mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser) (07/17/90)
Not too much has been happening with me lately, except a little breeding bird atlasing the last two weekends. American Avocets and Black Necked Stilts are still raising downy young and ducks seem to just get going around this time of year. Last weekend I had broods of Mallard and Gadwall and one brood of Lesser Scaup. This is only the third confirmation of Lesser Scaup for our atlas. One Canvasback was hanging out at the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant (one pair bred last year). Shorebirds have already started to return. Two weeks ago I found a Lesser Golden Plover at the Mountain View Forebay. Willets have been around for a while and small numbers of Long Billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel, Greater Yellowlegs, and dowitchers (one identified as Short Billed by voice) have been showing up. A couple of weeks ago large numbers of Wilson's Phalaropes came through and now Red Necked Phalaropes are coming in. A Peregrine Falcon flew low over me on Saturday and then climbed high, soaring out of sight. I found a lone Snowy Plover on the dikes far out on the bay. The California Bulrushes bordering the Sunnyvale W.P.C.P. outflow were full of Tricolored Blackbirds. It seemed early in the year for post-breeding dispersal, and I wondered if they bred there. I'll have to check it out next year a little earlier. Next week I'm going to Chicago to visit family. I hope to pick up a few lifers while I'm there. I'll let you all know how I did when I return. Mike