There was in fact quite a nice break in the rain this afternoon so I went down to Berkeley Meadow to see what two inches of rain had done to the wetlands. Not much; there was less water than in December, just enough for a few American Wigeon and Mallards. Two small peripheral ponds had water but nobody home, and one area that does flood was getting squooshy, but that's it. All the paths were perfectly passable. I did have some fun on the east-west path, hearing Hutton's Vireos, a species I don't expect there, and seeing a Fox Sparrow as well as the usual small birds that like that tangle of willows. Also the White-tailed Kites were in residence. I didn't see them both simultaneously, but they were whistling and I'm sure they were both there. ( The list: )

I was a bit late for fun at the mudflat off the parking lot, so the only shorebirds were two Willets at North Basin.

My plan for the morning fell victim to overcast and cold, but by early afternoon I was bored and annoyed that I was still home, so I got myself out to the easiest place for non-morning birding. It was doomed not to be great; although there was some sun for a while the sun angle out to the Bay (West) was dreadful and the tide was low and dropping. That all made it difficult to see what was out on the mud or on the water. I parked at So 52st Street and walked up to Bayside Drive, where I often park, soon noticing that TPTB had whacked a great deal of the trail edge habitat. Why? WHY?? Some of it isn't native, true, but the birds like it and it doesn't harm anyone. So there were fewer birds along the fence than I would have expected. There were very few ducks anywhere, but large flocks of shorebirds on the mud, Least Sandpipers and Dunlin with Willets, Marbled Godwits and a few Long-billed Curlews and Black-bellied Plovers around the edges. Surprise of the day was a Black Oystercatcher perched on a concrete who-knows-what stranded forever out on the mud. It made do for a rock, but it was a long way to the next rock! ( The list: )

Best I think was a small flock of Cedar Waxwings high in some leafless poplars. They were already vocalizing when I found them so it wasn't long before the flew off, but it was nice.

We had some stormy weather last night so I went to see if anyone interesting had blown in. The Bufflehead had not been reported immediately previously but the Hooded Merganser girl gang (probably Winter residents), the Mallards, and the Pied-billed Grebes were all expected birds. The only surprise to me was a juvenile Double-crested Cormorant; I would love to know where they were hatched. ( The list: )

I'm not too sure of that list. Was I not paying attention? It's hard to believe there were no Yellow-rumped Warblers around the Lake, but there were periods of extreme wind, so who knows? From there I drove down to Creekside Park, Alameda County, where there were lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers! It was fixin' to rain when I arrived, and after some beautiful moments of sunshowers, standing under a huge oak watching fine rain blown around and shining in the sun, as I left it began to rain in earnest. Nothing specially interesting there. The Oak Titmice were singing but the Lesser Goldfinches were still flocking rather than pairing up. ( The list: )

Again, this list seemed lacking, but maybe it was just that sort of day.

There were indeed a lot of American Robins in Wildcat Canyon this morning.:) U reported seventy, and there seemed like that many Lesser Goldfinches, given how much chatter and song we heard. I missed the Townsend's Warbler and a White-throate Sparrow that U and Chris saw on Upper Packrat but heard a Pacific Wren and heard/saw two Allen's Hummingbirds that they did not. The second Allen's was feeding on and defending a big ribes that we've always checked out when walking the upper trail, but he wasn't visible when they went by. ( The list: )

A pair of Mallards flew in, landing on Jewel Lake with two quiet splashes while I was sitting on the bench waiting for U and Chris, so that was convenient.

There's been a White-winged Scoter hanging out with a flock of Surf Scoters off César Chavez. U got a look at it yesterday so I decided to go down today. But while I followed several flotillas of Scoters I don't think I found it. One apparently good candidate seemed to have a flash of white on their wing when they flew off, but they landed too far out for me to keep watching. I had a good time, though. This Winter there are two Burrowing Owls along the NE edge of the park, and while I could not find the one I saw last time, amongst the rocks, a second bird was sitting at the mouth of their burrow in plain sight. East to see and easy to point out to passersby hoping to see an owl. The real fun for me, though was just a little further on, when I saw a bird I did not immediately recognize sitting on a rock. They vocalized briefly and bobbed up and down a little, but mostly assumed a sun bathing stance in a slight hollow. After a false start I tried the wrens, and yes, a Rock Wren in César Chavez Park. Turns out this is the second Winter one has been here, likely the same bird. It's always interesting when this happens. ( The list: )

U had alerted me to singing Savannah Sparrows, and I heard two, one of whom was singing from the top of a bright red hydrant. Very effective.

This morning between recycling a bag of wire hangars and picking up two bottles of picaridin from REI I spent an hour at Lower Codornices Creek. It's a beautiful bit of riparian habitat, with water in the creek and everything green. Not so very many species, but almost all the locals were in pairs and many seemed to be engaged in pre-nesting activity. A pair of Dark-eyed Juncos, ground nesters, were poking around along the creek bank, not seeming to be foraging but perhaps looking for a good spot. Bushtits were collecting spiderweb and the Bewick's Wren may have been doing the same. Even two Black Phoebes were hanging out together. ( The list: )

There weren't any surprises, not even a pair of Mallards in the creek, as I've seen before. The only less common bird, at least for me, were three American Goldfinches, heard but not seen.

Two excellent birders had a fabulous day at Valle Vista on Sunday, so I went today in hopes of a really good, though probably not fabulous day. Which is what I had, only a few species fewer although our lists are surprisingly different. I started walking just before 9, hoping to get out quickly to where I could see the reservoir but there was so much activity in the brush under the trees that it took longer than expected. And not just under the trees! The first birds I saw were a pair of Bald Eagles, which I didn't know to expect so I was briefly confused by two, huge, headless raptors.:) I was hoping for a variety of ducks but got only six, lots of Ruddy Ducks, quite a few Ring-necked Ducks, six Mallards, two Canvasback, at least one Green-winged Teal, and one Wood Duck. The Wood Duck was way across the reservoir and I couldn't be certain what it was. Fortunately a friendly birder came by with better eyes and better bins and yes, a Wood Duck. ( The list )

There is a stable out along the road with a big field and, like the other day on Inspiration Trail, it was full of mostly crowned sparrows but also Western Bluebirds and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers. Very cool.

Today was what Inspiration Trail is supposed to be! The weather was perfect, sunny under high clouds with no wind, and my ebird list was forty-five species, not a record but very satisfying. Two migratory species that I had not seen or heard there in three months showed up, Varied Thrush and Fox Sparrow, making me wonder if they are on the move again. Also first Mourning Dove since August! Where do they go? Not only was there a Say's Phoebe at the North end of the trail, as last time, but while I was sitting in the dip on return I heard two calling simultaneously. Three? Amazing. There was a Western Bluebird / House Finch / Yellow-rumped Warbler flock on the hillside below the trail out to the point, also containing a few Dark-Eyed Juncos, some Purple Finches, two Golden-crowned Sparrows, and a California Towhee. I also heard or saw less expected species: American White Pelican, less regular on the reservoir lately; a pair of Great Horned Owls hooting presumably at each other somewhere down slope; a Belted Kingfisher rattling overhead; Red-winged Blackbirds singing by the lower pond and flying west in small flocks as they do this time of year. ( The list: )

I sat in the dip eating apple slices for quite a while, listening for Brown Creeper. Merlin suggested it several times, but I heard nothing. Merlin and I often hear different birds, or perhaps my my range is decreasing. But I hear Brown Creepers in Tilden every week and sometimes on this trail, just not when Merlin does.

This morning I walked Memory Trail between Cañon Drive and Upper Packrat in preparation for going that way next Monday, and it's lovely, though quite short. There were Purple Finches and Oak Titmice and most of the usuals, nothing specially exciting. ( The list: )

Before going home I stopped at Lake Anza, very different from a month ago. I think we were having unsettled weather, unlike the clear skies lately. On the Lake there were two Pied-billed Grebes and three female Hooded Mergansers.:) ( Another very short list. )

The only other notable sighting was the Northern Flicker, who was exactly where they was foraging on the lawn a month ago. Must be their Winter home.

I started my list about 8, when the sun was hitting the hillside just below the ridge. Right away I saw something unusual, two Canada Geese flying overhead. They are on my list almost every time because I can hear them from way down on the reservoir, but I very rarely see one. Walking north I head a Band-tailed Pigeon cooing, so I guess their breeding season is here, and there was a Black Phoebe on the first south-facing hillside, always a surprise. At the north end of the trail there was a flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows, TWO Say's Phoebes either fighting or courting, and a mixed flock of Western Bluebirds and House Finches with one Yellow-rumped Warbler. I've seen that mix before but not frequently and it's certainly colorful, although the Warbler had only the yellow rump. Now if only some Lesser Goldfinches had joined in. ( The list: )

Again no Acorn Woodpeckers. The only bird on the huge snag they frequent was, briefly, a Common Raven.