Date: 6/29/26 4:42 pm From: Jane Tatchell via groups.io <Jane...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] "Morris" in Woodside!
Indeed. I saw that checklist too. Unfortunately, the comments don't say whether the bird was there for the full duration of the checklist. The next sighting in the eBird rarities report has it arriving 20 minutes after the checklist started at 12:54, so about 13:15. It's approximately 13 miles in a straight line from where I saw the bird at 11:50 to that favorite spot on the jetty.
I've received suggestions of Caspian Tern or some species of Booby, but neither of those fit what I saw. The wings and flight characteristics were quite wrong for a tern, and the only Booby seen anywhere near here in the past month was a Cocos Booby, which has a quite different plumage pattern of chocolate brown and white, offshore from Monterey Bay. (I've tried quite hard to persuade myself it was a Caspian Tern, since that was suggested to me, but failed.)
It's definitely unfortunate that I didn't get a photo or sound recording, but the bird was flying fast.
I'll just have to hope I see/hear the same thing again and if I see a Caspian Tern, it'll still be a new bird for my local walk.
Jane
From: Christopher Hayward via groups.io <p_t_nymph...>
To: "<chrismac...>"<chrismac...>
Cc: "<peninsula-birding...>"<peninsula-birding...>
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:56:59 -0700
Subject: Re: [pen-bird] "Morris" in Woodside!
The Northern Gannet was reported in his usual spot at the harbor this morning on ebird by a very reliable birder on a list starting at 10.14. Chris Hayward
