Date: 6/23/26 4:39 pm From: Liam Murphy via groups.io <liammsf...> Subject: Re: [SFBirds] SF Atlas updates/targets
Thanks for the updates Dom, and hello to all,
I wanted to chime in with another potential good breeding species for SF.
Also on Saturday I had an Olive-sided Flycatcher near Fort Scott in the
Presidio that was singing nonstop for a prolonged period (40+ minutes) and
behaving very territorially, chasing other flycatchers and even larger
birds like Brewer's Blackbird away from its perches at the tops of tall
trees.
The precise location is the grove of trees south of Kobbe Ave near Wright
Loop. Wright Loop itself is marked private, but I had good views standing
at the intersection of Hitchcock x Upton.
Approximate cords:
37.797786,-122.473042
Please take a look if you are birding in this area to see if this bird
stays on territory or finds a mate.
Good atlasing,
Liam Murphy
On Tue, Jun 23, 2026, 11:20 AM Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> And an update:
>
> Mike Anderson tracked down the Flicker nest on Mount Davidson yesterday:
>
> https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S361735415 >
> Flicker had been extirpated as a historical breeder in the City until the
> discovery of a nest at Fort Scott in 2013. Nice come back !
>
> dm
> sf
>
> On Tue, Jun 23, 2026 at 11:11 AM Dominik Mosur via groups.io
> <dominikmosur...> wrote:
>
>> Some recent confirmations of note
>>
>> Northern Flicker - confirmed by Liam Murphy this past weekend, two adults
>> with a fledgling were noted on the Battery to Bluffs trail which is
>> essentially within the traditional nesting territory in the Fort Scott
>> maintenance yard. Additional pairs of Flickers have been noted all spring
>> into recent days on Mount Davidson and in the Twin Peaks/Sutro Radio Tower
>> area - so potentially could be confirmed in two additional blocks.
>>
>> Wrentit - confirmed by Daniel Scali this past weekend, adults feeding
>> juveniles in the Presidio Hills.
>>
>> Common Yellowthroat - I observed a male feeding two chicks at the
>> Concrete Bride/S. Lake Merced 6/14. Unfortunately both chicks were
>> Cowbirds. A confirmation is also possible in the block that ends west of
>> the Boathouse at Lake Merced.
>> -----------------
>> Target species still needing confirmations:
>>
>> Ruddy Duck - they nest later than most waterfowl, look for juveniles on
>> Lake Merced (Mountain Lake?) next month
>>
>> Green Heron - there's been a pair around the Concrete Bridge all spring.
>>
>> Western Flycatcher - there's been at least one on territory since April
>> in the Presidio around the Ecology Trail. Also possible around the Jerry
>> Garcia Amphitheater at McLaren. Haven't heard any in Glen Canyon or on
>> Mount Sutro this spring where they've nested or been present well into
>> breeding season in past years but it doesn't hurt to look
>>
>> Acorn Woodpecker - keep checking Lafayette Park
>>
>> Swainson's Thrush- I have some coordinates for likely breeder stakeouts
>> on Mount Davidson/Sutro. Also check around El Polin/Ecology Trail in the
>> Presidio, the big willow stands in McLaren.
>> ----------------
>> Wishful thinking:
>>
>> Western Wood-pewee - a couple of pewees have been noted on surveys of
>> Mount Sutro 5/18, 6/7, 6/19. This species nested on Mount Davidson 2012 and
>> 2013 in very similar habitat. Worth a look.
>>
>> W. Warbling Vireo - this species has only been confirmed breeding in San
>> Francisco once in the last 30+years (Nancy Palmer found a pair feeding a
>> juvenile in the Arboretum in July 2020). This morning 6/23, there was a
>> pair interacting at the east end of Pine Lake in similar looking habitat.
>> Worth a follow up visit if anyone is in the neighborhood.
>>
>> Good luck to all nest searchers. Please don't hesitate to reach out if
>> you have any questions about joining the atlas, breeding codes etc.
>>
>> Happy Summer birding to all,
>>
>> Dominik Mosur
>> San Francisco
>>
>>
>
