Date: 4/30/26 1:51 pm From: Gena Zolotar via groups.io <zgena2023...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Black-chinned Sparrow Rancho San Antonio 4/30
This morning around 10:40am I heard then saw a Black-chinned Sparrow along Chamise Trail at Rancho San Antonio. Coordinates: 37.344929,-122.129159, map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/37.344929,-122.129159. It was moving east/downhill, stopping on top of shrubs and singing before moving on. When I returned to the location an hour later I couldn't re-find the bird. I didn't have a camera with me, but was able to take some poor quality videos with my phone, which I will upload to eBird later today.
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.
Date: 4/29/26 4:20 pm From: Eve Meier via groups.io <eve.m.meier...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Grant Ranch - Birdathon Team "Run for the Hills"
Hi Everyone!
Today the Birdathon team "Run for the Hills" (led by me and Edward Rooks) headed out to Grant Ranch.
We had a very fun and birdy day with so many favorite moments! We spotted the two *Bald Eagles* soaring, one right next to the very small-in-comparison *Red-tailed Hawk*. We found two *Yellow Warblers*, a first of the season sighting for many of us. Other warblers included 2 *Nashville Warblers*, a *Wilson's Warbler *or two, *Yellow-rumped Warblers* and *Orange-crowned Warblers*. There were at least a couple of *Lawrence's Goldfinch* pairs spotted. And, towards the end of our trip, a male *Lazuli Bunting* was singing from an exposed branch so that we could all finally get a great look at what we had been hearing everywhere all morning. Lastly, a very red and yellow *Western Tanager* stayed still high in a eucalyptus for us all to enjoy.
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.
Date: 4/29/26 2:28 pm From: Bob Reiling via groups.io <rreiling2...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Band -tailed Pigeon
All,
This time of the year Band-tailed Pigeons depend on the "flatlands" for food. The last two days I've had 8 adults feeding on the ground below my feeders.
Take care,
Bob Reiling
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.
Date: 4/28/26 7:57 am From: Jim Yurchenco via groups.io <bird.jry...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Coe Breeding Bird survey
Three of us went out to the Hunting Hollow entrance area at Coe SP to do a survey for the California Breeding Bird Atlas project. There was modest breeding activity detected and we got a few expected confirmations.
Of extreme interest was a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers well seen at the parking lot at around 6:30AM. They were clearly and closely interacting. It would be great to confirm this species breeding in the Diablo Range as this would indicate a significant range expansion.
Also of interest was a pair of Lawrence’s Goldfinches engaged in courtship behavior. Many singing Song Sparrows were along Coyote Creek; when we first started visiting this area many years ago this species was completely absent. Also, several Black-throated Grey Warblers were observed singing in the area.
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.
Date: 4/28/26 6:57 am From: Ryan L. via groups.io <ryanbirding...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Field Trip Report: Evening at Stile Ranch and Calero Creek Trail 4/27
Yesterday evening, 6 birders braved the South Bay rush hour traffic to join Carlos and me at the south side of Santa Teresa County Park, Stile Ranch entrance, for evening birding. We had good weather with dramatic cloudscapes approaching sunset.
Before the trip started, we could hear a lot of singing and we saw two Western Kingbirds by the trailhead “kiting” over the field. We set out west along the trail following the base of the hills. The hillside was full of birdsong: Lazuli Bunting, Lark Sparrow, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Wrentit, Spotted Towhee, California Thrasher. On the ground, we saw California Quail, Wild Turkey, deer, and at least a dozen jackrabbits. We eventually got great views of both male and female Lazuli Bunting posing nicely on the barbed wire fence. We saw even more Lark Sparrow with the patterned face, spot on the breast. We remarked how they seem chunkier than we all realized or remembered. Along the trail, there was one oak that seemed to draw a number of birds, including Western Bluebird, Western Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, and more. Lesser Goldfinch and unshy Bushtits were abundant. In the sky, we saw White-throated Swift, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, and flyovers by Forster’s Tern and Double-crested Cormorant. Our only raptors were American Kestrel and one Turkey Vulture just before sunset.
We found 35 species in two hours along the Calero Creek Trail from Stile Ranch entrance to the Santa Teresa Creek crossing and back.
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.
Date: 4/27/26 5:21 pm From: Richard Greene via groups.io <corvus...> Subject: Re: [southbaybirds] Western Tanager and Scrub-Jay
A pair of juncos were feeding a begging fledgling on my patio in Mtn View when I saw a Scrub Jay drop from a branch, pounce on and kill the chick. With the cessation of the begging the parents lost all interest and continued feeding themselves.
On Apr 27, 2026, at 2:22 PM, Eve Meier via groups.io <eve.m.meier...> wrote:
I was scouting at Grant Ranch for my birdathon team "Run for the Hills" and saw something I've never seen before - a California Scrub-Jay was attacking a male Western Tanager. The jay killed the tanager then started eating it. I didn't realize Scrub-Jays would take down a bird that size.
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.
Date: 4/27/26 3:12 pm From: janna pauser via groups.io <jannapauser...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Olive-sided Flycatcher on Alamitos Creek trail
I had a heard only Olive-sided Flycatcher near Queenswood and Figwood at
noon today. It sang quick three beers, then pip pip pip. Other birds of
interest were House Wren, Western Tanager, Western Warbling Vireo 2,
Purple Finch and Western Flycatcher. Vaux's Swift can often be seen
along this trail where I saw four today.
This is the second Olive-sided for me in the past few days. I found a
quiet Olive sided Flycatcher on Friday the 24th for the Almaden Eagles
Birdathon. This bird was on a high perch at Hicks Road and Rincon Creek.
Attached is a photo.
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.
Date: 4/27/26 2:22 pm From: Eve Meier via groups.io <eve.m.meier...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Western Tanager and Scrub-Jay
Hi Everyone,
I was scouting at Grant Ranch for my birdathon team "Run for the Hills" and saw something I've never seen before - a *California Scrub-Jay* was attacking a male *Western Tanager.* The jay killed the tanager then started eating it. I didn't realize Scrub-Jays would take down a bird that size. On the more positive side, lots of great birds were at the Ranch House area this morning including more *Western Tanagers*, a *Nashville Warbler*, several *Orange-crowned Warblers*, a *Swainson's Thrush*, several *Lazuli Bunting *pairs and several *Lawrence's Goldfinches* plus one adult *Bald Eagle.* The team heads out Wednesday and there are still a couple of spots open, sign up here <https://scvbirdalliance.org/event-calendar/birdathon-run-for-the-hills-1>. We're raising money to support SCVBA education programs, including the Wetlands Discovery Program.
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.
Date: 4/27/26 9:35 am From: Ryan L. via groups.io <ryanbirding...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Field Notes: Los Alamitos Creek Trail - Pfeiffer Park Bridge to Via Valiente 4/26
Yesterday, I walked along Los Alamitos Creek before the rain. I didn’t find anything rare, but it was very active. Notable birds: Western Flycatcher, Wilson’s Warbler, Cassin’s Vireo, Western Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager, Northern House Wren. A female Mallard in the creek had about 8 fledglings. I also found a male Wood Duck in a tree about 20 feet off the ground.
The creek was fairly full, clear, and flowing rapidly.
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.
Date: 4/27/26 8:05 am From: Ryan Phillips via groups.io <norcalbirding...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Coyote Valley Highlights
Hi Birders,
Yesterday out in Coyote Valley (near Laguna Ave) I had the following
highlights:
6+ PURPLE MARTINS mixed in with a sizable flock of swallows and a single
VAUX'S SWIFT.
An immature BALD EAGLE was moving around.
Multiple singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS.
It felt like a winter rainy day (nice downpour), but the birds were active.
It is the earliest we have had Burrowing Owl nestlings! An interesting
year.
Good Birding,
Ryan
*Ryan Phillips* ǀ Owner and Guide
Personal and Group Birding Excursions in Northern California and Beyond
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.
Date: 4/26/26 7:58 pm From: Vinayak Hebbagil via groups.io <vinayakh7985...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Birding at Joseph Grant County Park today
Hi everyone,
Shweta and I spent this morning birding at Joseph Grant County Park, primarily around the ranch house and the Hotel Trail. The spring birding was excellent, featuring *Ash-throated Flycatchers*, *Bullock's Orioles*, and *Western Kingbirds*. We also found numerous *Lazuli Buntings* singing in the oaks and the grasslands and several *Lawrence's Goldfinches*, which are always a highlight at this park. Many nesting birds were active, including a couple of *White-breasted Nuthatch* pairs and a *Western Bluebird* that aggressively drove away a California Ground Squirrel getting too close to its nest. In total, we spotted 56 species. You can view the full eBird checklist here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S328176155
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.
Date: 4/26/26 10:15 am From: Amanda Newlove via groups.io <amandanewlove...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Almaden Eagles BIRDATHON Summary Friday 4/24
Team Almaden Eagles completed our Birdathon day on Friday, April 24. We are a distributed 24-hour team of eight women, birding all over the Almaden Valley.
A very special *THANK YOU* to everyone in this awesome group: Ann V., Kirsten, Linda S., Marion, Brooke, Janna, and Bobbie for their fundraising and birding efforts!
Some notable finds of the day: Janna found our namesake Eagles - a pair of GOLDEN EAGLES to be precise. Linda found a MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER at SCVWD. More than one WOOD DUCK was spotted: Marion at Los Capitancillos ponds and Kristen finding a Wood duck with several young at Chesbro Reservoir. Ann had our group's only MERLIN at Greystone Park. Brooke saw a pair of BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDs at Calero Creek Trail. Several of our lovely arriving migrating birds were found by multiple members of our group: LAZULI BUNTING, WESTERN TANAGER, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK.
I enjoyed hearing many singing ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER up on Mt Um area! (Wood Rd trail and Woods trail) and watching the male Wild Turkeys puffing up and displaying. Spring is here!!
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.
Date: 4/25/26 1:46 pm From: sismondbang via groups.io <sismondbang...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Gray Flycatcher *not* found at Mcellen Ranch
We did a search just before noon and found an ash throated flycatcher in the same area with similar behavior that fooled us for a bit, but no gray flycatcher.
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.
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.
Date: 4/25/26 9:35 am From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Gray Flycatcher, SCU
In two coast live oaks at the St. Clare Garden (37.3502080, -121.9400692). Bill pale underneath with a contrasting black tip (more obvious when I saw it directly overhead through binoculars), bill looked narrower than Western but definitely longer than Hammond’s. Uniform eyeing and bill I think favor Gray over Dusky. Giving constant “whit” calls.
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.
Date: 4/25/26 8:33 am From: Yahoo Mail via groups.io <julierose22...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Palm Warbler at Ulistac
Hi folks.. I saw a male palm warbler in full breeding plumage at Ulistac! south end by tool shed. Tail bobbing . We also have 5 Lazulii males in the area. Seen with Chris Johnson and Suresh T. Loads of wilson’s/ grosbeaks! also.
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.
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.
Date: 4/22/26 10:14 am From: lavin_fara via groups.io <pdunten...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Palo Alto Summer Bird Count, Saturday 6 June, 2026
The 46th annual Palo Alto Summer Bird C ount will be on Saturday, 6 June. The count circle is the same as that used for the Palo Alto Christmas Bird Count, spanning both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties from the bayside to the Santa Cruz Mountains. (See the map of the Palo Alto Count Circle at https://scvbirdalliance.org/capa-sector-map ( https://scvbirdalliance.org/capa-sector-map ) , to better understand the territories.)
The Summer Bird Count uses the same methodology as the Christmas Bird Count, setting a single day in which volunteers count all the individual birds and species that they spot within their assigned territories. However, the Summer Bird Count consistently gets better weather! and many of the bird species are in the middle of their breeding activities. The counters will also track breeding bird behaviors such as courtship, nesting, and carrying food. Those using eBird are encouraged to join the California Bird Atlas project at https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/. ( https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/ )
For the 2026 count, we're looking for volunteers
1) to join the count! Experienced birders are excitedly welcomed, but we can match beginning birders with a team of more skilled birders
2) to coordinate a Sector (a territory which will be covered by multiple groups of birders)
We will host a "Countdown Dinner" the evening of June 6th, where you can meet the other birders, hear about the great sightings of the day, and review the initial data coming back from the count.
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.
Date: 4/21/26 5:26 pm From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Yellow-breasted Chat SCU
Spotted by Connor Christensen in the silky oak next to St Ignatius fountain here (37.3488802, -121.9403877). MacGillivray’s and Nashville continue in the same area
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.
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.
Date: 4/20/26 2:13 pm From: janna pauser via groups.io <jannapauser...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Calero County Park Grasshopper Sparrows
This morning I parked on Almaden Road at a little known entrance to
Calero Co Park. I birded the Almaden Trail to North Ridge trail until I
overlooked the San Vicente parking lot about .8 miles.
Before the first hill I heard Black-headed Grosbeak, Warbling Vireo, Ash
throated Flycatcher and Northern House Wren. Soon I started hearing
Grasshopper Sparrows, some were very close to the trail in high grass.
Finally I spotted one singing from a rock, see attachments. I had a
total of at least eight Grasshopper Sparrows! Western Meadowlarks were
also singing from the grass and one perched atop a huge oak. Many
swallow species were seen, Cliff, Violet Green, Tree and Barn. A Say's
Phoebe flew past and a White tailed Kite was heard. I believe I can find
additional species from the San Vicente entrance but the wind prevented
that today.
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.
Date: 4/20/26 12:06 pm From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] SCU Migration Insanity
This weekend has been absolutely phenomenal for migrants here at Santa
Clara University! It has been great to take a bit of a break from my
Mechanical Engineering studies to see some birds over the past few days.
Highlights were 4 MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, 2
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, 2 LAZULI BUNTINGS, and 1 ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER. A play-by-play description with locations & details is below.
On Friday evening, I took a stroll around campus to relax after a long
week. A pair of BEWICK'S WRENS fed three begging young while a BUSHTIT
carried aphids to its nest. DARK-EYED JUNCOS and BEWICK'S WRENS gave their
final verses of song for the day, and MOURNING DOVES flew to their roosts.
As the blue sky faded to orange, the air began to stir with a breeze from
the south. I headed to my dorm for a good night's rest, eagerly awaiting
what that south breeze might bring in the morning.
On Saturday morning, I awoke groggily to my 6am alarm. I grabbed my camera
and binoculars before walking out to the brightening dawn. I rubbed my eyes
as a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, HOUSE FINCH and CALIFORNIA TOWHEE continued
their dawn chorus, then suddenly I heard a loud "tack!" chip note from a
bush. I walked quickly forward, and saw the silhouette of a chunky warbler
pop up against the dawn sky. I turned to look through the backlit branches,
wondering what the bird was. Immediately, it answered: "cheery cheery
churry churry!" It was a male MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER! While I fumbled with
the Merlin app and accidentally deleted my recording (the new version
doesn't autosave, apparently), the bird went silent and disappeared. New
songs began to ring out, as a WESTERN TANAGER warbled from a redwood and a
male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE flew between the treetops. As I hurried towards the
center of campus, I stopped to investigate a broken warbler song emanating
from a tree in front of the library. A quick look revealed a male
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER!
As I arrived at the always-bountiful lawn area around the St. Ignatius
fountain (north of Kenna Hall), I heard a familiar "kwip!" call in the
distance. I walked towards it, and right on cue an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
popped up onto a snag- my 85th campus bird! Returning to my normal circuit,
the short, bare "warbler tree" with yellow fluffy pollen on it just north
of the St. Ignatius fountain had tons of activity, as usual. Standing at
the trunk, I turned 360 degrees to see 6 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and 5
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS with my naked eye, which was super cool! Heading
towards the St. Clare garden, the activity died down as the birdsong from
the fountain area faded to silence. Suddenly, a loud "tack!" pierced the
quiet air, giving me deja vu from just 30 minutes ago. I shuffled around
and titled my head, eventually catching a glimpse of a female
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER through the shrubs! Two in one day! Another birder,
Kim, was nearby, and we both got looks at the bird as it briefly flew up
into a coast live oak.
As I continued birding, a pair of WESTERN TANAGERS appeared near the St.
Ignatius fountain and a beautiful male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE foraged atop the
Silky Oak next to Bannan Alumni. HOODED ORIOLES chased each other through
the fan palms and four WILSON'S WARBLERS sang from hidden perches. I
eventually re-found the MacGillivray's Warbler in a tiny hedge against the
front of Vari Hall, and after waiting for ten minutes I finally managed a
two-star photo. I returned to the fuzzy warbler tree near the St. Ignatius
fountain and spent some time photographing the birds there, before finally
ending my checklist and heading off to do homework. I got an alert for high
migration activity from Birdcast, so I set my alarm for 5:45 am to make the
most of it.
At 5:45 am on Sunday morning, I fought off my bedsheets and threw my
binoculars, camera, and food into my backpack before once again setting out
to look for migrants. This time, I didn't detect anything except resident
birds on my walk to the center of campus, making me wonder if it was
another one of those nights where all the birds passed through without
landing. Nonetheless, I knew there would be something to be found. Little
did I know how right I was!
Around the fountain, I was greeted by an overwhelming variety of “tsip” and
“seet” flight calls coming from all directions, as well as an odd rattling
sound. There were a lot of new arrivals! I was a bit overwhelmed, so I went
to areas with fewer resident birds so that drop-in migrants would be easier
to spot. As I walked past some bushes near the church, I heard a single
loud chip note that sounded like a MacGillivray’s and crouched down to get
a look. I heard some buzzing sounds in the distance, but I’d have to check
that out later. After five minutes, I never got a look at the probable
MacGillivrays. This is a pretty typical MacGillivray’s encounter, and I’ve
avoided detailing the numerous other times this happened.
Along the north side of the church, I heard a loud “bzeet!” as two small
birds darted into a tree. I raised my binoculars and was amazed to see not
one, but two male LAZULI BUNTINGS! One of the birds even sang a few times
as I approached, then both vanished and I didn’t see them again in the next
three hours of birding. Getting out at sunrise really is worth it!
Heading to the south side of the church, I noticed a flock of warblers in
the large tree with purple flowers. There were numerous Yellow-rumped and
Orange-crowned Warblers, and several groups of yellowish colored warblers
flew away from campus before I could get a look at them. A male
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER flew south fairly high up, possibly
backtracking along its migratory flight path to return to more suitable
habitat. Just as I was about to move on, I briefly looked at what I thought
was another Orange-crowned Warbler. I did a double take as I saw a gray
hood and a white eyering- it was a female NASHVILLE WARBLER! I had been
hoping for this species on campus, so it was amazing to get it so easily! I
watched the bird move through the sparse canopy, and I had an easy time
picking it out from the rear due to the white color around the legs, which
differs from the Orange-crowned Warbler’s uniformly yellow underside. I’ve
never noticed this field mark before, and was excited to learn something
new!
As I continued birding, the Nashville Warbler followed me to the fuzzy
warbler tree where it posed for some photos. A few minutes later, I got a
text from Kim that she was on a MacGillivray’s Warbler in the exact spot I
thought I’d heard one earlier! I went over to check it out, and ran into
Kaiting. The bird once again disappeared, but it was nice to have two more
sharp pairs of eyes! Kaiting picked out a singing WESTERN TANAGER, as we
looked through the ever-present Orange-crowned Warblers. Suddenly, I heard
a loud “tack!” and saw a bird pop up from a bush, immediately calling out
“MacGillivray’s!” to Kaiting as we chased after the bird. It darted between
shrubs, eventually seeming to settle in some bushes between St. Joseph hall
and the Bannan Alumni house. I noticed it was moving to the left on the
ground beneath the bushes, so I moved to the left such that my shadow
pointed to where the bird might pop out. I sat on the ground and waited
tensely with my camera. Suddenly, the bird's gorgeous head of uncut
sapphire appeared, as its bright eye-arcs peered at me curiously from the
edge of the grass. Judging that I wasn’t a threat, the bird jumped out and
foraged on the ground right in front of me! I was nearly shaking with
excitement, but I steadied my hands and fired off a series of photos as the
bird cautiously picked through the leaf litter. After about a minute, the
bird remembered it was supposed to be sulky, and once again disappeared.
What an experience!
High off that amazing encounter, I headed off to see what else could be
found. Two CANADA GEESE were on the lawn (only the second time I’ve seen
one on campus) near the resident MALLARD in the fountain, which along with
flyover DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and CASPIAN TERN provided a nice boost to
my species list for the day. A NORTHERN HOUSE WREN sang quietly from a
coast live oak in front of St. Joseph hall, bringing my SCU list up to 87
species! While writing this report, I realized the origin of the odd rattle
I’d heard earlier in the day- it was the House Wren’s ‘churring’ call! In
the law school garden, a female COMMON YELLOWTHROAT chased another
geothlypis sp. that I never got a clear look at. I walked over to the Forge
Garden, and since the gate was closed I cupped my ears and listened for any
activity. I heard a distant clicking sound that really sounded like a
MacGillivray’s, but I thought surely there couldn’t be another one. Then,
right on cue, a warbled “churry churry churry cheery cheery!” rang out. It
was a fourth MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER! At this point it was just surreal; I
was somehow both unfazed and shocked beyond words at the sighting. After
the first three, a fourth wasn’t a stretch, but four MGWA in two days at
one location on the valley floor was hard to wrap my head around! There
have now been at least 13 individual MacGillivray’s Warblers on SCU’s
campus, making it the “MacGillivray’s capital of Santa Clara County” as my
predecessor Jason Vassallo calls it.
The sun was now high in the sky, and the birds hunkered down, tired from
the morning activity. My attempts to re-find the morning’s rarities were
unsuccessful, but I think that fleetingness is what makes the experience so
special. There are only a few days out of the year that have even the
potential for such an avian spectacle, and I feel so fortunate to have
witnessed it.
A map of all of the locations I've mentioned is attached to this posting. I
recommend parking at the Togo's next to campus (1000 Lafayette St, Santa
Clara, CA 95050) to avoid any possible issues with the ever-present campus
security.
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.
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.
Date: 4/19/26 9:16 pm From: Howard Friedman via groups.io <howardnfriedman...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Joseph D Grant County Park 4/17/26
It is always great when the birding is hot, even if the morning starts off cold and breezy. Melissa and I led a group of highly enthusiastic birders Friday morning up at Joseph D. Grant County Park some of whom had never visited the park. Their skillsets ranged from experienced to novice, but everyone had their game on. Let’s just say JD Grant did not disappoint.
We started off our observations around the parking lot near the ranch house and moved on to the ranch house and fountain after looking for the seemingly disappeared Vermilion Flycatcher. We did find a few Western Warbling Vireos, two Western Flycatchers, many Yellow-rumped Warblers (looking gooding good in their breeding plumage), Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bullock’s Oriole (these males in caused a lot of excitement), Orange-crowned Warblers, a Wilson’s Warbler and many other year round residents.
**
**
Once we left the ranch house area, we hit the south/southwest trails which truly did not disappoint. On the asphalt loop trail we were able to observe a calling Western Warbling Vireo, Western Flycatcher, Wilson’s Warbler, and Orange-crowned Warbler mixed in with lovely Yellow-rumped Warblers. To our surprise, a beautiful Black-throated Gray Warbler was feeding in the treetops above us giving everyone a nice long viewing of it. Moving down the trail our group had a breathtaking surprise on some barbed wire fencing, Lawence’s Goldfinches, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole were perched altogether. They stayed long enough for everyone to oooh and ahh (and get some nice photos.) From here we watched a pair of mated American Kestrels fending off a Red-tailed Hawk which was quickly dispatched. We came to a copse of Valley Oak that are traditional breeding ground for Bullock’s Oriole’s Acorn Woodpeckers, and Western Kingbird, with all being present. We got some great looks at the orioles as they chased around the oaks looking for mates. As we came to the return trip, we found more Lazuli Buntings, Ash-throated Flycatchers, and got our first looks at Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers.
On our return trip we watched a few more Yellow-rumped Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, and Acorn Woodpeckers before it was lunch and time to head home. A few of us stayed for lunch and hoped for the return of the Vermilion Flycatcher. Even though we did not see it, the day was so fabulous, we managed to still appreciate the wonderful day we did have.
Many thanks to the group for their delightful and positive dispositions, kind comments, good humor, and patience. Thanks to Melissa Johnson for being the best fun and super spotter. You made this trip even more fun being present and helpful. (check out our bird lists below)
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.
Date: 4/19/26 1:19 pm From: Ryan L. via groups.io <ryanbirding...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Santa Teresa CP - Mine Trail & Rocky Ridge Trail 4/19/26
Today, I walked the Mine Trail and Rocky Ridge Trail at Santa Teresa County Park starting near the Pueblo Picnic area. The creeks running through the valleys still have audibly running water. I found a number of singing birds: Wilson’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, Wrentit. Several Ash-throated Flycatchers called repeatedly along the trails. There were also Say’s Phoebe by the parking lot.
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.
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.
Date: 4/18/26 7:55 pm From: carlin otto via groups.io <carlinotto...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Pair of Great Horned Owls Continues ...
The pair of Great Horned Owls continues to be present along Adobe Creek. They frequently hang out and call to each other behind (south-east, towards the creek) of 245, 239, and 231 Whitclem Court, Palo Alto. Their favorite trees are very tall Eucalyptus along the creek.
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.
Date: 4/18/26 4:11 pm From: Steve Patt via groups.io <stevenpatt...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Lean Green Birding Machine Birdathon Report — 100 at 100!
For the 6th year, the Lean Green Birding Machine birdathon team of Winnie Homer-Smith, Bill Walker, Mary Wiznewski and I spent the day biking from one side of Silicon Valley to the other, raising funds for the education programs of the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance. Fittingly, on the 100th anniversary of SCVBA, we found an even 100 species, breaking our previous high of 94!
Highlights of this years effort included an Osprey (at Rancho San Antonio!), a Bald Eagle (at Shoreline), and some heard-only Black Rails (in the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh), all new for our count, plus the always elusive Wilsons Snipe (at the Rancho wetlands), the recently arrived Ash-throated Flycatcher and Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (both personal favorites, both at Rancho), and a lone American Pipit (on the hardpan at the Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area). We failed to refind the Virginia Rail I had seen Tuesday in the Rancho wetlands, and missed several others like Great Blue Heron(!), Great Horned Owl (not nesting at Rancho this year for the first time in ages), Mergansers (almost always in the cemetery pond this time of year), and Black-headed Grosbeaks (which showed up on my balcony today, rubbing it in), so the 100 was an even more satisfying result.
All sightings were recorded in real-time, complete with GPS coordinates, with Birdwatchers Diary software (http://stevenscreek.com/birdwatchersdiary.htm). Green pins on the map represent sightings; red pins are heard-only species.
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.
Date: 4/18/26 12:50 pm From: janna pauser via groups.io <jannapauser...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Shannon Valley OSP Lazuli Buntings
Cal. Quail ran along Mountain Laurel Lane where I parked at the east end to bird Shannon Valley Open Space Preserve this morning. Along the switchback trail I had my first two singing Lazuli Buntings, an Ash throated Flycatcher, three quiet Black headed Grosbeak and singing House Wren. A Cal. Thrasher ran across the trail at the crest of the hill. Violet Green Swallows were at tree cavities here and Blue gray Gnatcatchers buzzed from the brush. Two each Orange crowned Warbler and Wilson's Warblers were heard here.
From the trail cut through the tall grass, six more Laz. Buntings sang on the hillside of mustard and grass. Two more buntings were heard after the trail split where I had another Ash throated Flycatcher. A tall flowering eucalyptus tree at the dog leg held Hooded Oriole and a Black headed Grosbeak pairs. Band tailed Pigeons, Northern Flicker, Western Warbling Vireo, more Hooded Orioles, Ash throated Flycatcher and a Western Flycatcher were found along the Hicks Road paved trail. 39 species in all
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.
Date: 4/18/26 7:42 am From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Two MacGillivray’s, SCU
Male singing from near my dorm at sunrise that disappeared, female seen and calling now from the garden with a statue of St Mary here (37.35009° N, 121.94014° W)
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.
Date: 4/17/26 10:55 pm From: Melanie Barnett via groups.io <mjb2024...> Subject: "parkrun" at Sunnyvale WPCP Saturdays at 8 am - Re: [southbaybirds] Elegant Terns overfly of A4
Hello,
Apologies for my delayed post - in case anyone is planning to look for Elegant Terns at A4 tomorrow, please know that there is a "parkrun" scheduled every Sat at 8 am. https://www.parkrun.us/sunnyvalebaytrail/
I don't know anything about this one except what is online. I know the parkrun at Byxbee could get pretty crowded. It doesn't seem like there would be enough parking by the WPCP to accomodate everyone.
Best, Melanie On Friday, April 17th, 2026 at 8:06 AM, Kirsten Holmquist via groups.io <kirsten.holmquist...> wrote:
> Good morning, > > in a visit to the Sunnyvale WPCP, I had a couple ELEGANT TERNS overfly Pond A4. > > i also encountered my first MALLARD babies of the season. I am sure many more to follow. :-) > > Enjoy, Kirsten Holmquist >
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.
Date: 4/17/26 3:03 pm From: Eve Meier via groups.io <eve.m.meier...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Rancho Cañada, Chesbro and Old Oak Glen Ave
Hi Everyone!
This morning I visited Rancho Cañada del Oro. I like to do the two paved
trails in the meadow first then walk the Longwall Canyon Trail to the green
gate that's a little over 1/2 mile from the trail start. Near the red
pedestrian bridge at the start of the Hidden Meadow Trail I had *Western
Warbling Vireos*, *Yellow-rumped Warblers*, 1 *Black-throated Gray Warbler,*
a couple of *Orange-crowned Warblers*, and a *Towsend's Warbler*. There
might also be a Hammond's Flycatcher. I was hearing it call, Merlin Sound
ID also heard a Hammond's. I had a super brief look at what was probably
the bird, but I'm not certain so didn't add it to ebird. Along
the Longwall Canyon Trail, a pair of *Cassin's Vireos* were very vocal and
briefly came down from the trees so that I could get a good look.
Next, I headed off to Chesbro Reservoir. *Forster's Terns *and 1 *Caspian
Tern* were there, along with a few *American White Pelicans* and about
70 *Double-crested
Cormorants* (some had black crests, some had white crests). Also around
were *Western Sandpipers*, 1 *Semipalmated Plover* and a few *Greater
Yellowlegs*. The special treat was the *Wood Ducks.* There were at least 2
females each with recently fledged young plus several male ducks. These
birds can be seen from one of the pullouts along Oak Glen Ave and from the
end of Old Oak Glen Ave.
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.
Date: 4/17/26 8:06 am From: Kirsten Holmquist via groups.io <kirsten.holmquist...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Elegant Terns overfly of A4
Good morning, in a visit to the Sunnyvale WPCP, I had a couple ELEGANT TERNS overfly Pond A4. i also encountered my first MALLARD babies of the season. I am sure many more to follow. :-) Enjoy, Kirsten Holmquist _._,_._,_
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.
Date: 4/16/26 3:03 pm From: David Nickerson via groups.io <davidnickerson...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Residential Phainopepla in south San Jose
Earlier today while driving in south San Jose I spotted a male PHAINOPEPLA perched atop a small tree in front of 6331 Malory Drive. The bird later flew to a larger tree in front of the neighboring house. After I parked my car and began to approach the tree, the bird flew off over the houses to the west and out of sight. I was unable to relocate it. I didn’t have my camera with me, but was able to get some poor iPhone photos, which are attached to my checklist, here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S322645482
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.
Date: 4/16/26 7:52 am From: Kirsten Holmquist via groups.io <kirsten.holmquist...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Snow Goose at Sunnyvale Baylands
Update: After a few weeks absence, a SNOW GOOSE just dropped onto the great lawn. Enjoy, Kirsten Holmquist
On 04/16/2026 7:47 AM PDT Kirsten Holmquist via groups.io <kirsten.holmquist...> wrote: Good morning, A brilliant male WESTERN TANAGER is flying around in the trees this morning between Owl Burrow and the marsh. Enjoy, Kirsten Holmquist
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.
Date: 4/16/26 7:47 am From: Kirsten Holmquist via groups.io <kirsten.holmquist...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Western Tanager at Sunnyvale Baylands
Good morning, A brilliant male WESTERN TANAGER is flying around in the trees this morning between Owl Burrow and the marsh. Enjoy, Kirsten Holmquist _._,_._,_
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.
Date: 4/15/26 5:21 pm From: Peter E Hart via groups.io <peterehart...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Black-chinned HummingbirdS--male and female
Hi All,
The Black-chinned Hummingbird reported most recently by Melissa Johnson at Los Gatos Creek Trail—Meridian Ave was there this morning at 37.30063332724432, -121.9214092303867.
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.
Date: 4/14/26 5:28 am From: Eve Meier via groups.io <eve.m.meier...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Nashville Warblers at Smith Creek
Hi Everyone!
Lots of *Nashville Warblers *are being spotted at Smith Creek. Melissa, Melanie and I had at least 10. Sometimes we'd have 2 or 3 in one view. From the pullout (37.32333573779189, -121.66917241178218), take the Foothill Trail. The warblers were seen about here: 37.321803, -121.669875.
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.
Date: 4/13/26 6:54 pm From: Patricia Brennan via groups.io <pat2brennan...> Subject: Re: [southbaybirds] Warbler fallout now
More warblers:. Black-throated Gray Warblers heard and seen while walking around the vernal pond
at Picchetti. Nearby we heard and saw Wilson's Warbler. We heard several Orange-crowned Warblers. Lots of singing going on.
The vernal pond is about half full after the rains of the last few days.
-Dave Zittin
Cupertino
On Mon, Apr 13, 2026 at 7:11 AM Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <http://groups.io/> <carter.gasiorowski...> <mailto:<gmail.com...>> wrote:
> Many warblers moving through the trees at SCU now. Singing Black-throated Gray Warbler, many Orange-crowned Warbers, Common Yellowthroat, etc. Check your local patch today!
>
>
>
>
>
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.
Date: 4/13/26 5:04 pm From: David Zittin via groups.io <dzittin...> Subject: Re: [southbaybirds] Warbler fallout now
More warblers:. Black-throated Gray Warblers heard and seen while walking
around the vernal pond
at Picchetti. Nearby we heard and saw Wilson's Warbler. We heard several
Orange-crowned Warblers. Lots of singing going on.
The vernal pond is about half full after the rains of the last few days.
-Dave Zittin
Cupertino
On Mon, Apr 13, 2026 at 7:11 AM Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io
<carter.gasiorowski...> wrote:
> Many warblers moving through the trees at SCU now. Singing Black-throated
> Gray Warbler, many Orange-crowned Warbers, Common Yellowthroat, etc. Check
> your local patch today!
>
>
>
>
>
>
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.
Date: 4/13/26 7:11 am From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Warbler fallout now
Many warblers moving through the trees at SCU now. Singing Black-throated Gray Warbler, many Orange-crowned Warbers, Common Yellowthroat, etc. Check your local patch today!
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.
Date: 4/11/26 3:02 pm From: Lisa Myers via groups.io <lisa...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Birding Vasona for the SCVBA Birdathon
Hi all -
My team "Los Gatos Birdwatcher" spent the morning at Vasona birding for
the SCVBA spring Birdathon. My team of 10 were real troopers as we
birded in the rain all morning. We started on the dam side hoping for
the Red-throated Loon that had been seen for a few days, but despite our
efforts and the efforts of many more, the bird has not been re-found as
of this writing. However, we had a great study in swallow ID as *VIOLET
GREEN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, TREE, CLIFF* and *BARN* were all there in
the hundreds, with an occasional *VAUX'S SWIFT* flew through the mix.
With a scope we could observe the nesting *GREAT-BLUE HERONS,
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS* and a *SNOWY EGRET* out on the island. Later
we also had great views of *GREEN HERONS.
*
Two *BALD EAGLES* flew overhead early in the morning and never
re-appeared. *RED-TAILED*, *COOPER'S* and *RED-SHOULDERED* were also found.
A *GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE* landed close allowing for a great conversation
in range expansion.
All in all it was a tough day trying to find species. As we moved to the
other side of the park and walked along the creek we had to work hard
for songbirds. *YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, SONG
SPARROWS, OAK TITMICE, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES* were a welcome sight.
We were able to find two *GREAT-HORNED OWL* chicks safely sleeping away
in the rain up in the Eucalyptus above the boat house.
We also ran into the Santa Clara Valley Young Birder's Club (SCV-YBC)
out on their field trip. A great time exchanging sightings!
It was a cold and wet morning. We ended with 56 species.
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.
Date: 4/11/26 12:08 pm From: Bob Reiling via groups.io <rreiling2...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Dead baby Owl
All,
Unfortunately, this morning a dead, very small, wet, fuzzy, white, baby Owl was found in the grass below our,12 to 13 foot high, mast mounted nest box. I did get a video early this morning but no Owl image. My Game Camera does not record the Owl if it's flying (small size) and is usually triggered when the Owl calls or has less motion at the nest. I assume, with all that it implies, that the baby Owl was born in the nest but last year I had a lot calling and Owl images.
Take care,
Bob Reiling
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.
Date: 4/11/26 11:44 am From: Brooke Miller via groups.io <brooke.bam...> Subject: [southbaybirds] March 2026 Cumulative Bird Report for Santa Clara County
Hi South Bay Birders:
In March we added 15 new countable birds, bringing the total to 232 at the
end of the month. The average for March is 13 new birds, with an average
of 224 at the end of the month. Thank you to everyone who birded, and took
the time to report birds either on SBB, eBird, or send emails directly to
me.
Here are the birds that were found in March:
1. Black-headed Grosbeak (1), 2026-03-02, found by Edward Rooks and Chazz
Hesselein at Calero County Park—Casa Loma Rd entrance
2. Hooded Oriole (2), 2026-03-08, seen by Mike Danzenbaker in his yard in
Mountain View
3. Western Warbling Vireo (2), 2026-03-09, found by Chris Overington at
Joseph D Grant County Park
4. Western Flycatcher (1), 2026-03-11, found by Janna Pauser along the
Calero Creek Trail
5. Bullock’s Oriole (1), 2026-03-12, found by Janna Pauser along Fortini Rd
6. Wilson’s Warbler (1), 2026-03-13, found by Connor Christensen from his
balcony in San Jose
7. Western Kingbird (2), 2026-03-13, found by Karen Rush and Linda Pors at
Sunnyvale Baylands Park—NE Pond
8. Vermilion Flycatcher (6), 2026-03-14, found by multiple observers at
Joseph D Grant County Park
9. Caspian Tern (2), 2026-03-14, seen by multiple observers at Palo Alto
Baylands
10. Vaux’s Swift (3), 2026-03-14, seen by Josiah Parris flying over the
pond at Almaden Expressway and Highway 85
11. Cassin’s Vireo (2), 2026-03-18, heard by John Scharpen along Sanborn Rd
12. Black-throated Gray Warbler (3), 2026-03-22, found by Naomi Goodman at
Mt Umunhum
13. Lazuli Bunting (2), 2026-03-24, found by Mike Mammoser and Mike Rogers,
along San Antonio Valley Rd at road marker 6
14. Ash-throated Flycatcher (2), 2026-03-26, found by Brooke Miller at
Joseph D Grant County Park
15. Red-throated Loon (4), 2026-03-29, found by Ryan G in Salt Pond A2W
As a reminder, here is what each rarity code means:
**Rarity Codes:
1 = common, always seen in habitat in season.
2 = fairly common, usually in habitat in season, but missed sometimes.
3 = uncommon, always around, but sometimes you can't find.
4 = rare, occurs yearly in the county, but not always in same places.
5 = very rare, does not occur every year.
6 = casual or vagrant, generally fewer than 10 records.
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.
Date: 4/10/26 1:34 pm From: Bob Reiling via groups.io <rreiling2...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Unusual Owl Activity
All,
During my recent observation period the Owls head was always high, it never drank from the bird bath it only soaked its feathers.
A bit of a background, On 4/19/25 the Owls stopped using the nest the day after I took photos of the young bird (photo included). Weeks before my latest photo (3/30/26), that shows the Owl using the nest, it was heard almost continuously calling in our back yard, it was last heard a couple days later.
My assumption is that the bird bath wetting of the feathers is a normal function as it appeared healthy.
Take care,
Bob Reiling
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.
Date: 4/9/26 9:42 pm From: janna pauser via groups.io <jannapauser...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Santa Teresa County Park Say's Phoebe's
I spent an hour in Santa Teresa County Park at 1 pm today. A Say's
Phoebe pair perched on the fence behind the bathrooms made short trips
into a eucalyptus tree. There I found two fledglings being fed by the
adults and attached some photo's.
Other birds of interest here were No. House Wren, Bullock Oriole pair,
and Ash throated Flycatcher.
Two White-throated Sparrows are singing in our backyard and the Pygmy
Nuthatches are coming to the suet feeder daily.
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.
Date: 4/9/26 5:33 pm From: Bob Reiling via groups.io <rreiling2...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Unusual Owl activity
All,
At little after 8 last night (4/8/26) my wife was in our Spa when a Western Screech-Owl landed in our bird bath about 20 feet away from her and spent some time soaking its feathers in the water. I then came out and saw the Owl fly a bit South, A short time later it returned to the bird bath and once again soaked its feathers and flew a bit south. The Owl was then seen to fly to a tree just west of the Spa where it perched for a few minutes and flew back to the South. I got good bino views during a third trip to the bird bath (note we have lights on in our front and back yards until 10 PM). There are several reasons why birds might need to soak their feathers but my assumption is that there are young involved as it was not hot out and they might need the moisture or the Owl had some sort of infestation, I'm interested what others might think of this activity or if they have ever seen an Owl doing it.
Take care,
Bob Reiling
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.
Date: 4/9/26 10:53 am From: Amanda Newlove via groups.io <amandanewlove...> Subject: [southbaybirds] 3 bald eagles Vasona 1 possible part leucistic
Thank you to the gentleman who pointed out the Bald Eagles location to me just now. And while we were looking a 3rd swooped in... Looks like the partial leucistic one?? Back of camera photos attached.
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.
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.
Date: 4/8/26 7:10 pm From: Connor Christensen via groups.io <connor.r.christensen...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Black-chinned Hummingbird at Los Gatos Creek Trail - Meridian Ave.
I had visited the Los Gatos Creek trail a few times over the last week, looking for Black-chinned Hummingbirds without success. Today, Garrett Lau found a male along the creek, and I found the bird later in the exact same spot. It likes to perch in a bare 45-degree angle tree in the middle of the creek just west of the bridge at approximately 37.300704,-121.921607. Garrett was able to get some good pictures that he attached to his checklist https://ebird.org/checklist/S318912926.
I had been looking for Black-chinned Hummingbirds in anticipation of my upcoming Bird-a-thon team. The Hummy Pot will be staking out the Magic Tree at Ed Levin County Park, Spring Valley area, looking for migrating Rufous, Allen's, and hopefully Calliope hummingbirds. After that, we will head to the Los Gatos Creek trail to look for Black-chinned Hummingbirds. My hope is to get as many county hummingbird species as we can. If you are interested, join The Hummy Pot team on Sunday, April 19th, by signing up here. https://ticketbud.com/events/079990b4-0860-11f1-a65a-42010a717005
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.
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.
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.
Date: 4/6/26 5:16 pm From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Vasona Last Weekend
Today, my dad and I arrived at Vasona Lake County Park around 6:35 am to see what was around. As soon as we got out of the car, we were greeted by a chorus of singing AMERICAN ROBINS, HOUSE FINCHES, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Heading down Pepper Tree Lane into the park, several ACORN WOODPECKERS were hawking insects overhead while WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and BROWN CREEPERS sang from hidden tree trunks. Heading along the creek, I caught a glimpse of a large bird flying behind the trees. I initially thought it was a Canada Goose, but as it came into the open, the bird's wing beats were far too purposeful for a goose. I snapped my binoculars to eye level, and was delighted to see it was an adult BALD EAGLE! The adult's head appeared to glow orange against the sunrise as it powerfully rose through the air, eventually perching atop the tallest tree on the west side of the lake. Now that I was looking in that direction, I noticed another, immature Bald Eagle perched nearby. Amazingly, both eagles remained in the exact same location for the next three hours of our visit.
A few minutes later we ran into Chris Henry and his dad Brian, who we birded with for the remainder of our visit. Yellow-rumped Warblers filled every tree we passed; I estimate we saw at least 65 during our visit, many of which were singing. Chris and I homed in on the 'Weent!" calls of a HOODED ORIOLE above, which flew off with a fiery flash of orange.
Behind the ranger residence, I noticed a cloud ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS feeding around a small flowering eucalyptus, which I decided to look through since Chris and I had just been talking about the Black-chinned Hummingbird he had found nearby last year. After giving it a good look, I started to walk away, then stopped suddenly as the metallic "zzzeeeeeeew!" of a Selasphorus hummingbird's wings zipped over my head. I ran back to the white-flowered eucalyptus, and was ecstatic to see a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD! The male Rufous declared a one-man war on the local Anna's Hummingbirds, chasing away three of them at once before hovering in place just long enough for Chris to get a look and for me to grab a photo. I am so excited to have seen this absolute gem of a bird, as I haven't had one in a few years since I've been busy with school. It was also Vasona bird #140 for me!
Continuing along the creek, Chris found a singing TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, our first warbler other than YRWA for the day. We checked the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker spot, but found its wells unattended and dripping with uneaten sap. The sapsucker must have begun its spring migration, hopefully finding its way back to its normal range.
Near the railroad tracks, there was a flock of HOUSE FINCHES foraging in the grass. As I looked elsewhere, Chris took a closer look, and called out "Lark Sparrow!" I looked over and with some difficulty spotted the Lark Sparrow in the shadow of the railroad- a good bird for Vasona and not an easy species to find as a migrant!
Heading along the east side of the creek, Chris picked out an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in the canopy and managed to get a SORA to enthusiastically respond to playback. The east side of the lake had many birds engaged in breeding activity, such as a Hooded Oriole carrying a strand of fan palm for its nest, a pair of SONG SPARROWS feeding two young, and a pair of DARK-EYED JUNCOS carrying fat caterpillars to an unseen nest. A male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE sang from the island where a female had been present earlier; maybe they will breed and continue this species' recent range expansion. Breeding records such as these provide important scientific data about our local birds, so I highly encourage all birders to join the California Bird Atlas Project- which is conveniently tied into eBird! Link here: https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/
It was a great day of birding with good people, and I broke my personal single-checklist record for Vasona with 64 species!
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.
Date: 4/6/26 2:45 pm From: Brooke Miller via groups.io <brooke.bam...> Subject: [southbaybirds] [CALBIRDS] California Bird Atlas Newsletter + April 16 Town Hall
Hi South Bay Birders!
Below is a link to the latest California Bird Atlas Dispatch. I collected
a few statistics for Santa Clara County through the end of March and the
first few days of April:
231 atlasers are participating in Santa Clara County
1,889 checklists have been submitted
84 blocks (out of 134) have been covered for the Atlas
67 species have confirmed breeding codes
If you haven't joined the Atlas your data is not included in these
numbers. I've noticed some nice photos of bird breeding behavior in eBird
that are in checklists that are not in the California Bird Atlas. Please
consider joining. You can add prior checklists to the Atlas
after-the-fact, however, each checklist will need to be added
individually. The link is below to join the Atlas.
If you have any comments or questions please let one of us know.
Thanks,
Brooke Miller
Pete Dunten
Santa Clara County Regional Coordinators
California Bird Atlas
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Van Pierszalowski via groups.io <van...>
>
Date: Mon, Apr 6, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Subject: [CALBIRDS] California Bird Atlas Newsletter + April 16 Town Hall
To: <CALBIRDS...>
Birders,
Thank you to everyone contributing to the California Bird Atlas. The latest
edition of *The Atlas Dispatch* is now live. Click *here
<https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/news/atlas-dispatch-march-2026>* for a
full update, including Atlas-first breeding records, field highlights from
across the state, and incredible photos.
We continue to be blown away by the level of engagement statewide. As of
today, 66,642 Atlas checklists have been submitted across 5,131 blocks,
spanning all 58 counties. 3,196 atlasers have contributed to the project,
and we’re still in the first spring of a five-year Atlas period!
California Bird Atlas is an independent 501(c)(3), and donations can be
made *here <https://donorbox.org/california-bird-atlas>*. Your support
helps us grow the team, expand coverage, and continue building this
incredible momentum statewide. We are deeply grateful :)
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.
Date: 4/4/26 1:36 pm From: m_m_rogers via groups.io <m.m.rogers...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Mountain View salt ponds
All,
Today 4/4/26, Richard Jeffers, Mike Mammoser, and I surveyed the Mountain View salt ponds for Snowy Plovers. Water levels in most ponds were pretty high, but we saw three Snowies in Crittenden Marsh (they appeared to be the same three I saw and digiscoped there on Tuesday). Also there were two adult male EURASIAN WIGEON (together). Five GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES flying towards Shoreline Park was somewhat of a surprise and a SAY'S PHOEBE at the buildings at the southwest corner of the marsh is likely attempting to breed. A single adult BROWN PELICAN was across Stevens Creek over Pond A2W.
Heading east on the Bay Trail, from the ninety-degree bend in the trail, we were able to scope an OSPREY building a nest on a tower in the distance over Guadalupe Slough (they have bred there in past years). Nine BLACK SKIMMERS were at the southern end of Pond AB1. Another two singing males GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES were near the southeast corner of Pond A3W.
We headed out to the Stevens Creek delta as the tide came in and thousands of shorebirds were present, including hundreds of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, WILLETS, and DUNLINS, many in full alternate plumage. We searched unsuccessfully for any knots, but at 12:15pm, I picked out a RUDDY TURNSTONE and we were able to enjoy that bird bathing and preening for five minutes until it disappeared when we weren't looking.
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.
Date: 4/3/26 1:01 pm From: Brooke Miller via groups.io <brooke.bam...> Subject: [southbaybirds] White-faced ibis
White faced ibis on north side of entrance road to Don Edward’s Alviso. Across the largest expanse of water way far out close to levee behind it. About 2/3 of the way up the road from railroad tracks. Reported earlier by Richard Jeffers and Mike Mammoser
And Roger’s
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.
Date: 4/1/26 6:09 am From: Eve Meier via groups.io <eve.m.meier...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Backyard Birding: Nuttall's Woodpecker behavior
Hi Everyone!
Yesterday while watching the birds in my backyard, I noticed that a *Nuttall's Woodpecker *was drinking from my hummingbird feeder. I had never seen this behavior before so thought I would share.
And, for all you backyard birders who would like to participate in the SCVBA Birdathon <https://scvbirdalliance.org/birdathon> (which supports SCVBA education programs), I am hosting the team "Backyard Birds and Coffee <https://scvbirdalliance.org/event-calendar/birdathon-backyard-birds-and-coffee>". You can bird your own backyard, your neighborhood or local park in the morning then the team will meet for coffee at 1:00 that afternoon to socialize . I need as many backyard birders as I can get!
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.
Date: 4/1/26 5:30 am From: Group Notification <noreply...> Subject: [southbaybirds] South Bay Birds Monthly Reminder #guidelines-notice
Thank you for being a member of South Bay Birds [SBB]. This is our monthly reminder sent to the list with information about the group.
South Bay Birds [SBB] is a list intended for reporting the interesting birds you find in Santa Clara county, in order to help your fellow birders see them as well. We encourage everyone to share where they bird and what they see. Please include the general location (e.g., an eBird hotspot) and, if appropriate, the bird(s) of interest in the subject line, with any additional detail needed in the message body. If you use eBird, we encourage you to include a link to the eBird trip report that you filed.
This list is maintained by the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance ( scvbirdalliance.org) ( https://scvbirdalliance.org ). Their volunteers and funding keep the list running so please consider joining or donating to them. SBB's Lead Admin is Jim Dehnert. Chuq Von Rospach, Brooke Miller, Matthew Dodder and Barry Langdon-Lassagne assist Jim. You can contact the administration team with your questions and concerns at southbaybirds+<owner...>
The home site for this list is https://scvbirdalliance.org/siliconvalleybirding and you can find out more about us there. To start sending messages to members of this group, send email to <southbaybirds...>
The birds we watch should be our primary concern. As birders we need to be sensitive to their needs and not do things that put the birds or their habitat at risk.
We believe all birders should act as ethical birders. Your personal year list or that special photograph could put the bird at risk or cause its nest to fail. Because we expect all birders to act ethically around the birds that bring them joy, we expect that of the birders who are on our list as well. We have written up some ideas of what it means to be an ethical birder, and list links to other resources on ethical birding as well. Please read them and act to put the bird’s needs ahead of your own. If we find out that members of the list are putting birds or their habitat at risk, those members may lose access to the mailing list and its resources.
We also believe that members of the list should treat each other properly. If a list member is found to be attacking or harassing other list members, or engaging in activities that violate the ethical birding code it may affect their future ability to contribute to or subscribe to our lists.
*Acceptable Content*
The primary content for SBB is reports of interesting birds you saw and where you saw them ( https://groups.io/g/southbaybirds/message/24065 ). The objective ( https://groups.io/g/southbaybirds/message/25078 ) is to help other birders interested in the birds you saw to find them themselves. Please include the general location (e.g., an eBird hotspot) and, if appropriate, the bird(s) of interest in the subject line, with any additional detail needed in the message body. Please report only Santa Clara County locations -- other counties have their own mailing lists for trip reports.
Occasionally the administrator will post an Advocacy digest -- no more than once a week, and more typically much less often. This digest contains topics that are not typically posted to the list but we feel are of interest to the readers of SBB and are important enough to warrant posting to the wider audience. These messages will be tagged with the word "Advocacy" in the subject so members who aren't interested can delete or filter them if they choose. Topics posted as Advocacy messages typically include updates on important Advocacy activities by Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance (SCVBA) and SCVBA volunteer activities.
*Unacceptable Content*
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.
We discourage general discussion and questions on South Bay Birds, for that we've created a Facebook group (see below). If you wish to propose a general-purpose announcement for an Advocacy digest post, please send the proposed text to the administrator (below).
Please do not post notices of upcoming events to SBB. There is a sister list, South Bay Birds (Events) [SBB-Events], that should be used for that purpose. If you are interested in knowing what events are being offered by SCVBA and other county bird-oriented organizations, we encourage you to subscribe to this list (see below).
Please do not post carpooling requests for events to SBB. We request that they go to the Facebook discussion group.
*Unsubscribing from South Bay Birds*
If you ever need to unsubscribe from this list, an unsubscribe link is at the bottom of every message, or you can go to https://groups.io/g/southbaybirds/. That's also where you can view the list archives, set up a vacation hold, change your email address, or modify your subscription in any way.
South Bay Birds and Birdwatching in Silicon Valley are affiliated with the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance ( scvbirdalliance.org ( https://scvbirdalliance.org ) ), which offers classes and outings around the county, so if you're interested in learning more about birding in the county or joining other birders in going out birding, they can help you find an outing that matches your interests.
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.
