Local Sightings
Tell Us What You've Seen!
Have you seen a cool bird or some unusual bird behavior? Has a certain species irrupted in your backyard? Let us know about it! Email us at sightings@wbupleasanthill.com and we'll post it on this site. If you have pictures send those too.
Check out the latest WBU Birdwalk Sightings List at birdwalklist.blogspot.com
Recent Local Sightings
White Tail Kites
January 16, 2007I have a pair of White Tail Kites hanging out in my pine tree. One is there all of the time, and the other comes and goes. Could they have a nest in this tree? Their eyes are so neat….Also, the last storm we had I took a walk in the rain and saw a rare sighting. There was a male and female hooded merganser in the creek on the George Cardinet trail in Clayton. I also saw a red shouldered hawk. I guess the mergansers were taking shelter from the storm and stopped in Clayton for the day. The male was beautiful.
Daryl Jean Marusarz
Wild Birds Unlimited Bird Walk
Big Break Trail, Oakley, CALeader: Chuck Groff
March 1, 2008
The day started overcast about 52 degrees with a cold wind greeting us as we arrived. The sun came out later and temperatures climbed to 63. The area has many habitats: marsh, river, pond, and plowed fields. The treatment ponds were full of gulls, almost all Bonapart's and a few Ring-billed. At first we only saw the females of some birds such as the Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Ruddy Duck. But the males showed up and were appropriately complimented on their attire. We never did see the mail Red-winged Blackbirds, adding a little mystery to the identification process.
We saw a total of 41 species and the list is posted at:
birdwalklist.blogspot.com
Mystery Birds
March 1, 2008I am in central California. It happens so fast, a flock of birds I have never seen before, flocked to my bird bath a drank and then flew away. There must have been 50 or so, dumb me, instead of grabbing my camera, I tried to find them in my Western bird book. They must have nbeen passing through. They had yellow at the tips of their taild, yellow breast, some white stripes and some red near their heads, like I say it happened so fast, believe they had a top notch at top of head. Looked online and couldn't find pictures so I could identfy them. What an experience. Any ideas?
Anne
Cedar Waxwings
February 21, 2008Saw a bunch of Cedar Waxwings along with a flock of robins in the berry bushes on Marsh Creek Rd In Clayton.
Daryl Jean Marusarz
Wild Birds Unlimited Bird Walk
Grizzly Island, SF Bay DeltaLeader: Chuck Groff
February 2, 2008
The morning weather was dreary and drizzly, so we only had 8 folks total in 5 cars. The rain held off for our walk and it only rained hard on our way back. Unfortunately, we couldn't go beyond the visitor center because hunting season was extended and still open for 2 more days. But we got a few short walks near the visitor center in and still came up with an impressive species list.
We saw a total of 48 species and the list is posted at:
birdwalklist.blogspot.com