Date: 6/4/26 3:21 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: [SFBirds] some recent breeding bird notes
A few observations of nesting activity in San Francisco I found notable in
recent days:
Band-tailed Pigeons - confirmation for a 2nd block in SF was in Glen Canyon
Park 6/4 with an adult Band-tailed Pigeon feeding a juvenile RED ELDERBERRY
Allen's Hummingbird - a female was collecting nesting material at Pine Lake
6/1 for I presume would be a third breeding attempt of the season
Violet-green Swallow - arrived in Pine Lake Park by mid-March but first
confirmation of nesting was 6/4 when a couple of females were observed
collecting mowed bits of grass near the Pine Lake Clubhouse
Barn Swallow - one pair was tending young (adult observed ingesting a fecal
sac) on 20th avenue across from Larsen Park inside the gated entrance to a
private home 6/1. I've spoken to the son of the owner and they love the
Barn Swallows despite the mess they create. The nest is built on top of and
around their security camera and they have used the previous year's
structure as the foundation for the new nest for a number of years now.
Another pair was collecting material (dried grass bits/mud) at Pine Lake 6/4
Scaly-breasted Munia - first reported at Pine Lake 5/31, multiple
individuals continue in the weedy edges along the north side of the park
from the lake to the dog run. This species has never been noted nesting in
SF but their extended presence here is intriguing and any one visiting Pine
Lake in upcoming days should be on the look out for birds carrying nesting
material. The munia nests can be quite large (almost the size of a
basketball) and should be relatively easy to find. CAUTION - these birds
feed among other things on grass seeds and in the past couple off days I've
noted them appearing to be carrying material but in reality just moving
around with a grass stalk they were feeding on and ultimately discarding.
Spotted Towhee - carrying food in Glen Canyon Park 6/4, localized breeder
in SF
Also today is the start of the inaugural "CBA Big Weekend", see following
for details:
_________________________
Hi birders,
Today marks the start of the inaugural California Bird Atlas Big Weekend,
running June 4–7. Thanks to the tremendous support of the birding
community, 54 field trips and events are taking place across the state this
weekend. See here <https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/bigweekend> for more
information about Big Weekend and a map of scheduled events.
You do not need to join an organized event to participate. Every Atlas
checklist submitted during these four days will count toward the Big
Weekend results. Early next week, we will share a summary of the weekend’s
highlights, including the total number of checklists submitted, the number
of Atlas blocks surveyed, the number of species confirmed breeding, notable
discoveries, highlights from around the state, photos from participants,
and much more.
Be sure to explore Blockboard
<https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/blockboard>, CBA's Progress Dashboard,
to identify blocks that need additional coverage and to see which species
have not yet been confirmed breeding in your local area.
We continue to be amazed by the level of engagement from birders across
California. As of this writing, *4,416 atlasers* have submitted an
incredible *123,911 Atlas checklists* from 7,075 blocks, representing
42.81% of all Atlas blocks statewide.
For a deeper look at Atlas progress, atlasing tips and tricks, notable
recent discoveries, and some of our favorite photos from the past month,
see the latest edition of *Atlas Dispatch* here
<https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/news/atlas-dispatch-may-2026>.
