March-April 2020
Alamo • Danville • Blackhawk • Diablo • San Ramon
VALLEY
THE
SENTINEL
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for:
MARCH
– APR IL 2020
always for the community VOL 25 NO 2
Trail ent of the Bay . one-mile segm Gate Fields Above: New near Golden . in progress See page 2
February 2020 ation of natur next gener 2. Training the rs. See page and park range
SPOTLIGHT
Look inside for the latest Regional in Nature Activity Guide!
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ins ide h, page 4 rams for Yout • Summer Prog s, page 5 Opportunitie 5 • Kayaking Night, page oor Movie • Free Outd 6 page Fair, Scottish • Tartan Day
6 the Farm, page • Brewing on s, page 10 • Bird Walk t, page 11 Earth Day Even • Alameda 13 page • Volunteer,
www.valleysentinel.com
New Bay Trail Connection Summer Programs for Youth Volunteer Opportunities Tartan Day Scottish Fair Archery, Kayaking & Pole Walking
Take the Trails Challenge!
Plus many more fun activities for kids and families!
Danville Teen Pushes for Student Representation on SRVUSD Board By Courtney Teague, Patch Staff
Zaid Fattah, 16, is collecting signatures in hopes to add student members to the all-adult San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board. Monte Vista High School student Zaid Fattah is pushing to make student voices heard on the San Ramon Valley Unified School District.
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Sign up for the East Bay Regional Park District Trails Challenge! Pictured is the McCosker Creek Restoration and Public Access Project Area at Sibley Preserve. For articles, please see page 10.
Meet the Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) By James M. Hale
Named for its brilliantly colored wings, that look as if they are dipped in red and yellow wax, the Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is one of North America’s unique birds. The genus name Bombycilla is derived from the Ancient Greek for bombux meaning silk, and the Modern Latin cilla, for tail. This is a direct reference to the Cedar Waxwing’s soft, silky, plumage. The specific epithet cedrorum is Latin for of the cedars, one of the waxwing’s foods. I can attest to the shiny, silky-smooth feathers of the Cedar Waxwing, as I have handled these beautiful birds numerous times during bird-banding and rescue operations. The Cedar Waxwing is native to Canada, the United States, and Central and South America. It breeds in open wooded habitats of southern Canada, and retreats to winter in the southern United States, Central America, and
the far northwest of South America, with the onslaught of inclement weather. During winter, the Cedar Waxwing is a familiar bird to many Contra Costa County yards, as they seek pyracantha and other berries for food. The Cedar Waxwing is a medium-sized brownish, gray, and lemon-yellow bird, weighing a little more than one ounce, and reaching about seven inches in length. A subdued, sagittal crest, black facial masking accented by a thin bright, white border, and crimson red, waxlike, “droplets” on the wings are diagnostic. Occasionally, the waxwings crest lies flat and droops over the back of the head. The short, squaretipped tail is typically yellow or orange, depending on the diet. The Cedar Waxwing has a short, broad, conical bill, an indication
of its diet of seeds. The sexes are similar in appearance. Their closest relative is the larger Bohemian waxwing, which breeds farther to the northwest. The ecotone, or transitional edge of woodlands with other habitats, particularly with a nearby source of berries and seeds, is the preferred habitat of the Cedar Waxwing. They are attracted to the sound of running water like creeks, bird baths, and fountains, where they can frequently be seen bathing. Cedar Waxwings are sociable, non-territorial, flocking birds, and will often groom each other. Nomatic, post-breeding flocks may number in the hundreds, and occasionally are irruptive with the production of large sources of berries. These flocks may resemble the murmurations of European Starling flocks. Cedar Waxwings and Robins are
This Month’s Special Section:
often seen together, feeding on Pyracantha berries during the winter throughout Contra Costa County. High-pitched whistles and trills, frequently given in flight, characterize the calls of the Cedar Waxwing. Migrating flocks fly at two thousand feet at twenty-five miles per hour.
Senior Services pages 8-9
See WAXWING page 11