San Francisco in July (1 Viewer)

I'm headed to San Francisco this weekend (July 9 -11) to see Paul McCartney in concert.

I only have the morning and early afternoon on Saturday to try and squeeze in some birding.

My main target bird is the Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Other targets would be Hutton's Vireo, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Spotted Owl, Swainson's Thrush and Winter Wren.

I will have my mother with me who is not a birder so any hard-core birding is out.

I was thinking of heading to the Muir Woods for a half day of birding. I was there with a tour group several years ago and wished we would have had more time there.

Is the Muir Woods the best place to find my target birds? Or would there be a better spot near SFO to find them?

Thanks.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee is easy to find in any wooded area near San Francisco. Muir Woods is also a good place for Winter Wren. Obviously you'll want to be there first thing in the morning before it is overrun with people. Swainson's Thrush is easier to hear than see this time of year, but patient birding in a riparian habitat should eventually turn one up. Hutton's Vireo won't be in Muir Woods; it prefers oaks to coniferous habitat. I'd suggest heading uphill to Mount Tamalpais in the mid-morning once Muir Woods gets crowded.

The two owls are essentially unfindable without hard-core birding (and Saw-whet in particular is far more often heard than seen).

had chestnut sided chikadee at golden gate state park on the 30 june

Thanks guys for your help.

We are going to head to Golden Gate Park tomorrow instead of the Muir Woods. It's closer and appeals a little more to my mom then the Muir Woods.

I did get not-so-great looks at a Chestnut-sided Chickadee at a park next to the Fog City Diner tonight.

Hoping for better looks (and pictures) at Golden Gate Park tomorrow.

Got good looks and so-so photos of Chestnut-backed Chickadee this morning at the Botanical Gardens.