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11 May 2 Red Phalaropes at Radio Road [Matthew Dodder ] 11 May Black-crowned Night Herons hunting Mallard chicks at Radio Road ["martin000ec" ] 11 May Pescadero birds today 5/11/2008 [Garth Harwood ] 10 May RE: Radio Road phalaropes, pics ["Kris Olson" ] 10 May Burleigh-Murray State Park 5/10/2008 [Garth Harwood ] 11 May Two Osprey at Lower Crystal Springs Lake 5/10/08 ["George Chrisman" ] 10 May Bayfront Park [] 10 May Coastside phalaropes, Common Tern ["Dan Singer" ] 10 May Pillar Pt. [Barbara Kossy ] 10 May Radio Road phalaropes, pics [Tom Grey ] 10 May Cypress Lawn Red Phalarope Friday pm ["Laurie Graham" ] 10 May Re: Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park ["George Chrisman" ] 10 May RE: Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park ["Kris Olson" ] 10 May Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park ["Kris Olson" ] 9 May radio road [sonny mencher ] 10 May Radio road ponds - phalaropes ["Robert Garriock" ] 09 May Cypress Lawn Thursday 5-08 ["Laurie Graham" ] 09 May Radio Road Ponds - Skimmer/Tern leg bands, GWTeal, NShoveler,etc. ["hazelh2000" ] 09 May Bayfront Park [] 8 May Redwood Shores [] 8 May Alvaro Jaramillo on Shorebird Migration tonight (Thursday, May 9) at 7 PM ["Robbie Fischer" ] 7 May Red Necked Phalaropes, Cattle Egret, etc in Redwood Shores [sonny mencher ] 7 May Redwood Shores [Al Eisner ] 6 May Bayside the last three days [] 6 May Re: Redhead at Redwood Shores Market [Al Eisner ] 6 May Pulgas Ridge and Windy Hill OSP nesting [Kay Partelow ] 06 May Redhead at Redwood Shores Market ["kleinhea" ] 06 May Red-necked Phalaropes In Redwood Shores ["IIWI1" ] 5 May Mitchell Canyon , 5/5/08 ["Laurie" ] 4 May Pillar Pt. [Barbara Kossy ] 4 May Re: Solitary Sandpiper at Coyote Pt. ["Elisabeth Koster" ] 4 May Red-necked Phalaropes in Los Trancos Woods ["Charles Krenz" ] 4 May Franklin's Gull [Al Eisner ] 4 May San Mateo Coast May 4, 2008 ["Leonie Batkin" ] 4 May Cattle Egret photos.. [Chuq Von Rospach ] 4 May San Bruno Mtn Cty Park , 5/4/08 ["Laurie" ] 4 May San Mateo County 5/3 - Franklin's Gull at Pigeon Point [] 3 May San Bruno Mtn Cty Park , 5/3/08 ["Laurie" ] 3 May Solitary Sandpiper at Coyote Pt. [] 3 May Re: cattle egret continues.... [Chuq Von Rospach ] 3 May cattle egret continues.... [Chuq Von Rospach ] 3 May White-throated sparrow ["Sue Cossins" ] 02 May Hooded Orioles return to my yard ["northwest_d10" ] 02 May Osprey & Ash-Throated Flycatcher at Upper Crystal Springs ["George Chrisman" ] 2 May Little Gull seen during a seawatch [] 1 May yesterday and today [Garth Harwood ] 1 May birding highlights of the week ["Peter Metropulos" ] 1 May Re: Trail maps [Chuq Von Rospach ] 1 May Re: Trail maps [Jonathan Lundell ] 30 Apr Trail maps [susan hons ] 30 Apr Hooded Orioles in Atherton ["Kris Olson" ] 30 Apr [SBB] Palo Alto Summer Bird Count (fwd) [Al Eisner ] Subject: 2 Red Phalaropes at Radio Road From: Matthew Dodder <mdodder AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 13:28:03 -0700 All, Kelly and I made a dash to the Radio Road ponds today in search of Phalaropes. We found about two dozen RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 2 RED PHALAROPES. The two Reds were on the NW (left) pond. Everyone was wearing beautiful breeding, or near breeding plumage. There were also 5 BLACK SKIMMERS on the right pond. Quite a treat! . . . Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Black-crowned Night Herons hunting Mallard chicks at Radio Road From: "martin000ec" <jsutton AT hrmusic.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 18:01:34 -0000 I photographed some Night Herons on radio road (5/9/08)picking off Mallard chicks despite the moms desparetly trying to stop them. I was surprised how much effort the Stilts and Avocets put in to buzzing the herons in an attempt to disrupt or stop the herons. Below is a flickr link to a set of photos showing some of this: http://flickr.com/photos/martin000ec/sets/72157604998987768/Subject: Pescadero birds today 5/11/2008 From: Garth Harwood <flycatcher AT southcoast.net> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 10:42:48 -0700 Hi All, Highlights from a walk around the neighborhood in a sleazy coastal drizzle this morning 5/11/2008 included a surprising 54 Pine Siskins (almost all of them at a neighbor's thistle socks) and two Western Kingbirds (second neighborhood record for these migrants). The same field along Dearborn Park Rd. that had the kingbirds has a few nestboxes in place and a pair of Western Bluebirds was near one, a pair of Tree Swallows near another. These 2 species were quite rare in this neighborhood before the nestboxes went up; now I see them regularly in season. Shows what a little investment of effort can bring about! Speaking of nestboxes I keep a few among our apple trees. Our backyard habitat is not good for nesting swallows or bluebirds but I have had 2 clutches of Chestnut-backed Chickadees this season totaling 11 young fledged. Common as these birds (CBCH) are, they are actually declining across the state fairly rapidly, so this little gesture may actually count for something. Anyway, it feels good. CBCH love a backyard nestbox in the suburbs too, hint hint. --Garth HarwoodSubject: RE: Radio Road phalaropes, pics From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 23:44:13 -0700 I got to Radio Rd tonight around 7pm, did not see Tom (nice photos!) but did see another bird photographer, Wayne. First I had to exercise my dog, however, while I peered longingly over the fence at the ponds, aimlessly throwing balls behind me. I saw roughly 10-15 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and the single RED PHALAROPE, all in the southern pond. A little bit later 3 BONAPARTE GULLS flew in, one at a time, one in alternate plumage. I counted 7 Black Skimmers, but 8 in my quick photos. Wayne said he had seen 10 this week. Forster's Terns look like they are nesting this year. I saw 7 Snowy Egrets, one in a tree, and 1 Black-crowned Night Heron. There were also a few Dowitchers, but I forgot to pay attention to them; flock of Marbled godwits and 3 Willets - all of which flew up and around when a female Northern Harrier passed over. There were two or three Greater Scaup in the ponds today. Wayne asked me about the Peregrine nest. He had seen the pair there recently, but we could see no sign of life in or near the nest. Anyone have a status on this? At the Nob Hill pond on my way out (8pm?), there was one CASPIAN TERN, one AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, and 42 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. The pelican flew out while I was counting Phalaropes. Six GREEN-WINGED TEAL appeared, including one male that looks like a Eurasian Teal but did not have the distinctive white/cream colored lines around its green eye mark -- so I assume it's the hybrid that Ron Thorn has been mentioning. American Avocets (14) and a couple of Black-necked Stilts look like they are attempting to nest on the largest island. Ron Thorn saw an American White Pelican here in January and I have been looking for it ever since; this is the first one I have seen this year in San Mateo Co. It has some dark feathers on top of its head and sides of its neck, so I assume it's an adult in summer plumage. ?? The male Redhead Duck was also present, though I could not find him at first. This pond had only Cliff Swallows, while Radio Rd had many Cliff and Barn. I just found a helpful article by Don Roberson of Monterey on telling the difference between the sexes of these two Phalarope species in the spring: http://montereybay.com/creagrus/MTYspringPhalaropes.html Back home, earlier today, our local California Thrasher is still singing, which I assume means it has not found a mate? This has been going on daily since Jan. 1. I checked the bridge at San Mateo behind Stanford shopping center today for Wood Ducks (nada) but the California Thrasher that lives on Clark (Santa Clara Co.) was also singing. There were White-throated Swifts and Violet-green swallows over Nordstrom's this afternoon. Kris Olson, Menlo Park -----Original Message----- From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Grey Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 1:37 PM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] Radio Road phalaropes, pics I briefly saw (and got a butt-shot of) a single RED PHALAROPE in the nearest pond when I arrived at Radio Road shortly before 7; it then flew north into the middle of the large pond. There were regularly 5-10 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in that pond for the next couple of hours. BLACK SKIMMERS and a CASPIAN TERN were on the islands. I counted 8 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES at the Nob Hill Market pond on the way out around 9. Pics at http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/latest . Tom Grey http://www.geocities.com/tgrey41 http://www.pbase.com/tgrey ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups LinksSubject: Burleigh-Murray State Park 5/10/2008 From: Garth Harwood <flycatcher AT southcoast.net> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 20:21:39 -0700 This morning 5/10/2008 I walked the trail through Burleigh-Murray State Park just west of Half Moon Bay as far as the old barn, about 1 mile in. Highlights were 4 MacGillivray's Warblers singing from various points in the moist chaparral, 4 Olive-sided Flycatchers, and 2 Western Wood-pewees singing from points about 1/2 mile apart - the latter worth noting, perhaps, as this species is apparently declining as a breeder in the county. There were also 2 Pacific-slope Flycatchers and numerous Wilson's and Orange-crowned Warblers. Both Wilson's Warblers and Chestnut-backed Chickadees were observed carrying food. Later, at home on Pescadero Creek, I saw one adult female Common Merganser and heard the local Red Crossbill once again. I hope he finds (or has found) a mate as he seems determined to stick around this summer. There are also several stranded Steelhead trout in the creek waiting for enough water to make it back out to sea. --Garth HarwoodSubject: Two Osprey at Lower Crystal Springs Lake 5/10/08 From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 00:32:05 -0000 This morning around 10:00 AM, there were two OSPREY flying in tandem near the causeway at Hiway 92 at Lower Crystal Springs Lake. They circled the open resevoir for 10-15 minutes gradually drifting south towards the dam. At Edgewood Park, the highlight was an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, 2 CALIFORNIA THRASHERS, over a dozen WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, 5 different swallows (no Bank), and the baby GREAT-HORNED OWL at the lower parking parking lot in the nest above the restroom trail. The Serpentine Trail was littered with Jack Rabbits every 100 yards. We saw at least 6-7 rabbits in the open as we walked up from Canada Road. Bird On! George ChrismanSubject: Bayfront Park From: richferrick AT comcast.net Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 23:16:35 +0000 Pen-Birders Spent some time running through Bayfront Park in Menlo Park this morning (5/10, 615AM-700AM). Highlight was an ASH THROATED FLYCATCHER calling in northeast part of the park. Cedar Waxwing flocks flew over from time to time. Yesterday morning, a Long-billed Curlew was foraging on the central plateau area near some Canada Geese. Rich FerrickSubject: Coastside phalaropes, Common Tern From: "Dan Singer" <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 15:36:27 -0700 I spent some time wandering down the coast this morning, stopping at several likely spots to check for phalaropes. The pond at Pillar Point had six Red-necked and one Red Phalarope (a beautiful female). A male Red Phalarope was near the public boat launch at the south end of the harbor. Single female Red and Red-necked phalaropes were at Pescadero Creek mouth, along with half a dozen Dunlin and 19 Bufflehead, and 10 Red-necked and one Red were at Bean Hollow in the small pond immediately east of Hwy. 1. This pond also hosted a C. Goldeneye. In Half Moon Bay this morning a Common Tern was roosting at Venice Beach with a couple of Caspian Terns. The highlight of my day was a Sharp-tailed Snake along upper Gazos Creek Road. Dan [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Pillar Pt. From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 15:28:53 -0700 This time I walked around the point, heading No. to Moss Beach, since it was a very low tide this morning. Highlights include 5 Red-Necked Phalaropes near the trail on the way to Mavericks, offering very good views. About 5 Brant out near the Mav. breakwater. Increasing numbers of Pelicans and Caspian terns. Good look at a Common Loon. Increasing numbers of Barn Swallows. Heard Calif. Quail crowing near N. Lake and California Ave. in Moss Beach. Sighted Band-Tailed Pigeons at the same corner. Barbara Moss BeachSubject: Radio Road phalaropes, pics From: Tom Grey <tgrey AT law.stanford.edu> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 13:37:06 -0700 I briefly saw (and got a butt-shot of) a single RED PHALAROPE in the nearest pond when I arrived at Radio Road shortly before 7; it then flew north into the middle of the large pond. There were regularly 5-10 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in that pond for the next couple of hours. BLACK SKIMMERS and a CASPIAN TERN were on the islands. I counted 8 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES at the Nob Hill Market pond on the way out around 9. Pics at http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/latest . Tom Grey http://www.geocities.com/tgrey41 http://www.pbase.com/tgreySubject: Cypress Lawn Red Phalarope Friday pm From: "Laurie Graham" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 19:49:33 -0000 Hi I went back to Cypress Lawn after work yesterday. I was there between 6 and 6:30. In addition to 7 Red-necked Phalaropes, I had one female Red Phalarope in full alternate regalia. When Jeff got home, we went back, but it was gone. I don't know if the Mallard ducklings are being predated by Black- crowned Night Herons, or gulls, but just maybe they are being eaten by the humongous fish that live in the lake. I saw something the size of a boogie board (I exagerate, but not much) breach yesterday, out of the corner of my eye. Last year, I saw a soft shell turtle in Pond 3; maybe it moved to the lake. The thing I saw was about the same color. Laurie Graham SSFSubject: Re: Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 16:07:08 -0000 I birded the same pond at Sun Micro yesterday 5/9/08 around 5:00 pm for an hour and also saw the RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, GADWALLS, MALLARDS, etc. Walking the paved trail from the public shore parking lot east of the campus to the small hill with the Monterey Pines, there were at least 4 singing COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, as well as an adult male RING-NECKED PHEASANT that flushed from the trail as I was walking. There are several pheasants along the fresh water canal that can be seen and heard regularly. There was also a single WHITE- CROWNED SPARROW, and two BEWICK'S WRENS along the path as well. I estimated at least 60-70 CLIFF SWALLOWS were gathering mud from the puddles at the base of the Dumbarton Bridge. I also picked out 4 LESSER SCAUP mixed in with a small group of GREATER SCAUP in the large pond north of the bridge. On the South side of the bridge, I found a single SNOWY PLOVER and what appeared to be 3 pairs of nesting AMERICAN AVOCETS around the small ponds in the salt flats. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA --- In peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com, "Kris Olson"Subject: RE: Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 08:06:41 -0700 I just read Ron Thorn's post about Common Yellowthroats. There were at least 2 calling from behind the pond at Sun. Kris -----Original Message----- From: Kris Olson [mailto:kristenolson AT yahoo.com] Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 8:02 AM To: Peninsula-Birding (peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com) Subject: Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park Yesterday I spent 30 minutes car-birding on the north side of the Dumbarton Bridge around 3pm. There were almost no birds in the pond north (low tide)-- 8 American Avocets and some lingering Greater Scaup. No sign of Cliff Swallows nesting under the bridge, no peeps, no terns, no phalaropes. April 27: lots of Western Sandpipers, Dunlins and a Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Cliff Swallows flying. March 23-- 50 Cliff Swallows, many starting nests. As I was driving north on Bayfront expressway, towards Sun, I saw 10 Red-necked Phalaropes in the large pond on the side of the road. One appeared to be a female. They were feeding by launching themselves up, tail and first part of legs out of the water. 3 female Mallards were diving underwater; a pair of Gadwalls were dabbling.(I saw phalaropes in this pond last year.) A quick stop at Bayfront Park -- Cliff Swallows are nesting there. Mallards, Canada Geese, 1 Coot. No phalaropes. Ducks have definitely moved out and on. Two Forster's terns were bathing. 3 American Avocets far out on levees, apparently nesting. Kris Olson, Menlo ParkSubject: Red-necked Phalaropes near Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 08:02:16 -0700 Yesterday I spent 30 minutes car-birding on the north side of the Dumbarton Bridge around 3pm. There were almost no birds in the pond north (low tide)-- 8 American Avocets and some lingering Greater Scaup. No sign of Cliff Swallows nesting under the bridge, no peeps, no terns, no phalaropes. April 27: lots of Western Sandpipers, Dunlins and a Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Cliff Swallows flying. March 23-- 50 Cliff Swallows, many starting nests. As I was driving north on Bayfront expressway, towards Sun, I saw 10 Red-necked Phalaropes in the large pond on the side of the road. One appeared to be a female. They were feeding by launching themselves up, tail and first part of legs out of the water. 3 female Mallards were diving underwater; a pair of Gadwalls were dabbling.(I saw phalaropes in this pond last year.) A quick stop at Bayfront Park -- Cliff Swallows are nesting there. Mallards, Canada Geese, 1 Coot. No phalaropes. Ducks have definitely moved out and on. Two Forster's terns were bathing. 3 American Avocets far out on levees, apparently nesting. Kris Olson, Menlo ParkSubject: radio road From: sonny mencher <soccerquiz AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 22:40:52 -0700 (PDT) Update - many more Red-necked Phalaropes, especially breeding males. They are outnumbered by the females. No luck finding the Wilson's Phalarope. Also had Spotted Sandpiper on both of the long islands as you approach the treatment plant gate. There was a Long billed Curlew on the last island. Several beautiful male Ruddy Ducks in breeding colors. Several Bonaparte's Gulls in middle of the large pond. The Skimmers are active and beautiful to see as they forage, lower bill skimming surface. Forster's and Caspian Terns, Swallows and Dowitchers also present. The Black crowned night herons are in the vegetation between the ponds and the road. Seems like every stand of bushes has 1-3 of them - and the Mallards are wary. Several days ago I saw a female Mallard fly up and go after one of these herons. Others have reported the same. Looks like they are on a mallard chick hunt/diet. I went to the Nob Hill pond and enter at the broken fence behind the market. Then walk left through the vegetation and up to the walking path. Along this route many Phalaropes in beautiful plumage with more females than males. Spotted one Spotted Sandpiper. Number of Canada Geese with young. No luck with the warblers. Several Bushtits in the fennel and lots of swallows. It is worth a trip to either pond just to see the Phalaropes. They are magnificant when in breeding plumage. Watching Skimmers skim at Radio Road is another wonderous site. Enjoy ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJSubject: Radio road ponds - phalaropes From: "Robert Garriock" <rgarriock AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 03:45:33 -0000 I checked out the phalaropes and found around 15 or so RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in the pond closest to the bay. In the other pond was a single RED PHALAROPE. There was an adult plumage BONEPARTE'S GULL and 2 juv. plumage birds in the middle of the pond. I found 2 WESTERN, 2 SPOTTED and one LEAST SANDPIPERS. Also were many DOWITCHERS,AMERICAN AVOCETs, BN STILTS with many of the migrants were absebt (or just not seen today) like RED KNOTS, MARBLED GODWITS and DUNLIN. The shore was littered with BC NIGHT-HERON. The usual EGRETS and HERONs were in the trees. Ducks were N. PINTAIL, GADWALL, AMER. WIDGEON, RUDDY, COOTS, MALLARD and CANADA GOOSE. TERNS on the island were many FOSTER'S TERNS, 6 BLACK SKIMMERS and a couple of CASPIAN TERNS. cheers robSubject: Cypress Lawn Thursday 5-08 From: "Laurie Graham" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 16:23:53 -0000 Hi, Penbirders I had 20 minutes to do a quickie at Cypress Lawn. Jeff had suggested that there might be some Red-necked Phalaropes there, and there were 6 in the big lake on the north side, very close to the wall. I also saw a surprising 5 Spotted Sandpipers, with spots. The surprise was I've never before seen more than one. I guess they are solitary the rest of the year. One SPSA displayed for another. It was beautiful - wings swept up, touching at the tips, all flight and tail feathers spread. The other bird just looked befuddled. Had four species of swallow, Northern Rough-winged, Tree, Violet Green, and Barn. I did not see any Cliff Swallows, but there is a brand new nest on the Columbarium. Another first for me at Cypress Lawn was Mallard ducklings. There were 7 of them. It occurred to me that I may simply have not gone there during duckling time, they grow so fast. I also had two Double- crested Cormorants, with crests! There were no Wood Ducks or Wigeons. Birds will get you through times without money better than money will get yout through times without birds (plagiarized from the Furry Freak Brothers). Laurie Graham There areSubject: Radio Road Ponds - Skimmer/Tern leg bands, GWTeal, NShoveler,etc. From: "hazelh2000" <hazelh2000 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 08:14:17 -0000 Went to the ponds several times this week looking for Northern Pintail ducklings; thought I saw one early in the week but it was gone the next time I went. Was looking through my photos and saw what looks like a silver leg band on one of the Caspian Terns. Fast forwarded through the mallard ducklings and the next photo of the Caspian Terns showed a Black Skimmer in front of them with a silver leg band. What are the odds? photos are posted to Groups - they're small, 100% crop with my 350mm lens. Searched through the messages and did see a note about a posting/photo on Joe Morlan's site of a Black Skimmer with a leg band back in early January, can't tell if it's the same one. Also saw a Green-winged Teal pair one day, the female was feeding enthusiastically while the male watched/guarded. And a Northern Shoveler pair is still around. I've noticed over the last couple of years that the hybrid female mallard ducks (dark with white bib/may have some white on head) seem to be more successful in raising ducklings than the "Standard" females at the beginning of the season. All the mother ducks with broods that I saw on Wednesday were of this type. I did see one mother with 8-9 ducklings at the far end of the pond who started going towards BCNH territory, and sure enough, four of them flew towards her and hovered while they checked out the ducklings who went into dive mode. This mother was magnificent; she jumped/flew out of the water and one at a time attacked them until they all left. She even managed to grab onto the tail of one and bring it down into the water for a minute or so. Then she called her ducklings and headed for the opposite side of the pond. -HazelSubject: Bayfront Park From: richferrick AT comcast.net Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 03:18:48 +0000 Pen-Birders Had a chance to spend a little time this morning at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park (725-755AM). Some migrants were evident including: Cedar Waxwing (12) Vaux's Swift (2+) Western Kingbird A Northern Harrier and White-tailed Kite were perched on Greco Island. Rich FerrickSubject: Redwood Shores From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 21:40:52 EDT This morning I stopped off at the waterbird ponds along Radio Road. Scanning through the Red-necked Phalaropes for a Red Phalarope was inconclusive. The phalarope species that I was not expecting and not ever seeing one in the spring at the waterbird ponds was a female WILSON'S PHALAROPE in it's full breeding plumage. She was quite a beauty! She was foraging at the end of the long island near the entrance to the wastewater treatment plant. Wilson's Phalarope is rare in San Mateo County in the spring. I have seen many springs past by without seeing this species. Nice views of a breeding plumaged Bonaparte's Gull sitting on the water next to Radio Road, while a first-cycle was standing on one of the islands. Walking the path out along Steinberger Slough to the bay, it was low tide and there were thousands of peeps way out on the mudflats. The surprised was right off the mouth of Steinberger Slough, when a Black Oystercatcher came flying in from the south over the bay. I watched it land on a shell bar out on the bay. I took my eye off of the Black Oystercatcher and when I looked back it was gone. A minute later while scanning the bay, the Black Oystercatcher came into view again flying south, where it landed on the mudflats just south of Steinberger Slough and next to Bair Island. The location is far south into San Francisco Bay and I would have not expected one during the breeding season. Although this species is regular at Coyote Point, where they do not breed, I have only ever see one south of that location and it too was seen off the mouth of Steinberger Slough. Although the Black Oystercatcher was only several miles from Santa Clara County, there is always a chance it might fly south into that county, where it would be a most wanted bird for county listers. Also while walking along the path, a male Common Yellowthroat was singing from the top of the cyclone fence above the cattail marsh. The only confirmation of breeding of Common Yellowthroat on the bayside in the county comes from further south. It is possible, the Common Yellowthroat is a migrant and not looking to breed at the location. The Common Yellowthroat showed characteristics of the widespread race occidentalis and not of the race sinuosa restricted to the San Francisco Bay Region. Also in Redwood Shores, now that the wind has died down, migrants are showing up at the Nob Hill pond once again, This morning, there were a Western Wood-Pewee, ( 1 ) Orange-crowned Warbler, ( 2 ) Wilson's Warblers and the first I have seen at this location this spring a Yellow Warbler. There was also the arrival of a Spotted Sandpiper. Ron Thorn |