07-23-00

It's been a little while since I updated the news, but this weekend was pretty productive for birds so it seems the perfect opportunity. Yesterday, on a trip to the San Mateo County Coast (Pescadero and Pigeon Point) we had all three species of Cormorant, Common Loon, Black Oystercatcher, Surfbird, Black Turnstone, Whimbrel, Heerman's Gull, Caspian Tern, Pigeon Guillemot, and Common Murre. The other expected species of gull were also present. Elegant Terns were conspicuously absent but I had seen them the week before in Princeton Harbour.

Along Gazos Creek Road leading back toward Cloverdale Road, there were many Band-tailed Pigeons and Black-headed Grosbeaks.

Today at Arastradero Open Space Preserve I was able to photograph some of the resident White-tailed Kites with Ken. There seems to be between 6 and 8 individuals in the area. Also, we had good looks at Ash-throated Flycatcher, Wilson's Warbler, Wrentit, Bewick's Wren, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Tree Swallow, Western Bluebird, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper and probably some species I'm forgetting...

07-11-00

I've posted the trip results from last weekend's seasonal Big Day. You can read the report by clicking here. In other news, it appears the Black Skimmers can still be found at Charleston Slough. There are only two roosting on the island these days and they are surrounded by nesting Forster's Terns. As well, I found a Wilson's Phalarope in Adobe Creek and many dozens of White Pelicans.

For those of you interested in chasing down some local rareties, the pair of Great-tailed Grackles continues at Almaden Lake Park off of Almaden Expressway as well as a family of Common Mergansers.