BICKER 1956 FOX SPARROW (PASSERELLA ILIACA) FEB 13 V.C. BOTANICAL GARDENS, BERKELEY, ALAMEDA CO., CALIF. 9:15 AM - SAW 1 IN HEDGE NEAR ENTRANCE TO GARDENS. UPPER PARTS & TAIL RATHER DARK BROWN. SPOTTING ON BREAST HEAVY. 10:00 AM - SEVERAL MORE (3-4) SEEN ON RELATIVELY OPEN SLOPES FORAGING & SCRATCHING NEAR BASE OF SHRUBS & HEDGES. NO CANAL OF SONG GIVEN! BIRD APPEARS MUCH DARKER AND VIBRIANT ABOVE THAN OTHER SPARROWS HERE. FEB 25 STRAWBERRY CANYON, ALAMEDA CO., CALIF. 9:15 - 9:25 AM - SAW 1 SCRATCHING IN LEAF LITTER NEAR SOME S POT THE WHOLE 10 MIN'S. SEEMS TO THROW LEAVES BACKWARDS BUT COULD NOT TELL IF BOTH FEET MOVE TOGETHER OR ALTERNATELY. PR. MINNIE SAID FEET PROBABLY MOVED TOGETHER. HE ALSO MENTIONED OVER PERIODS OF TIME A LOT OF FOREST LITTER MUST BE TURNED OVER BY THESE BIRDS, PROBABLY HELPING IN BREAKDOWN OF NEW LITTER. NO CALLING OR NOTES NOTICED.