Date: 4/11/24 9:51 am From: Matthew Dodder <mdodder...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Ogier Ponds 04-11-24
Early this morning, I began a bike ride along the Coyote Creek Trail starting from here: 37.191063, -121.709608
My goal was to find the Solitary Sandpiper reported on Tuesday by Carter Gasiorowski. The creek was very bird and when I arrived at the northern most pond, the SOLITARY SANDPIPER was the first bird I saw on the mud and gravel island located here: 37.183972, -121.700698
The SOLIARY SANDPIPER was resting near a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, making the large size difference obvious. The Solitary was much darker, shorter legged, and had olive legs. The eyeing was obvious and as it flew a few yards to the southwest corner of the pond, its dark banded tail and dark underlings were briefly visible. I did not see it land, but I expect it remained nearby.
There were also a dozen or so RING-NECKED DUCKS, a noisy gang of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES, and a COMMON GALLINULE. Exploring the trees around the edges also produced an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, WILSON’S WARBLER and a LINCOLN’S SPARROW. TREE SWALLOWS were simply everywhere and investigating nest sites in many of the sycamores.
I continued riding toward the model airplane area and found a LARK SPARROW swinging in the large meadow, and eventually reached a couple of the other ponds further south.
Eventually, I had to turn around after that to get to Ranch, but on my way back to the trailhead, I flushed four WOOD DUCKS near the metal bridge. The females gave their distinctive calls as they took flight.
Matthew Dodder (he/him)
Executive Director
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
22221 McClellan Rd.
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-252-3748
<director...>
scvas.org
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.
