Date: 11/2/24 7:33 pm From: Marty Freeland via groups.io <martinf3...> Subject: [pen-bird] Recent notes: OVENBIRD, etc.
Hi all,
This afternoon I found an Ovenbird along Pescadero Creek in the riparian just west of the gas station, at about (37.25246, -122.38432). To access this location, park in the gas station parking lot and walk west across the small field to the edge of the riparian and then north along it for a short distance to get to the pin. To the best of my knowledge, access to this area is not restricted (and I have never had any issues birding here). The most recent Ovenbird record in the county was along Tunitas Creek on 9/26/2016 (Ron Thorn). I believe this bird may be the latest on record in the county; at this late date, there is a chance that it may be attempting to winter. Photos and further details will be on eBird.
In other notes from the past week, skywatching from the far north end of Skylawn Cemetery on Wednesday morning (10/30) I noted little movement; there were southbound trickles of Band-tailed Pigeons, Varied Thrushes, etc., but numbers were low. Cassin's Finch have been present in numbers in the Diablo Range already this season and should be looked for in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unfortunately I did not pick up on the flyover Townsend's Solitaire that Ron Thorn observed on the same morning from some other part of the cemetery. Later in the morning, another Nashville Warbler was at Arroyo Leon near the Johnston House.
In the late afternoon on Tuesday (10/29), two Tropical Kingbirds were along Denniston Creek near the southern end of the HMB airport.
Last Sunday (10/27), a Burrowing Owl flushed off the large bare hill at Mussel Rock Park in Pacifica at dawn. Although still locally regular along the bay, Burrowing Owls are now quite rare on the coast. Spending a couple hours cruising around residential Daly City did not turn up the White-winged Dove reported the previous day. A Nashville Warbler was in the tiny willow patch just NW of the pin at which the Blue Grosbeak was photographed the day before. (Others also had the Nashville earlier in the day.)
In the early afternoon on the same day, birding weedy fields around Bob's Produce Stand produced two Chipping Sparrows, a Clay-colored Sparrow, and a Palm Warbler in quick succession. Most of these were along the edges of the upper portion of the field near Verde Rd. This parcel of farmland is loaded with weedfield birds and is open to the public during pumpkin season as it includes a large pumpkin patch. The plowed field just to the north looks absolutely excellent for longspurs, Horned Lark, etc., but is unfortunately inaccessible. But you could luck into a flyover.
