Stilt nesting
Mon, 12 Jul 1999 15:05:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: Emilie
On Sunday 7/11 Mike McClaskey & I saw a completely downy Black-necked Stilt chick at the Albany Mudflat from Buchanan St (Alameda County). This is the first time I'm aware that they have bred there - does anyone have other records? There were also 400 to 500 shorebirds back - mostly Western Sandpipers, Willets, Marbled Godwits, Long-billed Curlews. Best time to visit is near the 4.5 tide level.
Presidio of San Francisco - 10 July 1999
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 17:20:05 -0700
From: Arlene Gemmill
Harry Fuller led a large group of birders on a 3.5-hour Golden Gate Audubon Society walk through the Presidio of San Francisco, Saturday morning, 10 July.
Highlights of the trip were great looks at Hooded Orioles; Winter Wren; Pacific-slope Flycatcher; Red-throated Loon; and a pair of Red-tailed Hawk giving (along with deafening screams) flying lessons to their two youngsters (also screaming).
Birds seen by the group included:
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentialis)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Brandt's Coromorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus)
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)
Heermann's gull (Larus heermanni)
Pigeon Guillemot (Ceppphus columba)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - nesting
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) - nesting
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidomax difficilis) - nesting
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Parus rufescens)
Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)
California Quail (Callipepla californica) - nesting
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis)
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) - nesting
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) - heard but not seen
The ABA's May 1999 (Vol. 11; No.5) newsletter Winging It has an article by Harry Fuller "A San Francisco Big Year" which includes some excellent tips for birding in San Francisco, particularly in the Presidio.
Arlene Gemmill