Reports to the Northern California BirdBox, transcribed for BirdWest by Adam Winer.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
10 January In Oakland, a male Eurasian Wigeon was at Arrowhead Marsh in Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline. A second male Eurasian Wigeon was nearby, in the freshwater pond at the end of Edgewater Dr, off Hegenberger Rd. Don Lewis3 January Along the road to Bethany Reservoir, a Lark Bunting was still in the previously reported location. A Lapland Longspur flew overhead. Dan Stoebel
2 January In northeastern Alameda County a Lark Bunting was still 0.2 mile from the intersection of Bruns & Kelso Rds, on the right side of the road toward Bethany Reservoir. George Bing
1 January In Berkeley, a first-winter Black Scoter and a Surfbird were in the bay between University & Ashby Aves. Park along the frontage road west of Hwy 80, near the Snoopy sculpture. Don Schmoldt
1 January In Oakland, 25 pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes were in the channel between Lake Merritt and the Oakland Estuary. Dave Evans
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
28 January In Richmond, a female Common Merganser was in the area of Marina Bay behind the restaurant and general store. John Pierce27 January In Richmond, an adult male American Redstart was refound at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline. From the parking lot, take the road north across the bridge. Head through the eucalyptus grove surrounding a picnic area toward the bay. At the trail along the bay, turn right and continue for 15 or 20 minutes to a wooden gate (closing the area ahead for storm damage), and take the trail right into the eucalyptus grove. Take a left at an immediate T-intersection, and then immediately take the trail to the right. After 100 yards or so, look in a clump of eucalyptus with many saplings and undergrowth. The bird is fairly secretive. Steve Glover
17 January Near Orinda, an immature Northern Shrike was 50 yards beyond the parking lot at the end of Briones Rd, the western entrance to Briones Regional Park off Bear Creek Rd. Ken Burton
9 January Near Martinez, 2 Blue-winged Teal were at Shell Marsh - one at the beginning of the access road, the other near the bend in the road at the bridge - and a "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal was at the east end of the marsh. Robert Thomason
8 January Near Martinez, a Blue-winged Teal and a Eurasian Wigeon were at Shell Marsh - the teal at the south end, and the wigeon halfway down the access road, both in weedy areas. George Finger
7 January In Martinez, a Ross's Goose was at the pond in the Martinez Regional Shoreline. Denise Wight
6 January East of Knightsen, a Short-eared Owl was near the north end of the narrow bridge to Holland Tract (take Delta Rd east from Knightsen). Near Martinez, a male Eurasian Wigeon and a male Blue-winged Teal were along the entrance road to the Mountain View Sanitary District. Take Arthur Rd east from Hwy 680 - this area is open only on weekdays. Florence Bennett
6 January Near Martinez, 2 Ross's Goose and a male Blue-winged Teal were still at Shell Marsh. The birds were seen from the entrance road to the Mountain View Sanitary District. The teal was just off Arthur Rd, but the geese were much farther away. Kevin Hintsa
5 January Near San Ramon, an adult Bald Eagle was seen on Dougherty Rd, 1.3 miles north of Old Ranch Rd, which is 2.5 miles north of Hwy 580. The eagle has been present at least several weeks, and sometimes is seen in the trees to the south of this point. Dennis Wolff
5 January Just east of Martinez, a Blue-winged Teal and 2 Ross's Goose were at Shell Marsh. J D Phillips