Date: 6/28/25 3:54 pm From: Andrew Melnick via groups.io <andrew.melnick...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Loma Prieta (informal) SBC
Today Sheila Raymond, Liz Frith, Karen Rush, and I conducted the second annual (informal) Summer Bird Count at Loma Prieta. This is the (approximately) six-month offset count from the formal Christmas Bird Count for the Calero-Morgan Hill circle.
The weather was excellent: sunny, unlimited visibility, warm (and hot), and calm with gentle breeze here and there.
We birded the Loma Prieta Upper Saddle (restricted access (Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD))), and the section of Loma Chiquita Road from the intersection with Loma Prieta Road to just beyond the Casa Loma Volunteer Fire Station building.
Highlights of the trip included a significant number of Purple Martins, Olive-sided and Ash-throated Flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewee, a pair of Western Kingbirds, Cassin’s and Warbling Vireo, a large flock of Cliff Swallows, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Lazuli Bunting. We also had an unexpected flyover of an Osprey, transiting the quite dry habitat on its way towards, we expect, wetter habitat.
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
