Date: 4/29/25 3:15 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: [EBB-Sightings] Misc. notes from Alameda/Contra Costa 4/27-28/25
Spent the past couple of days birding around Livermore (Alameda) and San Ramon (Contra Costa) with some observations I found worthwhile to share.
On Sunday, 4/27, the aseasonal cold front and wet weather looked good for possibly downing some migrants so I checked out Dyer Rd. (off Altamont Pass Rd.) Brushy Peak (lower section only including the two large ponds) and finished up birding around Springtown. Some observations of interest to me were:
Cinnamon Teal - male and female pair at Marlin Pound Neighborhood Park in what looks like good breeding habitat
Gadwall - male and female pair/Marlin Pound in breeding habitat
Ring-necked Duck - 2m and a female in the treeless pond not far from the parking lot at Brushy Peak, getting slightly late with few records in the county after April
Vaux's Swift - low flying migrant over Marlin Pound briefly joining the local swallow flock
Black-necked Stilt - ongoing pair in the seasonal pond near the parking lot for Brushy Peak first reported here a couple of weeks ago. An interesting location if they stay to nest.
Herring/Glaucous-winged Gulls - getting a bit late 1st spring birds flying with the usual procession of California Gulls over Dyer Rd.
Chipping Sparrow - migrant on Dyer Rd.
Gambel's White-crowns - migrants/or lingering wintering birds on Dyer Rd. and at the Willow Pond at Brushy Peak
Lincoln's Sparrows - migrants (1) on Dyer and (2) at Brushy Peak Willow Pond
TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS - fly-over flock of (~30) on Dyer Rd. and (~120) at Willow Pond/Brushy Peak. The latter flock was foraging in the weedy hillsides and several birds were observed taking off to the west carrying food confirming breeding in the area. I suspect there may be a colony somewhere in the direction of the Vasco Landfill.
Yellow Warbler - singing migrant at Willow Pond/Brushy Peak was the first I've noted this spring
Additional migrants at Brushy Peak were - Hermit Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Western Tanager and Lazuli Bunting. A couple of Savannah Sparrows were interesting ,around the seasonal wetland. This species isn't really known to nest in the Bay Area away from tidal wetlands; perhaps these are wintering birds lingering but worth checking in upcoming weeks. For the herpetology dabblers Marlin Pound Neighborhood Park is a good place to see the State listed Threatened Western Pond Turtles.
On Monday I did a ittle hike around Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Starting from the Remington Street trailhead in Danville, I climbed up above the fog to Trampas Ridge, down to the main staging area, up a bit toward Rocky Ridge to check in with the Rufous-crowned sparrows and then back out to San Ramon via Bollinger Canyon Rd. All told I spent 9 hours walking ~ 20 kilometers, with a nice assortment of migrants and resident species.
Vaux's Swifts - 2 migrating along Trampas Ridge
Rufous Hummingbird - ridge migrant
Turkey Vulture - pair at cave nest site on an inaccessible ridge above Alamo/Danville
Golden Eagle - occupied nest along Bollinger Canyon Rd.
Olive-sided Flycatcher - ridge migrant
Western Wood-pewee - first I've noted locally this spring, vocal at the staging area where they summer
Ash-throated Flycatcher - a healthy count of 13 along the route
Western Kingbird - I have not noted this species nesting at Las Trampas in regular visits the past two summers but a pair continues near the Little Hills camp on Bollinger Canyon Rd where first noted at the end of March. An additional (7) more birds along BC Rd. could be migrants or perhaps they will (re?)colonize the valley this year
Cassin's Vireo - one singing at the staging area was likely a migrant but they have been known to nest in Last Trampas some years
Common Raven - an active cliff side nest on Las Trampas Ridge containing small young was being provisioned by a parent with a chicken egg, apparently pilfered from the chicken farm on Bollinger Canyon Rd. near the jct with Paulanella Pl.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - a slightly on the late side singing migrant on the ridge
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - a healthy count of 14 , multiple pairs, one was doing an amazing rendition of pacific-slope flycatcher incorporated into its song
Hermit Thrush, 2 migrants on Trampas Ridge
LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH - as mentioned in Ethan Monk's post earlier today, this spring has been a good one for Larry's showing up in sites where they are not encountered so while not surprised I was nonetheless pleased to encounter (11+) Lawrence's Goldfinches along Trampas ridge, including an apparent closely associating pair. Lawrence's goldfinch has nested here before but not in quite a few years. For anyone looking for late spring/early summer projects try to document breeding of this species at your local patch
Grasshopper Sparrow - only one noted on the entire hike, singing above the seasonal ponds on Trampas Ridge. None detected on the Rocky Ridge Fire Rd/Cuesta Trail where they nested last year, but perhaps I just missed them
Golden-crowned Sparrow - 3 with a Gambel's White-crown on Trampas Ridge
Rufous-crowned Sparrow - three pairs around the Cuesta Trail/Rocky Ridge where reliable year round
Hooded Oriole - an apparent diurnal migrant on the ridge, flying in from the south landing briefly and continuing on
Warblers - several mixed flocks of migrants on Trampas ridge including multiple Hermit, Townsend's, Wilson's, Myrtle and Audubon's.
