I have lived for eight years in a second-story apartment near
Highway 4 and Morello Ave in Martinez. From my computer I have a view over a
valley, which seems to be a flyway between inland areas of the Diablo Valley
and the Martinez Regional Shoreline. I also have an alder next to my deck that
has provided me with some interesting migrants. Many of these species are fly-overs
or fly-bys, some at eye level. My feeder birds have clued me into many birds
of prey flying overhead, including the eagle, by tilting their heads and eyeing
the sky. I always dash out onto the deck with my binoculars when I see this
behavior. (20 November 2000)
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Great Egret (Ardea albus)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) - Occasionally flies by at eye
level.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Cooper's Hawk (Accipter cooperii)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) - One flew by high-tension-wire
towers on distant hillside.
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) - Directly overhead, only up
about 100 feet, circling. (12 August 2000)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius) - One seen perched on top of a pine.
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
California Gull (Larus californicus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)
Rock Dove (Columba livia)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) - One seen at eye level, May 1999.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilocus alexandri)
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae) - One at my feeder in the
springs of 1997, 1998, and 1999.
Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin)
Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
Nuttall's Woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) - Photographed in alder.
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) - Heard only,
June 2000.
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni)
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Violet-green Swallow (Tacycineta thalassina)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)
Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus)
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana)
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata)
Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) - This bird was calling
from atop my neighbor's roof! (April 1995)
Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)
Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dendroica nigrescens)
Townsend's Warbler (Dendroica townsendi)
Hermit Warbler (Dendroica occidentalis)
MacGillivray's Warbler (Oporornis tolmiei)
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis)
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothus ater)
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus)
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)
Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)
American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)