Date: 5/5/25 2:42 pm From: Ethan Monk via groups.io <z.querula...> Subject: Re: [EBB-Sightings] Mount Diablo Big Day Hike results
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for the report! The Black-chinned Sparrow is very cool, but I would
not be so quick to consider it the same bird Sam Talarigo found on April
12th. The recent pattern of sightings in the county is that early sightings
seem to mostly (all?) represent one-day-or-less wonders, with the
long-staying birds since 2010 (I count four?) all being found in the second
half of May or June. One day wonders (5-6ish?) all being between April 12
and May 12th ?
There are several examples just outside of the county of long-staying birds
that have shown up earlier, but all a roundabout way of saying that there
is a track record of early season Black-chinned Sparrows disappearing
quickly, so I wouldn't necessarily consider it a given that this bird is
continuing. Especially since I gather people looked for Sam's bird after he
found it.
Ethan Monk
On Mon, May 5, 2025 at 9:48 AM Bruce Mast via groups.io <cathrasher4=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Good morning birders,
> Yesterday I completed my second annual Mount Diablo Big Day Hike for
> Golden Gate Bird Alliance Birdathon. My hike started in Mitchell Canyon at
> 4 am and ended at the Castle Rock Parking lot at 6 pm. I tallied 78 species
> total, compared to 72 in 2024. Total hike was 14.6 miles, with a net
> elevation change: 2150 ft up, 2425 ft down. Special thanks to my wife
> Juliet, who shuttled me to and from my start and end points.
>
> Highlights
> • 3 owl species (Great-horned, Western Screech, and American Barn), plus
> Common Poorwill before dawn
> • Continuing Black-chinned Sparrow, first reported by Sam Talarigo on
> April 12
> • At least 1, probably several lingering Calliope Hummingbirds
> • One Golden Eagle soaring over Eagle Peak
> • 8 different Cooper’s Hawks throughout the day
>
> New additions compared to 2024 results
> • Wild Turkey—Pine Canyon
> • Sharp-shinned Hawk
> • Red-shouldered Hawk—Castle Rocks picnic area
> • Barn Owl
> • Western Screech-Owl
> • Peregrine Falcon—Castle Rocks breeding pair
> • Western Wood-Pewee—calling from the ravine below Angel Kerley Road. Not
> where I would have expected it!
> • American Crow—distant caws at dawn
> • Phainopepla—Pine Pond. Not where I would have expected it!
> • Lawrence's Goldfinch—multiple locations
> • Black-chinned Sparrow—stakeout
> • Western Meadowlark—grassland pastures above Stage Road
> • MacGillivray's Warbler
> • Yellow Warbler
> • Western Tanager
>
> Missed species from 2024
> • White-tailed Kite—Margot reported it earlier in the morning but I
> couldn’t refind it
> • Hammond's Flycatcher
> • Brown Creeper—surprising bird last year
> • Northern Mockingbird—surprising bird last year
> • White-crowned Sparrow—getting late
> • Golden-crowned Sparrow—getting late
> • Bullock's Oriole—not at Pine Pond this year
> • Nashville Warbler
> • Black-throated Gray Warbler
>
> Other birds reported the same day at Mitchell Canyon that I missed:
> Northern Harrier, Rock Wren, White-tailed Kite, and Rufous Hummingbird. A
> few people reported some surprising species that could use some
> documentation: Black-chinned Hummingbird, Chipping Sparrow, and Hermit
> Thrush.
>
> Full trip report with eBird checklists and detailed narrative at
> https://ebird.org/tripreport/361499 >
> Bird on,
>
> Bruce Mast
> Oakland
>
>
>
>
>
