Yesterday I went on the Golden Gate Audubon Field trip to Arrowhead Marsh at Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline at low tide. The highlight of the morning was watching a number of Ridgway’s Rails who were walking around the mudflats relatively close to the group. Probably the best and longest views I have had of them. There were also a large number of shorebirds for so early in season including Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs , Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwit, and Least Sandpiper. The group saw a total of 39 species. Also seen were a Harbor Seal, Ray and Ground Squirrels.
Here are links to photos of the rails taken by one of the participants:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/99583878@N06/19705044626/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/99583878@N06/19735886461/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/99583878@N06/19731240615/in/dateposted-public/
Click read more to see full bird list
Arrowhead Marsh Bird List 7/15/15
Canada Goose 20
Mallard 25
Lesser Scaup 2
Common Goldeneye 1 possibly ill; I saw him once earlier 10 days ago. Alone for both sightings; 1st day, frantic preening on his back with his bill. Today, he was first seen alone in the water, and then resting on shore.
Double-crested Cormorant 8
Brown Pelican 12
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Ridgway’s Rail 4
Black-necked Stilt 11
American Avocet 8
Black-bellied Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 3
Willet 20
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Marbled Godwit 22
Least Sandpiper 15
Western Gull 4
Glaucous-winged Gull 1
Least Tern 1
Caspian Tern 1
Forster’s Tern 8
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2
Anna’s Hummingbird 2
Black Phoebe 12
American Crow 2
Violet-green Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 28
Cliff Swallow 26
Marsh Wren 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 2
Common Yellowthroat 1
Song Sparrow 6 Ones sparrow had a whiter head than song, white stripes, smaller, head greyer
House Finch 2
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24278080
[…] Birding Arrowhead Marsh 7/15/15 […]
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By: Artificial rain for Amersfoort zoo birds | Dear Kitty. Some blog on August 7, 2015
at 4:51 AM
Dear Mr. Steinman,
I had wandrered in Arrow Head in Spring just to look for the rails and shore birds, there was nothing but the heat ! May be wrong time/tide & wrong spot. Would you please share/advice me the time & spot (trails, section…) for the Ridway’s rails and advice me any other close-by birding heaven . I live two hours away to the Bay.
By the way, I appreciate your wonderful informative links to the outdoor/nature life, I have used them to establish my horizontal view. Thank you, thank you !
Hung Hoang
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By: Hung hoang on July 17, 2015
at 11:14 AM
The area where we saw the Rails was opposite the parking area near the observation tower. It was low tide. Usually I have seen rails at high tide.
The other area I have seen rails is along Pt. Isabel Regional Shoreline about a mile from the parking area (near the dog park).
My favorite East Bay Birding areas include:
Pt. Isabel
Eastshore State Park in Emeryville and Berkeley
Albany Mudflats
Lake Merritt
Upper San Leandro Reservoir ( East Bay Mud Lands requiring an easy to get permit)
Martin Luther King Regional Shoreline
Else Roemer Bird Sanctuary in Alameda
I would encourage you to use eBird to see what birds people are seeing in each location and when they are seeing them. It is a great resource.
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By: Sandy Steinman on July 17, 2015
at 4:50 PM