Trip : Scouting Alameda, part 3 Login
3 Locations, 49 Sightings
Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Gadwall HRS
American Wigeon HRS
only two seen in the \"ruddy duck, shoveler, phalarope\" pond south of the parking area at Frank\'s Dump.
Northern Shoveler HRS
Northern Pintail HRS
four seen - and another group of two (possibly the same birds)
Greater Scaup HRS
one male seen
Bufflehead HRS
single female
Ruddy Duck HRS
New World Quail
California Quail SRP
Grebes
Horned Grebe HRS
There were nearly a dozen Eared Grebes diving together amongst the gull flock, and two Horned Grebes.
Eared Grebe HRS
Most of the Eared Grebes were in winter plumage, but two retained the all-dark head and neck, red eyes, and hints of gold feathers around the ears.
Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorant HRS
Double-crested Cormorant EM
Pelagic Cormorant EM
Bitterns and Herons
Great Blue Heron EM
Great Egret HRS
Snowy Egret EM
New World Vultures
Turkey Vulture HRS
Hawks, Kites, and Eagles
White-tailed Kite HRS
Northern Harrier HRS
Accipiter sp. HRS
Accipiter sp. HRS
Cooper's Hawk HRS
Juvenile accipiter entered the brush beside our parked car, was very difficult to see in the brush. Only the breast & belly were well-seen, and these were strongly streaked with markings degenerating to a series of nearly distinct triangle marks about halfway down the breast. The bird eventually flew through the brush and made a right angle turn to cross the parking lot directly in front of us. Both observers spent more time saying \"Ooooh\" than noting field marks on this flight - result: no ID, but a beautiful memory. There was an active Cooper\'s Hawk nest in this parking lot in spring 2007, so tentative ID is Cooper\'s Hawk, but the more accurate ID is \"accipiter sp.\"
Red-tailed Hawk HRS
Red-tailed Hawk SRP
Golden Eagle SRP
Guess what? Part of Sibley Volcanic Regional Park is *not* in Alameda County! It\'s over the border in Contra Costa County. The Golden Eagle was over the Orinda Gateway Blvd exit -- not in Alameda County at all.
Plovers
Semipalmated Plover HRS
Sandpipers and Phalaropes
Willet EM
Long-billed Curlew HRS
Western Sandpiper HRS
Least Sandpiper HRS
Red-necked Phalarope HRS
Skuas, Gulls, and Terns
Ring-billed Gull EM
Ring-billed Gull HRS
California Gull HRS
Herring Gull HRS
Western Gull EM
Forster's Tern EM
Pigeons and Doves
Rock Pigeon HRS
Mourning Dove EM
Tyrant Flycatchers
Black Phoebe HRS
Jays and Crows
Western Scrub-Jay SRP
Seen at the \'back\' entrance to Sibley - not in Alameda County.
American Crow HRS
Swallows
Barn Swallow HRS
Bushtits
Bushtit EM
Emberizids
California Towhee EM
Song Sparrow HRS
Dark-eyed Junco SRP
Northern Finches
House Finch HRS
Old World Sparrows
House Sparrow HRS
Emeryville Marina = EM
Hayward Regional Shoreline = HRS
Sibley Regional Park = SRP
Trip Notes
Frank's Dump: We hustled through Frank's Dump today - 45 minutes out to the bridge and back, with a long time scoping the big pond south of the parking lot from many angles. We managed to find four new duck species, each represented by 1 - 4 individuals: Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, and American Wigeon. This is starting to look better for our upcoming big day.

But the eucalyptus grove coughed up N-O-T-H-I-N-G. House sparrows and not one other species -- until the juvenile accipiter came between us & the car. That was a treat in the desert!

Emeryville: Drove directly to the last parking lot at the end of Powell and walked out the fishing pier. No other stops made at this location
Trip Map