Reports to the Northern California BirdBox, transcribed for BirdWest by Adam Winer.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
31 May In Oakland at Arrowhead Marsh [Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline], a Burrowing Owl has been seen less than 0.25 mile in from the parking lot on Swan Way. Mary Foley29 May East of Livermore, a male Northern Bobwhite was found dead on Patterson Pass Rd. Rich Cimino
27 May Southeast of Livermore along Mines Rd, single Greater Roadrunners were at mileposts 5.91 and 9.15. Many late migrants are moving through private property west of Mines Rd near the county border, including a late Hammond's Flycatcher, a MacGillivray's Warbler, 13 Townsend's Warblers, 8 Wilson's Warblers, 2 Yellow Warblers, 4 Swainson's Thrushes, and a few Western Tanagers. Mike Rogers
15 May In Hayward at Hayward Regional Shoreline, a male Hooded Warbler was at the end of W Winton Ave - it was seen both in the morning and evening, and represents a first county record. A Yellow-breasted Chat and a Hammond's Flycatcher also were in this area. Ron Lindemann fide Bob Richmond fide Steve Glover
13 May Southeast of Livermore on private property along the 9 miles of Arroyo Valle south of Del Valle Reservoir were many migrants, including 37 Hammond's Flycatchers, a Dusky Flycatcher, 8 male Calliope Hummingbirds, 3 MacGillivray's Warblers, and 8 Hermit Warblers, as well as good numbers of more common migrants. Although this area is private property, similar habitat is accessible along Mines Rd. Mike Rogers
7 May In Hayward at Hayward Regional Shoreline, a Red Phalarope was in the channel on the right side of the trail, 100 yards from the Interpretive Center. Farther on, in the big pond, are about 70 to 80 Red-necked Phalarope. Rusty Scalf
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
30 May In eastern Contra Costa County, one of the residents near the north end of Bethel Island Rd has complained about birders using binoculars to look into their windows. Please be careful. Joe Morlan29 May In the Oakland Hills at Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, 2 adult Golden Eagles were flying along the east ridge and apparently courting. A Grasshopper Sparrow also was in the area, perched along the barbed-wire fence on the east ridge. Rick Renaud
28 May In Briones Regional Park, 7 Grasshopper Sparrows were along Briones Crest Trail. Bob Brandriff
28 May In eastern Contra Costa County, at Piper Slough on Bethel Island were at least 5 male Black-chinned Hummingbirds, 5 Yellow-breasted Chats, and a Blue Grosbeak. Les Chibana
27 May On Mount Diablo below the road, 0.25 mile before the south check-in station, was a male Black-chinned Sparrow. At the Rock City picnic grounds were Hermit Warblers and Townsend's Warblers. Diane Sierra
27 May Just west of Danville, in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness was a singing male Summer Tranager. It was seen on the Madrone Trail, 50 yards west of where the trail meets the north end of the Virgil Williams Trail, 3.5 miles from the main park entrance. For a more direct route, park at the end of Clipper Hill Rd in Danville, and take the Amigo Trail 0.2 mile to the Virgil Williams Trail. Follow that trail north - it crosses the Madrone Trail in 0.5 mile and ends at the Madrone Trail again in another 0.5 mile, where the bird was seen. Bob Brandriff
25 May In eastern Contra Costa County, at least 5 Blue Grosbeaks were still west of the north end of Bethel Island Rd. Walk the levee about 1 mile to where a powerline reaches the levee - 4 of the grosbeaks have been spending most of their time in the field to the left. Tom Condit
24 May In the Oakland Hills at Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve were 2 adult Golden Eagles and nesting Lazuli Buntings. Rick Renaud
20 May At the summit of Mount Diablo, a flock of 4 Townsend's Warblers and 4 Hermit Warblers spent the day, especially along the north edge of the upper summit parking lot. Kevin Hintsa
18 May In eastern Contra Costa County, on the dike west of the north end of Bethel Island Rd were several Blue Grosbeaks, a Yellow-breasted Chat, and several Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Bob Reiling
16 May In eastern Contra Costa County, along Piper Slough near the north end of Bethel Island Rd were 10 Blue Grosbeaks, 10 Yellow-breasted Chats, 5 male Black-chinned Hummingbirds, a Gray Flycatcher, and seven species of warblers. George Finger
15 May Near Byron at Clifton Court Forebay were 2 Black Terns. Steve Glover
14 May In eastern Contra Costa County, along Piper Slough near the north end of Bethel Island Rd were an Osprey, 19 White-faced Ibis, 4 Vaux's Swifts, and many other migrants including 15 Swainson's Thrushes, several Chipping Sparrows, Blue Grosbeaks, Yellow-breasted Chats, MacGillivray's Warblers, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Steve Glover
14 May In Mount Diablo State Park along North Gate Rd, 2 probable Dusky Flycatchers were at a maple-lined gully with two gray pines, 4.5 miles above the North Gate kiosk. A Hammond's Flycatcher was 2.0 miles and another 4.2 miles above the kiosk. Also seen in the area were 2 Hermit Warblers, a flock of 70 Vaux's Swifts, and many other migrants. Kevin Hintsa
13 May In eastern Contra Costa County, along the dike at the north end of Bethel Island Rd were 8 White-faced Ibis, a Yellow-breasted Chat, many Blue Grosbeaks, and a Black-chinned Hummingbird. Joe Papeer
13 May In Richmond, the Black Skimmer was still at Brooks Island, at the edge of the water in front of the large flock of Caspian Terns. Jean Richmond
11 May In Richmond, the Black Skimmer was still at Brooks Island. In eastern Contra Costa County, at the north end of Bethel Island Rd were 4 Blue Grosbeaks, 2 Yellow-breasted Chats, and a Black-chinned Hummingbird. Doug Shaw
10 May In Richmond, the Black Skimmer was still at Brooks Island. Jim Lomax
9 May In eastern Contra Costa County, at the north end of Bethel Island Rd were a Hooded Oriole, 2 Black-chinned Hummingbirds, 4 Blue Grosbeaks, and 2 Yellow-breasted Chats. Anna Wilcox
9 May In Richmond, a Black Skimmer was at Brooks Island, a first county record. It was in the large colony of Caspian Terns on the sandy, northern part of the island. The pair of Harlequin Ducks was seen near the island, on the left side of the pier, almost in front of the house. A Brant also was on the beach. Nine Pelagic Cormorants were on nests at Point San Pablo. Steve Glover
4 May South of Clayton in Mount Diablo State Park, a male Black-chinned Hummingbird and a female probably of the same species were in Mitchell Canyon opposite trail marker #9 in a bare tree. Marjorie Plant
4 May In eastern Contra Costa County, at the north end of Bethel Island Rd were a male Hooded Oriole, several male Black-chinned Hummingbirds, 2 singing Yellow-breasted Chats, several Blue Grosbeaks, and a Swainson's Hawk. Other good places in the area are the end of Delta Rd, which had Blue Grosbeaks along it, and the cottonwood patch at the east end of Orwood Rd, where it turns to gravel, which had Blue Grosbeak. The levee next to the boat harbor has Black-chinned Hummingbirds and Blue Grosbeak. Steve Glover
3 May In the Oakland Hills in Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the adult Golden Eagle was seen again, on top of the radio antennas on Roundtop. Also in the area were breeding Lazuli Buntings, Lark Sparrows, and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, and migrant McGillivray's Warblers, Purple Finches, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Cin-Ty Lee
2 May In eastern Contra Costa County, on the levee west of the north end of Bethel Island Rd were 30 Vaux's Swifts, 5 male Black-chinned Hummingbirds, 4 Yellow-breasted Chats, and at least 12 Blue Grosbeaks. Within the first half-block east of the road, 4 male Hooded Orioles were seen from the levee. Florence Bennett
2 May In eastern Contra Costa County, near the north end of Bethel Island Rd, 3 singing Yellow-breasted Chats and 2 Blue Grosbeaks were west of the road. A Swainson's Hawk was overhead. Two Black-chinned Hummingbirds were in the willows west of the end of the road and visiting a feeder at the second house along the levee to the east. East of Knightsen, in the row of eucalyptus trees north from Delta Rd between Eden Plains Rd and Byron Hwy were 2 Yellow-billed Magpies, and Burrowing Owls are in the field east of the house there. Jean Richmond
2 May In the Oakland Hills at Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, an adult Golden Eagle has been seen for the last three weeks, often on the ridge just east of Roundtop. Cin-Ty Lee
1 May Near Orinda in Briones Regional Park, a male Lazuli Bunting was seen this afternoon in the trees by the paved parking lot near the Bear Creek Rd entrance kiosk. David Lai