Date: 9/18/26 6:13 pm From: Aidan Sinha via groups.io <aidansinha...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Nutcracker/montane invasion year
Hi all,
No sightings in SCC yet, but over the last day there have been nutcrackers reported in the East Bay, San Francisco, and even a single apparently offshore in Mendocino. It seems this year birds have been irrupting out of the Great Basin - many nutcrackers have been in Santa Barbara as well recently, and Pinyon Jays have been reported in some sites across SoCal though in smaller numbers.
It does seem that the invasion has hit the Bay Area however, so it would definitely be a good time to start checking high elevation sites within the county. Some sites could include Monte Bello, Loma Prieta, Mount Umunhum, Mount Madonna, and Skyline Boulevard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Diablo Range, including Henry Coe SP and Mount Hamilton/San Antonio Valley Roads, are also possibly worth a check.
In addition to the corvids, Evening Grosbeaks and Red-breasted Nuthatches are also apparently having an invasion year, so these could also be good targets to search for. Good luck to everyone searching and happy fall birding!
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