Date: 4/14/24 2:50 pm From: Carter Gasiorowski via groups.io <carter.gasiorowski...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Ogier Ponds: 80 Species Day!
Today, 4-14-24, my dad and I arrived at the end of Ogier Ave. around 8 am
to try and break our personal single-checklist record of 78 species that we
set at the Ogier Ponds last fall. We immediately heard BULLOCK'S ORIOLES in
the trees and found two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, one of which sang a single
verse of "O Sweet Canada, Canada" from atop a bush. Walking along the west
edge of pond 3 we heard SORAS call from the reeds, and 3 GREEN HERONS
squawked loudly as they flew over the water. Near pond 4 an ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER perched briefly on a snag and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW buzzed from
the underbrush. We got great looks at our first of 5 CALIFORNIA THRASHERS
using its curved beak to pick through the leaf litter near a lone DOWNY
WOODPECKER.
Across the footbridge, we ran into a few groups of birders searching for
the Solitary Sandpiper. Lisa Myers & Sandy Hamilton kindly pointed out a
CINNAMON TEAL in pond 6, and we were amused by a very out-of-place COMMON
GALLINULE standing on top of a bush. To the north, we all got great looks
at two immature BALD EAGLES fighting and soaring together in the skies
above the numerous GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES and BULLOCK'S ORIOLES in the
trees.
Continuing to the east side of the ponds complex, a LARK SPARROW perched on
a snag above the grass while a HOUSE WREN and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES sang
from the trees.
Heading back to the car, we saw a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, our 80th species
for the day! The diversity of the Ogier Ponds is awesome!
For those interested, a few other people saw the Solitary Sandpiper in pond
6 today, though we never caught up to it.
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.
