Date: 7/28/26 7:16 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: Re: [SFBirds] recent misc./summer "vibe shift" in effect
Thanks Lee.
Yeah, not sure where this one wandered in from either.
On Tue, Jul 28, 2026 at 19:01 Lee-Hong Chang <lhchang825...> wrote:
> Dom,
>
> Regarding dispersing Great Horned Owl, I saw all three hatch year owls in
> their natal territory in Buena Vista Park last night. Benal Hill's two
> hatch year Great Horned Owls were still there on July 14.
> Therefore, I don't really know where the owl you observed on Corona Hill
> was coming from.
>
> Lee
>
>
> Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
> <https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=US_Acquisition_YMktg_315_SearchOrgConquer_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=US_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100002039&af_sub5=C01_Email_Static_&af_ios_store_cpp=0c38e4b0-a27e-40f9-a211-f4e2de32ab91&af_android_url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?<id...>&listing=search_organize_conquer> >
> On Tue, Jul 28, 2026 at 1:26 PM, Dominik Mosur via groups.io
> <dominikmosur...> wrote:
>
> Migration/post breeding dispersal is underway. People widely use the terms
> "spring" and "fall" migration; but a colleague of mine suggested the term
> "vibe shift" might be a bit less confusing considering Allen's
> Hummingbirds begin arriving in SF by mid January and many species are
> already migrating/dispersing post breeding by the end of June/early July.
> This is quite apparent for anyone visiting shorebirding locales like Ocean
> Beach and the Bayside but it's happening with landbirds as well.
>
> Here are some observations from the last couple of weeks indicating that
> birds are already on the move:
>
> Rufous/Allen's Hummingbirds - presumed Allen's Hummingbirds appear to have
> cleared out early this year. My last sighting of an adult male was 7/8.
> Numbers began to drop noticeably for Hatch-year birds as well by the end of
> the 2nd week of July. For those eBirding you may have noticed that Allen's
> is now flagged as "rare", this is because Rufous can be moving through by
> now as well and the immatures of these two species are extremely difficult
> to distinguish even with good photos. Best reported as Rufous/Allen's from
> here on.
>
> Northern Harrier - a hatch year was flying over the St. Francis Wood
> neighborhood west of Mount Davidson in the afternoon on 7/24 which is
> pretty close to my earliest date for SF but another observer photographed
> two over El Polin Spring on 7/15
>
> Great Horned Owl - a hatch year Great Horned owl dispersing from its natal
> territory was noted on Corona Hill 7/7. May have come from nearby Buena
> Vista Park where they nested. However according to owl breeding monitoring
> work by LH Chang we have approximately ~30 pairs in SF the past couple of
> years.
>
> Belted Kingfisher - on at Pine Lake 7/10 was the first arrival
> post-breeding I've noted
>
> Northern Flicker - 2 at the Clarendon School 7/12, and 3 around the Sutro
> Radio Tower /Twin Peaks7/17 could be evidence of breeding in this section
> of the City, with breeders on Mount Davidson and the Presidio still hanging
> out at those respective sites. I have been noting flickers in the block
> encompassing Mount Sutro OSP/Twin Peaks throughout spring and into early
> summer so it appears they may have nested in 3 blocks in 2026
>
> Western Flycatcher - post breeding dispersants at sites where not known
> to nest in '26 were 2 on Mount Sutro 7/26 and one at Pine Lake 7/27
>
> Hutton's Vireo - post breeding dispersants at sites where not known to
> nest in '26 were on Corona Hill 7/24 and Pine Lake Park 7/27
>
> Western Warbling Vireo - an early migrant/dispersant was at Alemany Farm
> 7/16. three together at Pine Lake Park 7/27 were interesting. I had
> observed a pair here at the end of June, last seen 6/28. However there were
> no further observations until yesterday morning. Could they have nested
> successfully without being detected? Maybe. However I wasn't able to see
> any significant difference in plumage to indicate age and no behavior that
> would suggest it was a family group rather than early migrants on the move
>
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - a small push of these occurred over the weekend
> with singles on Corona Hill 7/25 and Mount Sutro 7/26. On the second day
> other observers also noted them on Mount Davidson and at McLaren Park
>
> Northern House Wren - a tally of four on Mount Sutro 7/26. This is a
> typical count for this site by mid-summer when non-breeders begin to arrive.
>
> RED CROSSBILL - a small push of Crossbills has been noted by multiple
> observers starting at the beginning of July from the Presidio, Mount
> Davidson and Lake Merced as well as two that briefly visited Corona Hill
> 7/17. This species has nested in SF in past years but was not confirmed in
> '26. These birds may be dispersing from nearby breeding territories in the
> Santa Cruz Mountains where they are expected within about 15-20 miles of SF
> (most notably around Skylawn Cemetery off HWY 92 x HWY 35)
>
> Pine Siskin - first arrival on Corona Hill 7/28 joined Lesser Gold and
> House Finches on a residential feeder at the edge of the park
>
> Wilson's Warbler - a worn AHY first arrival on Corona Hill showed up 7/18,
> was still present 7/23
>
> Western Tanager - two early side migrants were at Buena Vista Park 7/21 as
> well as several other reports around the city in the past week
>
> Black-headed Grosbeak - did not appear to nest in SF this year (only one
> record in recent memory from Mount Sutro in 2020) but multiple birds noted
> in recent days from Mount Davidson as well as one on Mount Sutro 7/26 are
> probably early migrants/dispersants f
>
> Lazuli Bunting - first migrant/dispersant of the season was noted with a
> mixed flock of House Finches er al in West GGP near Bercut 7/28
>
> Swinhoe's White-eyes - continue to be observed around the Haight-Ashbury
> where they nested this spring with two on Waller at Clayton 7/22 and 3
> birds reported yesterday from a few blocks away. Seems like they are here
> to stay for now.
>
> Happy Summer Birding,
>
> Dominik Mosur
> San Francisco
>
>
>
>
