2005 Trip Reports
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park
December 28, 2005
Leader(s): Travis Hails and Hilary Powers
# of participants: 0
# of species: 37
It rained heavily and no participants showed up, but there were lots of birds so the two intrepid leaders looked around anyway, spotting at least two Phalaropes in the lake. They were probably Red Phalaropes, but were just too far out to be sure. Four Great Blue Herons were chasing each other. The heavy rain stopped by 9:30 and conditions improved. We finished in the sun.
Cache Creek
December 16, 2005
Leader(s): Rusty Scalf
# of participants: 11
# of species: 40
It was a great trip, if foggy at the start. We had a nice list of birds including Varied Thrush, Common Moorhen, Belted Kingfisher, Hutton’s Vireo, Bewick’s Wren, Tree Swallow (surprising!), and Lincoln’s Sparrow. The trip ended with a fascinating tour by a Southern Wintun woman of the garden featuring plants of economic value to Native Americans. They grow large stands of five kinds of native grasses as well as seeds gathered for food. There were plants for basket making such as a native sedge, and roots gathered for heavy-load baskets and also medicinal plants. The docent discussed harvest and utilization techniques, and described acorn gathering and preparation. She spoke of her grandmother, and the many details her grandmother left her for use of these plants.
Aquatic Park
December 11, 2005
Leader(s): James Sword, Park Ranger (substituting for Carol) Kiser
# of participants: 3
# of species: 26
We had a cold morning but were fortunate to ID a White-throated Sparrow as well as encounter the Common Loon that spends most winters here but usually eludes us on our bird walks. We also saw Pelagic Cormorant, Heermann’s Gull, Mew Gull, Hermit Thrush, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Gray Lodge and Sacramento Wildlife Refuges
December 10–11, 2005
Leader(s): Steve and Rene Margolin
# of participants: 11
# of species: 85
We had beautiful weather, especially compared with some years when we have been washed out on this trip. We saw massive numbers of wintering waterfowl as well as Sandhill Cranes and raptors including Bald Eagle. We had good scope looks at all the ducks and geese and also Wilson’s Snipe. Ring-necked Pheasant were abundant throughout the Sacramento refuge, despite hunting season.
San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
December 4, 2005
Leader(s): Allan Ridley and Ginny Marshall
# of participants: 40
# of species: 36
The highlight of our trip was two Red-bellied Sapsuckers fighting and chasing one another in a Photinia berry tree.