Date: 10/7/25 6:16 am From: Liam Murphy via groups.io <liammsf...> Subject: Re: [SFBirds] Diurnal migration now (Monday)
Following up on yesterday's messages (thanks Zac and Michael for the
additional info):
Under typically ideal flight forecast conditions at midday, a few migrant
RED-TAILED HAWKS were seen, but besides that surprisingly few raptors.
The swift and swallow spectacle made up for this though. Conservative
counts of 247 VAUX'S SWIFT and 216 swallow species (everything I got eyes
on was VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW but I suppose I could have missed a single of
some other species, there were too many birds to confirm each individually)
went flying by in about 2h20m skywatch session. All birds were headed SSE
in true direct migration, and some quite low (eye-level and surrounding me
from my position). The species were often loosely associated. Flock size
varied considerably, up to 70 of each at a time and maybe 100
combined-species flock. These counts are almost surely under what passed by
my immediate area, and besides that I could see more flocks of this type
miles away when I scanned deep sky.
Also of note, a LARK SPARROW flew in and landed on the rocks near me, then
appeared to continue on its way.
I also had a short morning walk on Bernal Hill yesterday which was
characterized by a big uptick in YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and a bit of visual
migration. SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, CANADA GOOSE (5), RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER,
NORTHERN FLICKER (2), PINE SISKIN, PURPLE FINCH, and a flock of 110
blackbird species were seen/heard in flight.
Small flocks of BAND-TAILED PIGEON were noted in both morning and lunch
sessions.
Similar east wind conditions today, hopefully folks make some time to see
what might be moving! Good luck!
Liam
On Mon, Oct 6, 2025, 3:00 PM Michael Helm <cecinit2007...> wrote:
> We have occasionally seen masses of violet-greens near McNear's brickyard,
> sometimes in the marsh, sometimes in the direction of the McNear's Beach
> park or the quarry.
> Fall and spring.
>
> People often report them on the San Pablo Ridge or Vollmer in the fall
> migration but I've never been there at the right time.
>
> Michael Helm
> Richmond CA
>
> On Mon, Oct 6, 2025 at 12:40 PM Zac Denning via groups.io <zdenning1=
> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the nice report, Liam!
>>
>> Similarly, in the east bay yesterday morning, Bruce Mast and I observed
>> significant numbers of Vaux’s Swifts (73) and Violet-Green Swallows (108) moving
>> past Vollmer Peak, counted individually. At times, the flow was heavy
>> enough to make accurate counts a challenge - and I’m sure many more were
>> moving out of our immediate view.
>>
>> Also obviously on the move, were Northern Flickers (19, almost certainly
>> an undercount) and to a lesser extent (mostly from my later solo peak
>> watch), Sharp-shinned Hawks (5, from several locations). The flickers were
>> mostly migrating lower down through the valleys and lower slopes, so were
>> harder to detect, though we heard them constantly. Migrating Hermit
>> Thrushes were also in abundance, and Red-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches were
>> present in very strong numbers (but difficult to observe movement through
>> trees without more focused effort). A lone Swainson’s Thrush and 4 Brewer’s
>> Blackbirds were also in the mix.
>>
>> Very early on, a small portion of the Vaux’s movement was southward, but
>> after that, all the
>> Vaux’s & Violet-greens were moving north. My guess is that the
>> southbound Vaux’s at least, were already-arrived wintering birds on daily
>> foray from the McNeer Brickyard roost spot (to the north, in San Rafael,
>> Marin Co), while the northbound Vaux’s were still on their way to winter
>> roof spots at McNear, the Healdsburg roost, or further north. The
>> northbound direction of Violet Green swallows at that one moment may be
>> related to wind direction and topography in that particular spot, as one
>> leg of a generally southbound migration. But who knows? The Vaux’s and
>> Violet-Greens were often in loosely segregated or slightly mixed groups.
>>
>> Zac
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM Liam Murphy via groups.io <liammsf=
>> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>>
>>> Impressive numbers of Vauxs Swifts and Violet green Swallows flying by
>>> Bernal Hill right now on a warm east wind. I encourage you to take your
>>> lunch hour outside and see what can be seen.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Liam Murphy
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
