porterg@csusac.csus.edu (Greg Porter) (03/19/91)
Last Saturday (March 16), we went to the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge which is about an hour north of Sacramento, CA on Hwy. 99. The weather was cloudy and cool. We saw a total of 39 spieces. Here are a few highlights: GREATER YELLOWLEGS BLACK-NECKED STILT WHITE-FACED IBIS (ABOUT 15 OF THEM FEEDING WITH SOME EGRETS) AMERICAN BITTERN GREAT EGRET SNOWY EGRET GREAT BLUE HERON MALLARD NORTHERN PINTAIL AMERICAN WIGEON RING-NECKED DUCK NORTHERN SHOVELER GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW SONG SPARROW MARSH WREN VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW RED-TAILED HAWK BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD BREWERS BLACKBIRD + OTHER COMMON YEAR-ROUND SPIECIES LIKE: HOUSE FINCH, HOUSE SPARROW ETC. Now the question: A while back there was talk about everyone's Nemesis bird...well I have two, the Yellow-headed Blackbird and the Tri-colored Backbird. The Tri-colored I have seen once and only once and I have never seen a Yellow-headed. Does any one in the Northern/Central/Bay Area of California know of any place where either of these frequent on a regular basis? I am beginning to think that someone put the Yellow-headed Blackbird in the guide as a cruel hoax! :-) Thanks for the help Greg -- Greg Porter | Internet: gporter@csus.edu CSU, Sacramento | uucp: ..ucdavis!csusac!porterg -or- Univ. Telecom. Svcs. | ..ames!pacbell!sactoh0!csusac!porterg
wander@csa2.lbl.gov (ADRIAN WANDER) (03/19/91)
In article <1991Mar18.224123.1338@csusac.csus.edu>, porterg@csusac.csus.edu (Greg Porter) writes... > >Now the question: > >A while back there was talk about everyone's Nemesis bird...well I have two, >the Yellow-headed Blackbird and the Tri-colored Backbird. The Tri-colored I >have seen once and only once and I have never seen a Yellow-headed. Does any >one in the Northern/Central/Bay Area of California know of any place where >either of these frequent on a regular basis? I am beginning to think that >someone put the Yellow-headed Blackbird in the guide as a cruel hoax! :-) > >Greg >-- Tricoloured are common but local. There's usually lots on outer Pt Reyes, try the Nunes, Mendoza and Spaletta Ranches; I'd be surprised if you failed to find lots in this area. If you do, try around Abbotts Lagoon on Northern Pt Reyes. Tricoloured is normally the most abundant blackbird up here. Yellow headed seems to be much harder to find. The only place that I see them at all regularly is in the Sacramento delta. Check all the flocks in the Brannan Island, Twitchell Island area and you'll probably find one sooner or later. (nb We normally only visit this area in Nov/Dec when looking for Cranes, Geese, Swans etc. so it might not be reliable at other times of the year. Last time we were there we had 5 or so in about an hour). Good look, Adrian.
grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello) (03/20/91)
In article <1991Mar18.224123.1338@csusac.csus.edu>, porterg@csusac.csus.edu (Greg Porter) writes: > > Now the question: > > A while back there was talk about everyone's Nemesis bird...well I have two, > the Yellow-headed Blackbird and the Tri-colored Backbird. The Tri-colored I > have seen once and only once and I have never seen a Yellow-headed. Does any > one in the Northern/Central/Bay Area of California know of any place where > either of these frequent on a regular basis? I am beginning to think that > someone put the Yellow-headed Blackbird in the guide as a cruel hoax! :-) I've seen the tri-colored in spring off White Rock Road (near Folsom). There is a road to a boys camp there (I forget the name, but it's got a sign to the boys camp) on which you head south for about two miles. You will come to an open grove of oaks which always has Lewis' Woodpeckers. Just beyond, the road dips and comes to a moist area. The tri-coloreds have been there. I saw them at three scattered times during the spring last year. Haven't been there yet this year. I've seen the yellow headed at the Sac refuges! Not every time though, and I don't know how regular they are. I've also seen them in the marshes in (or near) the Sierra Valley, at the north end of Rt 49. If you ever want to go birding, give me a call! 928-6258 (work) and 333-2733 (home). I live in Georgetown (near Coloma) but work in Sac. > > Thanks for the help > > Greg > -- -- --- Greg Pasquariello grp@unify.com Unify Corporation Be good and never poison people