Falcon Cam in San Jose, CA

I wish more cities would highlight their wildlife in the city like this great cam that is focused on a nesting Peregrine Falcon in San Jose atop of City Hall.

Check it out: http://sanjose.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=91

How about a snowy plover cam in San Francisco or a least tern cam in Alameda?

You can read about the KQED story online: http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/03/25/falcon-fascination-update/

Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline Park, Oakland, CA

I had a moment to before sunset to do some birding at the seasonal pond near Damon Slough tonight. It was very cool to see the breeding plumages of so many birds. First time for me to see a Black-bellied Plover with a black belly!

The cast of characters this evening included:

1. Black-bellied Plover
2. American Avocet
3. Black-necked Stilt
   
4. Long-billed Dowitcher
   
5. Greater Yellowlegs
6. Killdeer
7. Willet
   
8. Cinnamon Teal
9. Blue-Winged Teal
   
10. American Widgeon
11. Gadwall
    
12. Mallard
13. Greater Scaup
    
14. Western Grebe
15. Great Blue Heron
    
16. Canada Goose
17. American Coot

Pleasure Point in Capitola, CA

While not technically a birding trip, I couldn't help but watch the birds while I awaited between sets of waves while surfing for two days at Pleasure Point in Capitola, CA. I saw my first BROWN PELICAN of the spring fly overhead. Out in the water, I shared the waves and kelp forest mostly with Pelagic Cormorants (with white spots of their breeding plumage showing) and Double-crested Cormorants with a few Western Grebes and Western Gulls paddling by as well. It was a lot of fun to see the sea otters (3-4 of them) and harbor seals (2-3) come in so close. I thought I saw a Northern Fulmar fly overhead, but I can't be certain because it happened so fast.

Saw a few Mallard Ducks fly out of the river area and even noticed a Greater White-Fronted Goose come down the river that was mostly filled with American Coots and various Gulls.

Wildcat Creek Trail, Richmond, CA

It's official. I'm a bird nerd. I bought my first spotting scope - albeit a cheaper one - and couldn't wait to test it out today at Wildcat Creek Trail in Richmond as part of the ongoing Richmond Bird Census. It's next to a sewage treatment plant, which oddly has more birdlife at low tide than the adjacent wetlands.

In the park and wetlands, we saw -

• Northern Harriers
• Redtail Hawks
• Osprey
• White-tailed Kite
• Turkey Vulture
  
• Mockingbird
  
• Red-winged Blackbird

Over in the sewage treatment plant -

• Burrowing Owl that had taken up residence along side the pond under the pavement.
  
• Snow Goose
• Greater White-Fronted Goose
• Canada Geese
• Greater Yellow Legs
• Black-necked Stilts
• Gadwalls
  
• Green-winged Teals
• Northern Shovelers
• Mallards
• Buffleheads
  
• American Coots
  

Alameda Wildlife Refuge

This morning, I joined about a whopping 80 participants who came to the Alameda Wildlife Refuge for the last workday of the year before the California least terns come back to breed. The Friends of Alameda Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fawr.org) organize work parties on the second Sunday of each month from September through March, then keep watch over the terns during their nesting season from April through August. The endangered California least tern colony is threatened with construction of a VA facility inside what was supposed to be a wildlife refuge.

Each year, about 800 California least terns fly over a thousand miles from the south to Alameda, CA, to breed. The nearest large colony is 150 miles to the south! Habitat loss has driven the terns northward looking for a refuge and now that refuge is threatened despite alternative locations nearby that are outside of the refuge. Look at Golden Gate Audubon's website for information about how you can help fight to protect this endangered species habitat and community open space.

I saw a few birds in between cleaning up the mountains of plastic rubble. There was a redtail hawk on a nearby building with its nest. In the wetlands, the American avocets had changed into their orange breeding plumage. Killdeer flew about chastising the people for being in their territory. I saw a Pacific loon among the Canada geese, scaups, and western grebes.

Afterward, I stopped by Lake Merritt - the center of my "birdiverse" - to see what changes are happening amongst the birds. The tufted duck remained near the bird islands and was spotted among the Greater and Lesser Scaups. The Western and Clarke's Grebes were dancing on the lake at times. In addition to the pied-billed grebe, I saw eared grebes and horned grebes that are beginning to shift into their amazing breeding plumage - a sure sign that spring has come. Five species of grebes calling Lake Merritt home right now. I also saw -

• Common Goldeneyes
• Canvasback Ducks
• Ruddy Ducks
• Bufflehead Ducks
  
• Mallard Ducks
• American Coots
  
• Snowy Egrets
• Great Egret
• Black-crowned Night Herons
  
• Double-crested Cormorants
  
• Ring-billed Gulls
• Western Gulls
  

Now if only people would stop feeding the birds! I can't even tell you how many people were feeding the pigeons and ducks. It's too bad Oakland won't post signs. Bread to a hungry bird is like popcorn to a human - just filler without much nutritional value. Plus, it ends up benefiting birds like pigeons and geese, which are overabundant in the area. The leftovers can attract rats and other pests. Please don't feed wildlife! It's a lot of fun, but the consequences are too great for birds, people, and the environment.

Instead, plant a bird-friendly backyard or restore wildlife habitat if you love birds and other wildlife. That's the best thing you can do for them!

Heron's Head Park, San Francisco, CA

After doing an interview at Pier 94 with the San Francisco Examiner, I headed over to Heron's Head Park down the road. It's a great birding location that never fails to be a good time. Before leaving Pier 94, there were a pair of American Kestrels and a pair of mocking birds flirting on the fence.

The best part of the trip was seeing the HARLEQUIN DUCK again that I saw first at Pier 94 around October, then again at Heron's Head Park during the December 27th Christmas Bird Count.

Also out at Heron's Head today included:

1. Common Goldeneye
   
2. Red-breasted Merganser
3. Black Oystercatcher
4. American Avocets
   
5. Dunlin
   
6. Black-bellied Plover
   
7. Long-billed Curlew
8. Willet
9. Snowy Egret
   
10. Greater Scaups
11. Belted Kingfisher
12. Least Sandpiper
13. Spotted Sandpiper
    
14. Horned Grebe
15. Western Grebes
    
16. American Widgeons
17. Ruddy Ducks
18. Buffleheads
19. Surf Scoters
20. American Coots
21. Double-crested Cormorrants
    
22. Mew Gulls
    

Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area, San Francisco

After participating in Saturday's docent training program through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, I went out to take a look at the threatened Western Snowy Plovers that spend most of the year at the beach. There were four plovers on the back dunes of the beach that were scurrying around as kites flew overhead, paddle ball was played on the beach, and several off-leash dogs walked by - all competing for the small area of the beach designated as the Wildlife Protection Area. Looks like we'll have plenty of opportunities to do outreach to the public about sharing the shoreline in San Francisco.