This afternoon (12/3) around 3PM we found 2 Cackling Geese among about 125 Canadas. Two Fox Sparrows were along the path adjacent to the natural pond on the west side.

Elizabeth Leite

Today there were two pairs double dating in the same location.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/149173800@N05/albums/72157704251067334

This afternoon there was a male Barrow’s Goldeneye among the flock of 30+ goldeneyes at Antioch City Reservoir. In addition, there were 16+ Ring-necked Ducks, 25+ Buffleheads, twelve American White Pelicans and at least two female Common Mergansers. Birding at the reservoir is challenging because of the lack of parking along the narrow road that leads to the Antioch Golf Course. If you go, please park only along the couple of shoulders that can safely accommodate a vehicle. Last year, a Barrow’s Goldeneye showed up at the nearby Contra Loma Regional Park reservoir. Hopefully, the flock of goldeneyes currently at the city reservoir will relocate to the regional park for much better viewing.

Good birding,

Paul Schorr
Antioch

Today (Mon., Dec. 3), an adult Bald Eagle cruised westbound along the Carquinez Strait past the George Miller Regional Trail about 1:00 pm. I've seen them in this area before, but notably this bird appeared to be carrying nesting material (sticks).

The George Miller Trail is part of the Bay Trail that runs between Port Costa and Martinez along the strait along the path of the missing stretch of the old Carquinez Scenic Dr.

Good birding,
--
Laura Look
Pinole, CA

The Tropical Kingbird continued near the wooden railing this morning, despite the cool temperatures. But we only had 5 Ring-necked Ducks on the large, mostly natural pond. A Green Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron were also around the pond. On the west side of the pond, a Fox Sparrow was with the White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows, and at least two Song Sparrows. The presence of river otters might have caused the ducks to leave.


Hugh B. Harvey
Walnut Creek

The beautiful male Wood Duck first spotted more than a month ago continues at Lake Merritt. I've seen it twice this week (as recently as Sunday morning) hanging out with the Mallards by the Rotary Nature Center and islands. It looks healthy and apparently thinks it's a Mallard.


Kate Hoffman
Oakland


PS Has anyone seen scaups at the lake yet? They seem to be MIA or perhaps just drastically down in number.

After finding a pair of Hooded Mergansers on Grayson Creek (see previous posting), we birded along the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail and had nice views of a Townsend’s Warbler. The bird was with many Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Oak Titmice near the Olympic Blvd. Trail Staging area.

Good birding,

Paul Schorr
Antioch

Today we located a pair of Hooded Mergansers on Grayson Creek, downstream from the Wild Birds Unlimited store on Contra Costa Blvd.

Good birding,

Paul Schorr
Antioch

A basic plumage RED PHALAROPE seen mixed with Short-billed Dowitchers on No Name Trail in Coyote Hills Regional Park about 40 yards from the trailhead sign (37.546404, -122.091994).




Happy Birding


Jerry Ting,
Fremont

During our monthly bird survey on Grayson Creek today, we had a Say's Phoebe in the open field north of Oak Park Blvd and between Monticello Ave and the EBMUD trail. It was in the field where the new Pleasant Hill library will be built. We also had two Red-breasted Sapsuckers along the creek.


Alan Bade
Pleasant Hill

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [EBB-Discussion] Vargas Plateau (11/27) - Ferruginous Hawks
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2018 08:42:17 -0800
From: Jerry Ting via Groups.Io <jtnikon=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Reply-To: EBB-Discussion@groups.io
To: EBB-Discussion@groups.io

During the OAS tour yesterday (11/27/2018) morning at Vargas Plateau Regional Park in Fremont, we saw 3 FERRUGINOUS HAWKS in different age/plumage which include 1 juvenile, 1 sub-adult and 1 dark-morph adult. The dark-morph individual took us a while to verify its true identity (i.e. saw the pale primaries when it took flight).
Other mentionable sightings include 3 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKESShrikes, 50+ TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS, 7 YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES and at least 8 AMERICAN KESTRELS.

The full eBird checklist and photos of the FEHAs can be viewed here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S50264320

Happy Birding,

Jerry Ting
Fremont

Yesterday (11/26) early afternoon while scouting for the MDAS Central County CBC, Dal and I located a Townsend's Warbler at the NE creek edge in an English Walnut tree in front of the new construction there. Brookwood Park is on Withers Ave. just above Taylor barely into Lafayette. While Townsend's Warblers aren't rare in Central County, they are definitely uncommon.

Elizabeth Leite

It is winter for certain, we have been having 75 or more Ring-necked Ducks regularly, a handful of Buffleheads, and now we have four Greater White-fronted Geese on the ball fields with the Canada Geese.


Today a Merlin was on a pine tree just west of the dog park, lots of the White-crowned Sparrows and some Golden-crowneds joining them. The Tropical Kingbird came to the Chinese Pistache tree with the red berries by the wooden railing. At least two Double-crested Cormorants were about, probably joining a third in a tree at the south end of the large, mostly natural pond. Fred Safier saw four Great Egrets flying north just before he and I joined together near the dog park. The usual Green Heron is often seen by Fred and others at Cherry Lane to the west, where the Contra Costa Canal goes under the street. If it has been visiting the park, it is keeping quiet and unobtrusive, or maybe it just comes at a different time of day.


Hugh B. Harvey
Walnut Creek

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [EBB-Discussion] Short-Eared Owls, Martinez
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2018 16:27:33 -0800
From: Ethan Monk via Groups.Io <z.querula=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Reply-To: EBB-Discussion@groups.io
To: EBB-Discussion@groups.io

Hi All,

Just a quick report that Short-Eared Owls are back along Waterfront Road in Martinez. The best way to see them would probably be to show up around 15 minutes before sunset and to walk out into the marsh along the trail here: 38.034406, -122.090710. Also of note was our tally of 17 White-tailed Kites flying SE to NW over Waterbird Way Pond and Waterfront Road (all individually) starting about 15 minutes before sunset (when we arrived) and ending about 10 minutes after sunset.
Good birding,

Contra Costa
Ethan Monk

Hi All,
Yesterday hiking Wildcat Gorge Trail in Tilden Park I came upon a bird I'd never seen (anywhere) before - a Virginia Rail, feeding and foraging on Wildcat Creek. Has anyone ever spotted a Virginia Rail in the Berkeley Hills? See video @ 
Virginia Rail


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Virginia Rail

Spotted along Wildcat Creek in Tilden Park . . .seems odd to spot a marsh dwelling bird here. . .has anyone ever...
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Tom McGuire
Berkeley CA

The south side of the Los Vaqueros Watershed had a variety of eye candy
Sunday morning including LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE near the entrance, OSPREY
circling with great closeup views, SOLITARY SANDPIPER true to its name,
LARK SPARROWS in abundance, W. MEADOWLARKS perched at the top of an oak
tree, SAVANNAH SPARROWS tittering in the brush, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH
vocalizing, a friendly HOUSE WREN and more!

A sparrow resembling a (dare I say) American Tree Sparrow also appeared in
the grass but it flew before I could get a decent look .

Joyful birding!
Carla Din, Oakland

Today we watched a Golden Eagle soaring over the park. Other noteworthy sightings included:

Common Goldeneye
Virginia Rail (heard and seen)
Sora (heard and seen)
Say’s Phoebe
Hermit Thrush
Lincoln’s Sparrow

Good birding,

Paul Schorr
Antioch

You are invited to join the new East Bay Birding - Discussion email list, hosted by Groups.io as a free service to our birding community. This is the place for sharing all those things that do not fit within the stricter "sightings-only" intent of EBB_Sightings.


https://groups.io/g/EBB-Discussion https://groups.io/g/EBB-Discussion

Postings will not appear immediately, because they are all being moderated until the group is established. Accordingly, you might choose to have the message delivery on a "daily digest" basis to begin with.

There will be two categories of members, those who create passwords and access the features of the East Bay Birding - Discussion website, and those who simply send and receive messages through email. It's just a matter of preference, not privelege or priority.

Explore the possibilities! This is also a test of the Groups.io services.

The EBB_Sightings/EBB-Discussion Team

On our annual Thanksgiving morning outing, Noah Arthur and I observed and photographed a Lapland Longspur in the open low-cut weed section of Cesar Chavez Park this morning. It gave its rattle type flight call several times as it loosely associated with the many American Pipits (40+) dispersed throughout this area. I've been expecting to see a longspur here for some time!



Also of interest were 30 Mew Gulls (and one confused California Gull) surface feeding like phalaropes in the inlet.


Jack Hayden
Albany, CA

Showed up for Thy Bun and me at 10:15 about 100 feet west of the metal bridge in Gomes Park.

Matthew Dodder