Date: 1/7/26 9:19 pm From: Derek via groups.io <dlheins...> Subject: [EBB-Sightings] Eastern Alameda CBC recap from December 19.
The 17th annual Eastern Alameda Christmas Bird Count, originally led by
Rich Cimino and Jeff Miller, was held on Friday, December 19th in pleasant
weather (no pun intended). Our 78 participants finished the day having
found 144 species, a couple below our historical average but the highest
count in the last 6 years. We tallied a total of 25,743 birds, which is
significantly lower than our 30,512 average but higher than the average of
the last 5 years.
We added no new species to our count circle, but did have some notable
sightings. There were 2 Redheads at Poppy Ridge Golf Course, a Common Loon
off El Charro Road, 42 Long-billed Curlews north of I-580 near Livermore
Avenue, and 175 Mountain Bluebirds in one flock near Tesla Road.
Species missed included Cinnamon Teal (second year in a row), Black-crowned
Night Heron, Sora, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Stilt, Lewis’s
Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet and
Common Yellowthroat.
We had high counts for Greater White-fronted Geese (213), American Pipits
(328), Orange-crowned Warbler (7), Bald Eagle (13), Anna’s Hummingbird
(307), Common Raven (360 versus less than 100 average the first 10 years),
and American Kestrel (122 being higher than our first 10 year average).
Some species with notable low counts:
· 325 Mallards was down from our historical average of 511.
· 158 Ring-necked Ducks; the average our first 10 counts was 330
· 4 Common Goldeneyes ties for lowest count versus historical average
of 24
· 28 Common Mergansers is less than half our historical average
· 129 Wild Turkeys was our lowest count to date
· 40 Double-crested Cormorants was our lowest count versus 220 average
· 19 Great Blue Herons was our lowest count versus 33 average.
· 9 White-tailed Kites continued a low trend; the average of our
first 10 counts was 43.
· We also had lowest ever counts of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Steller’s
Jays and Western Scrub-jays. Other species seeing consistent declines are
Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Loggerhead Shrike, Yellow-billed Magpie, Northern
Mockingbird, Tricolored Blackbird and House Sparrow.
We would like to thank all of the participants and also Lawrence Livermore
Labs, East Bay Regional Parks, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
and Koopmann Family Ranch for allowing us access to areas normally off
limits.
