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Re: Fw: [EBB-Sightings] Continuing Townsend’s Solitaire
Edward Vine
Townsend's Solitaire still there - likes the grapes along the fence. Coming in and out. Seen by several birders in the morning around 11 - 11:30 AM today (Friday). Ed
On Fri, Oct 29, 2021 at 9:27 AM Sharon Jue <sljue1@...> wrote:
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Ed Vine
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Flyover Lewis's Woodpeckers, Richmond
Alan Krakauer
Heads up for folks in the El Cerrito/Berkeley Hills, about an hour ago I was at the Gyuto Foundation in East Richmond Heights and I had a couple of Lewis's Woodpeckers flying southeast along the hills towards Berkeley. Hopefully they'll settle somewhere viewable! Good birding, Alan Krakauer Richmond, CA
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Re: Fw: [EBB-Sightings] Continuing Townsend’s Solitaire
Sharon Jue
Nice! That was right about the time I left the area (though I did encounter one of the coyotes). Oh well, next time. Just a note for anyone wanting to try this weekend that Centennial Rd will be closed most of Saturday for the football game, so plan alternate routes (Claremont or Marin probably) if you need to drive through Berkeley.
On Thu, Oct 28, 2021 at 11:01 PM Richard Mix <richardmix@...> wrote:
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-Sharon Jue ~Berkeley
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Fw: [EBB-Sightings] Continuing Townsend’s Solitaire
Richard Mix
From: Richard Mix <richardmix@...>
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2021 5:53 AM To: eb b <ebb@...> Subject: Re: [EBB-Sightings] Continuing Townsend’s Solitaire
We found the Townsend's in the tree south of the Anza View rd. open gate before 4:00, when it stretched its wings and flew towards the redwoods, flashing tan and white. A half hour later it reappeared and worked its way along the fence grapes. Adding to our
pleasure were pipevine Swallowtails, newts, bunnies and utterly shamelss coyotes, and the most 'boldly spotted' Hermit thrush I can ever remember.
Richard Mix & Ann Callaway
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Mt. Diablo 10/28
Ethan Monk
This morning I birded Mt. Diablo from about 7am to noon-ish in the vicinity of the summit, checking most places above Blue Oak Campground. The winds were ferocious early in the morning, but were down to maybe 10mph by the end of the day. It was a good day for siskins up there, where they aren’t regular, with some at every stop incl. a flock of ten at the water on upper Green Ranch Rd. A singing Varied Thrush in the chapparal behind the water at Green Ranch Rd. here was one of three I had today—also an irregular species this far East and in this habitat. My other two Varied Thrush came just down the road at Blue Oak Campground; one of the few spots in the early morning out of the wind. There was also a good congregation of Fox Sparrows at Blue Oak Campground—9 Sooty, 2 Slate-colored and 1 Thick-billed. There are very few reports of Thick-billed Fox Sparrow from the county, with only a couple from Mt. Diablo that I know of, but presumably they winter somewhere up here like they do in other select spots in the dry, interior coast range? Robert Raffel has seen two close-by on Green Ranch Rd. in years past, so this seems to be the area to look. Slate-colored Fox Sparrows have been found to winter in low numbers around the summit here, as well. Juniper Campground yielded a Lawrence’s Goldfinch but little else. And just downslope from the summit, standing by the radio tower on its North side, I had one Townsend’s Solitaire calling from the shaded, inaccessible slope on the summit’s Northeast side. Solitaires can be found at high elevations on Diablo every winter, but are much easier to miss than to see.
Also, while I am discussing Mt. Diablo, a quick reminder that in the San Ramon Valley there is also the small community of Diablo which is a different place entirely. I only mention this because I have been trying to collect historical records recently, and have noticed quite a few historic sightings (a Redstart and a couple other things) seen in the community of Diablo have been erroneously transcribed in various places as having been from MT. Diablo. So, just something to keep in mind. Ethan Monk
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200 Cackling Geese, + oher sightings
Mark Rauzon
Flew over my house at 1:30 in Oakland's Glenview District heading north, looking like part of a big movement today in that direction. Also looked for Hilary's Tufted Duck at Lake Merritt but did not find it in the 130 scaup, but 40+ white pelicans in the lake was a major influx. Looks like yellow-finned gobies are the draw, as hundreds of cormorants and even pied billed grebes were getting into the act.
Finally, not for the squeamish but fitting for Halloween, a ginormous rat in the talons of a juvie Redtail in Oakland's San Antonio District seen while I was stopped at a red light.
Raptors are The Solution! Viewers beware!!
https://rauzon.zenfolio.com/p859914566/slideshow#hce3f8ec0
Mark Rauzon
Oakland
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Continuing Townsend’s Solitaire
Graham Chisholm
The previously reported Townsend’s Solitaire was on the west side of the Tilden Botanical Garden at 11:45 am today (Thursday). Perched on a couple of conifers near the fence by the grassy slope below the Brazil Room. Another border had it feeding in the wild grapes along the fence a bit earlier.
Graham Chisholm Berkeley
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Re: Lawrence's goldfinch along Grayson Creek, Pleasant Hill plus post storm birding/wildlife
Alan Bade
I forgot to add a link to some fish photos; https://alanbade.smugmug.com/Anadromous-fish-Grayson-creek/n-JgJfpQ/ . I welcome ideas on what they are.
And, just so Aaron doesn't admonish me for posting fish sightings instead of birds, there were lots of small fish visible in the creek between Golf Club bridge and Chilpancingo bridge on Grayson. The water was much clearer after the storm and they were easy to see. These attracted an enthusiastic, noisy Belted Kingfisher. We watched it plunge a few times. https://ebird.org/checklist/S96786606 Alan Bade Pleasant Hill
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Lawrence's goldfinch along Grayson Creek, Pleasant Hill plus post storm birding/wildlife
Alan Bade
We did our Grayson creek bird survey today. Birding was especially good along the EBMUD trail and in the creek sections north of Pleasant Hill Middle School ballfields, despite the PH Library construction noise. There were large flocks of sparrows, goldfinches, some warblers, and generally high numbers of birds after the storm. This section of creek was at the top of it's banks, even over, during the storm. We came down at the peak to see it. We also visited the Chilpancingo/Golf Club Rd bridge areas and the Viking bridge areas during the storm. These were also almost at the top of the banks and in some places went over. The fields north of the Pleasant Hill middle school ballfield was a lake last Sunday. Today there were many birds enjoying the pools still left for bird baths, etc. The birding was best in this section.
A highlight was a male Lawrence's goldfinch. There were probably more, but we didn't get a good look at more than one. It made it's high tinkly call right over our heads, so we got good looks. https://ebird.org/checklist/S96786861 On another section of the creek we saw large salmon or steelhead that came upstream during the storm's high water. We have let fish biologists know of this but aren't broadcasting the location, as we don't want them disturbed by fishermen or others. They were approximately 2 plus feet in length, spots on the their backs and reddish underneath. I have photos to document them. Grayson is unimpeded all the way to the Pacheco marsh mouth of Walnut Creek. It's a tributary to Walnut Creek, but WC has a drop structure that stops any fish movement. Birds were also out in the peak of the storm! We saw great egrets and Great Blue herons along the edges of the rushing high water in the Chilpancingo area, picking off anything that was carried past. Rain was falling at perhaps an inch an hour when we visited. It's always interesting to observe nature during and after such a significant event. Alan Bade Pleasant Hill
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Re: Duck ID - Clifton Court Forebay
Ralph
It’s a Domestic Mallard
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Richmond shoreline warblers and Brant
Derek
Today riding my bike back to Point Richmond from Miller-Knox Park there was a Brant-size goose associating with a dozen Coots east of the bridge over Meeker Slough that didn’t have the characteristic white necklace. Turns out it’s an immature Brant which was new to me.
Right at that time Sharon Jue reported re-finding the Black and White Warbler at Meeker Slough so I headed over there and she got me a better look than I had of it yesterday. In the last two tries there I have not been able to find the Chestnut-sided Warbler that I had good looks of on Sunday. These two warblers have not been easy to find along the paved path in the area where the feral cats (don’t get me started) and mallards/pigeons are pampered.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S96791115
Derek Heins
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Tufted Duck at Lake Merritt ?!
Hilary Powers
This morning on the GGAS 4th-Wednesday walk, several of us saw a brown duck hanging with the Greater Scaup: very little white around the bill, and a cute little comma-shaped pony tail at the back of her head. Not a Lesser Scaup divot. The flock was just below the islands. Please - if you're near the lake, look at all the female scaup
and post if you find the new Tufted! -- -- ~ Hilary Powers - Hilary@... - Oakland CA ~ ~ www.salamanderfeltworks.com; www.Etsy.com/shop/SalamanderFeltworks ~ ~ Now a member of the the Oakland Cottage Industry Collective! ~ ~ Needle Felted Sculpture - Real and Fantasy Creatures ~
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Re: Parasitic Jaeger in Bay
Sharon Jue
Last week I gave Jaeger hunting a try at Emeryville Marina. When a large flock of Elegant Terns flew over screeching, I looked up and saw a dark, long pointy-winged bird harassing them, close enough that if I had been quicker on the draw I might have gotten decent photos. Instead I got "bird sp." https://ebird.org/checklist/S96527691. Encouraged by Alex Henry, I went back yesterday and got good scope views and bad photos of a "Jaeger sp." https://ebird.org/checklist/S96747814 Unfortunately the bird is either subadult or molting and lacks the distinctive tail decorations that would distinguish between the jaegers (though Parasitic is generally considered the most likely to occur within the Bay, supported by its size and behaviour next to the Elegant Terns). In any case, they are still around and providing dramatic shows. Scope recommended, and I would think Middle Harbor or JJ Sutter observation pier would also be good sites to attempt a seawatch.
On Mon, Sep 7, 2020 at 3:26 PM <awhenry@...> wrote: About 11:30 AM this morning between Albany Bulb and Angel Island, near a feeding flock of Elegant Terns. Distant (scope required) but not terribly far when I saw it. Last seen headed NW into the area of the Bay between Richmond and San Rafael. I lost it, so I'm not sure how far it went - it may have landed on the water. May be worth checking from Miller Knox, especially if there's feeding terns in the area. --
-Sharon Jue ~Berkeley
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Duck ID - Clifton Court Forebay
Jerry Britten
Yesterday near Fisherman's Point on the Forebay I saw and photo'd this duck Apparently a dabbler, appeared larger than a mallard, uniform warm brown with black and white on speculum, blue-gray bill with black tip, orange legs, long neck. At this point I'm labeling it a feral/domestic duck but want to know what others think. Jerry Britten Morgan Territory
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Re: dowitcher ID
On Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:47:00 -0700, "Edward Vine" <elvine@lbl.gov> wrote:
I had similar information in the 1970s that you had - also from PRBO: generally, LBDOs along the coast and SMDOs inland. Similar guidance for Yellowlegs: Greater along the coast and Lesser inland.This is definitely wrong. Short-billed Dowitchers are decidedly rare inland in California at any season. They are fairly common in estuaries with tidal mudflat in migration. In winter they occur only in the largest estuaries such as San Francisco Bay, San Diego Bay, etc. Long-billed Dowitchers outnumber Short-billed in the winter with most occurring in fresh water habitat inland, but also in coastal estuaries where they may occur with Long-billed. There Long-billed tend to concentrate at creek mouths with emergent vegetation where they keep up a constant series of contact notes. They tend to segregate from Short-billed which prefer open mudflat without vegetation where they usually forage silently, calling only when spooked or in flight. Both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs prefer fresh water habitats with emergent vegetation. Greaters vastly outnumbering Lessers throughout California in migration and especially in winter when Lessers become extremely rare. -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA
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Re: dowitcher ID
Edward Vine
Oops. Should have been SBDOs, not SMDOs. Ed
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Edward Vine Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Building 90R2002 Berkeley, CA 94720-8136 Phone: 1-510-486-6047 Email: elvine@...
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Re: dowitcher ID
Edward Vine
I had similar information in the 1970s that you had - also from PRBO: generally, LBDOs along the coast and SMDOs inland. Similar guidance for Yellowlegs: Greater along the coast and Lesser inland. Not sure if things have changed since then. Ed
On Sun, Oct 24, 2021 at 12:13 PM Peter Pyle <ppyle@...> wrote: Hi Rusty and all - --
Edward Vine Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Building 90R2002 Berkeley, CA 94720-8136 Phone: 1-510-486-6047 Email: elvine@...
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Re: dowitcher ID
SteveLombardi
Long-billed eBird postings for Nov-Decindicate that Long-billed are quite common around the bay, presuming that most of these postings are accurate.
https://ebird.org/map/lobdow?neg=true&env.minX=&env.minY=&env.maxX=&env.maxY=&zh=false&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=on&bmo=11&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2021 Surprises me. I assumed that most this habitat was too briny for Long-billed. Are they finding little brackish or fresh water spots to exploit?
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Berkeley Meadow wet and back to life
Sam Zuckerman
After three days of rain, the bone-dry Berkeley Meadow has revived. Several seasonal ponds have filled and were visited by Canada Goose and Mallards this morning. Sparrows in great number including a White-Throated, which was reported before the rain and is often seen here in the winter. Let's hope it's a wet year and the Meadow offers its full winter glory.
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Eurasian Wigeon at Berkeley North Basin
Sam Zuckerman
A Eurasian Wigeon was in swimming with American Wigeon and Coots this morning 25 yards from Schoolhouse Creek outflow pipe near the north Berkeley Meadow entrance. Close to shore offering excellent looks. Photos at https://ebird.org/checklist/S96688562. This is the second consecutive year a EUWI has been reported at this spot.
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