The highlight was a CASSIN'S AUKLET I scoped on the smooth water perhaps 50 yards out at most. After about a minute it took off and flew W. Perhaps blown in by the strong recent winds.
Other observations of local interest:
Surf Scoter 1 m. (flying N)
W. Grebe 2
Clark's Grebe 2
Killdeer 1 (flying and calling across the Great Highway)
Heermann's Gull 2
Caspian Tern 4
Pigeon Guillemot 21 (flying and on the smooth water)
Com. Murre 880 (many small flocks)
Red-thr. Loon 4 (2 alt., 2 basic)
Pacific Loon 5 (1 alt., 4 basic)
Com. Loon 5 (4 alt., 1 basic)
Brandt's Cormorant 15
Pelagic Cormorant 1
Double-cr. Cormorant 6
Brown Pelican 120
Bewick's Wren 1 (singing from across the Great Highway)
Also:
Humpback Whale 1
Harbor Seal 1 (in the surf)
A couple of local interest sightings from yesterday (6/7) morning:
I checked the groves of the north portion of Ft. Funston. A male SPOTTED TOWHEE put in a brief appearance early morning . It was silent and did not exhibit any nesting behavior during my observation. There were at least 4 Bewick's Wrens calling from different spots.
A "Red-shafted" Flicker (male) was near Vista Grande Canal across from the L. Merced concrete bridge late morning.
Paul Saraceni
San Francisco
