What
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)Observer
kb550dDescription
A rather ragged-looking Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) clings to a branch at Crissy Marsh, Presidio National Park.
What
Subgenus PyrobombusObserver
kb550dDescription
A bumblebee homes in on blackberry flowers near North Lake in Golden Gate Park.
What
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta ssp. elegans)Observer
kb550dDescription
Red-eared Slider digging on the shore of Stow Lake.
What
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)Observer
kb550dDescription
A Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) cruising Crissy Marsh with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop.
What
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)Observer
kb550dDescription
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) laying claim to a nest box at the bison paddock in Golden Gate Park.
What
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)Observer
kb550dDescription
Brown Pelicans flying over the bay in iconic squadron formation.
Photos / Sounds
What
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)Observer
kb550dDescription
Brown Pelican spies a meal in the bay...
...and plunges in to catch it.
What
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)Observer
kb550dDescription
Brown Pelican flying close overhead.
What
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)Observer
kb550dDescription
Brown Pelicans winging past a sailboat on the bay.
Photos / Sounds
What
Domestic Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos var. domesticus)Observer
kb550dDescription
Indian Runner domestic ducks (love their long necks and upright stance) with a Swedish Blue domestic at Spreckles Lake in Golden Gate Park, hanging out with the gulls. They must've been dropped there by someone.
2016-07-18
Nine months later they're still there, staying together and moving around the lake. Their coloring has changed, especially the Runners (see the additional photos); they seem bleached out - by exposure? by diet?
What
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)Observer
kb550dDescription
Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) in a tete a tete at Stow Lake. Looked like courting behavior.
What
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)Observer
kb550dDescription
The male Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) who's been hanging out at Stow Lake, his white hood beginning to appear.
Photos / Sounds
What
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Observer
kb550dDescription
Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias) displaying at her nest while three nestlings look on; Stow Lake. See additional views of the heron, nest, chicks.
What
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)Observer
kb550dDescription
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) listening intently on the shore of Crissy Marsh.
What
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)Observer
kb550dDescription
Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) in breeding plumage at Crissy Marsh in the Presidio.
Photos / Sounds
What
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Observer
kb550dDescription
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) listening to gophers moving underground, then it caught one! I watched it catch two, in fact.
What
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)Observer
kb550dDescription
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys), Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park.
What
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)Observer
kb550dDescription
American Wigeon couple (Anas Americana), Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park. Male on the right, female on the left.
What
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)Observer
kb550dDescription
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) seen through a screen of branches at North Lake in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
What
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)Observer
kb550dDescription
A disgruntled-looking Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), molting out of his juvenile plumage, Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park.
What
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Observer
kb550dDescription
A Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias) lifts off from the shore of Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park.
What
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)Observer
kb550dDescription
This aggressive goose was chasing and biting at others in the flock, then he took to the water after another goose, tongue out.
What
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Observer
kb550dDescription
The wings of the Great Blue are so elegant as it glides across Stow Lake.
What
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Observer
kb550dDescription
Something made me look up in time to see this Great Blue Heron flying a branch to his nest at Stow Lake.
What
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)Observer
kb550dPlace
Crissy Field, Presidio, San Francisco County, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, US-CA, US (Google, OSM)Description
A nondescript brown shorebird on the ground, the Willet in flight shows wonderful black and white stripes on its wings.
What
Audubon's Warbler (Setophaga coronata ssp. auduboni)Observer
kb550dDescription
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon's by the yellow throat, seen in the Botanical Garden's succulent patch.
Photos / Sounds
What
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)Observer
kb550dDescription
This young Greater White-fronted Goose was with a flock of Canada Geese, grazing near the Waterfowl Pond in the Botanical Garden.
What
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)Observer
kb550dDescription
A male Bufflehead surrounded by a bevy of female Ruddy Ducks at Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park.
What
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)Observer
kb550dDescription
An immature male Hooded Merganser, ID'd by black and white wing bars and yellow eyes, still with his mam's headgear.
What
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)Observer
kb550dDescription
There was a large flock of Northern Shovelers gyrating in Stow Lake, and nearby this lone Shoveler couple doing their own private dance.