6 replies to this topic

[Vin the Grine]

Hi whatbirders!

I may be in San Francisco for a few days in mid April and I was wondering if the Cali Whatbirders could help me out. I am looking for advice on what birding spots in San Francisco will net me the most lifers. Having never been to the west coast before, I will need alot of western birds. I will need spots that maximize the number of needed species:

Gulls (Heermans, Western, Thayer's, Glaucous-winged) & Shorebirds (Black oyster, Black turnstone, surfbird, tattler, snowy plover) & Cormorants (brandts & pelagic) & pigeon guillemot

Specialty residents (Chestnut-backed chickadee, woodpeckers (acorn, nuttals, red-breasted), rufous crowned sparrow, calif quail, towhee, huttons vireo, bushtit, wrentit, band tailed pigeon)

Migrants leaving and arriving (gc sparrow, townsends warbler, western tanager, bullocks oriole, lazuli bunting, black headed grosbeak, pacific slope flycatcher, western wood pewee)

And, would these birding spots be reacheable through public transportation or is renting a car an absolute must?

Feel free to respond on here or send me a private message!

Thanks in advance!

-TheGrine

[fisherman1313]

Try this link for recent sightings; http://digest.sialia...=one_list;id=63

Try this for local spots reachable by public transit; http://www.goldengat...s/birding-site/

I've never birded in SF but you're probably too late for most of the migrants you mentioned, with the exception of GC Sparrow and Townsend's Warbler. Good luck.

[Doug Herr]

TheGrine:

  ... woodpeckers (acorn, nuttals, red-breasted)

 

It's been quite a few years since I birded San Francisco but IIRC the Nuttall's Woodpecker is more of an east bay & central valley species.  I spent one winter surveying Golden Gate Park birds and not once did I see Nuttall's Woodpecker.  Here in Sacramento they're common; also easy to find east of the Oakland hills and in the lower areas of Sunol Wilderness near Livermore.

 

Chestnut-backed Chickadee should be no problem in Golden Gate Park.  Might be some Rufous & Allen's Hummingbirds too.

[PONYRCR]

My SFO trip wasn't a birding trip so I can't help too much,  I did manage to get in a little birding

I had good luck at the San Francisco Botanical Garden.   I got my lifer Chestnut-backed Chickadee there, plus saw lots of California Quail. 

[JAC66]

You'll likely need a car unless you plan on staying in the City itself and for a number of those birds, you will probably have to get out a bit.  Golden Gate Park is always good -- you'll get the chickadee and others there.  But you'll likely have to head north or south for many others.  San Mateo county has a fine guide from the local audubon society and it even lets you sort by bird:

http://birding.sequoia-audubon.org/

And this might be helpful, as has been suggested:

http://www.goldengat...s/birding-site/

[JAC66]

And you might find this useful.

http://ebird.org/ebi...8&continue.y=10

[spookyjimjams]

For your Black oyster, surfbird, tattler, Cormorants & pigeon guillemot you might try the Seal Rocks area.  These rocks are below the Cliff House Restaurant.

Gulls are everywhere, but anywhere from Fort Point Nat. Hist. Site to the Ferry Building will net you a selection.

The long beach along The Great Highway will get you many sand-based shorebirds.

Everything in your specialty residents line could be found either in the Presidio or Golden Gate Park.  Also the SF Fish & Game Reserve just south of the city.  Some at Lake Merced Park.

Your migrants will be the toughest.  I have only seen GC Sparrows on your list in SF, but they are in the same areas as listed above.

Birding areas on public transportation include GG Park, the Presidio, Fisherman's Wharf, the Cliff House, and Lake Merced Park...Muni goes all over.  http://www.sfmta.com...home/home50.htm