Date: 5/20/25 7:42 am From: john tsortos via groups.io <jtsortos99...> Subject: [southbaybirds] SCVBA Pigeon Point, Gazos Creek Field Trip
Hello South Bay Birders,
On Sunday morning, Raminder and I led a group of 9 eager birders on a trip
to Pigeon Point and Gazos Creek in San Mateo County.
The morning started with a seawatch from the observation platform at the
Pigeon Point Lighthouse which featured a steady stream of *Pacific Loons*
trickling past in small, loose groups. These birds are on their way north,
donning their beautiful breeding plumage accordingly. Another constant
presence during the seawatch was the whistling of *Pigeon Guillemots*.
These birds were everywhere, from perching among the rocks, to foraging in
the nearshore water, to flying past the point, giving us great looks at
their white wing patches and bright red feet! The highlight of the seawatch
was a *Rhinoceros Aukle*t which flew in large circles just in front of the
point before diving headfirst into the water mid-flight. A moment later, it
took flight again giving us a few more looks before disappearing into the
water. This is by far the best look I have had at this species from land.
What a treat! Just before leaving the point, a flock of 6 geese flew by,
heading south. 5 of these birds were clearly *Canada Geese*, but the last
bird in the group looked suspiciously like a *Cackling Goose*.
Unfortunately, I got on the bird too late to make a definitive ID.
We then made our way down highway 1 to Gazos Creek beach. An initial glance
at the beach revealed an impressive amount of roosting gulls and a
group of *Canada
Geese* resting along the creek. After a moment of scanning through the
geese, I spotted a much smaller goose, with a small bill and steep
forehead. I’m very confident this was the same bird I witnessed fly south
past Pigeon point half an hour earlier. We spent some time observing the
differences between the *Cackling Goose* and surrounding *Canada Geese*
before making our way onto the beach. The flock of gulls was quite large,
roughly a couple hundred birds. Most of them were immature birds, and at
this point in the season, their feathers were quite bleached. I figured
this was not the best time to torture the group with gull identification,
so we scanned the rest of the shore for other birds. We were excited to see
a flock of 50 *Sanderlings*, most of which were in their subtly detailed
breeding plumage. We spent some time watching these birds re-fuel in
preparation for their arctic-bound migration before we headed back to the
cars.
Our final birding destination for the morning was just across the highway,
Gazos Creek Road. This portion of the field trip is quickly becoming my
favorite of the three destinations. But neither of this year’s winter trips
can compare to the spring chorus we were met with. There was non-stop
singing from *Swainson’s Thrushes*, *Black-headed Grosbeaks*, both *Wilson’s
and Orange-crowned Warblers*, as well as *Purple Finches*. We also had
intermittent participation from *Warbling Vireos*, *Downy Woodpeckers*, and
a distant *Lazuli Buntin*g. While most of these birds were only enjoyed
with our ears, everyone in the group managed at least a few good looks
at *Black-headed
Grosbeaks*, and a few lucky individuals got to appreciate a vibrant,
male *Wilson’s
Warbler* and a skulky *Swainson’s Thrush*.
It was hard to leave this all behind, but before we knew it, the time was
noon, and our stomachs were grumbling. We stopped by Highway 1 Brewing
Company next door to share a meal, some drinks, and highlights from our
morning trip. Thanks to everyone who attended - it was a fantastic trip!
The full trip report can be seen here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/374190
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
