Birds from San Fransisco Bay area - 12 April 2023 (1 Viewer)

[Aladdin]

Dear Members and Bird Watchers!

All my birds from Florida are ID thanks to member son bird forum.

Colorado and the grassland and the Rocky Mountains, a gorgeous place. I had a Guide and all birds ID.

Today is the first day birding in the San Fransisco Bay area and I have been busy with my book and I have managed to ID almost all the birds. I have some mystery birds and some IDs with a question mark.

Bird #1, attached picture #1 (Poor picture) that I instantly ID as a Yellow throated warbler as I seen them in Florida. Back in my hotel room I discover that the bird is black under the eye ring instead of white as on the bird I spotted in Florida.

Bird #2, attached picture # (Poor picture) that I ID as a Bufflehead even though the black chin goes deeper down on the throat than the picture in my book.

Bird #3, attached picture #3 is a Barn Swallow, there were many of them and I hve never ever seen such a dark and red Barn Swallow before

Bird #4, attached picture #4 and I have ID this bird as a White Crowned Sparrow. Many in the area, but most of them had white, this one has a grey pattern on the head. Compare picture # 4 and 4-1

Bird #5, attached picture #5 and I ID the bird as a Golden Crowned Sparrow. And I am almost sure that pic #5 and 5-1 are the same bird. Pic #5-2 id full yellow, so does pic #5 + #5-1 juvenile?

Bird #6, attached picture #6, I have no clue. I cannot find this bird in my book

Bird #7, attached picture #7, The reason for me to come to San Francisco, to see one hummingbird and I was lucky the first day. The only ID I can make from the book id Ruby Throated. Black chin and white going back to the rump, and it say in the book: Throat often look blackish. But this bird should net be in San Francisco. See pic #7 + 7-1

Bird #8, attached picture #8 Can this be a House Finch? Picture # 8 and 8-1 is not the same bird

And the last # 9, Cinnamon Teal. everything is OK as per mu book, but the bird in the picture #9 has white feather son the back. In my book there should be no white feathers

Any different opinions about the ID? Would be highly appreciated!

Kind Regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

[Butty]

1. Yellow-rumped warbler.
2. Bufflehead.
3. Barn swallow looking pretty normal.
6. American avocet.
8, 8-1. House finch.
9. Normal cinnamon teal.

 

[rkj]

It would be easier to deal with fewer photos at one time.
Bird 1 is a Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon's type.
2 is a Bufflehead.
3 is a Barn Swallow, probably a male. Much redder than the Eurasian forms as is common in America.
4 are White-crowned Sparrow.
5 are Golden-crowned Sparrows.
6 is American Avocet.
7 are Anna's Hummingbirds.
8 are House Finches,
9 is a Cinnamon Teal. Buff back feathers look white in the bright light.

 

[Aladdin]

Thank you very much Butty and rkj!!

Highly appreciated!

The barn swallow, I have never seen it so dark, almost black and red. But in Europe I see them as white and almost blueish. So know I guess I know that Butty is from USA as the barn swallow looks normal to him!

And the American Avocet, would never had guessed it as it looked like ducks from my far away postion. I looke din my book now and it is exactly as my bird looks but I could not see the bill.

Thank you again, highly appreciated, a lot of new birds for me as well as I have been birding in the south end of the Bay. Tomorrow to the botanical garden to look for more humming birds and to do a whale watching tour to see if there is any birds.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[bunnyrich]

Thank you very much Butty and rkj!!

Highly appreciated!

The barn swallow, I have never seen it so dark, almost black and red. But in Europe I see them as white and almost blueish. So know I guess I know that Butty is from USA as the barn swallow looks normal to him!

And the American Avocet, would never had guessed it as it looked like ducks from my far away postion. I looke din my book now and it is exactly as my bird looks but I could not see the bill.

Thank you again, highly appreciated, a lot of new birds for me as well as I have been birding in the south end of the Bay. Tomorrow to the botanical garden to look for more humming birds and to do a whale watching tour to see if there is any birds.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

The pelagic trip(whale watching tour) is going to be an excellent chance to pick up some cool seabirds and gulls. Be sure to study up on different markings of gulls, terns, alcids, and shearwater and other seabirds. Pelagic birding is the best-and precisely why I’ve got two pelagic trips planned this summer-one to the Farallons which is also off the coast of San Francisco

 

[Andy Hurley]

Looking at the Am. Avocets, I thought I was seeing things, at first I saw 1 bird with 2 legs, but a second head and neck sticking out from the left flank!
(Obviously 2 birds both on 1 leg). It reminded me of the old images of human faces, from fax machines, before copiers and computers were more common, with 2 sets of eyes, from the early eighties.

 

[Aladdin]

The pelagic trip(whale watching tour) is going to be an excellent chance to pick up some cool seabirds and gulls. Be sure to study up on different markings of gulls, terns, alcids, and shearwater and other seabirds. Pelagic birding is the best-and precisely why I’ve got two pelagic trips planned this summer-one to the Farallons which is also off the coast of San Francisco

Hello!

I really hope to see and take pictures of some birds. Without pictures it will be very hard to ID for me

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

Looking at the Am. Avocets, I thought I was seeing things, at first I saw 1 bird with 2 legs, but a second head and neck sticking out from the left flank!
(Obviously 2 birds both on 1 leg). It reminded me of the old images of human faces, from fax machines, before copiers and computers were more common, with 2 sets of eyes, from the early eighties.

Hello!

On this small spot of dry land I counted 8 birds, but they were very far away

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

The pelagic trip(whale watching tour) is going to be an excellent chance to pick up some cool seabirds and gulls. Be sure to study up on different markings of gulls, terns, alcids, and shearwater and other seabirds. Pelagic birding is the best-and precisely why I’ve got two pelagic trips planned this summer-one to the Farallons which is also off the coast of San Francisco

Hello bunnyrich!

I tried to attach pictures to the messenger, but it did not work. So I put them here. It was a fantastic morning in the Botanical garden and I will go back tomorrow again

Pic#1 I have ID this bird as a Californian Towhee

Pic #2 and I have ID this bird as a Rufous- crowned Sparrow

Pic #3 and I have ID this bird as a Hermit Thrush

Pic #4 and I really have no clue what this is

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

The pelagic trip(whale watching tour) is going to be an excellent chance to pick up some cool seabirds and gulls. Be sure to study up on different markings of gulls, terns, alcids, and shearwater and other seabirds. Pelagic birding is the best-and precisely why I’ve got two pelagic trips planned this summer-one to the Farallons which is also off the coast of San Francisco

Hello bunnyrich!

I got 3 new birds on the whale watching, maybe a 4th with the Western Gull, first I thought it was a Herring Gull
I also spotted one Least Tern, almost 100% sure

The last picture is a huge bird. I really huge bird that I have given the ID Black-crowned Night heron, first winter. I have seen many night herons in Asia and also a couple in USA. But this one was huge.

The reason for me to give this ID is of course that there really is no other option for me. But also the eye colour.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[connorco]

For the first set:

1. California Towhee
2. White-crowned Sparrow
3. Hermit Thrush
4. Brown-headed Cowbird

For Set 2:

1. Western Gull
2. Elegant Tern
3. Black-crowned Night-Heron

Least Tern are very local around San Francisco and would be very unexpected away from breeding colonies. Where did you see your possible bird?

 

[Aladdin]

Thank you Connorco!

Highly appreciated!

I had 6 new birds today that I had never seen before. A great day.

Kind Regards
Aladdin

 

[Andy Hurley]

congrats on your lifers, Aladdin. The joys of a first trip to a new part of the world!

 

[Aladdin]

congrats on your lifers, Aladdin. The joys of a first trip to a new part of the world!

Thank you Andy!

 

[has530]

Least Tern are very local around San Francisco and would be very unexpected away from breeding colonies. Where did you see your possible bird?

I don't believe the least terns are back yet. At least the Hayward colony is still empty. There have been 2 reports this year (both in the last week) of a few in Alameda but one of those two was from an eBirder with a...dubious reputation (constantly reporting exceedingly rare sightings never seen by anyone else). Given that and the difficulties associated with Tern ID I feel pretty confident the least terns are not here (the east bay) yet.

 

[connorco]

I don't believe the least terns are back yet. At least the Hayward colony is still empty. There have been 2 reports this year (both in the last week) of a few in Alameda but one of those two was from an eBirder with a...dubious reputation (constantly reporting exceedingly rare sightings never seen by anyone else). Given that and the difficulties associated with Tern ID I feel pretty confident the least terns are not here (the east bay) yet.

Usually they don't show up till late April. I still don't know whether to trust the person your talking about. Certain good local birders believe everything he sees, though I've always questioned many of the reports.

 

[Earnest lad]

The barn swallow, I have never seen it so dark, almost black and red. But in Europe I see them as white and almost blueish. So know I guess I know that Butty is from USA as the barn swallow looks normal to him!

Just to add to the helpful comments already made on this point: It seems (according to HBW) the subspecies of Barn Swallow in your photo is likely to be erythrogaster (unless I am mistaken) wheras the subspecies that you usually see back home (a paler form) may well be rustica. I attach a screenshot in case it is of help.

 

[Aladdin]

Just to add to the helpful comments already made on this point: It seems (according to HBW) the subspecies of Barn Swallow in your photo is likely to be erythrogaster (unless I am mistaken) wheras the subspecies that you usually see back home (a paler form) may well be rustica. I attach a screenshot in case it is of help.

Thank you Ernest lad!

Now I know and I will hopefully not be surprised next time I see the red bird.

I studied the Svensson and there is actually also a red subspecies in Africa, Egypt, SSP savignii deep rust red and Eastern Mediterranean SSP transitiva with reddish buff.

Learning a little every day!

Thanks again, appreciated!
Aladdin

 

[Earnest lad]

Thank you Ernest lad!

Now I know and I will hopefully not be surprised next time I see the red bird.

I studied the Svensson and there is actually also a red subspecies in Africa, Egypt, SSP savignii deep rust red and Eastern Mediterranean SSP transitiva with reddish buff.

Learning a little every day!

Thanks again, appreciated!
Aladdin

You're most welcome! I too am learning - I wasn't previously aware of the reddish ssp in Africa and the Mediterranean.

 

[01101001]

But at least some individuals in America (vagrancy?, individual variation?) appear white on the underside: Cave Swallow vs Barn Swallow, vs ? Troy Meadows Wetlands, Parsippany - New Jersey.

EDIT: And those in Europe might appear reddish as well: Swallow Epping Forest yesterday evening.