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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kibet" data-source="post: 3496032" data-attributes="member: 126488">Day 15 Friday 2nd DecemberTilden Nature Area (GGAS)I checked out of the hotel and asked for my bags to get stored. The GGAS walk was from 0830-1030 and I had yet to decide what to do with the 5 hours afterwards before I needed to be on the BART. One thing for sure was that I did not want to go wandering up Wildcat Canyon again, as once you start then you just needed to keep going. On arrival, there was already more activity as we waited for everyone to arrive. The group was large, about 36 people, and with the warmer weather coupled with more eyes, I knew that I should be able to see more. Steller’s, Scubbies, CB Chickadees, Townsend’s and Anna’s were seen before everyone had arrived. We then were treated to a Golden Eagle flying over, followed by a Red-Shouldered Hawk. As we started to sign in at the picnic table in the car park, a Red-Breasted Sapsucker came in behind it. GC Sparrows foraged at the bushes next to it, as the leader started his talk on the various methods thought to be used by migrations, theories on Vagrants on how it may not just be about being blown off course, but abnormalities, which in turn could lead to a species survival by setting up a new territory. There was also talk of a Roman camp under siege that used a nesting Swallow in the third century to send a message back to say that help was coming. We continued up the path to Jewel Lake, with Cal Tows, Dark-Eyed Juncos, and a Brown Creeper. The leader mentioned about one theory about the white underparts being used for the reflection of light and talked about proposed experiments to prove/disprove the theory. I spotted a Vee of black winged birds with white heads flying over, and another birder was able to get a better look to call DC Cormorants. The reflection on the chest and head gave the white appearance. A Spotted Towhee popped out further up the track, and as I tried to put another birder on it, the front part of the group carried on causing it to hide away. We were almost at Jewel Lake, and one birder told the sad news that the Burrowing Owl at César Chávez Park had been killed by a dog. With an inadequate fence, certain dog owners not caring to keep dogs on leashes in certain areas or letting the dogs get out of sight, it was not really a surprise. Albany, just slightly up from the park, did still have Burrowing Owls though, and an adequate fence, like down at Arrowhead Marsh. Not expecting much at Jewel Lake, based on my experience of earlier in the week, was proved wrong as two male Hooded Mergansers were spotted with a female. Both puffed out their throats, I assume for dominance, and one chased the other away when he got too close. It was the first sighting of the year of the Hooded in Tilden Nature Area. A Song Sparrow also appeared in the reeds in front of Jewel Lake. American Robin, Black Phoebe, Oak Titmouse, and Ruby-Crowned Kinglets were also seen, as we did the return walk. I decided to walk on to Lake Anza and as I headed that way, a couple of birders stopped to offer a lift. I had the decision to make now; do I carry on to Lake Anza or take the lift back to Berkeley and find something else to do for 4 hours? I decided on the former, and arriving at Lake Anza, with a sparing amount of Coots and Mallards, and it being so quiet for birds, I wondered if it was a mistake. It proved not to be in some respects, as I found a Varied Thrush, which decided not to give me enough time to take a photograph. I should have taken a blurry one, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. As I waited to see if it would return and look at the other trees in case I could respot it, I was instead treated to a feeding frenzy of American Bushtit, and Acorn Woodpecker. I carried on around the lake, and again with no map, assumed a trail would take me around to the other side. Instead it went deeper, and since I had the time, I decided to keep on going. It was a nice walk but not too much activity, and at least there were some posts to suggest I was on a main trail. Botanical Garden signs or views of Lake Anza taunted me that I would soon be on the path to the way back to Berkeley. I turned back on one track that seemed too muddy, another that seemed too dense with what I suspected to be poison oak, and when I accidentally touched a stick that looked suspiciously like poison oak, I wondered if my finger would flare up. It didn’t and I eventually got back to the main road.It still took me another hour to get down from Tilden, back to the University and then onto the hotel. Due to the winding track, and the walk back, I only had a half hour to wait at the hotel before I needed to head to the BART, where I was picked up by my colleague and we had Jumbo Shrimp and Steak at his house in Stockton, Ca. I was now in the Central Valley.Photographed Species (to be filled)</blockquote>

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