Blog Posts Archive - Page 12 of 137 - Golden Gate Bird Alliance

Beginner’s Luck: My First Golden Gate Bird Alliance Birding Trip

By Kara Henderson

My excitement faded with each step I took as sheets of water fell. I hadn’t received word the field trip—my first—had been canceled, but how many birds would we really see in this weather? Twenty minutes later, I arrived at Fort Mason Community Garden and was greeted by a dozen or so hardy folks. David—a volunteer guide with the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, along with Erica and John—briefed us on the upcoming two hours: “This corner of the peninsula hosts many habitats—186 species of birds were counted last year. We’ll start here, make our way to the bay and then wrap up at the General’s Residence where a Great Horned Owl couple has been spotted once or twice. Birds hunker down in the rain but need to come out for food.” And as if on cue, the rain stopped, and we were off through saturated plots of flowers and vegetables.

Golden Gate Bird Alliance birding group at Fort Mason by Kara Henderson

Our first sightings did not disappoint. A red-shafted Northern Flicker rested on a pine’s crown like a Christmas tree topper. The underside of its wing feathers blazed a fiery streak as it flew away, but its voice was never far for long. Two—TWO!—Northern Mockingbirds fluttered and danced on a picnic table. Anna’s Hummingbirds whizzed past, sooty Fox Sparrows raked and foraged and California Towhees posed. All of them delighted, but my heart and head still hung on three words: Great Horned Owl. Onward.

As we gathered above Aquatic Cove, winter’s chill made itself home within my bones. Western Grebes floated and Brown Pelicans and various gulls soared. But the real scene-stealer, thanks to John’s scope, was the Black Skimmer—12 in all—hiding out among cormorants on the breakwater. More likely found in southern California, catching a glimpse of the skimmer’s striking black-on-white plumage and orange-streaked, scissor-like bill drew smiles as we each took turns viewing. “Just where were those Great Horned Owls?” I asked David.

Black Point Historic Gardens by Kara Henderson

Trekking through Black Point Historic Gardens, I bottled the smell of damp fresh earth in my memory, while the sound of waves hitting the beach and fans cheering on swimmers wafted from the park below. Nearly at the end of our trip, we had been graced by 58 different species of avian life. An embarrassment of riches, I would have gone home with a spring in my step.…

2023 Cal Falcons Hatch Day

By Ryan Nakano

On Tuesday April 11, a photo of a Peregrine Falcon found its way to the top of Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s facebook feed with the text “First chick has hatched!”. At that moment, the Golden Gate Bird Alliance staff hatched a plan.

The aforementioned peregrine, recently hatched chick, other peregrine parent and incubating eggs were only a walk away, resting atop the UC Berkeley campus Sather Tower Campanile. We walked from our new office on Allston Way over to the campus, spotting scope in hand and eyes to the sky.

Three quarters of the way up Campanile Way, one of the Peregrines (Annie? Lou?) swooped down on a crow directly in front of us, before circling and disappearing behind the Campanile. Making our way closer to the tower, we found ourselves circling as well, trying to relocate Peregrine Falcon parents, Annie and Lou. It was hatch day and our hopes were high. So much so, that in my own excitement, I mistook a human’s hand waving from inside the bell tower observation deck for our sought after peregrine couple. To the naked eye, everything can be a bird at the right distance.

Ending up on South Drive street, we trained the scope once again on the Campanile, and this time caught a Peregrine perched upon one of the four torch-like finials just above the bell tower. Of course, staring up from the ground below, we would never see the nest from such an angle. Fortunately, thanks to the Cal Falcons group and their partnership with the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), we had a backup plan!

Making our way back down Campanile Way, we turned one last time to peer up at the tower and caught sight of both Annie and Lou chasing away a Red-tailed Hawk, protecting their hatch site. What a reminder on Hatch Day that new life not only presents a feeling of hope but also an opportunity to commit to protecting those we love.

Descending onto a different scene around 12pm, we met a crowd watching a live feed from the Cal Falcons webcam on the colossal outdoor screen of the BAMPFA building.

Organized by Cal Falcons in partnership with BAMPFA, the 2023 Hatch Day Celebration was underway.

2023 Hatch Day at BAMPFA with Cal Falcons by Ryan Nakano

“It’s Hatch Day, so these peregrines are nesting on the campanile on campus and yesterday one of the chicks hatched and we’re hoping for a couple more today,” explained Cal Falcons organizer Mary Malec who had been tabling and answering questions about the falcons since 8:30 in the morning.…

Bay Birding Challenge Team: Stork Raven Mad

By Keith Maley (Stork Raven Mad Team Captain)

The day’s sunrise at 6:55 a.m. marked the start of the competition, and Team Stork Raven Mad was already gathered on Lake Merced’s concrete bridge filled with anticipation. Marsh Wrens rattled in the reeds. A Clark’s Grebe glided along the still water. A Sharp-shinned Hawk plucked its breakfast of an avian variety in the willow thickets. Male Great-tailed Grackles assembled a lek on the bridge to display in the cold, 45-degree air.

Great-tailed Grackle with visible breath – Rajan Rao

Observing an impressive number of species after 20 minutes at the bridge, the team piled into two cars and headed up to Fort Funston’s observation deck to see what we could over the ocean. Almost immediately, team member Rajan Rao spotted a continuing White-winged Scoter among the many Surf Scoters — a lifer for him! Not far away, a stunning Pacific Loon in alternate plumage preened on the water, affording great scope views for everyone. Two huge birds for the day, and it wasn’t even 8 a.m.!

At Lake Merced’s Harding Park Boat House, disappointment awaited. Failed attempts at a continuing Snow Goose, Northern Parula, and a Great Horned Owl seen sitting on a nest just the day before, were the first major letdowns for Team Stork Raven Mad. That is, until Lisa Bach shouted, “I SEE THE SNOW GOOSE!”– pointing to the end of the fishing dock where the bird stood nonchalantly. More shouting ensued, and we were off to our next destination, but not before Nina Bai picked up on a distant White-throated Swift among the swallows.

On to Ocean Beach for the continuing small flock of Black Scoters and a few lingering Brown Pelicans, which are mostly absent in the city this time of year. We raced to Battery Godfrey to see if there were any migrants moving. There were not. We did grab Wrentit, Spotted Towhee, Peregrine Falcon and a few other key species, but dipped on the long-continuing House Wren. Fort Scott yielded a wheeting Hooded Oriole from a palm tree as we stepped out of our cars. Swallows flew over the field, including a pair of Cliff Swallows. Five meadowlarks foraged in the grass.

Cutting across to El Polin Spring, we spent some time ticking additional species, including an Acorn Woodpecker, and the continuing Blue-gray Gnatcatcher that Dawn Lemoine and Lisa Bach located after some effort. Onto Crissy Field where no less than three breeding-plumaged Red-necked Grebes floated on the bay, and a late Say’s Phoebe hunted for flying insects in the dunes.…

Bay Birding Challenge: East Bay Scrub Jays

By Derek Heins (East Bay Scrub Jays Team Captain)

Team East Bay Scrub Jays – Ilana DeBare

On Saturday, April 1, Anne Ardillo, Dan Roth, Clay Anderson, Alex Henry, Tara McIntire, Jeff Manker, Eric Schroeder and I comprised the East Bay Scrub Jays, competing against the Stork Raven Mad team from San Francisco as part of Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s “Bay Birding Challenge”. We also had Jaewon Lee, a member of the UC Berkeley Bears for Birds Audubon club, with us to help document and capture our “Big Day”.

We executed an extensive plan that took into consideration the unique physical layout of our side of the Bay, timing of tides, and the interesting time of year regarding spring migration.

When planning a one-day effort, it is fascinating to learn when each non-resident species begins its migration movements. In our case, we have a lot of waterfowl and passerines starting their migrations north in March. This often made what a couple weeks earlier was an easy species to find, very difficult. On the other hand, in the week or two leading up to April 1, we started to see reports of spring arrivals such as Wilson’s Warblers and Pacific-slope Flycatchers.

So, with that in mind, we met a few minutes before daylight (the agreed upon start and end times being dawn and dusk) at the Skyline Gate Staging area of Redwood Park, our only scheduled stop high in the Oakland Hills. As expected, our first species recorded was a Great Horned Owl hooting. Fortunately, it was not foggy and as it got lighter, activity picked up nicely as we started finding our key targets including a Varied Thrush singing, both Red-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Purple Finch, Hairy Woodpecker and Townsend’s Warbler. The best bird in that location was an overwintering Townsend’s Solitaire, first heard calling but later seen with great views. We also picked up Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned Hawks and Western Bluebird. Our pipe dream of getting a Pileated Woodpecker didn’t pan out.

Barn Swallow by Tara McIntire

Energized by 36 quality species at our first stop, we drove to Lake Temescal where 20 American White Pelicans were lit up by the morning light. We picked up all five expected swallow species, a Green Heron flew across the lake and two recently arrived Wilson’s Warblers were feeding in the willows.

We then headed down to the Bay at Miller Knox Park where we immediately found a Eurasian Wigeon amongst American Wigeon in the main pond, along with a Gadwall pair.…

Meeker Slough Cleanup for Osprey Nesting Season… and Beyond

By Cathy Bleier

On March 1, just in time for Osprey nesting season, Golden Gate Bird Alliance and East Bay Regional Parks Department (EBRPD) cooperated in a cleanup of the shoreline and marsh edges near Meeker Slough and Stege Marsh in Richmond. Our immediate goal was to reduce entanglement hazards to Ospreys that can occur as they gather manmade materials for their nests.

The Richmond shoreline, which reaches from Point Isabel (by Costco), past Point Molate and on to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, has the highest concentration of Osprey nests in San Francisco Bay (22 nests in 2021). The amount of treacherous debris at Meeker Slough and other marshes can increase dramatically after intense storms, like this year’s and last. Some of the worst offenders are plastic twines, cords and fishing line, but these raptors can also get their talons caught in bags, erosion fabric and even clothing. Results can be lethal for both adults and chicks.

While entanglements can be fatal for ospreys, fortunately the one trailing material here (lower left picture on the posterboard) was disentangled at the Port of Alameda nest by Craig Nikitas of Bay Raptor Rescue with the help of GGBA.

Eager to help, and probably grateful for a break in the rain, over two dozen volunteers showed up for our cleanup event, including members of Golden Gate Bird Alliance, Friends of Meeker Slough, friends of the Osprey cam Ospreys—Rosie and Richmond, and members of the EBRPD public. In total the groups collected around 12 garbage bags worth of waste, adding up to 300 pounds or 360 Gallons of trash, plus some loose pieces of plywood, painted wood, a large plastic cooler, and a plastic bucket.

Golden Gate Bird Alliance volunteers at the Meeker Slough cleanup – Janet Carpinelli

We were also delighted to learn that a few hours after finishing the cleanup, Rosie the Osprey, was seen arriving at her nest at Rigger’s Loft. Rosie’s arrival inspired five of the nest cam’s live chatters to remove a tarp near the nest that had been disintegrating over the past year.

Before and After Meeker Slough Richmond Shoreline Cleanup

Tony Brake, a Richmond resident who has been studying Ospreys since he moved to the area in 2010, has proposed that Golden Gate Bird Alliance hold an annual local cleanup, starting in February. Ideally this would also include Brooks Island (requiring EBRPD cooperation) as well as Point Molate and the Point San Pablo Peninsula where there are over a dozen Osprey nests (a slam dunk Osprey sighting area, by the way).…