Diablo Foothills Regional Park
 Thu, 10 Apr 
2003 15:25:00 -0700 
 From: Don Lewis 
Thursday morning, Bingham Gibbs's group noted some spring arrivals: Hooded Oriole, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Dusky/Hammond's Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, House Wren, Cassin's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, and Black-throated Gray Warbler. A Peregrine Falcon was cruising out from its nest high on the cliffside.
All this was on a 1.5-mile, extremely pleasant, easy walk southeast up Pine Creek from the end of Castle Rock Rd at the southeast corner of Walnut Creek through Diablo Foothills Regional Park to Mount Diablo State Park.
Don Lewis
 Lafayette, CA 
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Re: Diablo Foothills Regional Park
 Thu, 10 
Apr 2003 15:32:45 -0700 (PDT) 
 From: Diane P. 
I'm very surprised you didn't list any quail on this list. I'm forever seeing quail on Pine Creek Rd - right in front of and around that house that has a field of tulips for it's front yard. (California Quail they are, I'm just about positive).
Diane
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Back to Pinole Creek Wetlands
 Thu, 10 Apr 
2003 16:19:39 -0700 
 From: Terry Coddington 
Dear EBBers,
I was back at the Pinole Wetlands Field Station this morning (at high tide) and did not see the oystercatchers, but you may add Black Turnstones and California Gull to yesterday's list.
Terry Coddington
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Re: Diablo Foothills Regional Park
 Thu, 10 
Apr 2003 18:07:59 -0700 
 From: Judi Cooper 
Yes, we did see "a" California Quail - however, we did hear others.
Judi Cooper
 with Bingham's Birding Group 
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Blackbird photos
 Fri, 11 Apr 2003 15:03:03 
-0700 
 From: Bob Power 
Hi all:
I posted a description of an aberrant blackbird from Richmond on April 1st. I was able to go out last weekend and take a couple of pictures of "Tabby," the orange, white, and purple/black blackbird. I've uploaded the pictures to Calbirds' photo page. If you are interested in the photos and can't access Calbirds, I can send them to you direct, or is there a proxy web-site that other folks use to upload bird photos?
Anyway, thank you to Chris, Helen, Steve and Rusty for your interest and advice. My best guess is that this is a Brewer's Blackbird with some albinism, but I am very interested in any thoughts any of you might have.
A picture is truly worth a thousand words.
Chasing the wild Anhinga Monday morning,
 Good birding,
 Bob Power
 
Oakland, CA
 Alameda County 
Editor's Note: Write to Bob c/o birds at folkbird dot net
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McNabney Marsh, Martinez
 Fri, 11 Apr 2003 
15:56:09 PDT 
 From: Steve Glover 
Hi all,
Yesterday I did a nesting waterbird survey at McNabney Marsh near Martinez. (The marsh is east of Hwy 680, south of Waterfront Rd, and west of Waterbird Regional Preserve entrance.) I guess a singing male Great-tailed Grackle was the highlight of the show. There was also a Great Blue Heron building a nest in the eucalyptus east of the parking lot. I have been wondering for years why the nearby eucs weren't being utilized for a heronry.
Good birding,
 Steve 
Steve Glover
 Dublin 
Hooded Oriole in Moraga yard
 Sat, 12 Apr 2003 
10:50:17 -0700 
 From: Judi Cooper 
What a ray of sunshine it was this morning to see a Hooded Oriole in my backyard - also a new yard bird for me. It sat in the apple tree for about 5 minutes and then ventured to the oriole feeder but only for a quick drink.
After it left I quickly put out half an orange and am anxiously waiting for a return viewing.
Judi Cooper
 Moraga 
Photograph of Bob Power's unusual blackbird
 
Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:30:48 -0700 
 From: Larry Tunstall 
Hi EBBers,
I have posted one of Bob Power's photographs of his unusual bird, presumed to be a partially albinistic Brewer's Blackbird, on our website at
http://folkbird.net/ebb/archive/pic0304a.html
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
 El Cerrito CA 
Directions to Pinole Creek Wetlands
 Sun, 13 
Apr 2003 17:00:36 -0700 
 From: Terry Coddington 
Dear EBBers,
The Pinole Wetlands, also the mouth of Pinole Creek, are at the end of Tennent Ave, which intersects San Pablo Ave in greater downtown Pinole. If you take the Pinole Valley Rd off-ramp from Hwy 80 (east or west-bound) and travel north into Pinole, without taking any radical turns, you will soon be travelling on Tennent Ave. (Pinole Valley Rd veers right as you're travelling north.) Tennent ends at the Wetlands which are adjacent to the sewer plant, so when you get there, you're there - you can scope from the parking lot, but should at least walk around the plant on level asphalt trails (a city block, or so) and you can also cross Pinole Creek to walk into the San Pablo Bay Regional Shoreline areas. There are further shoreline parcels west of Pinole Creek that I haven't explored, as well as the Creek itself, which is being restored by Friends of Pinole Creek Watershed.
Hope this helps.
 Terry Coddington 
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