Date: 11/4/24 12:56 pm From: Zac Denning via groups.io <zdenning1...> Subject: [EBB-Sightings] Movement of birds in Albany
My morning sky watch outside my house in Albany was rewarding today, though I only had a half hour free before work. Most flybys are probably just random, but in case this is part of any wider trends happening today:
First: I was thrilled to see a high circling flock of 6 Bonaparte's Gulls - a yard first! These delicate, graceful birds are among my favorite gulls. They were gradually gaining altitude as they circled, at first drifting East from the direction of the Albany Bulb, but then shifting southwards. Maybe they'll show up at Arrowhead Marsh or one of the other bayside wetlands further south.
Then, 10 minutes later, 2 low flying Western Meadowlarks came flying north along my street, maybe 40 feet off the ground (yard bird #97!) - giving great looks at the black V's on yellow breasts. Living in a densely packed residential area near the Albany Library, the closest good meadowlark habitat is a mile away at the Albany Bulb (and there's nothing in the direction they were flying from), so this was just odd.
Aside from that, some American Goldfinch flyovers, a Hutton's Vireo making its nasal cackling call, the local wintering Orange-crowned Warbler chipping, a mockingbird calling and some flyover bluebirds kept things varied.
I'd really encourage everyone to spend more time looking up and listening wherever you live or work, and however little habitat might be around. Every time I go to listen and watch in front of my house, I feel like it's going to be a waste of time. But I'm usually rewarded with something at least interesting - and occasionally really cool. And you don't have to travel to a popular hotspot (though those are great) to find nice birds. Wherever you are, you can find something neat happening with birds.
Happy birding,
Zac Denning Albany
Very distant shot of today's Bonaparte's Flock: [image: DSCN1940_BOGU_cropped_adj.jpg]
