Date: 4/20/26 8:32 pm From: Connor Christensen via groups.io <connor.r.christensen...> Subject: [southbaybirds] The Hummy Pot Birdathon Team Report
Hello,
Yesterday morning, The Hummy Pot ( https://scvbirdalliance.org/event-calendar/birdathon-the-hummy-pot ) Birdathon team set out 13 members strong. Our hopes for migrating hummingbirds were high, but the Magic Tree’s blossoms had largely gone to seed, and migrating hummingbird activity was nonexistent. Fortunately, the rest of Ed Levin Spring Valley area was full of birds and exciting breeding activity. A lovely pair of White-tailed Kites was the highlight of the morning for me. We observed them hunting, feeding on a vole, and even mating! We saw plenty of other breeding activity with Acorn Woodpeckers , European Starlings , and Chestnut-backed Chickadees seen visiting their cavity nests, carrying food and fecal sacs.
There were plenty of other spring breeders or migrants. A swarm of Cliff Swallows was diving at bugs on the pond's surface, while Tree Swallows had nest box property disputes with Western Bluebirds , and Violet-green and Barn Swallows hunted. Flycatchers were also out in force with an Ash-throated Flycatcher , a pair of Western Kingbirds , and Black and Say's Phoebes making their presence known. We also got treated to some spectacularly colored male Bullock's Orioles and a Western Tanager. In total, at Ed Levin County Park, we observed 54 species! Here is a copy of the checklist ( https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S324345768 ).
Hoping to redeem the slow hummingbird activity, our group continued to the Los Gatos Creek trail to find a Black-chinned Hummingbird. We were quickly rewarded for our efforts when a male Black-chinned showed up at his favorite perch spot moments after we arrived. Here is a copy of that checklist ( https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S324342438 ) and the GPS coordinates of that perch spot if anyone wants to go check it out: 37.300704, -121.921607. With the hummingbird and 2 California Gulls seen flying over the Los Gatos Creek Trail, our total species count comes to 56. It was a spectacular morning for birding, only made more enjoyable by a wonderful team of birders. I greatly appreciate everyone joining our team, and thank you to everyone who has supported the Birdathon!
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.
