Phoebes Are Hard To Identify

Today a man who will remain nameless told the birding community in SF that there was an Eastern Phoebe in the Presidio.  I decided to go to the Presidio to investigate further.  Instead of an incredibly rare and awesome Eastern Phoebe, I found a very standard and underwhelming Say's Phoebe.  Oh well, some people have trouble with phoebes I suppose.  Life is pain.  I also tried the San Francisco gull flocks for a Glaucous, but had no luck.  It was fun to study all of the Western, Glaucous-winged, and Mew Gulls though.  After that, I went to Fort Mason to look for a supposed Orchard Oriole that another nameless man reported recently.  I don't know what's going on in San Francisco lately, but it seems as though bird identification standards have dropped significantly in San Francisco.  I hope that this is a fleeting phenomenon.  I don't want to see this trend continue.  By the way, it's good to be back home.

I guess i saw a Yellow-shafted Flicker today.  It was a good consolation for the fake Eastern Phoebe.

This may be the first ever Red-shouldered Hawk for TPAD.  Do you like?

City Ducks

Such a warm welcome it has been.  Rain, freezing winds, no car, no vagrants.  Oh well, you know what they say...  L.I.P.  It's pretty hard seeing lotsa birds without a car, although many would argue against that (Josiah sees hella birds by bike on the regular).  I spent most of the day trying to rent a car and cruising around the city.  I went to a few lakes in Golden Gate Park to try for a Glaucous Gull that has been seen recently.  Instead I saw the usual: Western, Glaucous-winged, Herring, and Mew Gulls.  At Lloyd Lake I saw some ducks, like these:

Muscovy lovin.  Ewwwwwwwwww.

Ring-necked Duck staring me down.

Goodbye Hawaii

I've been in airports all day.  I'm done.  Good bye Hawaii.  I will miss you.  A million thanks to my big Bro and Sis for all the good times.  Hello California.  I have missed you.  Nuff said.  Goodnight everybody.  Call me tomorrow!

Hawaiian Owl (Pueo).  This is the endemic subspecies of Short-eared Owl in Hawaii.  They seemed pretty common along roadside fields.  Definitely sick.

Molly, Dustin, Jesse, Gina, Sarah, Sam, KK, Jeremy(not pictured).   It was a wild ride.  Keep it real all of you.