Date: 3/20/25 1:18 pm From: Liam Murphy via groups.io <liammsf...> Subject: Re: [SFBirds] lingering wintering birds (including Grace's Warbler) and other misc. observations
I did hear the Grace's sing twice, weakly, when I saw it on Feb 22nd.
Conditions were sunny and fairly warm for that date, the sighting was
shortly after 10am.
Liam Murphy
On Tue, Mar 18, 2025, 12:06 PM Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Yesterday, 3/17, spent some time wandering around the west side of SF with
> the following to report.
>
> The GRACE'S Warbler (1st SF City/mainland record, first discovered by J.
> Facchini 9/24/24) continued at its usual spot, the loose cluster of
> Monterey Pines and cypresses at the edge of Fort Miley /Lincoln Park Golf
> course at the 40th and Clement entrance. This bird can be extremely
> difficult if not impossible to locate if it isn't calling. I encourage
> people to keep looking for it so we can pin down a departure date; maybe
> you'll be lucky to hear it sing.
>
> On Ocean Beach there was still a large number of wintering SNOWY PLOVERS.
> I tallied over 70 spread out in three groups between Moraga and north of
> Lincoln. It's amazing that they persist here considering no visit is
> without seeing multiple disturbance events, whether chased by dogs or being
> pushed off their roost spots by oblivious beach goers. Snowy Plovers are
> already beginning to enter their breeding cycle on beaches on Point Reyes
> so once again repeat visits, even if you already "got them" for your year
> list, are helpful in establishing when these birds completely depart the
> county. A small number of early migrant Whimbrels (5), Marbled Godwits (3)
> and a healthy count of (1200+) Sanderlings were spread out on Ocean Beach
> as well and also frequently flushed (mostly by one off leash dobermann - a
> repeat offender going on 3 years+ based on my notes.)
>
> Around 1:30 I was walking around the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park when
> I heard then saw a swarm of gulls rising up to the north off Spreckels Lake
> and then stunned to see a LEUCISTIC BALD EAGLE circling overhead briefly
> before departing to the east with an escort of Ravens. This bird had an all
> white head and tail but the body and wings appeared a very light gray,
> comparable to the shade of the mantle on a Herring/Ring-billed Gull. A
> similar (or perhaps the same) individual has been noted on a number of
> occasions now in San Francisco and other Bay Area counties.
>
> I was surprised to not see a single Tree Swallow yesterday around nesting
> boxes at the bison paddock where on the same or earlier dates last year
> large numbers were already prospecting for nests.
>
> On 3/16 following surveys on Mount Sutro migrants of note were an apparent
> _ruber_ ssp RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER and an adult male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
> both along the Historic Trail near the junction with the Edgewood trail.
> Speaking of Rufous Hummingbirds, the pair of young males first noted on
> 11/1 last year continued at the Stanyan Trailhead together until 2/16. At
> this point the bird with the more advanced plumage was no longer seen but
> the one with incomplete gorget stuck around longer, seen for the last time
> on 3/13.
>
> Another species rarely noted as an obvious migrant was a Say's Phoebe that
> showed up on the recently cleared hillside above Laguna Honda Reservoir on
> 3/14 and hung out the next day but not seen thereafter.
>
> TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS continued to come to scattered offerings behind the
> Sunset Branch library on Taraval and 22nd ave with (13) still present on
> the morning of 3/16.
>
> Finally; multiple SWINHOE's WHITE-EYES continue to frequent the Waller @
> Clayton block in the Haight-Ashbury district. Multiple birds were first
> noted on 1/21 and as of 3/15 at least two can still be found on most
> visits. They seem to like the Ficus tree in front of 1480 waller as well as
> a large Metrosideros on Clayton about 5-6 houses up the hill from the
> intersection and have also been observed flying into the backyard greenbelt
> on the east side of Clayton. As many as 3 have been noted at once but most
> often I'm seeing a pair. For anyone interested in helping monitor the
> possible expansion of this species I've created a eBird Hotspot :
> Haight-Ashbury - Swinhoe's White-eyes around Waller St @ Clayton.
>
> Spring migration should be ramping up any day now and based on the weather
> forecast (warming trend) next Monday and Tuesday look good for movement so
> plan your work/life schedules accordingly.
>
> Happy birding to all,
>
> Dominik Mosur
> San Francisco
>
>
>
>
