Date: 4/13/26 6:37 pm From: David Armstrong via groups.io <darmstrong99...> Subject: [SFBirds] Presidio pedestrian Big Day
Hi SFBirders
Today Matt Z, Bob H and I spent 10 hours touring the Presidio on foot and compiled a list of 96 total species observed over the course of a 12-mile walk. Our route was generally counterclockwise, beginning and ending at the Golden Gate Bridge, and visiting as many hotspots as feasible during that time. We enjoyed great weather conditions and decent bird activity in multiple locations. We observed no rarities, but did have a few sightings of note along the way:
- we swept the expected swallows including 1 Cliff at Fort Scott. There were also numerous groups of white-throated swifts seen at various locations- at least 60 Band-tailed Pigeons flying over in multiple different flocks throughout the morning- Green Heron in the reeds along the western edge of Mountain Lake- conditions at Crissy Lagoon were very challenging with high water levels and no ducks or grebes, however we did pull out a few Least Sandpipers and a Dunlin at the NW corner of the lagoon- Fort Point produced our only Clark's Grebe (species # 96) as well as numerous Pigeon Guillemots, Caspian Tern, Elegant Tern and Common Murre. Peregrine seen on the bridge- 2 Wrentits heard - 1 in the expected location along Batteries-to-Bluffs trail and a second in the upper reaches of Lobos Dunes- Lingering Golden-crowned Sparrow (2) and White-throated Sparrow (1) on Simonds Loop
There were few western migrants on the day but we did have a calling Lazuli Bunting early in the morning in the weedy field at Fort Scott.
In the non-avian category were numerous interesting butterfly species and a gray whale just off Baker Beach.
All in all a great spring day of birding - full checklist at https://ebird.org/checklist/S321404022 David, Matt, Bob
