Date: 6/3/26 7:00 am From: Vinayak Hebbagil via groups.io <vinayakh7985...> Subject: [southbaybirds] SCVBA Evening field trip to Pearson Arastradero Preserve
Hi everyone,
Shweta and I led a SCVBA evening field trip at Pearson Arastradero Preserve yesterday joined by 11 birders. It is a great time to take advantage of the longer days and increased spring/summer bird behavior.
It was a great trip for raptors; we started by seeing the *American Kestrel* and *White-tailed Kite* and ended with the *Red-tailed *and *Red-shouldered Hawk* with the latter giving us great views. It was also a delight to see a nice group of *Band-tailed Pigeons *resting on the eucalyptus trees. On the trail, we enjoyed viewing *Hutton's Vireos, Spotted Towhees* and the aerial antics of various swallows (*Tree, Violet-Green and Barn*) and *White-throated Swifts*. The nesting behavior was in full swing - *Tree Swallows* feeding their chick in a nest box, *Western Bluebirds* building and evaluating their nest, *Song Sparrow *carrying a grub and a *Pied-billed Grebe* nesting in the pond. The *Purple Finch* in breeding plumage, which fed on berries and flowers and gave us extended looks was certainly a highlight. At the pond, it was nice to see the hierarchy of herons and egrets displacing each other from a prime spot: *Green* *Heron*, *Great* *Egret* and *Great Blue Heron*. Seeing multiple *Ash*-*throated* *Flycatchers* towards the end was a treat.
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.
