Date: 4/6/25 4:26 pm From: Andrew Melnick via groups.io <andrew.melnick...> Subject: [southbaybirds] SCVBA field trip to Almaden Quicksilver CP Saturday, 05 April 2025
On Saturday, 05 April 2025, Sheila Raymond, Andy Melnick, and Connor Christensen led nine other birders on a field trip to Almaden Quicksilver County Park along the Jacques Ridge Trail from the Wood Road entrance.
Weather conditions were pleasant — mild to warm, calm, with light high clouds/overcast.
The woodsy section of the trail from the entrance was moderately birdy, with lots of Orange-crowned Warblers and Lesser Goldfinches singing, accompanied by the occasional Purple Finch and Hutton’s Vireo. Both Jays were noisy: Steller’s in the woods and California Scrub in the open and bushy areas. In addition to Anna’s there were several flybys of Selasphorus hummingbirds, none of the latter of which had the good graces to settle down for a view. Band-tailed Pigeons and Turkey Vultures abounded, and we encountered Red-tailed Hawks copulating as well as both (former Accipiters now Accipiter and Astur) Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Golden Eagle.
It seemed a bit early for the expected/desired full spring migrants, especially compared with a couple of years ago (https://ebird.org/checklist/S135457002) — in two to three weeks this should be a good location for a number of different spring arrival warblers, flycatchers, etc..
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
