Towheeblog

Sitting at the western edge of the North American continent, blessed with big parks, over 20 miles of shoreline and long stretches of beach, San Francisco is a migrant magnet.
Highlights today: Brewer’s Sparrow at wooden bridge on north edge of Lake Merced, an early arrival Eared Grebe in the lake. Horned Grebe in Sutro Baths at Land’s End. A feeding frenzy of cormorants and gulls next to Seal Rocks around 4 P.M.
A Least Flycatchers among the migrants at the north end of North Lake this morning. More usual migrants included Cooper’s Hawk, P-S Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow and Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Bullock’s Oriole and Violet-green Swallow. Two Red-necked Phalarope remain in North Lake at the north end.
There were three large congresses of Sooty Shearwater. Two were near the Ocean Beach end of Rivera. The third and largest was offshore below the Ft. Funston hang-glider launch pad. Each congressional session had attracted curious gulls and a few Elegant Terns willing to fly in the forceful wind. Also a single Red-throated Loon flew south past Ft. Funston. No scoters to be seen.
No time to post pics now but my best were of a gathering of Elegant Terns loafing on Ocean Beach, facing into the wind.