SIEGELER 1956 Journal FEB 18 LAKE MERITT, OAKLAND, ALAMEDA CO., CALIF. 200 113 GROUP MEET 8:30 AM - 11:45 AM. WEATHER, COOL, CLEAR VERY SLIGHT WIND, WORKED EAST OF LAKE MERITT FOR WATER BIRDS MOSTLY. LAKE IS IN CENTRE OF OAKLAND WITH LAWN & TREES BETWEEN IT & STREETS WITH HOUSES & BUSINESSES. BIRDS ARE PROTECTED HERE & FED BY VISITORS. WATER IS BRACKISH FROM INTERMITTENT (?) CONNECTION WITH SAN FRANCISCO BAY. MERGELLERNA & SPECIES OF BARNTYEE SEEN ALONG A MARGIN. MALLARDS SEEMED BY FAR THE MOST COMMON DUCK WITH BALDRATES & CANVASBACKS, RUNNIG VERY POOR 2ND & 3RD PLACE. COOTS WERE NEARLY AS NUMEROUS AS MALLARDS. BIRDS SHOWED LITTLE FEAR OF PEOPLE AT LAKE MARGIN ; MALLARDS, COOT & SOME BALDRATES even SWIMMING IN FOR "HANDOUTS". THE "KILLY-KILLY. ETC" CALL OF CAGED SPARROW HAWK AT LAKE DID NOT SEEM TO BOTHER BIRDS AT ALL. ONE CAGED RAVEN (OR WAS IT CROW?) REPEATED PHRASE LIKE "O BOY!" FIRST TIME I HAD HEARD A CORVUS"TALK". MANY DUCKS & GEESE WERE SAID TO BE SEMI-DOMESTIC OR DOMESTIC & PERHAPS [MALLARDS] CROSSED WITH DOMESTIC VARIETIES. BIRDS: CAGED GREE - 9t PINTAIL - 3 PED-BILIG " - 1 CANVASBACK - 25t WHITE PELICAN - 3 LESSER SCUP - 10t BROWN PELICAN - 2 COMMON BALDRATE - 2 (+18?) SANDWICH GOOSE(?) - 8 BUFFLE GEESE - 6 (WINTER DOMESTIC)