The Natural History of Foster City, California

by James K. Sayre

a draft manuscript

12 May 2005

Chapter 16 - Sketches about Birds

.i.Summer Flocking on the mudflats; east of Beach Park Blvd., between Marlin Avenue and Tarpon Street, after high tide, flocks of shorebirds gather on the mudflats which are increasingly exposed as the tide goes out after high tide; the birds seem to flock in separate groups by family: the California Gulls on the highest ground; the Forster's Terns at little to the bayside; the sandpipers are flocked on a separate portion of the mudflats: Willets and Marbled Godwits stand together, the flocks mixed, with apparent amiability on both sides; these birds often rest perched on one foot; they often can be observed hopping kangaroo-like, instead of walking on both feet; this daily gathering of flocks on the mudflats is for feeding, resting, oiling their feathers, applying bits of bay mud to their feathers, preening, socializing and napping or sleeping. Later, small flocks of Least Sandpipers join the other larger sandpipers in feeding activities. Later a few Black-bellied Plovers join the feeding activities. As the tidal waters drain, more of the shorebirds join in the feeding on the tiny invertebrates that are gradually exposed; the tide goes out at about roughly an inch in depth every five minutes, so the feeding situation is never stable. The Willets and Godwits seem to take great pleasure in massive flyabouts in late summer. These flyabouts provide a great spectacle for the observer, with hundreds of birds making great loops and dives while flashing their distinctive wing markings. These massive flyabouts may be a form of practice for evasion from aerial predators, such as hawks. On 2/21/95 at 2:30 PM, author observed two large hawks engaged in chasing flocks of sandpipers over the bay past the levees. Last week I observed a Gull with a small pink piece of plastic which it picked up out of the water, flew up about twenty feet, dropped and then caught it on the wing. It tried to interest a couple of other gulls in a game of keep-away, but they declined to play. (About4/10/97 in late afternoon).

.i.Land Birds by the Bay; - some birds that we traditionally associate with land habitats are willing to venture right up to the edge of the bay in search of tasty morsels of food. Starlings, Killdeer, Pigeons, Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves, and English Sparrows may often be seen foraging near the levees and to the edges of the mudflats in the summer and fall.

.i.Bird Feeding Stations; - these are easily set up in both multi-unit apartments/condos and houses with their own yards. Feeders can sit on decks, railings, or patios or can be hung from roof beams or hung in trees. Sometimes roaming cats can be a threat to birds that visit feeding stations, so feeding stations can be placed on a pole several feet off the ground. Bird seed, both mixtures and pure sunflower seed is available in local drugstores and grocery stores. Fancier bird seeds, including cracked and whole corn is often available from pet food stores. The author's bird feeding station is on the deck of an apartment facing the Bay; regular visitors include Mourning Doves, House Finches, English Sparrows and Brewer's Blackbirds. Sometimes juvenile members of the family can be seen begging food from their parents. Gradually the young birds learn to eat the seed on their own. When several blackbirds gather at the station, some of them pose or fight to maintain their feeding position.

.i.Seagulls;, although there are not any water birds with the exact name of seagull, the term refers to the local gull population. Gulls have very good memories for food sources: the author tossed some leftover meat and bones from a Thanksgiving roast turkey onto the roof of his bayside apartment building; seagulls came almost immediately; soon there were dozens of gulls circling the roof area and landing to feast on the leftovers. The author repeated the feeding after Christmas and the gulls return. Now they fly over and cry every time the author steps out onto the deck.

.i.Brewer's Blackbirds;; the male is dark, shiny with yellow eyes; the female is brown with dark eyes; the males may engage in mock/real struggles for domination at favored areas, such as feeding stations. The males puff themselves up and strut and issue their cry/call.

Mute Swan ;- observed a Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, out on the edge of the shell beach area off Beach Park Blvd. (near Marlin) on the San Francisco Bay on Friday, 16 May. Reported this sighting to the local Audubon Society. It is either an escaped pet or a stray from Asia. I have seen many Canadian Geese here each winter, but no Swans. The Mute Swan has been introduced into eastern North America and is often seen in park ponds.

.i.Scrub Jay;, Aphelocoma coerulescens, a pair of these birds was observed at 6:35 AM on 5/23/97 behind Chateau Chaumont Apts.

.i.Crow ;observed one local Crow chase a Brewer's Blackbird, who had been harrassing it. Oftentimes, Blackbirds and Mockingbirds will harrass Crows to protect their nesting sites and territories. Sometimes they may harrass and mob Crows just on general principles. On 7/16/97 at four PM, I observed three Mockingbirds attack five Crows in schoolyard parking lot on Tarpon Street.

Occasionally, local Crows may be observed scavenging on the bayside Shell Beach in Foster City. On 9/4/97, I observed four Crows on the beach at 9 AM. Later in the afternoon, at 2 PM on the same day, I observed five Crows on another part of the same beach.

.i.Starlings;, which were originally brought over from England to Northeastern United States about a century ago, are birds which have adapted to the ways of man. They will nest in and around buildings. One pair of Starlings used a hole in our apartment building which had been enlarged to accomodate some plumbing lines. The pair carried their nesting materials up into the hole. Later, a blue eggshell was found discarded on the ground, a few feet away from the nest-hole. Ever hear the phrase Starling's egg blue? The color of the Starling's egg is quite close to that of the Robin. Starlings observed feeding on the flowers of the Scarlet-flowering Gum (Eucalyptus ficafolia) on 12 July 1997.

.i.Bushtits;, small gray/brown birds, very active, forage in small flocks and keep in virtually constant communication with a series of twittering calls. They can often be heard in the Myoporum trees which grow in many parts of Foster City; on 6/16/96 author observed four juveniles huddled together on branch of Myoporum tree near the swimming pool of Chateau Chaumont. They were being fed by their parents.

.i.Hummingbirds; - often first heard; their high-pitched squeals and squeaks are unique in the world of bird sounds; two species are found here in Foster City: .i.Anna's Hummingbird; and .i.Allen's Hummingbird;. One cool spring morning while taking a short walk through some condominiums, the author suddenly spotted a Hummingbird sitting on its nest. The bird was just about eye level and the cup-shaped nest was attached to a tree branch about six feet from the ground. The Hummingbird sat motionless and returned my stare with an unblinking eye. (4/20/97 at 7:30 AM). One hummingbird came to my deck garden on 8/19/97 in the afternoon and checked out the Sunflower, the Roses and the Marigolds. It left after a brief survey. Another Hummingbird visit on 10/17/97 at 4 PM: it checked out the Bottlebrush plant (no flowers), the Sunflower plant (gone to seed) and the Bachelor Buttons (still in bloom). Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri, observed in a Pine tree at 7:30 AM on 9/11/97, behind next apartment complex along the north driveway. It was calling or scolding. It had the characteristic black throat.

.i.Double-crested Cormorant; - commonly seen resting on high-tension power line towers and other structures near salt water; sometimes seen at dusk "commuting" low above the Bay flying north towards the San Mateo Bridge. Sometimes upwards of two dozen Cormorants can be seen resting on the power line tower located on Foster City Blvd. on the lagoon just across from Boat Park. They are probably nesting in the understructure of the bridge. In the autumn, they will sometimes share a sandbar exposed a low tide with gulls and pelicans. The cormorants will spread their wings in the sunshine to dry off and warm up.

.i.Cedar Waxwings; - most commonly first heard, then seen. They travel in small flocks and softly whistle to each other. They can be observed feeding on the nectar found in blossoms in Eucalyptus trees.

.i.Tern; - a feisty water bird, often seen feeding by diving into lagoon waters; on 9/11/94 a juvenile tern was observed on the beach at Marlin Park about 2:30 pm. It was calling to its parent which was flying above the lagoon searching for fish; finally, it spotted one, dove into the water and came up with it; the parent tern landed on the beach and gave the fish to the juvenile tern. Immediately the juvenile bird flew away to avoid the gull, which was lurking nearby in hope of a free meal. The larger gull pursued the juvenile tern for a minute or so, but finally gave up its chase.

.i.Peregrine Falcon;, .i.Falco peregrinus;, is a seldomly-seen falcon. The author had a possible sighting of one flying high above the Belmont Slough at 3 PM on 1/16/96. It had the characteristic sharply-angled wings and a "cree-cree" cry.

.i.Sandpipers; - usually seen feeding and resting along the mudflats of the bay - some have the curious habit of hopping on one foot, kangaroo-like in motion, instead of walking with both feet - maybe this activity saves body heat and energy, by keeping one foot dry and warm next to the body.

.i.Great Blue Heron; - one of the two largest wading birds in this area - (the other being the Great White Egret or Common Egret)- colored blue-gray with some white - usually seen singly in a marshy area. Sometimes one will perch on the tall piling directly in front of my deck and window. When the Heron grooms itself, two long small dark-colored plumes on the back of its head become visible.

.i.Great Egret; - the largest all-white wading bird - sometimes seen along the bay mudflats and in the Belmont Slough.

.i.Snowy Egret; - a smaller all-white wading bird with yellow feet - almost completely wiped out a century ago by hunters who killed the birds for their decorative feathers which ended up on the hats of fashionable ladies of those times; small flocks can often be seen in the lower parts of the Belmont Slough, resting and feeding there.

About a half dozen Snowy Egrets can often been seen feeding at low tide on the mudflats off of Beach Park Blvd. The author observed a small group of 14 egrets feeding and resting at low tide in the Belmont Slough just in front of the intake pipes at 2:45 PM on 1/16/96.

.i.Black-crowned Night Heron; - often seen fishing at dusk in marshy areas - sometimes spooked from their daytime roosts - they protest with a series of raucous squawks; sometimes may be seen roosting or resting near the lagoon next to the Edgewater Shopping Center; sometimes mobbed by barn swallows; perhaps because large water birds such as this heron may attack the eggs and young of such birds as barn swallows. On 6/23/97 at 8:45 AM, on Tarpon Street, just off of Beach Park Blvd., I observed three Black-crowned Night Herons flying to their daytime roost back from the Belmont Slough.

.i.Canada Goose; - an occasional visitor, especially in the winter, resting in marshy area, along the upper reaches of the Belmont Slough Wildlife Refuge, between Foster City and Redwood City, usually in small flocks. Flock of 18 seen at Marina Park on 8/27/94 feeding, resting and sleeping on the mowed lawn; flock of 22 seen at 8:30am, 10/15/94 feeding on lawn at Marina Park; flock of 16 flying south along bay 8/24/95 at 5:30 PM; flock of nine individuals observed eating grass at Marina Park, 11:30 AM on 9/14/95; flock of about two dozen flew over Chateau Chaumont Apartments and turned south towards the Belmont Slough at 6 PM on 9/15/95; flock of about fifty (50) birds seen foraging at Marina Park on 9/21/95 at 12:30 PM. A visiting flock of 100+ individuals seen at Marina Park on 8/28/96; probably composed of adults and young. A small flock of 13 landed on bay mudflats at 2:30 PM on 9/8/96: they did a little feeding in the mud and also preened themselves. On 9/24/97 at 7 AM, a flock of about two dozen Geese landed on the edge of the bay. These are the first fall arrivals this year. Flock of about two dozen seen feeding on school grass field at 7 AM on 10/11/97. Flock of about two dozen observed on north side of shell beach on 11/6/97 in PM. They swam into the bay as the author approached them.

.i.White Pelican; - sometimes can be seen in the summer in the salt ponds in Hayward located just south of the San Mateo Bridge. They also can be observed in the Palo Alto Baylands in the summer months.

.i.Brown Pelican; - these large birds can sometimes be seen flying over the Bay waters in small groups - a group of sixteen was observed circling high over the Bay at noontime on 8/22/94; two seen on 7/4/95 at 2:30 PM standing in shallow surf off beach.

.i.Mallard; - the most familiar duck, often seen on lawns and in lawn-surrounded pools in the Industrial Park areas; also often seen in fountains, swimming pools, and lagoons. Some mallards have interbred with domestic white ducks, producing odd-looking combinations of colors mixed between the two different parents. There does not appear to be any social discrimination between the differing colorations; will accept even small, temporary ponds as their place of abode, as seen after the heavy rainfall in January, 1995. Pair of mallards, located in near swimming pool in back court yard of Chateau Chaumont Apartments produced thirteen babies in March, 1995: ten had the typical Mallard colors of dark brown with gold while three were a paler beige-brown, and will probably turn out to be white or partially-white in adult form. The male is aloof from his mate and their offspring; the mother tends to her brood. Noted: 3/30/95 + 3/31/95.

.i.Turkey Vulture; - a large black bird often seen soaring high in the sky - they are carrion eaters. Often seen soaring singly or in pairs, but sometimes gather in large groups after one of them has discovered a large potential food source; one seen flying low over Beach Park Blvd at 6:10 PM on 22 May 1995; one observed on 7/796 soaring high over Foster City at 9:15 AM. Observed one soaring over the Chateau Chaumont apartment complex at 8:30 AM on 6/5/97.

.i.Killdeer; - usually around found in grassy or rough areas; sometimes seen on rough flat land usually near water - react to being approached by suddenly flying away and issuing a "killdeer" protest cry; group of seven on mudflats at 7pm, 9/20/94; flock of two dozen foraging on mudflats at 5pm, 10/2/94; found a nest with four brown-speckled eggs built on a low parking lot island in a nearby church parking lot; noticed killdeer moving away from area with the crippled/injured display that is used to distract predators from the nest. noted: 3/30/95. They sometimes forage in the exposed mudflats at low tide, after the other shorebirds have taken their leave. Flock of about twenty Killdeer observed over bayedge at 4:40 PM on 8/8/97. They were flying south towards the Belmont Slough.

.i.Northern Pintail; - pair observed just offshore in Bay 4 PM on 11/18/94; can be observed wintering over in the seasonal saline pond, which is next to the Belmont Slough, off of Wheelhouse Lane.

.i.American Avocet; - sometimes seen in the upper Belmont Slough area - they are handsome wading birds dressed in their formal outfits of black, white and brown; they easily take offense at the mere sight of humans, and fly away while vocally protesting the intrusion; in late September they have joined the other shore birds on the mudflats off of Beach Park Blvd. On 9/29/94 at 5:15pm about twenty Avocets were observed feeding in the incoming tide; they did not participate in the large fly-abouts of the other shore birds.

.i.Barn Swallow; - can be seen nesting underneath the wooden decking on the lagoon behind the shopping center containing Lucky supermarket at the corner of Beach Park Blvd. and Edgewater Blvd. They can be seen flying over the lagoon's waters and catching insects. In the summer, they can be seen at dusk flying over the edge of the bay. They also can be seen near the site of the old garbage dump off Third Avenue on the bay across from Mariner's Island Blvd; they sometimes can be observed to mob the large Black-crowned Night Heron, probably in an attempt to protect their young and nesting sites. In the spring, small flocks of the Barn Swallows fly over the beach areas hunting for insects, including the small black gnats which live along the shoreline. The author discovered one nearby nest stuck above a church doorway. The Swallows attacked a Marsh Hawk that flew nearby (7/6/97).

.i.Cliff Swallow; - can be seen in same areas as Barn Swallows; observed gathering mud from rain water sink area behind Lucky Market on 4/30/95.

.i.Common Crow; - commonly seen large all-black bird, sometimes mobbed (harassed in flight) by blackbirds and other smaller birds; sometimes seen near the Bay where they can scavenge; crows can fly backwards, at least for very short distances; author observed one crow fly basically straight up; then back into a perch on top of a light standard, on Foster City Blvd., just south of Rt. 92 overpass, at 10:15 AM on 1/14/95. A fairly stiff NW breeze probably helped it on this maneuver. Harassed gull away from its perch on light standard, Noon, 10/1/95. Pair seen feeding along shoreline at low tide at 12:45 PM on 10/11/97; they were sampling the invertebrate fare, along with the usual sandpipers.

.i.Common Raven; - occasionally seen large all-black bird, they are larger than crows, and have seemingly hoarse voices with weak croaks; one seen on 9/9/94 at noon, flying east over the upper Belmont Slough; ravens basically sound like crows with sore throats.

.i.Robin; - common resident - this red-breasted thrush is usually seen hunting worms and other insects on private and public lawns.

.i.Red-winged Blackbird; - can now be seen outside of marshy areas by going to shopping center parking lots, such as Safeway on Hillsdale Blvd., where they share the cleanup chores with other blackbirds, sparrows, starlings, pigeons and sea gulls. One male bird came to the author's feeding station on 10/14/95.

.i.Mockingbird;; a tough and feisty bird, can survive well in suburban habitat; males sing beautiful songs in spring and summer to define territory and to attract a mate; alarm call is a low "cruck."

After the nesting season, both the male and female birds may sing to defend their feeding grounds [Stokes]. A Mockingbird landed on 2nd floor apartment deck ledge in front of bird feeding station on 8/24/96 in AM. Their songs seem to include snatches of imitiations of the calls of the Cardinal. The nearest Cardinals live down in southern Arizona, at least six hundred miles away. Mockingbirds will often harass Crows to keep them away from their nesting site. At 4 PM on 7/16/97 I observed three Mockingbirds attack five Crows in schoolyard parking lot on Tarpon Street.

.i.House Finch; - can be attracted to bird feeding stations - also seen in the large fennel field next to bay east of Beach Park Blvd. and north of Foster City Blvd. Has a very melodious song, almost like that of the Canary. Historically, the House Finch was kept as a cage bird for its song. One was observed drinking the red-colored sugar water

at a hummingbird feeder hanging from a Myoporum tree in the

apartment courtyard on 4/17/97 in the mid-afternoon.

.i.Kingfisher;, one spotted on Shell Blvd. bridge, overlooking lagoon at 7:15 AM on 12/9/94.

.i.House Sparrow; or .i.English Sparrow; - a familiar denizen of homes and buildings of cities and suburbs - easy attracted to bird feeding stations - brought to New York City about 1850 and made their way to California by about 1870. They are actually Old World weaver finches, not sparrows.

.i.Mourning Doves; - can be easily attracted to bird feeding stations; the males are often heard courting with their sad cooing calls. Domesticated varieties of these doves are still kept as cage birds. At feeding stations, male Mourning Doves will aggressively pursue females, with hope of mating. Sometimes they succeed in broad daylight. Part of courtship includes mutual pecking about the neck, head and bill, followed by self-preening and feather fluffing (the equivalent of the cigarette afterwards in human culture, one supposes).

Hawk, unidentified large, brownish, sat on light standard, next to levee, dive-bombed by seagulls on 12/23/94 at 3 PM; finally flew away.

.i.Northern Harrier; or .i.Marsh Hawk; - a common bird of prey - can sometimes be seen flying along the edge of the levee, flying just above ground level, searching for prey (one female, seen 5pm, 9/2/94). A second sighting occurred at 5:15pm, 9/4/94, the harrier swooped down to the levee edge and worked its way north; two pigeons scattered like the proverbial "bats out of hell." The harrier flew slowly, close to the ground, scanning for rodents presumably. It took little notice of walkers and bicyclists moving along the levee path. It lingered over the small patches of fennel plant, which grow in the larger portion of the "dry land" portion of bayside beach. One was seen along fennel field portion of levee about 9:30 AM on 9/10/94. One was observed in the Marina Park on 9/19/94 at 4:45 PM, eating a mouse or other small rodent. It would tear out a small bite, then bob it head up to observe any potential predators in the nearby area. Amazingly, it was not disturbed by human activity only twenty feet away. At 4:30 PM on 9/28/94 one female Marsh Hawk flew over the roofs of the apartment buildings facing Beach Park Blvd., scattering several Killdeer that were feeding or resting there; later it flew over the beach, scattering hundreds of water birds; one observed flying over Fennel Field at 10 AM on 11/13/94 scattering doves and sparrows as it flew by.

On 27 March 1997 at about 6 PM, just before sunset, a Marsh Hawk tried to attack a Mourning Dove that sat on the ledge of my apartment deck. The Hawk swooped to within a couple of feet of the railing and the Dove lurched onto the floor of my deck to escape from the Hawk's talons. The Dove escaped becoming dinner for the Hawk tonight. The whole episode lasted only a few seconds, but it made a vivid impression on the writer's mind. Nature in the raw.

On 8 November 1999 at about 11 AM, when I came out of the new library I heard some bird cries from overhead. I saw a large hawk high in the sky being harrassed by several Crows. The hawk was whitish underneath with black wingtips. The Peterson Field Guide of Western Birds listed it as a Northern Harrier, Circus cyaneus. It used to be known as a Marsh Hawk.

.i.Sparrow Hawk;; one observed at 5:30 PM, 9/23/94 sitting on a light standard next to levee; flew to ground, then up to next light standard; one flew across author's second story deck and into his apartment through the wide-open sliding glass door at 9:15 AM on 9/24/95. It was evidently trying to catch a sparrow or finch that was on the vertical birdfeeder. The Sparrow Hawk flapped around the apartment for a few seconds then flew out. It flew across the stree to the light standard, where it was eyed warily by a gull. The upper wings and back of the hawk was a rich brown color. On 12/19/95 at 4 PM, one tried unsuccessfully to attack a meadowlark on the ground in the fennel field. What is truly amazing is that these two birds are almost identical in size.

.i.Western Meadowlark; - somewhat common bird for particular habitats, prefers open, grassy areas (one seen, 4:30 PM, 9/2/94 just south of Belmont Slough, in Belmont, across from FC); pair observed at 9:30 AM in Fennel Field on 11/13/94; small flocks observed in fennel field in March 1995. (See Sparrow Hawk entry). A Meadowlark successfully fended off an attack on the ground by a Sparrow Hawk at 4 PM on 12/19/95 in the fennel field. What is truly amazing is that these two birds are almost identical in size. On 1/27/96 at 1:30 PM a pair of meadowlarks landed on top of the rock pile levee in front of the author's apartment complex. After a couple of minutes, they flew back towards the fennel field. One observed feeding on dry part of shell beach area on 11/6/97 in PM.

.i.Black-necked Stilt;; sometimes seen in the Belmont Slough area; two pairs observed on mud flats off outer levee at 9:15AM on 9/25/94;

.i.Flicker;, generally considered uncommon; pair seen in pine trees in court yard of Chateau Chaumont at 3 PM, 1/3/95.

.i.Parrots; - one observed flying to a tall palm tree in the apt. complex just north of Chateau Chaumont Apts. on 5/25/95 at 7:50 AM. Observed two weeks before near Post Office on a Sunday morning. This parrot is the Yellow-headed Parrot, Amazona oratrix. The author has observed small flocks of this bird in Burlingame, Palo Alto and Mountain View ranging in size from four to seventeen birds.

Third observation at 8:45 AM on 4 June 1995 in tall palms and pine trees located one block west (behind) apt. complex. Fourth observation on 11/16/95 at 3 PM: flying about and squawking on a regular basis; at 4 PM, this parrot was heard and seen flying south over the shoreline towards Redwood Shores.

.i.Red-tailed Hawk;, Buteo jamaicensis - immature bird observed on top of power pole next to fennel field. Characteristic black and white speckled mid-breast and a red-brown tail, observed 3 PM - 4 PM, 11/6/95. One observed on light standard on south side of Rt. 92 at 10 AM on 8/25/96. A pair observed on and near top of power line tower viewed from parking lot of Orchard Supply Hardware on 18 Nov 97 at 10 AM. One was perching and the other was circling nearby and calling. It was either a mating ritual or a territorial dispute.

.i.Black Phoebe;, .i.Sayornis nigricans;, - observed at edge of Belmont Slough at city water intake pipes on 1/2/96 at 4:30 PM. Black on top, white on bottom. Flies out short distance from perch to catch insects. Its call is a soft, "cheep, cheep." Flicks tail quite often. Usually seen in drier areas, such as the Central Valley of California.

End.

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