Dec. 2009 Trip Reports
Lake Merritt & Lakeside Park
December 23, 2009
Leader(s): Hilary Powers and Ruth Tobey
# of participants: 10
# of species: 43
A juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk was perched in a tree on one of the islands to greet us as we arrived. This is a new bird for our Lake Merritt monthly walk. Common Goldeneyes continue in good numbers. We found one and possibly two female Downy Woodpeckers and four species of Grebes: Pied-billed, Clark’s, Western and Horned.
Mori Point and Sharp Park
December 6, 2009
Leader(s): Eddie Bartley
# of participants:
# of species: 62
After being treated to a briefing by Brent Plater on the status of the Sharp Park restoration plan we ventured over to the pollywog pond spotting crowned sparrows, Northern Flicker, Pygmy Nuthatches, thrushes, warblers and three Red-legged Frogs. Returning to the main trail there was a Say’s Phoebe perched up on a home satellite dish diligently dashing out to clean the adjacent roof of spiders and then Brent discovered a male Common Yellowthroat in a mixed flock in the chaparral. Next we braved the cold winds and drizzle whipping across the newly restored pond system and someone mentioned a snipe hunt then lo and behold a Wilson’s Snipe magically appeared feeding very near but way out in the open for the whole world to see. Low temps and a serious head wind kept us from lingering very long in the open so we headed to the west side of Laguna Salada where a bit of cover made things a tad more tolerable. The usual suspects here, most of them dozing away. A very lightly colored second cycle Glaucous-winged Gull was auspicious and a flock of 8 Killdeer wheeled in to bath at the lakeside.
Back up on the eroding levee we turned our attention seaside where there were huge numbers of Red-throated Loons with some Pacific’s mixed in. On the rocks at the southern end of the beach we were able to find Black Turnstones, Surfbirds, Black Oystercatchers and Pelagic Cormorants amongst the Western and GW Gulls. A hike up Bootlegger Steps warmed us up considerably and took us to some of the best sightings of the day out on the cape of Mori Point. Howard spotted three BLACK SCOTERS which we scoped and then another gull drifted into the same view that turned out to be a hatch-year SABINE’S GULL. While the head of this very interesting Sabine’s was still in juvenal plumage the flight and body covert feathers as far as we could see had already molted to first adult plumage. We were able to study the very cooperative bird for 10 – 15 minutes. Very fun! Many, many more loons, grebes and scoters bobbed in between the water chop. We missed the hatch-year Peregrine that Noreen and I saw Saturday on the cliffside but the significant whitewash under the perches we observed it at yesterday might indicate it has taken up winter residence.
Returning on the coastal trail there was a great flock of sparrows and Icterids working the hay at the most recent native plantings. The breezes calmed significantly and passerines began perching up. Jeff Fairclough and Laurie Graham pointed out the spot they had seen Thrashers back in October when we noticed Howard down the trail pointing to the scrub just as the first comic sounds of Thrashers filtered through to our ears. They seemed to be in a bit of a tiff with some scrub-jays when we reached the area but eventually perched up so all could admire those crazy curved bills. We speculated that these birds may have expanded over from the nearly contiguous habitat at Sweeney Ridge where very mature chaparral hosts big numbers of this species. About 1/2 of the group so inspired continued on to the south east side of the park but those of us who had appointments with veggie burgers amongst other things returned to the starting point via Mori Rd. which was greatly enlivened compared to our frigid beginnings three hours earlier. The berry scrubs were getting worked hard by thrushes while the cypress hosted a large group of Pygmy Nuthatches a few kinglets and a Hutton’s Vireo for comparison. As we were leaving a Downy Woodpecker squeak-toyed to us a reminder to return to this area and often.
Jewel Lake, Tilden Park
December 4, 2009
Leader(s): Phila Rogers
# of participants: 3
# of species: 13
The word must have gotten out that Dave Quady wasn’t going to be with us this morning as he is busy with Christmas Count preparations. Only three folks showed up. But Bob Dering, Margaret Dean and Marie Murray were in good spirits ready to see what this chilly December morning would yield. When the sun rose above the eucalyptus grove illuminating the trees and shrubs along the edge of the frosty lawn, birds became active. After some conversation about what to expect and some preliminary looks, I called it a morning and went home to nurse my cold.
Bob Dering sent the following report. “Margaret, Marie, and I are proud to report seeing several more birds after you took the training wheels off and left us to our own devices. But the gatherings were much more sparse than all the activity we enjoyed at the beginning. Near the parking lot we saw scrub jay, dark-eyed junco, ruby-crowned kinglet and in the nearby Doug fir Marie spotted the golden-crowned kinglet and chestnut-backed chickadee. Along the Upper Pack Rat Trail we saw brown creeper, bushtit, spotted towhee, Hutton’s vireo, Townsend’s warbler. At Jewel Lake — bufflehead, black phoebe, yellow-rumped warbler.
As for the weather, after some very dank air in the bottomland and tiny ice crystals on the leaves in the shaded margins of the trails, we enjoyed gradually more sun that made Jewel Lake a bright picture with reflections in the glassy dark water.”
Redwood Shores Bicycle Trip
November 29, 2009
Leader(s): Kathy Jarrett
# of participants: 13
# of species: 58
It was a three teal, two widgeon, two pelican warm day for 13 bicycle-birders. We made a loop on the SF Bay Trail from Oracle Parkway to the sewer ponds on Radio Road to the pond behind the Nob Hill Grocery and back via Twin Dolphin Drive. At the sewer ponds we saw Black Skimmers and an American Pipit in addition to the multitude of ducks and shorebirds. Great day!
Lake Merritt & Lakeside Park
November 25, 2009
Leader(s): Hilary Powers and Ruth Tobey
# of participants: 14
# of species: 41
We had a gorgeous, warm, clear morning. There were more Snowy Egrets than usual basking by the lake’s edge and providing a wonderful comparison with the nearby Great Egret. There was an immature Green Heron accompanying the adult Green Heron and we got good scope looks at both birds. There are now a good number of Common Goldeneye. One Brown Pelican fished beyond the floats.
Coyote Hills Regional Park
November 15, 2009
Leader(s): Anne Hoff
# of participants: 17
# of species: 49
We had fantastic views looking down on an American Eestrel perched for a long time. A few of us saw the Sora. We saw all three Teals: Green winged Teal and Blue winged Teal, and Cinnamon Teal.
Lake Merritt & Lakeside Park
October 28, 2009
Leader(s): Hilary Powers and Ruth Tobey
# of participants: 11
# of species: 40
One White Pelican remains at the lake along with the rescue bird with the deformed wing. We got good comparative looks at both Eared and Horned Grebes. Both the Tufted Duck and the Ring Necked Duck have joined the growing number of Greater and Lesser Scaup. In the garden we had a wonderful fifteen minutes when the feeding flock all came to us. We did not have to move at all.
Arrowhead Marsh
October 17, 2009
Leader(s): Rusty Scalf
# of participants: 14
# of species: 53
Today we saw all three Teal species: Green winged, Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teal. We found five Clapper Rails and two Sora and a Cackling Goose.