Reports to the Northern California BirdBox, transcribed for BirdWest by Adam Winer.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
25 April In Oakland at the new Golden Gate Marsh in Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline there were 50 Red Knots, some in alternate plumage. Courtenay Peddle20 April East of Livermore, a male Blue Grosbeak was at mile 6.89 along Patterson Pass Rd. It soon flew off to the north. Rich Cimino
17 April In Hayward, the male Great-tailed Grackle was seen again at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center. fide Dennis Wolff
16 April In Hayward, the male Great-tailed Grackle was seen again at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center. fide Dennis Wolff
14 April In Hayward, a male Great-tailed Grackle was seen on the roof of the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center from 8:30 to 9 AM. The center is at the west end of Breakwater Ave, just north of the east end of the San Mateo bridge, accessed from the Clawiter exit off Hwy 92. Cathy Purchis
4 April A male Oldsquaw continued between Point Emery and the Emeryville Marina. A male Eurasian Wigeon was at Arrowhead Marsh [in Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline]. Another male Eurasian Wigeon was off the northeast edge of the Bay Bridge, accessed from the last Oakland exit before crossing the bridge. Graham Etherington
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
28 April In Oakley, at the Ironhouse Sanitary District, a Common Grackle was reported from the north side of the westernmost sewage treatment pond, at the northwest corner of the Big Break Regional Trail. Common Grackle is a California Bird Record Committee review species - please document any sightings of this bird. Mike Moran28 April West of Martinez, 3 White-throated Sparrows were along Carquinez Scenic Drive, 0.5 mile before the end of the road. The sparrows were in the ravine below a "Warning: Steep Cliff" sign. Denise Wight
24 April West of Martinez, a White-throated Sparrow was seen in the parking lot for Carquinez Regional Shoreline. Denise Wight
23 April In Oakley, a Black Rail was heard on the western edge of the Big Break Regional Trail, 100 yards north of the trailhead on Jordan Lane. Mike Moran
20 April In Mount Diablo State Park, a female Varied Thrush was along Mitchell Canyon Rd, 200 feet south of the Bicentennial tree and about 0.4 mile from the gate. Marjorie Plant
20 April Regular migrants at Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area (Castle Rock Rd south from Walnut Creek) included a Nashville Warbler, a male Chipping Sparrow, and a Peregrine Falcon. Three male Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were by the Mount Diablo summit. Ken Archibaud
19 April In Mount Diablo State Park, a Vaux's Swift, an Olive-sided Flycatcher, and a Rufous Hummingbird were along Mitchell Canyon. Jim Tietz
18 April Along Red Road in Mitchell Canyon (Mount Diablo State Park, south of Clayton) were a Hermit Warbler, 5 Black-throated Gray Warblers, a Hammond's Flycatcher, and a Swainson's Thrush. Jim Tietz
18 April In the south foothills of Mount Diablo Park, along the Wall Point Trail just east of the [Emmons ?] Canyon Trailhead, were 2 Sage Sparrows. Jim Davis
17 April Today just inside Mount Diablo State Park from Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area, a White-throated Sparrow was found. Castle Rock park is at the south end of Castle Rock Rd from Walnut Creek. Take Castle Rock Trail to a gate at the state park boundary. The bird was at the base of a large tree trunk on the left, about 100 meters past the gate. A probable Dusky Flycatcher was 50 yards further down the trail. Other birds seen included Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, Western Kingbird, Cassin's Vireo, Nashville Warbler, and other migrants. Jim Tietz
17 April A male Lawrence's Goldfinch at Piper Slough on Bethel Island [north end of Bethel Island Rd] represented the first record for the eastern part of the county. An Osprey and a male Rufous Hummingbird flew north. A female Hooded Oriole was by the house at the end of the road - please respect the privacy of these residents. Steve Glover
17 April A Common Grackle was reported from the Antioch Regional Shoreline at the south base of the Antioch Bridge - this sighting has not been confirmed. fide Steve Glover
15 April Today in Mitchell Canyon at Mount Diablo, a Hammond's Flycatcher was at the turnoff to Black Point Rd, 0.25 mile up from the trailhead. A male MacGillivray's Warbler, a Nashville Warbler, and a Black-throated Gray Warbler were also in the canyon. Parking is no longer allowed along the road's shoulder; birders must enter the parking lot and pay the $2 entrance fee. [Take Mitchell Canyon Rd south from Clayton.] Steve Glover
14 April In Oakley, 13 Yellow-headed Blackbirds in two groups were at the Ironhouse Sanitary District. Exit Hwy 4 at the Bethel Island-Oakley offramp [actually, you are staying on Hwy 4, which leaves the freeway here], just before the Antioch Bridge. Turn left on Vintage Pkwy, go over the overpass, and turn right at the bottom onto Walnut Meadows Dr. At its end, turn left onto Jordan and park at the trailhead [Big Break Regional Trail]. The blackbirds were seen near the picnic tables. Mike Feighner