BirdingCentral.com - Recent Sightings in California

4 species at Purisima Creek Open Space (California)

Reported by new_birder on November 30, 2008

Species Reported:

California Quail, Red-tailed Hawk, Acorn Woodpecker, Varied Thrush

18 species at Golden Gate Park (California)

Reported by mallards on November 29, 2008

Species Reported:

Canada Goose, Mallard, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, American Coot, Western Gull, Rock Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, American Robin, Townsend's Warbler, California Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brewer's Blackbird

4 species at Rainbow (California)

Reported by mallards on November 18, 2008

The red-winged blackbirds were in the plum trees along 14th, and foraging in the Foods Co parking lot, and on the wires, right along with the much more common Brewer's and starlings. We got to hear a red-winged singing its gurgling song!

Species Reported:

European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, House Sparrow

9 species at Glen Canyon Park (California)

Reported by mallards on November 16, 2008

Species Reported:

Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Western Scrub-Jay, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, White-crowned Sparrow

1 species at Franklin Square Park (California)

Reported by mallards on November 10, 2008

Flock of about 6-8 foraging in the brush on the hillside of the park. I've seen one of these in this location before, but never so many all together.

Species Reported:

White-crowned Sparrow

3 species at B Home (California)

Reported by mallards on November 10, 2008

Mixed flock of 50-80 Brewer's blackbirds, European starlings, with just a few red-winged blackbirds in the mix, too. This is the largest mixed flock i've ever seen in San Francisco.

Species Reported:

European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird

12 species at Hawk Hill (California)

Reported by mallards on November 09, 2008

The hill was replete with hawk counters, whose experience identifying hawks by shape and wing beat helped us know what we were seeing at a distance. We didn't make the merlin or sharp-shinned hawk IDs ourselves, but we did get a good look at them as they soared within 50-100 feet of us. All the small birds we saw were in the pines and the underbrush that covered parts of the hill. The white-crowned ventured very near to us, in a bush, just over the railing near the hawk counting. It was unmistakable. The first new species was the golden-crowned sparrow, which we got a great look at among the seed puffs of the desert brush. It did not sing, but gave short calls. Its golden crown was plainly visible, as were its wing patterns, and gray-buff belly. The varied thrush was the second new species we saw. It only gave us a brief glimpse, but they're distinctive enough that we knew: Orange belly, black stripe across the eye, orange throat, orange stripe (eyebrow) above the eye, and orange and black stripes on the wings. This list is an amalgamation of traits we each saw, as we think there were two individuals, possibly a mated pair. The kinglets were hovering and flitting rapidly between medium-high branches, and low underbrush. They were hard to get an ID on, but after seeing many of them over time in brief-to semi-brief glimpses, we determined that they had one thin white wing bar, a black bar right next to it (further towards the tail), a tiny, dark bill, and a distinctive, partial white eye ring. The yellow wash on the belly was obvious from the first glimpse, but was never brilliant or more concentrated at the throat or rump that we could tell. They made screechy sounds that we matched to the Bird Songs of California recording, but did not sing. The quail were about four in number, on a western slope, standing on a tree stump. One was distinctly male (black mask), while at least two others were female. They didn't make noise in sight, but we were hearing quail-like sounds before and after seeing them. The recording on Bird Songs of California was not exact, but the field guide says individuals vary in voice and they tonal range was very similar. The bushtits were in a cloud, to usual delight. We also saw a brown, sparrow-sized bird in the desert brush, with a thin, white-ish eye stripe. Not identified.

Species Reported:

California Quail, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Bushtit, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow

1 species at B Home (California)

Reported by mallards on November 05, 2008

Brief glimpse and a short call on the tree outside the bedroom window (same place we saw it the first time).

Species Reported:

Yellow-rumped Warbler

1 species at B Home (California)

Reported by mallards on November 02, 2008

On the TV antenna across the street from my home where the House Finches usually sit, a juvenile Cooper's Hawk perched for almost 15 minutes. A finch flew up and seemed not to see the hawk at first, almost landing next to it on the antenna, then flying off a distance and chirping anxiously.

Species Reported:

Cooper's Hawk

2 species at B Home (California)

Reported by mallards on October 25, 2008

In trees along Natoma St.

Species Reported:

Yellow-rumped Warbler, House Finch

1 species at Stanford (California)

Reported by new_birder on October 06, 2008

Species Reported:

Anna's Hummingbird

4 species at Lassen Volcanic NP (California)

Reported by new_birder on August 17, 2008

Species Reported:

Wood Duck, Common Merganser, Clark's Nutcracker, American Crow

11 species at Point Lobos (California)

Reported by bcl05 on August 09, 2008

Species Reported:

Brown Pelican, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Snowy Egret, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, White-crowned Sparrow

12 species at Willow Creek Parkway (California)

Reported by brian k on July 28, 2008

At dusk. Muskrat feeding on reeds and algae in shallow water a few inches deep. A pair of White-tailed Kites. American Bittern flying.

Species Reported:

American Bittern, White-tailed Kite, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, Northern Mockingbird, California Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch

10 species at Folsom path under powerlines (California)

Reported by brian k on July 28, 2008

At 5:30 am. Red-shouldered Hawk calling from tower. Western Scrub-Jay foraging next to a juvenile. Canada Geese flying. American Crows flying.

Species Reported:

Red-shouldered Hawk, Mourning Dove, Acorn Woodpecker, Western Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Mockingbird, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch

11 species at Russian River (California)

Reported by new_birder on July 20, 2008

Species Reported:

Mallard, California Quail, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Mourning Dove, Steller's Jay, Tree Swallow, Bank Swallow, Barn Swallow, Winter Wren

1 species at Irish Town Greens, South San Francisco (California)

Reported by mallards on July 14, 2008

Briefly spotted a male hooded oriole flying into the very top of a pine tree in the park.

Species Reported:

Hooded Oriole

1 species at Yosemite NP (California)

Reported by new_birder on July 06, 2008

I saw this bird at Wapama Falls around noon.

Species Reported:

Canyon Wren

9 species at Capitola Beach (California)

Reported by brian k on July 04, 2008

Brown Pelicans diving for fish close to shore. Brewer's blackbirds nest in the trees near the beach. Unidentified terns and black birds in long lines offshore. Many Pigeon nests made from seaweed under the pier. Sea lions, seals, and otters offshore. A sleeping Western Grebe. A pair of Common Mergansers (look female) under bridge. Tiny fish jumping under bridge at dusk.

Species Reported:

Mallard, Common Merganser, Western Grebe, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Heermann's Gull, Western Gull, Rock Pigeon, Brewer's Blackbird

3 species at Stanford Cactus Garden (California)

Reported by new_birder on June 19, 2008

Stanford Cactus Garden is in full bloom and attracts many birds all year round. Great spot for easy spotting.

Species Reported:

Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, California Thrasher