west 7 fence post look up hill (south) and a family of 5 can be seen. Walk back to the 14680 gate and walk east 5 fence post and look south up hill and you can find 2 more single owls. Happy birding Rich Cimino [[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 May 10 09:14:11 1999 Yersterday (5/10) I went up to the sycamore grove above Sandy Wool Lake. No sign of the Blue Grosbeak from 4:45 to 5:30 PM. I even went up the draw a bit. Several singing LAZULI BUNTINGs. Then I decided to contiune up the main trail. Its a short but steep hike with some of the better views in the South Bay from the summit. While scanning around, I spotted a male BLUE GROSBEAK in a distant bush. This was on some rocky outcroppings across the draw, looking south and down from the summit. I think these are the same outcroppings that can be seen high-up on the south side of the draw, from near the sycamore grove. Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon May 10 09:54:09 1999 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Ck CP, Alviso All, Sunday morning 5/9/99 I spent an hour at the Villa Maria Picnic Area, hoping to find some flocks of migrants in the oaks. Once again, migrants were in very short supply (need a change in the weather?). I had a singing male "AUDUBON'S" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and another singing warbler that may well have been a Hermit Warbler, but I could not see it to eliminate a variant Black-throated Gray Warbler song. Otherwise lingering birds continue, with a flock of about 20 CEDAR WAXWINGS in the area and an overflying flock of PINE SISKIN. Many singing OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, YELLOW WARBLERS, and WILSON'S WARBLERS were also around. Afterwards a few quick checks elsewhere in Stevens Creek County Park proved productive, although not for migrants. Numerous (at least 5, 4 being singing males) LAZULI BUNTINGS were between the upper end of the reservoir and the Mt Eden Road junction, an AMERICAN DIPPER was above the fourth bridge along Stevens Canyon Road, and the entrance to Camp Costanoan had a female selasphorus hummingbird, numerous vireos, and a pair of silent (likely breeding pair at this location) WESTERN TANAGERS, with the female showing a fair amount of orange wash in the throat (indicating an "after second-year" bird). A courting male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD was in the eucalyptus tree at the Picchetti Ranch parking lot. Later on Sunday (about 3pm) Alma Kali and I checked out the Arzino Ranch for Yellow-headed Blackbirds. We enjoyed 5 BURROWING OWLS, 4 CATTLE EGRETS, and a VAUX'S SWIFT before seeing two circling YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS (1 imm male, 1 fem circling over the last wet puddle along the Jubilee Christian Center fence) fly to the stables at the ranch. A check of this area turned up a whopping flock of 86 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS, apparently all first-year birds, with just under 40 first-year males and the rest females. There were no adult males and the females seemed to all have tan mottling admixed throughout their yellow throats, suggesting that they too were 1st-spring birds. One flyover calling WHIMBREL was also here. The nearby EEC had numerous BONAPARTE'S GULLS (over a hundred), many alternate-plumaged EARED GREBES, and 4 alternate-plumaged DUNLIN. 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 May 10 10:54:27 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Saturday, 8 May 99, I went up to Ed Levin Park, hiking up to the sycamores above Sandy Wool Lake. Quite a few singing LAZULI BUNTINGS were here, as well as HOUSE WREN, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW, and many LESSER GOLDFINCH. A WESTERN KINGBIRD was building a nest in one of the sycamores. An immature COOPER'S HAWK got all of the nesting RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS into an uproar. After hiking up to the upper hang glider launch, I returned to the sycamore grove and was able to finally find a male BLUE GROSBEAK upslope. I then went down to the Arzino Ranch, overlooking the field from the Jubilee Christian Center. Ann Verdi also showed up and, between the two of us, we saw 3 or 4 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS. After Ann left I waited around for a few minutes and was rewarded with a flock of 24 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS flying in to the fence line at the Center. There were also 3 CATTLE EGRETS and a BURROWING OWL in the field. On Sunday, 9 May 99, I went to Crittenden Marsh. A handful of alternate-plumaged EARED GREBES were present, but no signs of breeding. A pair of CANADA GEESE had a brood of 6 goslings, and an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER seemed out of place in the mustard along the levee. I then went to Calabazas Marsh, where I had a flock of 19 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, but was unable to find any Snowys in the south end of A8. A CASPIAN TERN flew by, probably heading for the nearby breeding colony. I went to check the large tern flock working the pond on the west side of the creek, and was pleased to find a single BLACK TERN among the FORSTER'S. At the Alviso Marina I walked out to the impoundment to the north. Here AMERICAN AVOCETS are sitting on nests. The shorebirds here included 7 alternate-plumaged RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES. Interestingly, one of the Wilson's was still virtually in basic plumage. 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 May 10 12:06:26 1999 Subject: [SBB] Weekend birds All: On Saturday, I took my family to Sunol Regional Wilderness. I saw a couple of Vaux's Swifts here and a female Common Merganser. Also heard 2-3 each of Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Lazuli Bunting. On Sunday, I spent some time looking through Bonapate's Gulls at various locations in the Alviso area. No sign of Little Gulls though. I saw 7 Red-necked Phalaropes at CCRS and 9 at the impoundment N of ALviso Marina. There were also 3 Wilson's Phalaropes, 2 SP Plovers, and 20+ Dunlin here. My attempts to look for the YH Blackbirds at Arzino Ranch were thwarted by some 'Youth gathering' at the Jubilee center that made it look like Valley Fair Mall on the weekend before Xmas. There is a pair of Burrowing Owls in the field on the corner of Lafayette and Hope (N of the old Agnews center). They nest by the big pipe that is in the field about 30-40 yards from Lafayette. 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]] Mon May 10 13:33:55 1999 Subject: [SBB] RTHA The local RED-TAILED HAWKS are nesting again on the power tower across Hellyer Ave from work. They have at least 2 half-grown downy young. 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 May 10 15:43:59 1999 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero Birds 5/8/99 All, On a Sequoia Audubon trip to Arastradero Preserve Saturday May 8, our group enjoyed prolonged viewing of the several LAZULI BUNTINGS singing along the roadside at the start of the main trail from the parking lot (these arrived here at about May 6 and had hardly moved since. Perhaps the Preserve will get a nesting record this year??). The GREAT HORNED OWL nestling has begun to explore and was six feet above the nest in the big eucalyptus to the right of the Corte Madera Trail just before reaching Arastradero Lake; a HUTTON'S VIREO was seen here as well. Only a few hundred feet away to the south, we observed a pair of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS attending an oak-top nest, one of whom appeared to be sitting on eggs or young. At the lake, a GREEN HERON was very cooperative, standing at the water's edge on a broad platform of dried cattails. Several BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS allowed themselves to be seen along the CM trail at and a short ways past the lake. All of the nearly 40 other species seen were typical of a late spring walk at the Preserve, although it was a treat to watch BARN and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS collecting nest material right beside the parking lot, where a pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS was delivering food to new hatchlings in a nestbox. --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 May 10 16:42:26 1999 Subject: [SBB] Mines, San Ant Val & Del Puerto Rds. On Saturday, 5/8/99, I took another group from my birding class on the Mines Rd. route, travelling through Alameda, Santa Clara and Stanislaus Counties. We did not stop at Del Valle Regional Park. The sunny and mild weather was in pleasing contrast to the previous weekend's cold, drizzly weather. While we had fewer species seen this weekend (70 compared to 80), we had some great views of some birds and saw some that were not found the previous weekend. The highlights: Mines Rd., Alameda County: Murrietta Wells Winery - GREAT HORNED OWLS, 3 nestlings were visible, both adults were present. 2 pairs of WOOD DUCKS, one pair was perched in a tree near a nest box, but we didn't see them associating with it. 1 female AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (LESSER G. were more prevalent). MP 4.22 (approx.) just south of Del Valle Rd. - 1-2 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE were heard, not seen. 1 male PHANOPEPLA was seen here, as were a pair of WESTERN TANAGER. MP 4.7 (approx.) just past the bridge - NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW carrying nesting material uphill. The first of 4-5 GOLDEN-EAGLE for the day was seen here (2 seen in Alameda Co.). MP 6.26 - One singing male LAZULI BUNTING. San Antonio Valley Rd., Santa Clara County: Fire station and the Junction - approx. 8 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES were seen and heard; 4 foraged on the fiddleneck at the edge of the parking area at the Junction, a couple more were on the foothill pines in front of the cyclone fence around the school next to the fire station. An OSPREY circled over the cattle guard area at lunchtime (where's the water?) 2 LEWIS' WOODPECKERS were at the 19 mile road mark south of the Junction. Ted Chandik's group saw another one about 1/2 mile further south, but we can't be sure if it was a different bird than we had seen. Del Puerto Rd., Stanislaus County: One female WOOD DUCK in a very open part of the stream near the roadside and next to grassland, mileage not noted. MP 10.4 - One displaying male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD. It performed a pendulum display flight about 15-20 ft. in diameter that appeared like a semi-circle rather than a deep-V. Following the bird in flight, I saw that the gorget was abbreviated as in a Black-chinned and I got a purple flash. The upper breast just below the gorget was bright white, as on Black-chinned. I didn't hear it give the "tchew" vocalization, but I did hear a flight call that sounded like "chuppety-chup", kind of like the call described for Allen's; this was definitely not a Selasphorus, however. I've reviewed Art Edward's documents and saw that Black-chins are seen as "occasional" migrants in the Canyon. We also found a singing male LAZULI BUNTING, and a singing CANYON WREN in this location. MP 4.0 (approx.), at the large pockmarked rock outcrop - a ROCK WREN, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, AMERICAN KESTRELS (actually a very scarce bird for the day). A hundred feet east of here, I saw a hummer briefly that was in a location of a Costa's in years past. Then, at the same location as last week (about 3.8 mi. west of I-5), we found a male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD that perched about 12 feet away from us. Great view! At about 1.5 mi. west of I-5, we saw one BURROWING OWL (BUOW) in the same location as last weekend. And about .25 - .5 mi. further east, we saw 3 more BUOW, all at the same burrow about 75 yards north of the road. We also saw several HORNED LARKS in this general vicinity. WESTERN KINGBIRDS were abundant, especially in the last 5 mi. of Del Puerto Rd. A rough guess of the numbers that we saw on Saturday would be 30+. At one point there were about 8 lined up along a fenceline. Bright male BULLOCK'S ORIOLES were also plentiful and continued to amazed us with their color. 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 May 10 21:45:24 1999 Subject: [SBB] A few birds, an upcoming birding class, and a request Howdy South-bay-birders, Spurred by Mike Roger's successful search for migrants in the Hamilton Range, I went out Sunday hoping to have similar luck in the Sierra Azul O.S.P. I walked Woods Road (which begins at the intersection of Hicks and Mount Umunhum Rd.) all the way to the grassy hilltop past Guadalupe Creek, but aside from an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, a few BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, it was very quiet. Birdlife was sparse along Hicks Road too. Guess I should have gone to Mt. Hamilton. Made some stops on my way home this afternoon. In the channel behind the SCVWD Pond I saw 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER and 3-4 broods of CANADA GEESE. At Almaden Lake birds included 2 COMMON MERGANSERS, COMMON MOORHEN, CASPIAN and FORSTER'S TERNS, CALIFORNIA and RING-BILLED GULLS, and 2 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS. Along Alamitos Creek between Leland High School and the Camden Avenue bridge I had 3-4 more COMMON MERGANSERS, 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, 1 WARBLING VIREO, 1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH (calling bird that kept hidden), 1 YELLOW WARBLER, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. Driving along the Arroyo Calero I again heard WARBLING VIREO and YELLOW WARBLER. In June I'll be teaching a beginning birding class through MetroEd's Community Interest Program. The class begins on June 10th, and meets six times--3 Thursday evenings, and 3 Saturday field trips. Big Sur will be one of the field trip destinations. If anyone is interested, they can find out more at: http://www.metroed.net/schedule/cip/cipenrich.htm And now a request for information: you may have read in the Mercury News that IBM, in spite of its earlier public statement, is proceeding with its plans to develop it's valley floor open space on Harry Road. This area of orchard/meadow is between 2 riparian corridors, and has some interesting birdlife--Golden Eagle, Wood Duck, Western Screech-Owl, Barn Owl, and White-throated Sparrow are a few of the species that have been seen here. If there are any birders out there who have recorded sightings of any threatened or endangered bird species (or other protected animals or plants) in this area, either in the riparian or the orchard, I would like to get details, since a draft environmental impact report is now in the works. If anyone wants to check this area out--and it is a nice birding spot--there is a trail that starts on Harry Rd. near its intersection with Camden. If you follow this trail the proposed development will be on your left. The trail eventually turns towards the Santa Teresa Hills, and connects with trails leading through the hills to Santa Teresa County Park. You can make a long or short walk of it. Birdwise it's worth checking out, and if you find anything interesting, please let me know! 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 May 11 09:27:06 1999 Subject: [SBB] COHA in DeAnza Park There was a pair of Cooper's Hawks in DeAnza park in Sunnyvale on 5/10. No sign of a nest but...? Charles Coston ______________________________________________________________________ Join YnnMail at http://www.ynnmail.com and get your free secure e-mail and 40,000+ newsgroup... ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 11 12:04:41 1999 Subject: [SBB] WETA, YRWA All, I made another quick check of the Villa Maria Picnic Area at Stevens Creek County Park this morning 5/11/99 before work. Once again not much migrant activity, although there were a singing male WESTERN TANAGER and a female "AUDUBON'S" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in the oaks here. Still a flock of 15 or so CEDAR WAXWINGS hanging around. Mike ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 11 14:25:27 1999 Subject: [SBB] Arzino Ranch I stopped by the Arzino Ranch this morning to check for Yellow-Headed Blackbirds. I saw a couple of individuals, but didn't see the flock (perhaps it was far out in the direction of the sun). There were 6 breeding-plumaged Cattle Egrets here (as there had also been on Saturday). 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 May 11 19:58:30 1999 Subject: [SBB] Egrets, egrets, egrets Tonight (Tues 5/11) was quite a night for Great Egrets just down the street from home. The large fields at the southeast corner of Hwy 237 and N. First St. had at least 85 Great Egrets spread all over the field. This is the most I have ever seen there at one time even though there are often a dozen or more. There is actually 2 parts to the field with a small paved road between them. Quite a site. -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]] Tue May 11 20:33:06 1999 Subject: [SBB] RUHU Just in case this is an unusual or late record, on May 5 Ed Frost and I saw a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD along with the hoards of Anna's and one female selasphorus hummer at the San Antonio Junction feeders. 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]] Wed May 12 13:32:48 1999 Subject: [SBB] Wednesday SCVAS Field Trip All, Today during the SCVAS Field Trip to Ed Levin County Park we saw an adult male Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Buntings, Rufous-crowned Sparrows, Western Tanagers, Bullock's Orioles, Western Kingbirds (two different nests under construction), House Wrens, White-throated Swifts, a Logerhead Shrike, a couple of large flocks of Cedar Waxwings and the usual unmentionables. Big misses were Golden Eagle, both accipiters and Red-breasted Sapsucker. After the trip Frank Vanslager and saw two Yellow-headed Blackbirds in Arzino Ranch (we had missed them in the morning and they were not easliy found in the afternoon). Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:32 PM, 5/12/99 ========================================================================== 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]] Wed May 12 17:54:48 1999 Subject: [SBB] R-n Phalarope All, On the way back from Stanford this afternoon 5/12/99, I checked the North Pond of the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin. Still 410+ DOWITCHERS present, probably all LONG-BILLED. Also 6 WESTERN SANDPIPERS and an alternate-plumaged RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. 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]] Wed May 12 19:17:57 1999 Subject: [SBB] FWD: Help with Y-H Blackbirds Vivek's message, below, bounced for some reason. Hope it goes through. A comment in response to his query about allergies: it could be that the high winds are blowing tree pollens over the area as well, perhaps even if the winds seem to be coming off the Bay. I've seen on newscasts that oak and mulberry family pollens have been very high this spring. Les Chibana List Bureaucrat South-Bay-Birds List [[email protected]] -------------------------------------- Date: 5/12/99 6:45 PM From: owner-south-bay-birds To: [[email protected]] Subject: Help with Y-H Blackbirds Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 18:48:52 -0700 From: Vivek Tiwari <[[email protected]]> I would like to request folks who have seen the Y-H BBs to be more specific about where and when they saw them. In two attempts (one at noon, another around 6:00PM) I haven't found one yet. In fact, not many BBs in general. Is a scope required? An allergy query: I had never had allergies until I moved to CA 2 1/2 years ago. They act up at this time of the year. And they are worst in the Arzino Ranch area. Yesterday my eye were red and blurry in 10 minutes flat (that's why I can't spend much time there). So the weeds in there are probably the main culprit. Does anyone know what the main weeds there are? Thanks, Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed May 12 20:30:49 1999 Subject: [SBB] WEKI at CCRS. Birders: There was a nice Western Kingbird foraging along the fence row downstream from CCRS. There are lots of shorebirds at the pond, at least 600 WEsterns and both species of dowitchers. Two Red-necked Phalaropes was a decrease from the 11 last week. Very little migrant activity along the riparian corridor. regards, 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 May 12 20:59:38 1999 Subject: [SBB] Pollen Hi everybody, In a recent posting someone asked about pollen information. Here is a very useful URL that allows you to link among others to the San Jose area. http://www.aaaai.org/nab/west.htm or go directly to: http://www.aaaai.org/scripts/nab/cityDetail.asp?City=San+Jose+(Station +No1)&State=Ca&Region+west.htm Dirk Thiele Environmental Improvement Service- Landscape Design and Development Cupertino _______________________________________________________________ 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 May 13 12:59:15 1999 Subject: [SBB] Backyard Birds Thought I had a hawk landing when I saw the large shadow, but nope, just a Mama and Papa Mallard. They're eating my Dr. Geis seed...will have to tell Freddie at the Wild Bird store to add Mallard to her list of birds that eat it! This is a first for me, having Mallards at my feeder - I don't have a swimming pool. The White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows have not been seen this month...last sight of them was April 23rd before I left for Arizona. Still have a couple of Golden-Crowned that seem to have stayed. American and Lesser Goldfinch and Pine Siskin still eat at my thistle feeder - though the feeding frenzy has decreased dramatically. The guy fixing my computer yesterday saw the male Hooded Oriole and said he'd never seen such a beautiful bird. He's a non-birder and said he was surprised at how interesting it was to watch my feeders. He was adding a 10 gig hard drive so had lots of time to "bird watch" as it was formating or something like that. I wish that Band-Tailed Pigeons had the silent flight of an owl. It seems like EVERY morning I am awakened by 30 or 40 of them taking off. They come in to eat one by one - but they depart en masse. Lots of noise from the flutter of wings. Happy birding! Gloria LeBlanc, Los Gatos off of 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]] Thu May 13 13:08:43 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Monday afternoon, 10 May 99, I watched the pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS feeding 3 young at the nest across Hellyer from work. Today, 13 May 99, I found a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest in a sycamore along Coyote Creek about 350 yards south of the bridge at Shady Oaks Park. This nest also contained downy young. A male and female WESTERN TANAGER were along the creek as well. 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 May 14 09:10:06 1999 Subject: [SBB] GRHE, BLSK Folks: Yesterday, 5/13/1999, on my bike commute home I saw a GREEN HERON flying northwest over the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh. Four BLACK SKIMMERS were on the island in the southeast corner of Salt Pond A1 and probably are the same four birds I saw at Charleston Slough in the morning. Whether this shift is related to nesting (a pair fledged two young here in 1995) or whether they were just trying to get some sleep and avoid the clatter of stilts and avocets in Charleston Slough is unknown. The slough site, as I passed by, was in an absolute uproar as there was a Great Egret stalking along the island's edge. Bill ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri May 14 10:40:07 1999 Subject: [SBB] Alum Rock Park The "Three sopranos" were singing at the end of the paved road in Alum Rock Park this morning...Bewick's wren, house wren and canyon wren. Lazuli buntings and rufous-crowned sparrows on the north rim trail joined in the chorus. 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]] Fri May 14 11:15:49 1999 Subject: [SBB] Great North American Bluebird Count Just a reminder: The Great North American Bluebird Count started today! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Nest Box Network, with the North American Bluebird Society, is asking everyone to count bluebirds and other cavity-nesters and report them to the Birdhouse Online web site at http://birds.cornell.edu. The count runs today through Monday. Have fun and count for the birds! Allison Wells Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 254-2475 [[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 May 14 11:51:52 1999 Subject: [SBB] Sat 6/5 PA Summer Bird Count Hello all, On Saturday June 5, the 19th annual Palo Alto Summer Bird Count will be taking place on the traditional count circle extending from the baylands westward nearly to La Honda, and from the southern edge of Edgewood Park in Redwood City, southward to Rancho San Antonio near the Cupertino border. It takes a lot of people to inventory the birds throughout this area, so all of you are energetically invited to take part in this year's count. There's no fee for the summer count, and you do not have to be a hotshot birder or Audubon member. Heck, you can even bring your birder-tolerant friends and relations, especially if they're willing to tote a clipboard! If you have a few hours to devote to "birding with a purpose" on that day, please contact me by return email stating your general bird-ID skill level and area preference (baylands, suburbs, foothills, or mountains), and I will try to match you up with an appropriate team. Please provide a phone number, too, as not all area leaders are wired (yet). If you're an experienced counter, you can contact your usual leader directly, or contact me regarding for contact information for this year's leader of your preferred count area. There will be a no-cost countdown dinner (pizza, salad, beverages) at the SCVAS office in Cupertino at 6PM the evening of the Count. See you there! --Garth Harwood ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri May 14 11:55:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] Some Birds at Arzino Ranch On Friday morning, May 14, there were four burrowing owls visible from the church property by Arzino ranch; two of them were perched on prominent stakes out in the fields. There were also four Cattle Egrets, nicely coming into breeding plumage, and numerous Western Kingbirds, four of them in one small flock. Unfortunately, the Yellow-headed Blackbird flock was staying in, and by, the horse corral on the southeast corner of the ranch. It is difficult to find a spot from which they can be seen unless, as happened, some exercise riders momentarily scares up the flock. The dirt access road to Arzino ranch is at the end of Nortech Pkwy. They could be seen (illegally?) from the top of the dark mound short of the ranch complex along that access road. I counted 23 YHBLs, all immatures or females. 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]] Fri May 14 17:05:05 1999 Subject: [SBB] Santa Teresa Co. Park 5/13/99 All, At the west end of Santa Teresa County Park yesterday (5/13), there were numerous RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS singing in the chapparal; 5 were seen and one, at about 0.5 miles up the Stiles Ranch trail, was carrying food as it foraged along the low rock wall there. There was also a couple of YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES, and a WESTERN KINGBIRD on telephone wires, along San Vicente Rd. near the park boundary. A single CHUKAR observed along Fortini Rd. was determined to be an escaped cage bird from an adjacent residence where at least one more was in a pen with other domestic fowl. --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]] Sat May 15 12:01:37 1999 Subject: [SBB] Early CA GNABC results Greetings CA birders-- Thanks to those of you who are sending in your observations of bluebirds and other cavity-nesters for the Great North American Bluebird Count http://birds.cornell.edu. Keep 'em coming! Here's your early GNABC report (Saturday afternoon, 5/15): Species # of observations T Swallow 12 W Bluebird 9 W-b Nuthatch 3 P Titmouse 1 H Sparrow 1 If you're getting this report on Monday morning: remember, you can report your sightings retroactively, and the GNABC continues through the 17th. You can view regularly updated maps and charts of results from all over the continent right at the web site. Please put your observations to work on behalf of cavity-nesting birds. Log on for the GNABC! Allison Wells Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca, NY [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat May 15 12:55:31 1999 Subject: [SBB] Alum Rock Park This morning at Alum Rock Park we spotted a number of great birds including an ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD, a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW, two LAZULI BUNTINGS, and plenty WESTERN WOOD PEWEES. We also got good looks at WILSON'S WARBLERS and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS. We heard the HOUSE WREN but didn't get a look at it. With the help of our walk leader, Jack Cole, we spotted over 35 species. 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]] Sat May 15 23:38:29 1999 Subject: [SBB] Swifts, Barn Owl Howdy South-bay-birders, This evening Jolene Lange and I saw a Barn Owl fly into the suburbs along Harry Road, near the end of Camden Avenue. Yesterday afternoon (Fri.), on my homeward commute, I saw a large number of swifts flying with swallows over the perc ponds on San Thomas Expressway (between Campbell Ave. and Highway 17). They appeared to be Vaux's, although I was driving in traffic and couldn't stop for a better look. This is the second time this spring I've noticed a concentration of swifts at that spot. 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]] Sun May 16 10:32:48 1999 This morning (May 16th) Frenchman's triangle on the Stanford Campus was fairly active with male and female pairs of WESTERN TANAGERS, HOODED ORIOLES, BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, two WARBLING VIREOS, two HUTTON'S VIREO (parent feeding a full-grown immature), single ORANGE-CROWNED and WILSON'S WARBLERS, and an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 16 14:55:42 1999 Subject: [SBB] Yellow-breasted Chat All: On 11 May, I had a late RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET near the old harbormaster's house at the Palo Alto Baylands. Seven female/imm. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS and a WESTERN KINGBIRD were at Arzino Ranch. On 12 May, 10 broods of CANADA GEESE and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER were at Lake Cunningham. Fifteen female/imm. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS and 2 WESTERN KINGBIRDS were at Arzino Ranch. On 13 May, a check of Almaden Lake produced 4 SNOWY EGRET nests (birds sitting on 2 nests as though incubating, standing on the other 2), a GREAT EGRET nest with an apparently incubating bird, and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT- HERON nest (adult arranging sticks on nest) on the Phragmites-covered island. More nests may have been present, but it was difficult to see everything in the Phragmites. Seven broods of CANADA GEESE were also present. On 15 May, I saw 2 VAUX'S SWIFTS and 5 WILSON'S WARBLERS at the EEC in Alviso. At CCRS, a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was singing on the north side of net lane 9655. Other birds seen in the riparian habitat south of the trailers included 2 singing male YELLOW WARBLERS, 2 WILSON'S WARBLERS, 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 6 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, 2 WARBLING VIREOS, 1 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and 2 male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS. Two WESTERN KINGBIRDS were on the WPCP fence near the waterbird pond, which had one SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 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 May 16 17:29:43 1999 Subject: [SBB] Alviso, etc. This afternoon (Sunday) I did a little birding around Alviso. Highlights included an adult GOLDEN EAGLE along the EEC entrance road, 12 WILSON'S PHALAROPEs in the impoundment north from the Alviso Marina, and 3 RED-NECKED PHALAROPEs in the channel south from that impoundment. (The Wilson's inc- cluded 3 females in striking alternate plumage, or close to it. The remainder were all males, except one or two which were not far enough along in moult for me to be sure.) The only other transient shorebirds at the impoundment were 3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERs, 6 DUNLIN, and about 10 WESTERN SANDPIPERs. (This was around 3 PM, not far from high tide.) The CCRS waterbird pond is now full of water, and there were no shorebirds at all except for the local breeders; the only birds worth noting there were 2 CASPIAN TERNs. Finally, there were still 5 CATTLE EGRETs at the Arzino Ranch; I didn't make the effort to locate the Yellow-Headed Blackbirds. In the morning, a visit to the hillside east of Sandy Wool Lake at Ed Levin Park turned up 4 singing LAZULI BUNTINGs (at least 2 seen), but I didn't run into the Grosbeaks. Several other birders arrived while I was there and stayed later, so perhaps they had better luck. A WESTERN KINGBIRD here was carrying nesting material. There was a flock of about 12 CEDAR WAXWINGs near the parking area, and a similar flock (probably different) at the Elms area. BULLOCK'S ORIOLEs at the former location are already carrying food for nest- lings. 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]] Sun May 16 17:30:12 1999 Subject: [SBB] Sunday birds Howdy South-bay-birders, Today I checked the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest at my parent's house, and found it contained at least one downy chick, who was very actively moving around in the nest. Also saw a single VAUX'S SWIFT flying over the hills there. I walked the trail from Harry Road upstream along the Arroyo Calero. PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS and WARBLING VIREO were singing in the riparian. When I reached the hills I heard what sounded like a grasshopper sparrow above the path, and subsequently saw a small sparrow fly away over the ridgeline. Couldn't I.D. what I heard or saw with certainty.. There I also had an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and YELLOW WARBLER singing in the riparian oaks. Drove up to the locked gate on Mt. Umunhum Rd., and walked part of the road beyond the gate. Near the beginning of the trail to Bald Mountain, which also starts near the locked gate, I found a singing RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW and LAZULI BUNTING. There were plenty of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS up there too. 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]] Mon May 17 09:08:23 1999 Subject: [SBB] osprey An osprey was working the Guadalupe River channel near the airport Sunday evening around 6 PM. 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 May 17 09:22:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] Almaden Field Trips, May 16 On Sunday, May 16, there were two Almaden area SCVAS Field Trips, advertised as "2-4-1" - the first trip to Almaden/Quicksilver CP followed the short Mine Hill-Guadalupe-Senator Mines trail loop - the second trip at Guadalupe Oak Grove Park in the heart of Almaden Valley. Both trips were successful; however, two trips in one morning caused a bit of a hustle for the leader (me) and I had to leave the first trip before it was over in order to get to my second destination. Almaden/Quicksilver CP (Mine Hill-Guadalupe-Senator Mines loop): This short loop goes through oak/laurel woodlands, grassy meadows, chaparral, and serpentine habitats. At least ten TURKEY VULTURES were seen roosting on fences and bare snags along the grassy meadow in the early morning hours, later to take flight circling overhead. We had excellent views of a family of WRENTITS in the chaparral and Frank Vanslager spotted a VAUX'S SWIFT overhead. Among other birds of interest on this hike were BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, WARBLING VIREO, and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. Lou Beaudet reported sightings of AMERICAN KESTREL, CALIFORNIA THRASHER, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, HUTTON'S VIREO, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and a beautiful TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, all seen after I left. Guadalupe Oak Grove Park: Besides the ubiquitous ACORN WOODPECKERS which are abundant in this park, other birds of interest seen included a family of excitable WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, excellent views of a HUTTON'S VIREO, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, and a surprising OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (first one that I've ever seen in this park). Ann ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon May 17 10:07:28 1999 Subject: [SBB] Table Mt. PILEATED W. 5/16 Yesterday I hiked down to Table Mtn. with Gargi and a non-birding friend. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERs atop tall dead trees in two places. A couple of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS. Came upon a PILEATED WOODPECKER on the main trail past (north of) the Table Mtn. summit. It was probing a dead tree close to the ground. Then it flew about and called. Flew back and forth over the summit towards the east. Another PILEATED called a bit further down the trail and I was able to watch it from pretty close. It was working on a dead tree right next to the trail. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was at the summit, as well as a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGs. Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon May 17 10:31:12 1999 Subject: [SBB] Extreme birding by bicycle For almost 20 years, I have more-or-less annually participated in the May Madness known as the Davis Double Century. It's a bicycle ride that covers a 200-mile circuit from Davis via Winters and Pope Valley to Clear Lake, with return via Cache Creek (CA Hwy 16). This year's ride was Sat., May 15, as beautiful a day for such a ride as one could imagine. I left my usual small binoculars behind, but nonetheless enjoyed seeing what birds I could spot during the 14-hour tour. Wildflowers were also abundant. Best bird of the day was an American Dipper spotted flying low over, then landing in, Cache Creek in mid-afternoon. Other observations: Turkey Vultures were flying by 8 AM in a good breeze. I couldn't turn any of the numerous crows into Ravens. Other Corvids: both Steller's and Scrub Jays, & Magpies. (I won't claim I could distinguish yellow bills in flight.) No raptors, surprisingly. Canada Goose, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, and some dark ducks, probably Gadwalls. Violet Green and Barn Swallows. Junco. American Robin, CA Towhee, Redwing & Brewer's Blackbirds. Killdeer, Black Phoebe, Starling, Mourning & Rock Doves. Spotted Towhee and Western Meadowlark heard but not seen. 23 species isn't exactly a Big Day, but they certainly provided an interesting diversion on a Long Day! ---------------- 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]] Mon May 17 10:36:06 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Sunday, 16 May 99, I got out to Stevens Creek Park for a few hours. Many of the normal birds were present, including a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS. In the abandoned quarry behind the Villa Maria Picnic Area, I had a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW singing. This is the first time I checked this area since 10 years ago, when I found this species here on the Breeding Bird Atlas. 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 May 17 12:01:57 1999 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek Park 5/15/99 My class and I enjoyed a beautiful day of birding at Stevens Creek Park on Saturday. We started late compared to the fishing crowd at the reservoir, so there was little on the water there. But, on a tip from Susan Peterson, we went up to the Picchetti Ranch parking lot to look for an owl. It turned out to be a fuzzy juvenile GREAT HORNED OWL. (Anybody know if there's a term for an owl, or any bird, that's left the nest, but not yet fledged?) This parking area was very birdy, if you don't mind the periodic screams from the male peacocks at the Ranch. We had BAND-TAILED PIGEONS overhead, a single VAUX'S SWIFT, and a possible VARIED THRUSH singing from dense understory, among the highlights at this spot. Picchetti Ranch is reached by turning right on Monte Bello Rd. from Stevens Canyon Rd. just past the quarry near the Stevens Creek Reservoir dam. The entrance to the Ranch, which is part of the Open Space District, is on the left about .75 mi. up Monte Bello Rd. Highlights: OSPREY - over the reservoir. WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS - the trail above Villa Maria picinic area Selasphorus Hummingbird - wing buzz heard at Villa Maria OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER - persistent calling above Chestnut area WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE - Chestnut area ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS - Chestnut and Villa Maria areas. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS - the trail above Villa Maria; heard on trail behind restroom at Canyon area AMERICAN DIPPER - 1 above the 4th bridge upstream of the Mt. Eden Rd. intersection, and before the private drive over the creek. YELLOW WARBLER - heard only at the Cooley picnic area. HOODED ORIOLE - at Villa Maria (where are the palms?) WESTERN TANAGERS - in the Canyon picnic area. GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW - heard at Picchetti Ranch CASSIN'S and WARBLING VIREOS were heard in reasonable numbers. PURPLE FINCHES were very vocal in the Villa Maria area. PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS were detected in low numbers. Nesting activity: Great Horned Owl juvenile, Nuttall's Woodpecker pair entering cavity with food, American Robin on nest with 3 nestlings at Canyon picnic area, European Starling feeding nestlings at cavity, Black-headed Grosbeak on nest at Canyon area, and a Bullock's Oriole building a nest at Villa Maria. 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 May 17 19:02:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] Arastradero Preserve 5/17/99 All, This morning, 5/17/99, while checking my nestboxes at Arastradero Preserve, Lazuli Buntings were apparent at a number of locations to the east and south of the parking lot. One pair just across the eastern fenceline onto Stanford land was displaying courtship & territorial behavior. Seems like a banner year for the species in our area. Cedar Waxwings were present in very large numbers, probably one or two hundreds in the treetops. Nestbox activity had reached a peak, with 10 of 14 boxes actively attended by at least one pair of birds (two boxes with broods of 5 young Western Bluebirds each were also being visited by eager Violet-green Swallows, although none of the interspecific feeding that has been documented between swallows and bluebirds under these circumstances was observed.) Two Tree Swallow nests were active, one of which held 4 eggs. Four Violet-green Swallow nests were under construction but no eggs were in evidence yet. It has been 10 weeks since I first saw these two swallows inspecitng these boxes on March 2! One box was the object of intense scrutiny by an Ash-throated Flycatcher. We've had a number of ATFL box-nestings at Arastradero before, though not on this section. They are always the last of our local cavity-nesters to settle in. There are two other nestbox trails on the preserve; they presently contain active House Wren, Western Bluebird, Oak Titmouse, and Chestnut-backed Chickadee nests. --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 May 18 08:36:24 1999 Subject: [SBB] Western Screech Owl Want to see a Western Screech Owl? you can.... Let me preface this by saying that my neighbor's Screch Owls are the only Western Screech Owls I have ever seen. Yesterday evening I went over to my neighbor's house to see their owls - yes, plural, owls. There was a baby hatched on Friday evening (May 14) and a second baby hatched Sunday. The camcorder is great! - but not perfect. Plus there are now 3 cobwebs. Viewing the video he filmed last Friday, it appears as if the Mother helped the owl get out of its egg. The camcorder is from the top of the box so you just get glimpses of some white and a couple of times you see most of the baby. He hasn't had time to edit down the video from Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Watching the camcorder live yesterday it was obvious that there were 2 babies. There were never more than two eggs laid that could be seen. So, it appears that the hatching is over. Last night there was a mouse in the box that the mother tore apart and we watched as she fed her two chicks. They have never seen 2 adult owls this year - just one. But, the top of the owlbox has severe talon marks. I came home and read up on Western Screech Owls. I found out that they lay 2 to 5 eggs. That the eggs hatch in sequence. It said the female broods the babies for 6-13 days and the male brings food to the nest during this time. They didn't know this and will look more for the father. We're guessing the scars on top of the owlbox may be from the male when he arrives with his prey. Since Friday there have been 1 or 2 animals of some sort in the box--mostly mice. What I read said the young leave the birdbox in 21-28 days. So, from what I read it appears as if it would be best to schedule a viewing after 13 days from hatching and before 21 days when they could leave the nest. Now my question to those of you who know far more than I do...they are agreeable to allowing people come see the baby owls....but, just once....they are a busy family with two little kids. The thought was that they'd open their home for one hour some night...perhaps from 7:15 - 8:15...you could see the live action from the camcorder on their TV...they would also show an edited version of what they've taped....then at 8:15 pm you could go outside and see if you could spot an owl...and leave whenever you want, but not go back into the house after 8:15 pm....their kids will be asleep then. Their backyard continues on into an open space area so you could see the habitat. When would be the best time to schedule this event? It seemed like it should be after the mother stops brooding (6-13 days) and before they leave the nest (21-28 days)....anyone with more knowledge than me have a suggestion? and we're not sure how many people would be interested...does this interest you? so please let me know interested in seeing? your best guess as to when the best viewing time will be Gloria LeBlanc - Los Gatos off 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 May 19 06:18:25 1999 Subject: [SBB] Virginia's Warbler at Big Sur Hi Birders - I don't know why this didn't get out sooner. The Monterey Bay Area RBA (phone 831 375-2577) reported on Tuesday afternoon the presence of a singing male VIRGINIA'S WARBLER at Andrew Molera State Park. I don't know who found it, but I presume someone from BSOL found it. To get to the location, take the footbridge across the river from BSOL and take the main trail until you get to the first major intersection. Turn left and go approximately 100 meters. The bird was singing from the steep hillside with chapparal/willow on it. It was first detected on Monday. Steve Rovell PLEASE NOTE THE TWO ADDRESSES, the second one is new. [[email protected]] [[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 May 19 22:19:34 1999 Subject: [SBB] Oak Titmice Hi Garth, My bach yard Oak Titmice moved out of their nesting box in the plum tree and into a tree cavity in my English Walnut tree. This happened about 3 weeks ago. They are now raising offspring. I see them taking turns in bringing insects and caterpillars to the nest. To "catproof" the nesting site I had to put barricades of chicken wire and 3 Tomato cages into the tree. It seems to have done the job, so fat. But I have a greater concern, and that is that I saw and heard a female cow bird stalking the Titmice and possibly laying it's own egg into their nest. I could not believe how bold that cowbird was. When I chased it away (several times until I gave up)it came back immediately and with great determination. I will soon find out. All I know for now is that both Chickadees seem unusually busy feeding their young. 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 May 20 06:38:39 1999 Subject: [SBB] Western Screech Owl viewing On Thursday, May 27 from 7:15-8:15 pm we will be able to see what's happening with the Western Screech Owl at my neighbor's house. We will be shown about 15 or so minutes of video - edited down from more than 20 hours of tape. We will be able to see the live action from the camcorder on the big screen TV of what is happening inside the box at that point in time. We have chosen May 27 since it should be AFTER brooding time and BEFORE the 2 babies leave the nest box. At 8:15 pm it will be too dark to see with the camcorder inside the box and we will go outside to try to see the Mother or Father. You can stay outside for as long as you would like. But, we won't go back inside since their little kids will have gone to bed. This is a one time offer - no other time available. The location is Los Gatos off of Quito. If you are interested in being in attendance, please e-mail for further instructions. Gloria LeBlanc 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]] Thu May 20 11:23:19 1999 Subject: [SBB] Oak Meadow Park/Vasona Lake We saw two FORSTER'S TERNS over at Vasona Lake this morning. Also, very large flocks of CEDAR WAXWINGS were present. CLIFF SWALLOWS, NORTHERN-ROUGHED WINGED SWALLOWS, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were also filling the sky. GREEN HERONS, GREAT BLUE HERONS, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS are in good numbers over on the little island near the dam. We got good looks at both the ACORN WOODPECKER and the NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER. CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and OAK TITMICE were clearly tending to many new fledglings along the creek between Oak Meadow and Vasona. A YELLOW WARBLER was also in the same bushes as the titmice. 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 May 20 12:40:59 1999 Subject: [SBB] DUFL,HAFL,MGWA,HEWA at Smith's Ck All, Noting the change in weather with heavy overcast and slight drizzle in the Bay area this morning 5/20/99, I headed up to Smith's Creek early this morning to see if any migrants were about. Just before getting there I stopped at the spot between mp 15.48 and 15.50 where I had the singing MacGillivray's Warbler last time. Incredibly the MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER (or another, but I kind of suspect the same one) was still singing incessantly from the same thicket! Garrett and Dunn's warbler book notes that this species rarely sings on migration, lending some support to the possibility that some of our singing Diablo Range birds may be attempting to breed on occasion (they are often in apparently good habitat). The oaks along the road here were full of warblers, with numerous WILSON'S, YELLOW, TOWNSEND'S and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS being accompanied by a single adult male HERMIT WARBLER and a ratty late YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. Also at least one SWAINSON'S THRUSH here. At Smith's Creek proper I first followed along the creek. There were at least 4 YELLOW WARBLERS not far upstream of the bridge. About 100 yards before the river crossing I heard a calling MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER and managed to pish up this male bird. Also an active HAIRY WOODPECKER nest along the creek here. Back at the fire station I had a pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. Several WILSON'S WARBLERS were all around the area - I tallied over a dozen before leaving. Also a few singing LAZULI BUNTINGS around. Heading up the hill behind the old broken down barn resulted in a singing TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (with several WILSON'S), another SWAINSON'S THRUSH and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. Coming back down this trail I heard a calling HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER north of the path and went to investigate. I easily located this very agitated bird, but was surprised to hear another agitated empidonax giving a "whit" call in the next tree. The call did not sound as loud as a Gray Flycatcher and it seemed a little early for Willow Flycatcher (especially when everything is so late this year!), so I hoped for Dusky Flycatcher. I quickly located the bird and confirmed it was indeed a DUSKY FLYCATCHER. It was very similar to the Hammond's in coloration, with a gray breast and face, but was longer-tailed and longer-billed. The clean white eye-ring showed no teardrop to the rear. The bill was narrow and straight-sided and largely dark below. After I got good looks from below, this bird flew to the base of a bush below eye level and preened for over 5 minutes, nicely revealing the short primary extension past the tertials (partly responsible for the long-tailed look). Although I have picked out a couple of May Dusky Flycatchers in nearby Alameda County, I have so far failed at locating one in Santa Clara County; this was county bird number 327 for me! Back at the trail I heard yet another MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER; calling and pishing produced good looks at the bird, this time a female (wish she would head over to that singing male!). I checked milepost 15.50 again on the way back out and the MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER was still singing (almost three hours later!) several times a minute. A quick check of Grant Lake produced 2 (possibly 3) very late alternate-plumaged GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and 4 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES in the Coyote bushes near the lake edge - also a singing male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT here. A couple YELLOW and WILSON'S WARBLERS were in the nearby riparian and several LAZULI BUNTINGS were around. A male WOOD DUCK on a small pond off the canal trail appeared quite agitated but I didn't see any young. A female COMMON YELLOWTHROAT at McCreery Lake was likely a migrant. Also had a single GREEN HERON flying over the GREAT BLUE HERON rookery. Perhaps the weather helped or perhaps all those late migrants are finally making their way north - either way a very productive morning! 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 May 20 13:29:32 1999 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek Park The highlight of a visit to Lower Stevens Creek Park this morning: as I arrived (from the rear) at the hilltop on the trail north from the Villa Maria area, I saw an adult Cooper's Hawk perched on a snag in the open there. It remained there for several minutes, apparently unconcerned about my pre- sence. But it finally left when attacked by a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. There were two Gnatcatchers here; it was probably the male which divebombed the Hawk. Despite the cloud cover, essentially all of the typical species here were present and vocal. (I only checked the Villa Maria area and the area near the end of the road past the Ranger's Station). Perhaps making up for their late showing this year? There was also one Caspian Tern at the reser- voir; but a paucity of swallows, and no swifts. A brief stop at McClellan Ranch Park showed where all the swallows were hanging out; several Vaux's Swifts were among them (at least 3, hard to count). 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]] Thu May 20 19:41:54 1999 Subject: [SBB] Thrush species? Howdy South-bay-birders, Today I was eating french fries in my truck outside my work in Sunnyvale, when I noticed a movement in the tall narrow hedge in front of my vehicle. It was a thrush, although all I could see through the branches was its spotted breast and eye ring. Before I could get my binoculars it had disappeared. I've had Hermit Thrush here in winter, but it seems kind of late in the season. Suppose it might have been a Swainson's, although the urban habitat makes that seem less probable-- 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]] Sat May 22 01:28:59 1999 Subject: [SBB] Bank Swallow, Black Tern All: On 18 May, 18 GREATER SCAUP in Crittenden Marsh with 24 LESSERS seemed unusually late. COMMON RAVEN nests with young were on towers in the northwest corners of ponds B2 and A2, and 2 active DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT nests were on Long Point. A WESTERN KINGBIRD and 3 CANVASBACKS were at the mouth of Stevens Creek. Nineteen broods of CANADA GEESE (with many more probably present) were at several locations between the Sunnyvale WPCP and Emily Renzel wetlands. On 19 May, Dave Johnston and I had 18 singing male GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS in the Silver Creek Hills of southeast San Jose. Three males were associated with agitated birds [presumably females]; one pair was feeding a newly-fledged juvenile, and another pair was carrying food. We also had 19 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS and 2 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES here. On 20 May, among huge numbers of swallows foraging at the north end of Moffett Field (I estimated 1-2000, Mike Rogers later estimated many more), I had 3-5 BANK SWALLOWS. With the exception of a small number of Barns, all the rest of the swallows were Cliffs. Three WESTERN KINGBIRDS were also here, and an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was at the north end of pond B2. Along San Francisquito Creek near Stanford (upstream from the mall) I had single migrant OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and WESTERN KINGBIRD. On 21 May, 2 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES and a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER were along San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto. At Lake Cunningham in San Jose, 6 alternate-plumaged BLACK TERNS were foraging over the lake. Even more unusual in terms of location were a pair of adult LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES feeding two recently fledged juveniles in a field at the intersection of Tully and Capitol nearby. I once confirmed this species breeding near the Ogier Ponds, but it would be especially rare as a breeder on the northern valley floor. 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]] Sat May 22 14:58:54 1999 Subject: [SBB] Black-chinned Sparrow Howdy South-bay-birders, At about noon today I had a singing BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW at the beginning of the trail to Bald Mountain. To get there, take Hicks Road to Mt. Umunhum Rd., drive 1.7 mile to where a gate blocks the road, and walk the fire road through the gate to the left. The bird was just downslope from the trail right near the beginning. It was singing constantly, was easy to spot, and was still there when I left. Also in this area were a singing LAZULI BUNTING, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. At the intersection of Alamitos Road and Hicks Road near Almaden Reservoir I had OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and 2 singing LAZULI BUNTINGS. Just upstream from Guadalupe Reservoir I heard a WILSON'S WARBELR, and had quite a few BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS and other songbirds. 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]] Sat May 22 16:02:06 1999 Subject: [SBB] Hidden Villa At Hidden Villa this morning, we saw a number of PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS and a very vocal LAZULI BUNTING. In the nesting boxes attached to the telephone poles just beyond the visitor's center, we saw WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. We also saw a PURPLE FINCH, a WESTERN TANAGER, some CALIFORNIA QUAIL, and a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. A WARBLING VIREO and an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER were also present. 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]] Sat May 22 17:37:16 1999 Hi, This morning I saw 2 Stella Jays at the creek along Old Page Mill Road on the Stanford Hill side. This is the first time I did see Stella's there. Are they moving down further and further from the Hills? Marianne Dieckmann 2040 Amherst Str. Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 857 0793 email: [[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 May 23 16:20:16 1999 Subject: [SBB] Ed Levin Park yesterday Hiked up to the sycamore grove and beyond to the lower hang glider launch pad at Ed Levin Park yesterday. We were looking for Blue Grosbeaks (which didn't make an appearance), but we did have nice views of Lazuli Buntings and lots of activity from Bullock's Orioles--singing and nest making. Also saw a flycatcher that we suspect was a Western Wood Peewee. Hugh McDevitt ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun May 23 17:23:52 1999 Subject: [SBB] Coe birds An all day walk at Henry Coe State Park on Sunday yielded several Black-= chinned Sparrows. One bird was seen and at least three others were heard = singing in the chamise just south of Eagle Pines on Willow Ridge. This is = an area where the birds have been found in previous years. Of interest = were at least two singing birds heard several miles south on Willow Ridge = in an area where they have not been observed on previous occasions. Black-= chinned Sparrows were confirmed to be breeding at a site a couple of miles = north of the Coe location during the Breeding Bird Atlas, but there are no = Coe breeding confirmations to date. Other interesting observations include a Common Merganser in Coyote Creek = and a Prairie Falcon carrying food to a known nesting site. Lazuli = Buntings were abundant. James Yurchenco ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon May 24 08:03:45 1999 Subject: [SBB] Smith Creek, etc., 5/22 Just a follow-up to John Meyer's RBA report of McGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS in the vicinity of Smith Creek on Saturday, May 22. I also visited the area on Saturday and met up with John and Mitch. I missed the one near MP 15.50, but did find the one near the cattle gate along Smith's Creek. Besides McGillivray's Warbler, here are a few other birds to report from Smith Creek. WILSON'S WARBLERS were the most numerous warblers present. Also seen were three TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and one YELLOW WARBLER. Other birds noted were HAIRY WOODPECKER, LAZULI BUNTING, a pair of WARBLING VIREOS, several PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, and one HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER (seen in a creekside alder just beyond the cattle gate near the Hairy Woodpecker nesting site). Up the hill into the oak woodlands I found BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, several WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, a pair of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, and one male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH feeding in fiddleneck. In the valley at Grant Ranch were several excitable WESTERN KINGBIRDS, more LAZULI BUNTINGS, WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, a late YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and several TREE SWALLOWS around fence post nestboxes. The Tree Swallows were especially stunning as the sun caught them just right and their backs gleamed in cobalt blue contrasting with their snow-white fronts - a beautiful sight. That's it for now - Ann ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon May 24 09:23:03 1999 Subject: [SBB] Vasona Island I scoped the small Vasona Lake island from University Dr. Sat AM to check on nests for SFBBO. There are 5 Great Blue Heron chicks on 2 nests. All 4 adults were also present part of the time. One Snowy Egret nest with brooding adult is visible. It stood up once; I saw no chicks, so it must still be sitting on eggs. SNEG flew into and settled down on two other sites that presumably are nests. However, the nests are hidden. One brooding Black-crowned Night Heron is also visible. A second adult BCNH remained in one location the whole time I watched, but appeared to be standing, half hidden. A BCNH chick moved about, perched on a variety of branches. Pat Curtis reported Green Herons last week. I didn't see any of those. There were Canada Geese on the ground and in the water adjacent to the island. Red-winged Blackbirds also came and went frequently. 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 May 24 09:40:55 1999 Subject: [SBB] SCVAS Monte Bello OSP Hi Everyone-- At Monte Bello OSP yesterday (5/23), good weather, a profusion of wildflowers, fancy butterflies, and some nice birds made for a good day's outing. LAZULI BUNTING was loud and conspicuous all day, even when everything else fell silent. Our walk went from the Page Mill Road parking lot to the Canyon Trail by way of the old orchard, down the Canyon Trail to the Indian Creek Trail, up the Indian Creek Trail to the walk-in campground, then back to the parking lot via the Bella Vista Trail. Grasshopper and Chipping Sparrows were absent from the orchard this time. Numerous BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were in the canyon, including several that perched on top of Douglas Firs with their irridescent necks glinting in the morning sun. Just upcanyon from the Indian Creek Trail, we watched a pair of agitated BLACK-TROATED GRAY WARBLERS for a good while; then we noticed a different song nearby, even buzzier than the Black-throated Gray. With some patience, we located the source: a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. We later found another, and wondered if migration was running late this year. The climb up the Indian Creek Trail gave us good looks at singing CALIFORNIA THRASHER and WRENTIT, but there was no sign of Black-chinned Sparrow. Clarkia and poppies were blooming in abundance, and Chalcedon Checkerspots were fluttering all around us. Near the campground, several WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were on the wires, perhaps attracted by the nestboxes the district is putting up. By afternoon, most bird activity was in the air: several RED-TAILED HAWKS were hunting with some success (more than one small, furry animal died in their clutches as we walked), and 3 BLACK SWIFTS flew over us as we arrived back at the parking lot. The bird total was 51 species, 10 of which were heard only. Mark Miller ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 24 10:02:46 1999 Subject: [SBB] Smith Creek All: Mitch Ninokata and I went to Smith Creek on Saturday. Mike Rogers' male MacGillivray's Warbler was at mile 15.48-.50, alternately singing at about 15 feet up and foraging near the ground. We also found (aided by Ann Verdi, who'd seen it already) the male MacGillivray's Warbler reported by Mike right along the creek (near the broken-down metal cattle gate) -- also alternating between singing and foraging along the creek bank. We heard a probable third one in the foliage across the trail in the same area. Despite a good deal of searching, we didn't find any unusual flycatchers. Yours, 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]] Mon May 24 11:06:17 1999 Subject: [SBB] Owl update & other bird behavior There are now 4 baby Western Screech Owls visable in the bird box. It appears as if Thursday will be a good time for us since the mother is already beginning to move away from them. 7 pm at my house for those that have responded to come see. I went on Freddie's Wild Bird Store Field trip Saturday to Audubon Ranch. There were 11 Great Blue Nests, 60 Great Egret and 5 Snowy Egret. We saw eggs being turned and fuzzy babies. I counted 39 nests on one tree. Someone recommended Five Brooks to see the Wood Ducks. So, we went there after leaving the Ranch. We saw fascinating behavior between a Great Blue Heron who flew in to the edge of the pond and a Red-winged Blackbird. Initially the blackbird perched on the Great Blue's back. The Great Blue ignored it. The blackbird appeared to be preening the Great Blue. But, we wondered if it were getting bugs (like an Oxpecker does). It stayed on the Great Blue's back, then flew a few feet away, then flew back and forth. but, never in its face. The Great Blue pretty much ignored it. At "my farm" (La Rinconada Park) on Sunday I watched a real tiff going on between some Stellar Jays, Scrub Jays and Robins. They were really going at it. The Stellars seemed to be after the Scrubs - I've only seen Stellar in this park for just over a year - and they are few in number. Finally they all left the area and a few minutes later the Robins returned. My guess is that the Robins had a nest there. Since it was all happening right over my head and lasted for a fair amount of time, I found it all interesting and thinking - if birds could only talk! But, it appeared as if the losers were the Scrub Jays. Gloria LeBlanc 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]] Mon May 24 12:52:53 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Friday, 21 May 99, I went up to Smith Creek, having the MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER singing at milepost 15.48. At the bridge I ran into Bob Reiling and Frank Vanslager. They had seen a female LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH there, but I had to settle for just hearing them singing from the pines behind the fire station. Some typical birds were along the creek, but nothing unusual. I left Bob and Frank and went to the trail that runs behind the barn just north of Grant Lake. Here I had a very cooperative GRASSHOPPER SPARROW that was sitting up on a stalk and singing. On Saturday, 22 May 99, I walked along Coyote Creek Riparian. There were numbers of singing WILSON'S WARBLERS (they must be peaking in migration about now). I also had a singing SWAINSON'S THRUSH here, which seemed unusual. They are around in numbers on migration, but I don't recall ever hearing one sing here. Other birds of note were an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, a female WESTERN TANAGER, a male LAZULI BUNTING, and a male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD. NUTALL'S WOODPECKERS were feeding young at a nest hole near net lane 9330. On Sunday, 23 May 99, a check of L'Avenida Riparian produced 6-7 WILSON'S WARBLERS and a few SWAINSON'S THRUSHES. A female BELTED KINGFISHER was carrying food up towards hwy 101. 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 May 24 17:50:58 1999 Subject: [SBB] Ed Levin Park I feel a bit like the 81 year-old who climbed El Capitan, after hiking to the second hang-glider pad above Sandy Wool Lake on Monday morning. (And he's 19 years older than I). I did not find any blue grosbeaks, but there was still plenty of activity in and around the sycamore grove. Various forms of nesting activity were indicated by BULLOCK's ORIOLE, LESSER GOLDFINCH, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, LAZULI BUNTING and the ubiquitous red-winged blackbird. Also singing were RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW and ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. You know you've had a good hike when you can look down on turkey vultures. 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 May 24 20:15:13 1999 Subject: [SBB] CCRS yesterday. Birders: Yesterday, Sunday May 22,99 at the CCRS waterbird pond there were plenty of newly hatched American Avocets. In addition, there was a female Red-necked Phalarope and 8 Wilson's Phalaropes (4 of each sex). Nothing else of note other than a singing Western Wood-Pewee from the trailers. cheers, 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]] Mon May 24 21:03:00 1999 Subject: [SBB] Lawrence's Goldfinch etc. at Arastradero All, During my routine weekly nestbox check at Arastradero Preserve at mid-day today (5/24/99), I encountered a group of four LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, 2 male/2 female, feeding together in a thistle patch near the SE corner of the preserve (well east of the parking lot...you can see I-280 clearly from this spot.) The LAGOs were feeding on fiddleneck seedheads. LESSER GOLDFINCHES were also present, but not keeping company with the LAGOs. There was also an agitated pair of LAZULI BUNTINGS near the SE fence corner, and a single VAUX'S SWIFT was seen repeatedly among the swallows overhead throughout my visit. (Special plea: this Preserve currently has NO coverage for the Summer Bird Count on Saturday June 5. It would be great if a few more of the experienced birders on this list would step in! End of plea.) Nestbox activity was very high, with 3 new VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW nests this week. Almost all of these boxes are now occupied, although 2 had been disrupted by an unknown predator. One TREE SWALLOW nest held 6 eggs (on the high side for TRSW) and another had 4. No VGSW eggs were present yet but some were probably lost on one of the disrupted nests. The two broods of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS (5 each) are maturing nicely and are still being attended by both parents. The first batch should fledge 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 May 25 11:01:46 1999 Subject: [SBB] Loma Prieta All, Early this morning 5/25/99 I spent a couple of hours at Loma Prieta, hoping to catch a piece of the Black Swift movement reported from southern CA this past weekend. When I arrived at the pavement end there was absolutely no wind and the insects were a real annoyance. The entire area was well above the fog, which topped out at the base of Mt Bache Road. No sign of any Purple Martins, Black-chinned Sparrows, or flying migrants, so I headed up towards the summit. No Black-chinned Sparrows or swallows/swifts near the summit either. A few migrant warblers in the chaparral included a single singing male MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER (came in to pishing), a single singing male YELLOW WARBLER, and several WILSON'S WARBLERS. Also lots of OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and 4 LAZULI BUNTINGS, some of which may have been migrants. Interesting was a calling MOUNTAIN QUAIL just below the road junction pullout. I have not had these birds here before, although the habitat certainly seems decent. Back at the pavement end, a scan of the ridges to the south revealed a flock of 23 foraging BLACK SWIFTS. Unfortunately, despite waiting a while, the birds seemed perfectly content to forage over Santa Cruz County without ever even coming close to Santa Clara County airspace. Guess they eat breakfast at the edge of the fog and don't head north until later, consistent with Mark Miller's report of 3 afternoon birds over the Monte Bello OSP parking lot. 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]] Wed May 26 06:26:31 1999 Subject: [SBB] A couple of backyard firsts All, While watching a bathing Wilson's Warbler (a first) I noted that the hummingbird feeder was empty. While rehanging the refilled feeder a Chestnut-backed Chickadee briefly landed on my hand (a first). Earlier in the year I noted that CBCHs were the first to relocate a moved bee guarded "drip type" hummingbird feeder and a suet feeder (I was trying to find a spot that the squirrels could not get to). Take care, Bob Reiling, 6:23 AM, 5/26/99 ========================================================================== 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 May 26 10:13:28 1999 Subject: [SBB] Rinconada Park This morning at Rinconada Park, we saw a WESTERN TANAGER. We ran into Gloria Le Blanc who helped us confirm our siting of an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. We also saw both a male and female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. There is a BUSHTIT nesting in the oak tree by the bridge at the first entrance. We also saw NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER and a DOWNY WOODPECKER. We got a glimpse of a BROWN CREEPER and a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. SPOTTED TOWHEES were very vocal. We also saw a RED-TAILED HAWK flying over head. 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 May 27 10:00:29 1999 Subject: [SBB] Rinconada Water Treatment Plant We got permission to bird up at the Rinconada Water Treatment Plant this morning off More Avenue in Los Gatos. We saw CALIFORNIA QUAIL, KILLDEER, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, CALIFORNIA THRASHERS, SPOTTED TOWHEES, and a flock of CEDAR-WAXWINGS. We also got a spectacular look at a RED-TAILED HAWK being chased off by the Red-Winged Blackbirds. We also got a really good look at the ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. 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]] Fri May 28 08:49:38 1999 Subject: [SBB] Mama & Babies - Owl The Western Screech Owl viewing went well last night. We saw the video of the babies when they were pure white and about 3 inches. Via video we saw them grow up. The oldest of the 4 babies is 2 weeks old today (Friday). The "live" shot was pretty boring. Mama seemed to still be brooding her little ones. Then, the screen went black and it occurred to us that Mama must have stuck her head out of the hole of the nest box and was blocking the light. We all raced outside to see the owl box in person. Yes, she was looking out the hole! She did that for awhile - then whoosh, she flew past us and landed perhaps 50 feet away. This was so exciting for 2 reasons. First, we believe it was the first time she had left her babies. Second, it was still daylight!!! We had great views. When she left the nest box the 4 babies huddled together in the center of the box. The babies now have streaking and are not so white. They are perhaps 5-6 inches tall. Their neck which had been wobbly and skinney has gotten stronger and has filled in with feathers. For those that attended, thanks for your consideration of the owners. As you know they were thrilled to show off their babies. I would expect that next year there may be some sort of live action on a web site. Garth Harwood, who attended, said this would be the first reported Western Screech Owl nesting in the State of California. There have been other nestings, but no REPORTED ones! Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos off 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]] Fri May 28 15:57:40 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] Mama & Babies - Owl Gloria, (and all), At last night's owl viewing, I did indeed say, as Gloria mentioned, that this group of four young owls would probably be the first reported Western Screech-owls fledged FROM A NESTBOX WITHIN THE CALIF. BLUEBIRD RECOVERY PROGRAM. I know of a few other active screech-owl nestboxes around the state, but their owners aren't active with the CBRP (yet). Naturally, there are innumerable nestings in the wild as well. Thanks to Gloria LeBlanc and the Parkers for permitting a dozen or so of us to see a rare and beautiful thing. This nestbox-cam technology is a wonder! The Parkers, especially Mike, have taken to their self-appointed task of taping the development of these owls with a passion. They record 6 hours daily (all during daylight hours as it's a natural-light-only operation), and have edited a 56-minute - and growing - highlights tape. It may end up on the internet soon. The Feb/Mar '99 issue of Birds & Blooms magazine ran a simple design for a screech-owl nestbox. SCVAS has the issue, and will most likely provide a copy of the plans if you call & request one (408-252-3747). --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]] Sat May 29 13:07:08 1999 Subject: [SBB] South County birds All: On 24 May, I had 2 SNOWY PLOVERS in a salt pond in Alviso. David Ainley, who has been conducting surveys here, had 2 on 22 April (one on a nest), 10 on 30 April, and 3 on 7 May. On 26 May, a male AMERICAN WIGEON was on South Coyote Slough in Alviso. On adjacent salt pond A-18, I saw 55 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 1 basic-plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPE, 1 ad. PEREGRINE FALCON, and 2 mostly albinistic EARED GREBES (bodies almost entirely white, neck and head in mostly typical alternate plumage with a few scattered white feathers). Nine DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were active on the towers here. On 27 May, two migrant female LAZULI BUNTINGS were in the Evergreen area of San Jose. On the evening of 28 May, I saw four large stick nests in a sycamore at the south end of Calaveras Reservoir. GREAT BLUE HERONS were in three of the nests. Two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were in the same tree, although it was not clear what (if anything) was occupying the fourth nests. I heard only one WESTERN GREBE on the reservoir and saw no other Aechmophorus grebes. A WILD TURKEY and a singing male GRASSHOPPER SPARROW were along Marsh Road. A SWAINSON'S THRUSH was in downtown Milpitas, and at CCRS, I had 5 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, 1 WILSON'S WARBER, and 2 female BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS. The male REDHEAD, 4 alternate WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES (1 alternate female, 1 basic) were at the waterbird pond. On 29 May, I did some south county birding, finding the usual "goodies" but nothing too unusual. At San Felipe Lake, I saw no signs of any grackles. Strangely, all the large stick nests on the east side of the lake (where the herons and cormorants nested last year) and 3 new stick nests in a willow on the west side of the lake were full-sized (i.e., material had been added this year), but there were no birds attending them at all, and all four GREAT BLUE HERONS at the lake were adults. No sign of nesting herons or egrets at all. At Dunne Lane, the pair of CASSIN'S KINGBIRDS were in the southernmost of the three eucalyptus trees, one bird apparently incubating on a conspicuous nest. A pair of WESTERN KINGBIRDS had a nest in the eucalyptus 80 meters away, where the CAKI nested two years ago. Two pairs of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES at the bridge over Pacheco Creek included a female on a nest on the Santa Clara County side. A migrant WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE was singing along the creek here Along Llagas Creek upstream from Bloomfield Road, I had 2 singing male YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS, 1 "pumping" AMERICAN BITTERN, a VIRGINIA RAIL, a pair of NORTHERN HARRIERS building a nest, 15 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, a singing male Passerina bunting heard only (I've had plenty of fall migrant Lazulis here, but never a singing male), and a pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. Absolutely tons of COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, SONG SPARROWS, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. At the nearby South County Regional Wastewater Authority plant, an AMERICAN BITTERN was foraging in the open at the edge of a small marshy pond with 11 adult GREEN HERONS. The only migrant shorebird here was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. Good birding, Steve Rottenborn P.S. Scott Terrill had a BANK SWALLOW at the ponds west of Coyote Creek just south of Hwy. 237 on 10 May, and he had a SORA at the same location on 26 May. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 29 13:10:00 1999 Subject: [SBB] Re: South County birds Steve Rottenborn wrote: > > On 26 May, a male AMERICAN WIGEON was on South Coyote Slough in > Alviso. On adjacent salt pond A-18, I saw 55 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, > 1 basic-plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPE, 1 ad. PEREGRINE FALCON, > and 2 mostly albinistic EARED GREBES (bodies almost entirely > white, neck and head in mostly typical alternate plumage with > a few scattered white feathers). Nine DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS > were active on the towers here. Of course, I meant 9 DCCO _nests_ were active on the towers. 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]] Sat May 29 13:34:47 1999 Subject: [SBB] birds On Saturday, 29 May 99, I returned to Smith Creek, but was unable to find any sign of the MacGillivray's Warbler at milepost 15.48. At the fire station there were at least 8 (and probably more) LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. Many had paired up, and males were mate-guarding the females. A GOLDEN EAGLE overhead was being harrassed by a pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS. A GREEN HERON seemed out of place at this elevation along the creek. Back down by my workplace on Hellyer, I had found HORNED LARKS on a flat 30ft high plateau next to our parking lot yesterday. Today I returned with binoculars and I saw them again, this time with at least one juvenile. I don't know if they bred here or in the nearby Silver Creek Hills. Last Thursday, 27 May 99, I saw an AMERICAN CROW chasing an accipiter near Williams and Saratoga in urban San Jose. The hawk was smaller than the crow and looked to have a squared-off tail, making me think it was a Sharp-shinned. But it seemed a little late and a little too urban for this species. I suppose a small male Cooper's could be a possibility. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat May 29 15:02:07 1999 Subject: [SBB] Quail vs Scrub Jay 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]] From [[email protected]] Sat May 29 15:59:50 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] birds Hi Mike, I live off of Pruneridge between Saratoga and Winchester. Not far at all from your sighting. I actually have a picture of a recurring SharpShinned Hawk perched on my backyard fence, so I'm not sure what you mean by too urban. Nick Yatsko lives a couple of blocks away and he has a recurring Merlin that pops in over there. Within a half-mile of our home is the State-owned UC Extension Ag Lands just across from the West side of Valley Fair which provides a large foraging area. Perhaps that open space provides the "draw" that brings accipters and falcons right near the 280 and 880 crossover in the heart of urban Santa Clara County? Who knows? Regards, Clysta Seney At 1:34 PM 5/29/99, Mike Mammoser wrote: >Last Thursday, 27 May 99, I saw an AMERICAN CROW chasing an accipiter >near Williams and Saratoga in urban San Jose. The hawk was smaller than >the crow and looked to have a squared-off tail, making me think it was a >Sharp-shinned. But it seemed a little late and a little too urban for >this species. I suppose a small male Cooper's could be a possibility. > >Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat May 29 16:55:44 1999 Subject: [SBB] SCVAS Field Trip All, This morning when we met for the SCVAS Skyline Ridge OSP field trip it was 43 degrees F, wet and windy with visibility limited to less than 30 yds. It was just plain nasty! It was therefore unanimously agreed to move the trip to a lower, more hospitable, if not more birdy, site. Monte Bello subsequently proved to be equally inhospitable, as expected, so Arastradero it was to be. (Luckily most had not been there on either of the recent field trips). The first bird seen, as we were getting out of our cars, was a male Lazuli Bunting flying across the parking lot. This was quickly followed by, in addition to the "usual suspects", 14 Brown Pelicans flying over the hills to the south, a pair of Western Bluebirds, more male Lazuli Buntings, a Song Sparrow, Lesser Goldfinches and a Chipping Sparrow (All within 100 yds of the parking lot and before we crossed the road into the preserve). The first of many Ash-throated Flycatchers was then seen (followed by more looks at the Chipping Sparrow). A pair of (2 out of 3?) young Great-horned Owls standing together on a large oak on the hill and one of the parents in a tree came under careful scrutiny. A Green Heron with a bad "wheel" then flew overhead toward the pond (eventually to be seen a couple more times). Near the far end of the trip we had a family of at least three Allen's Hummingbirds near a row of California Buckeye shrubs. One young ALHU perched on a branch for long enough periods to allow prolonged 50x and 100x viewing using "the Questar". A calling Pacific-slope Flycatcher, calling Hutton's Vireos, calling Black-headed Grosbeaks, an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Warbling Vireo filled in the gaps and kept us looking. One of our last true observations was of a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers valiantly trying to drive off a marauding Scrub Jay. All in all the only birds sorely missed because of our forced relocation were probable Black-throated Gray Warblers and a possible male Lawrence's Goldfinch seen Friday on the southern edge of Alpine Pond during our survey trip. Take care, Bob Reiling, 3:25 PM, 5/29/99 ========================================================================== 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]] Sat May 29 17:57:47 1999 Subject: [SBB] Urban accipiters and Almaden birds Howdy South-bay-birders, Yesterday (Fri.) on my homeward commute I saw an accipiter flash across Lawrence Expressway north of Hwy 280. It was on the small side with a square cut tail, and it gave the impression of being a Sharp-shinned, although it could have been a small/male Cooper's. As Mike Mammoser noted it seems a bit on the late side for Sharp-shinned. In winter I've often seen accipiters along Lawrence between Hwys 280 and 101, especially in one stretch where there are quite a few conifers along the road. Today (Sat.) I heard a WESTERN TANAGER along Alamitos Road just past its junction with Hicks. From there I went up to Mount Umunhum, hoping to see something interesting along the edge of the coastal fog belt, like maybe a Black Swift--no luck. I didn't hear/see the Black-chinned Sparrow that was there last week either. Did see OLIVE-SIDED and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, LAZULI BUNTINGS, and PURPLE FINCHES. A RED-TAILED HAWK flying over Bald Mountain showed unusual white bars on its upperwings, like those on upperwing of an adult California Condor. I don't think I've seen this on a Red-tailed before. At my parent's house the two nestling RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS have lost most of their baby down, and have just a little on their heads. Otherwise they are in brown imm. plumage, and are as big as their parents. The nest is looking a little cramped, and I expect they will be anxious to fledge-- .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]] Sat May 29 22:26:11 1999 Subject: [SBB] Morning birding at Twin Creeks We had a nice time birding along Alamitos Rd in the Twin Creeks area around noon today. Lot's of activity! We were greeted just past Almaden Reservoir by a quartet of Turkey Vultures perched on adjacent fence posts. I think they were working on a Barbershop Quartet number. We had nice looks at Black-headed Grosbeak (finally not hiding in the canopy!), Warbling Vireo, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Olive-Sided Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, House Wren, Hermit Thrush, and lots of Bullock's Orioles. We also got a good look at a pair of Pacific Slope Flycatchers feeding nestlings in a nest right by the side of the road. There were Violet Green Swallows overhead and I did have my binoculars on a pair of fast circling swifts, but the light wasn't good enough to see if they were Vaux's (which is a bird missing from my life list.) We also didn't see any Cassin's Vireo, which I was hoping to pick up. There were enough different songs in this very "birdy" area to have missed it, however. Hugh McDevitt ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun May 30 09:24:21 1999 Subject: [SBB] American Goldfinch vs Lesser I have noticed that I rarely see American Goldfinch except near the Bay. Is this a clear habitat preference??? -- Richard C. Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker Palo Alto, California Part-time Economist [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun May 30 11:12:34 1999 Subject: Re: [SBB] American Goldfinch vs Lesser I had large flocks of American Goldfinches feeding in my backyard in Campbell up until about a month ago. They have left but many Lesser Goldfinches have replaced them. Both the American and Lesser Goldfinches are attracted to the Niger Thistle I put in a feeder. I think the American Goldfinches have left town to breed somewhere else. I expect them back in the yard in the fall. Pat Curtis -----Original Message----- From: Richard Carlson <[[email protected]]> To: South Bay Bird List <[[email protected]]> Date: Sunday, May 30, 1999 9:03 AM Subject: [SBB] American Goldfinch vs Lesser >I have noticed that I rarely see American Goldfinch except near the >Bay. Is this a clear habitat preference??? > >-- >Richard C. Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker >Palo Alto, California Part-time Economist >[[email protected]] > > >========================================================================== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. 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 May 31 20:25:45 1999 Subject: [SBB] Some more weekend birds Howdy South-bay-birders, yesterday (Sun.) Jolene and I visited Twin Creeks. Best sightings there were a pair of GOLDEN EAGLES circling over the hills and a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE on its nest in a sycamore. Today we stopped by the SCVWD Pond. There we saw CASPIAN and FORSTER'S TERNS, and a seemingly out of place ACORN WOODPECKER was in one of the sycamores--I've never seen this species here before, and the habitat lacks oaks. In the adjacent channel we heard a singing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and saw a GREEN HERON and broods of young CANADA GEESE. Later we took a walk along Alamitos Creek upstream from Leland High School, during which I heard WESTERN TANAGER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. We also watched a pair of WESTERN KINGBIRDS chasing a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. Back at my parent's house I was watching the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest when both parent's arrived simultaneously, one carrying a large rodent, probably a squirrel. I wonder if possibly the increase in Red-shouldered Hawks along valley streams may be in some small way connected to the introduction of eastern gray (?) squirrels, which have become abundant in the riparian woods around here. Not so many years ago seeing a Red-shouldered Hawk would have been unusual around here-- 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]] Mon May 31 21:08:51 1999 Subject: [SBB] Dipper Lucky! After leaving Stevens Creek Park, I went to see the dipper. I drove up to the red house and turned around and came back. Parked at the first possible pull-off on the creek side of the road. Got out of the car and looked down - a dipper flew by and appeared to land just beyond my sight of vision. I walked about 20 feet upstream and there it was in the water doing its thing. Five minutes after I arrived I was heading home. Made birding seem so easy! Gloria LeBlanc 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]]