Date: 11/22/25 11:47 am From: Ronald- Thorn via groups.io <Tronthorn...> Subject: [pen-bird] Palm Warbler in Belmont
This morning, Leonie and I noted a Palm Warbler at the end of Sem Lane in Belmont. The Palm Warbler was foraging in the Sweet Fennel behind the Public Shore sign at the beginningof the trail. During the week, there was a gray-headed Orange-crowned Warbler in bottlebrush along the trail.
Ron Thorn, Leonie Batkin
Date: 11/20/25 4:43 pm From: David Assmann via groups.io <david_assmann...> Subject: [pen-bird] San Francisco CBC training session this Saturday; High Counts from 2024 and Registration Links for the 2025 Count
The results of the 2024 Count have now been compiled by Audubon, and the San Francisco Count had the highest number of birds counted for a number of species. We had the highest count in the country for Townsend's warblers with 539; White-crowned Sparrows with 3,480; Orchard Oriole with 4; Western Gull with 3,701; Anna's Hummingbird with 1,343; Red-Masked Parakeets with 208; Common Raven with 1,538 and Hermit Thrush with 395. We were also one of only three counts in the country to report a Grace's Warbler; and we recorded the first ever Jouanin's Petrel for a CBC Count in the United States!
Registration for the Monday December 29th San Francisco Christmas Bird Count is open. You can register as a Field Observer or Feeder Watcher, and you can also sign-up for the Count Dinner at the links below. Participation is free; the cost of the optional dinner is $35.
The San Francisco Christmas Bird Count covers all of the City of San Francisco, and the northern part of San Mateo County. You can see a map of our Count Circle at https://cbcviewer.appspot.com/map (select San Francisco on the drop down menu).
Thanks to the generosity of San Francisco Baykeeper, we will have access to a boat to survey birds in San Francisco Bay.
On Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:29:14 +0000, "Marty Freeland via groups.io"
<martinf3...> wrote:
>Stopping at Water Ln on the way out of Pescadero, I was surprised to see a Cattle Egret (or Western Cattle-Egret) in a horse paddock (so maybe a Western Horse-Egret). It was very cooperative and a fun bird to spend time with. There are only ~3 records from the county over the past decade, one of which involved two individuals. This species was formerly regular in the county and Ron Thorn described their arrival as typically taking place just after the first rains of the fall (https://groups.io/g/peninsula-birding/message/5978). Although no longer as regular in the county, that is still the context in which this one showed up!
--
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA
Date: 11/19/25 4:46 pm From: Ronald- Thorn via groups.io <Tronthorn...> Subject: [pen-bird] Pigeon Pt. seawatch and notes from other locations
Yesterday 11/18, I did a seawatch from Pigeon Point. Clear visibility out to the horizon. Somewhat slow, where most of the activity were feeding frenzies spread out over the horizon madeup of pelicans, gulls and murres. Here is a partial list of what was noted. ( 3,705 ) Surf Scoters, ( 1 ) male Black Scoter, ( 1 ) male Red-breasted Merganser, ( 400 ) Red-throated Loons,( 6 ) Common Loons, ( 610 ) Pacific Loons, ( 1 ) Northern Fulmar, ( 1 ) Pink-footed Shearwater, ( 23 ) Bonaparte's Gulls and ( 8 ) Black-legged Kittiwakes. After the seawatch, a WanderingTattler was with Black Turnstones on the rocks south of Pescadero State Beach during high tide. A run of White-throated Sparrows in the county the last couple of weeks, where ( 1 ) was along Tunitas Creek Road. On the 16th, Leonie and I were surprised to note ( 13 ) Bonaparte's Gulls on the Redwood Shores Lagoon. I only note about a couple every November along the bayside.
Ron Thorn, Leonie Batkin
Date: 11/17/25 5:53 pm From: Peter Metropulos via groups.io <pjmetrop...> Subject: [pen-bird] BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, SWAMP SPARROW,etc.
On Saturday,11/15/25, there was an adult male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE among a flock of about 20 Common Goldeneyes at the north end of Marina Lagoon near Third Avenue,San Mateo. This is a week or two earlier than normal for this local and rare species in San Mateo County.An adult SNOW GOOSE with Canada Geese at the same location may have been the same bird reported at Coyote Point the previous day.A SWAMP SPARROW emerged from the edge of a brackish marsh to feed with other sparrows.The wintering BURROWING OWLS at Seal Point Park have attracted the attention and admiration of birders,as well as joggers,dog-walkers,cyclists,and other curious folks. The first arrival appeared in October and now there are Five individuals,the same number I found here last winter.I checked the shorebird roost along the Foster City breakwater(off Beach Park Blvd) at high tide. Our local BLACK SKIMMER population continues to climb. I counted 206 individuals. The first nesting in San Mateo County was in the Menlo Park saltponds in 1996 and they have continued to increase ever since.
Peter J.Metropulos
Highlights from the past week or so have included a Cattle Egret, a teal-shoveler hybrid, a returning American Redstart, and new Black-and-white, Tennessee, Nashville, and (wintering) Wilson's warblers.
On 11/17, I was going to bird north coast neighborhoods all morning but 30+ kt winds made this challenging. A short seawatch from Montara was not very productive, although some loons were moving (and Logan Kahle and Caitlin Chock had more than 30,000 Pacific Loons at Pigeon Pt). Checking locations in eastern Montara sheltered from the strong west winds, I had a Nashville Warbler on Ivy Street, a group of Golden-crowned Kinglets by the Valverde Rd pastures, and a White-throated Sparrow at the base of June Hollow Rd.
On 11/16, a Black-and-white Warbler was along Honsinger Ck at Tomkat Ranch in Pescadero, seen during surveys. This private ranch can be accessed only with prior permission. Stopping at Water Ln on the way out of Pescadero, I was surprised to see a Cattle Egret (or Western Cattle-Egret) in a horse paddock (so maybe a Western Horse-Egret). It was very cooperative and a fun bird to spend time with. There are only ~3 records from the county over the past decade, one of which involved two individuals. This species was formerly regular in the county and Ron Thorn described their arrival as typically taking place just after the first rains of the fall (https://groups.io/g/peninsula-birding/message/5978). Although no longer as regular in the county, that is still the context in which this one showed up! Later, I checked some neighborhoods in the Half Moon Bay area. A female American Redstart was at Frenchman's Ck Pk in Half Moon Bay, likely a returning bird present for at least its second winter, and both a new Tennessee Warbler and a cool-looking Audubon's x Myrtle hybrid Yellow-rumped Warbler that gave calls like a Common Yellowthroat were in El Granada neighborhoods.
On 11/14, stopping at the end of Bloom Ln in Half Moon Bay on the way back from surveys at Tomkat Ranch there was a Wilson's Warbler in Arroyo Leon riparian. Bonaparte's Gulls were at the mouths of Pescadero Ck and San Gregorio Ck.
On 11/13, Noah Eckman and I seawatched from Pigeon Point for part of the morning. Conditions were Beaufort 6–9 with southerly winds and rain squalls. We noted relatively little movement. Nearly all of the 100-some southbound loons were Red-throated. 2 male Black Scoters were with southbound Surf Scoter flocks. Numbers of Bonaparte's Gulls were moving south and six Brant were headed north.
On 11/12, a hybrid Blue-winged Teal x Northern Shoveler was at Nob Hill Pond. This is a returning bird first noted in fall 2022 (unless it is the same individual as a record from April 2017) by Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin. Ron Thorn and Pat Boor had previously encountered it this fall. It is a striking and distinctive-looking duck. Male Northern Shovelers can show a diffuse white crescent on the face and such birds are sometimes erroneously reported as BWTE hybrids. Several such birds are also at Nob Hill Pond at the moment. Peter Pyle has noted that the incidence of this plumage may be higher in the southern part of Northern Shoveler's wintering range, which is interesting.
Date: 11/14/25 11:26 am From: Ronald- Thorn via groups.io <Tronthorn...> Subject: [pen-bird] Snow Goose at Coyote Pt.
An adult Snow Goose was foraging on the lawn with Canada Geese near the beach area at Coyote Point County Park in San Mateo. There was also a hatch-year Aleutian CacklingGoose.
Ron Thorn
Date: 11/13/25 12:07 pm From: maliadances via groups.io <maliadances...> Subject: [pen-bird] San Mateo County Cumulative Year-list Report for --- October 2025
*Greetings Pen-birders,*
San Mateo County birders found a total of 10 species that were new for the year by the end of October. The 10 new birds will bring the total species observed by the end of the tenth month to 327. In reading the following, please note, the number in parenthesis next to the bird name is the rarity code assigned for San Mateo County birds. *From the link below* , you can *see definitions for the rarity codes,* *download a checklist* which shows seasonality, frequency, and county breeding information, *find a full list of the birds* observed so far in 2025 *, plus* *all monthly reports going back to 2009*
*Here are the new birds for October, their finders and locations where found:*
One WHITE-WINGED DOVE (5) was observed at a home feeder in Pacifica by Paul Donahue. While birding Pie Ranch in Pescadero, Marty Freeland found a BLUE-HEADED VIREO (6). Gary Deghi spotted a YELLOW-GREEN VIREO (6) at Ocean Colony. During a visit to Maverick’s Beach at Pillar Point, Cricket Raspet encountered a LAPLAND LONGSPUR (5) feeding in the wrack. Similarly, a SNOW BUNTING (6) was feeding in the wrack at the beach below Mirada Surf County Park found by Joanne Kerbavaz. Kent Forward photographed a BREWER’S SPARROW (4) at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin discovered a MAGNOLIA WARBLER (4) at Shorebird Park off of Marine Parkway in Redwood Shores. While birding along Gazos Creek Rd. Jari Toivanen picked out a CANADA WARBLER (4) in the riparian habitat. Coming to a feeder was a PAINTED BUNTING (6) in Donna Pomeroy’s El Granada yard. Avis Boutell obtained photos of a DICKCISSEL (6) at a blufftop location in Moss Beach.
*Birding San Mateo County:* There are plenty of ways to see birds. Did you know *The San Mateo County Bird Alliance leads birding Field Trips* on a regular basis? To join a field trip, check out their schedule here: http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/fieldtrips.html
*To stay informed of the latest bird news, consider creating an account with both Peninsula Birding (Pen-bird) and eBird.* To join eBird, simply go to https://ebird.org/home and create an account. To join the Peninsula Birding group, join here: https://groups.io/g/peninsula-birding You can post your sightings there and be kept informed of sightings throughout the county including discussions about birds, population trends, where-can-I-find topics, events, field trips, webinars, pelagic trips and conservation issues. You can engage with other members of the birding community and can connect with online/offline discussions.
*This Report:* As a volunteer for the San Mateo County Bird Alliance I gather content for this report, each month, by primarily using eBird and Pen-bird. When posting to Pen-bird, please include the location and date of your sighting in either the subject line or in the body of your email. If you don’t use eBird or Pen-bird, you can always email me directly. Thank you!
If you have questions or comments regarding this report, or if I missed something,
Date: 11/12/25 7:53 am From: Ronald- Thorn via groups.io <Tronthorn...> Subject: [pen-bird] Santa Cruz Mountains skywatch 11/10
On the 10th, I did a early morning skywatch from the Skylawn Cemetery. I took advantage of the clear visibility. Fog free! I noted birds moving along the ridges. In the two hour watch, mostof what was coming through were frugivores. Raptors noted was another Rough-legged Hawk in the county in the last several days. This species has declined in numbers and rarely makesit to the county. Are there more to come? Other raptors were ( 1 ) White-tailed Kite, ( 1 ) Sharp-shinned Hawk, ( 2 ) Northern Harriers, ( 4 ) Red-tailed Hawks and ( 2 ) Golden Eagles. Otherspecies noted were ( 162 ) Band-tailed Pigeons, ( 3 ) Tree Swallows, ( 280 ) American Robins, ( 46 ) Varied Thrushes, ( 230 ) Cedar Waxwings, ( 1 ) American Pipit, ( 3 ) Purple Finches,( 4 ) Red Crossbills, ( 3 ) Pine Siskins and ( 6 ) Lesser Goldfinches
Ron ThornÂ
Date: 11/11/25 4:50 pm From: San Mateo County Bird Alliance via groups.io <office...> Subject: [pen-bird] November 13 Monthly Meeting
*November 13 7pm– Zoom*
Border to Border: Tracking American Kestrels in California Using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System
Teresa Ely is a raptor biologist specializing in migration and long-term monitoring. She is currently using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to study American Kestrels across California, with a focus on wintering populations at the Salton Sea. She has also applied Motus to track Sharp-shinned Hawks, expanding our understanding of raptor movements across the region.
Teresa is a Golden Eagle Biologist with East Bay Regional Parks and contributes to international raptor research collaborations through Boise State University's Raptor Research Center. She previously managed a long-term fall raptor migration banding station in the Marin Headlands, where she trained hundreds of volunteers and led large-scale monitoring projects. Her broader fieldwork experience includes studies of Swainson's Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Ospreys, and Great Gray Owls, providing her with a comprehensive perspective on raptor migration and movement patterns across diverse landscapes.
A Red-necked Grebe was with Horned Grebes on the bay off of the Anza Fisherman's Park in Burligame. In Colma, a Lucy's Warbler was foraging with an Orange-crowned Warblerin the bottlebrush near the ponds on the north side of the entrance road for the Cypress Lawn Cemetery.Â
Ron Thorn
Date: 11/10/25 8:54 am From: Marty Freeland via groups.io <martinf3...> Subject: [pen-bird] Recent notes: Yellow-breasted Chat, inland Brant, Orchard Oriole, Worm-eating Warbler, etc.
Hi all,
Highlights from the first week or so of November have included a late Yellow-breasted Chat, an inland Brant, a new adult male Orchard Oriole, a Tropical Kingbird, two new Tennessees and two wintering Black-and-whites (likely continuing), and a presumably continuing Worm-eating Warbler. It continues to be a strong year for Orange-crowned Warbler (especially but not solely gray-headed Orange-crowns) and Ruby-crowned Kinglet; White-throated Sparrow numbers also have felt very high over the past several days in particular. Regionally it seems to be shaping up to be a great year for Rough-legged Hawk and we should be on the lookout for more in San Mateo!
On 11/1, I birded the south coast for most of the day. At Pie Ranch, a Tropical Kingbird was flycatching from the ranch buildings and powerlines and a Tennessee Warbler was in the scrubby willow stuff on Green Oaks Ck, which in the actual farm area is really just a small ditch. It continues to be a great year for Tennessee Warbler! Malia recently created an eBird hotspot for Pie Ranch, so please consider moving your checklists there if you have visited. Numbers of birders have been able to see the Tropical Kingbird and were also able to see the Blue-headed Vireo earlier this year, which is awesome. If you are at Pie Ranch while the farmstand is open, please consider buying something to help keep the ranch folks positively disposed toward birders. Later in the morning, 2+ Horned Larks were in the newly plowed field just north of the Gazos Ck beach parking lot. Horned Larks are fairly regular in very small numbers in fields on the south coast late in the season, but usually in much more inaccessible locations! Two Black-and-white Warblers several miles apart on Stage Rd., one at Seaside School Rd. and one near the sapsucker grove toward the south end, were each about a quarter-mile from locations that had Black-and-whites earlier in the season: Seaside School from 9/21–10/1 and southern Stage Rd. on 10/19. My guess would be that the Seaside School individual is a new, different bird and that the southern Stage Rd. bird is continuing, but those are just guesses.
On 11/3, I birded the Colma cemeteries and flowering eucs at Orange Memorial Park. I was shocked to see a Brant at Cypress Lawn Cemetery, bullying coots and walking around through the bushes by the entrance ponds. I do not know of other inland records of Brant from San Mateo Co., and Ron Thorn kindly let me know that he does not know of any either, so it seems that this may really be a first interior record for the county.
On 11/6, I checked a couple restricted-access south coast farms early in the morning after duly getting permission from their owners. A White-throated Sparrow and what I believe are the new record-holders for the most coastal population of Acorn Woodpeckers in the county were at Santa Cruz Permaculture, near Ano Nuevo (and in San Mateo County). The woodpeckers have old established granaries and everything and yet are just 550–650 m from the ocean.
On 11/8, Mei Li Palmeri and I birded the south-central coast from Half Moon Bay to Whitehouse Ck. A Yellow-breasted Chat was at the HMB WTP in the middle of the morning. Yellow-breasted Chat is a scarce migrant in the county and exceptional in November: this is the latest record that I am aware of for the peninsula. My feeling is that this likely represents a late migrant, as opposed to an attempt to winter, but I suppose wintering is also a possibility: however, NorCal has only c. 5 winter records of chat to my knowledge and there are many more records of presumed migrants from the first few days of November. This chat appeared consistent with the expected western subspecies. Later in the day, the Loggerhead Shrike first reported by Troy Pittock was still at Verde Rd x Purisima Ck Rd.
On 11/9, I birded the central coast with Caitlin Chock, Chris Henry, and Alex Castelein. An adult male Orchard Oriole and two Tennessee Warblers together were in Ocean Colony. Ocean Colony is a private neighborhood that can be accessed only with permission. It continues to be an amazing year for Tennessees in the county! Also at Ocean Colony were three White-throated Sparrows in different locations, and another was along Miramontes Creek a short distance to the south. Yet another was in the brussels sprout fields by the Johnston House. Checking Arroyo Leon from the edge of Our Lady of the Pillar Cemetery in east Half Moon Bay, a Worm-eating Warbler first spotted by Chris eventually gave us excellent looks as it foraged in the creekbed almost directly below us. This is not too far from the area where Richard Jeffers' bird was in late October and is almost certainly the same individual, although it is on a different creek. These views were much better than the ones many of us had on the day when Richard discovered the bird.
Date: 11/6/25 4:23 pm From: Chris M. via groups.io <chrismac...> Subject: [pen-bird] Crystal Springs and Año Nuevo CBCs - please volunteer
Hello birders,
As you all are planning your CBC participation this year, please remember
that the Crystal Springs and Año Nuevo CBCs are some of the most fun and
species-rich counts around, so do consider joining us.
You can sign up here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSesKWCyYWf3x_0JYKqfCpx69YbgqauWT4TiERQ4MNAJCwBp_A/viewform>,
or let me know which count(s) you'd like to join.
Participation is free (dinner after the count is $20).
We are happy to have experienced counters, new counters, young birders,
hiking birders, urban birders, all kinds....
Please get in touch with your questions if you are unsure about
volunteering.
There are also opportunities to do a "feeder count" in your own garden if
you prefer.
The SMCBA webpage <https://smcbirdalliance.org/CBC.html> has an article
about what to expect. We are planning to have an outing for new people to
learn what a count day is like.
Date: 11/5/25 12:18 pm From: susan hons via groups.io <susieturtlewings...> Subject: [pen-bird] American Goldfinches & White-crowned sparrows in San Carlos.
Nice little flock of AMGF and two WCSP at the feeders this morning in San Carlos.
Date: 11/5/25 9:45 am From: David Assmann via groups.io <david_assmann...> Subject: [pen-bird] Registration for the 12/29/25 San Francisco Christmas Bird Count is now open
Registration for the Monday December 29th San Francisco Christmas Bird Count is now open. You can register as a Field Observer or Feeder Watcher, and you can also sign-up for the Count Dinner at the links below. Participation is free; the cost of the optional dinner is $35.
The San Francisco Christmas Bird Count covers all of the City of San Francisco, and the northern part of San Mateo County. You can see a map of our Count Circle at https://cbcviewer.appspot.com/map ( https://cbcviewer.appspot.com/map ) (select San Francisco on the drop down menu).
Thanks to the generosity of San Francisco Baykeeper, we will have access to a boat to survey birds in San Francisco Bay.
Date: 11/4/25 10:17 pm From: maliadances via groups.io <maliadances...> Subject: [pen-bird] Lesser Black-backed Gull at Gazos Creek Beach 11/4/25
Hi all,
I spotted what looks good for a Lesser Black-backed Gull today 11/4/25 at Gazos Creek Beach just south of Pescadero. It was with a huge gull flock consisting of at least 700 California Gulls on the beach just south of the creek outflow. The gull flock was very flighty and easily disrupted. After the initial sighting, we watched it fly with a group of gulls into the lagoon where we re-found it. All the gulls in the lagoon spooked and flew off. But I relocated it on the beach further south after a substantial search. Photos here https://ebird.org/checklist/S282930440
Date: 11/4/25 10:43 am From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: [pen-bird] coastal notes from 11/3/25
spent the day birding along the San Mateo County coast yesterday from south of Half Moon Bay to near the county line.
Some observation of interest to me include:
White-winged Scoter - solo bird flew by north past Pomponio Creek Beach during a brief seawatch
Common Goldeneye - the first arrival I noted this fall was at Lake Lucerne of Bean Hollow Rd. This bird arrived at least the day before per eBird checklist from Alane Gray
Bald Eagles - a very vocal pair was kicking up the waterfowl on Pescadero Marsh near sunset and perching together in one of the big blue gum eucalyptus at the north edge of the marsh
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE - in the coastal prairie zone west of HWY 1 between Whitehouse and Cascade Creeks in the morning. Appeared to move off - possibly east of the highway where this species is somewhat regular in recent years outside the breeding season
Tricolored Blackbirds - good numbers encountered throughout the day including 2200+ on both sides of HWY 1 in the area of Bob's Pumpkin Patch/Verde Rd/Cowell-Purisima trail. smaller flocks also present in the ag land south of Pigeon Point to Cascade Ranch. In total well over 3000 on the day.
PALM WARBLER - one was associating with a mixed sparrow flock just off HWY 1 near Cascade Ranch.
Despite making a number of stops in appropriate habitat I was unable to find very many American Pipits yesterday. American Goldfinches were also oddly scarce.
