Even though SFO was supposed to go to "uplands" today, I took my group first to Myers Point because the south winds might bring migrants such as terns up the lake. I was very gratified to see my first-of-year CASPIAN TERN cruise over the lighthouse, pass right in front of us, and alight among a small group of RING-BILLED and HERRING GULLS on a gravel bar at the mouth of Salmon Creek. This tern had the reddest bill I can recall on this species, perhaps because I don't generally see them so well on their brief spring migration. My SFO group thought I faked the whole event.
Also flying past were a COMMON LOON and a very distant and unsatisfying BONAPARTE'S GULL. Other aerial birds included several TURKEY VULTURES, BARN SWALLOWS, a probable NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and a BELTED KINGFISHER. Water birds included a COMMON LOON, several AMERICAN COOTS, 4 COMMON MERGANSERS (the males also with bright red bills), and several BUFFLEHEAD. We walked around Salt Point and saw a perched immature BALD EAGLE which flew out toward the lake, scattering the gulls, 3 FIELD SPARROWS together along the gravel road (another sang elsewhere), and 3 SAVANNAH SPARROWS on a mud bar in the creek, a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, and a KILLDEER, among others.
We checked Sweazey Rd for the Eastern Screech-Owl, but had no luck in that department. However some of us did see an EASTERN PHOEBE, plus close looks at EASTERN BLUEBIRDS at a nest box.
Finally we went to the farthest up uplands we could find, Mount Pleasant, where we saw on the wires the AMERICAN KESTRELS and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS others mentioned, plus TREE SWALLOWS. We saw some more migration: a trio of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and a trio of GREAT BLUE HERONS. We then searched unsuccessfully for Vesper Sparrow but instead enjoyed the challenge of finding well-hidden SAVANNAH SPARROWS and male and female HORNED LARKS in the dead grass. Our final bird of the day as we tallied our list next to the observatory was the drumming of a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER from the woods across a field.
--Dave Nutter
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