Hi all,
Last week I spent some time birding around Richmond and stumbled upon some notable breeding birds. Most significant was a group of 8+ Pigeon Guillemots on 5/3 just off the Richmond Long Wharf, with some of the birds seen flying directly under the pier. These numbers and behavior are highly suggestive of nesting, and would be the furthest the species has nested within the bay as far as I am aware. Confirming this species won’t be easy unless you have a kayak, but Miller/Knox is a good place to view them with a scope.
In hopes of further success with expanding breeders, I have been closely monitoring the Elegant terns on Brooks island. As of May 3rd, there are about 250 birds but few are showing any signs of breeding so it seems they may not nest this year after all. For reference, last year, courtship began by 4/12 and birds were sitting on nests by the end of April. Numbers were also significantly higher. A Red-winged Blackbird pair on the island seemed incredibly out of place next to the heron rookery but appear to be attempting to breed.
On 4/28 I hiked some of my favorite spots in Wildcat Canyon. The highlight was a MacGillivray's Warbler singing territorially from an eastward facing slope near the intersection of the Belgum and Monte Cresta trails amongst a large swath of poison oak & bay trees. Although there are several reports of MacG’s within the park that support breeding, this would be the northernmost to date for the county if confirmed. Also of note were 4 pairs of Rufous crowned sparrows, my highest count for the park. While there has been a known population at the sage patch along the Oil Well trail, many of these birds were instead found along the upper reaches of the Belgum trail in areas that looked more suitable for Grasshopper Sparrows. Perhaps this species is also expanding in the region?
Forest C
El Sobrante
Greetings all,
We've been having a good time so far up here; see our most recent trip report (for 19 and 26 April), with some photos of Bay Area folks here:
https://noyopelagics.com/april-19-26-deepwater-pelagic-birds-and-mammals/
Highlights for these trips include Cocos Booby, one each of Murphy's and Cook's Petrels just 11 miles from shore, 3-4 Laysan Albatrosses, Scripps's Murrelet, spectacular loon and scoter migrations, all the regular pelagic seabirds, plus Guadalupe Fur Seal, friendly Humpbacks, an estimated 100,000,000 Velella, pelagic nudibranchs and more.
We still have a few spaces left for our May 9th trip:
https://noyopelagics.com/
At this stage NW winds are predicted which, we have learned, are good for seeing Pterodroma petrels, albatrosses, and, generally, all pelagic seabirds. Last year in May we had some 65 Murphy's Petrels, 3-4 Hawaiian Petrels, two Short-tailed Albatrosses, and more during NW winds:
https://noyopelagics.com/trip-report-noyo-pelagics-9-may-and-11-may-2025/
https://noyopelagics.com/pelagic_calendar/saturday-5-24-25-half-day-noyo-canyon-mammal-dedicated/
To help with lodging costs on our trips, Mendocino Coast Audubon Society is now reserving group camp sites for the nights before trips. We have a site at Van Damme State Park for the night of the 8th that can take up to eight campers (I believe we have four now). If you are interested in camping in this redwood canyon park and waking up to Canada Jays (if you are lucky) contact Roger Adamson <radamson@...>.
I will be missing this trip but Caitlin, Marty, and Ed Corey, veteran of Cape Hatteras trips and Wings guide on reposition cruises will be leading. Have fun, and hope to see you on our next trips on May 30th and June 14th.
Peter
Hello all
Our Saturday trip has had to be rescheduled due to weather to Sunday May 3. The Sunday weather is quite good, and the blow and waves from Saturday might mean that some of the offshore birds will be pushed closer to shore by Sunday. We shall see if that is the case. Water offshore is 57-58 F, which is exceedingly warm for this time of year, highly unusual. As noted the other day, this is good water for petrels at this time of year. The hope is that Murphy's Petrel will show up, or Hawaiian and or Cook's. The warmer water is particularly good habitat for Cook's and Murphy's. Also, early Scripps's Murrelets are a possibility. It is a great time for Laysan to be in amongst the Black-footed Albatross. Arriving migrants, such as jaegers, Sabine's Gulls, shearwaters should be out there and the residents such as Rhinoceros Auklet, and Cassin's. Tufted Puffin is a good shot as well. There are few spring pelagic options, and this one looks to be in good weather. Whales and dolphins are out there as well, including migrating Grey Whales close to shore. Lots to see offshore!
To signup, the link is below. Use the
https://www.alvarosadventures.com/pelagic-dates-2026.html
Good seabirding to you all!!
Alvaro
Alvaro Jaramillo
alvaro@...
www.alvarosadventures.com
Hello all
I hope the spring migration is treating you well. Offshore, conditions are warm. The new normal perhaps, although there is a slightly different spin to what is going on right now. Since 2014 our section of the Pacific has had multiple notable "marine heat waves" what was originally termed "the Blob." These are becoming more regular, and some previously unusual birds, fish and mammals are now more regular. For example, Bluefin Tuna is now expected in our region in summer and into fall. Similarly, boobies have become regularly occurring since the heat waves began. What is unusual about this year is that spring upwelling season has been late to start, or weak. As such the warmest spring ocean temperatures since recording has happened, have been seen this spring. Pacific Bonito, a fish from the southern warmer waters has been caught, and the salmon are very deep in the cold water this year. Odd water temperatures are frightening overall, but at the same time they can be good for unusual birds. Cook's and Murphy's Petrels were seen recently offshore; Nazca Booby is in Monterey and surely there are a few others about. These conditions are also good for early Scripps's Murrelets, and eventually for sightings of the rarer Craveri's and Guadalupe murrelets later in the season. Laysan Albatross continue to become more and more regular, and multiples have already been found on offshore boats, and repositioning cruises.
We have a trip this Saturday from Half Moon Bay (Pillar Point) May 2. Conditions right now show typical NW winds and NW swells, which can be good for Pterodroma petrels once one gets out to the offshore waters. We also are offering a May 10 trip from Pillar Point Harbor. Both currently have multiple spots available. Spring is THE time to look for the uncommon Murphy's Petrel, and if water is warm, Cook's Petrel might also be found, Hawaiian Petrel begins to show up at this time of year. Migrant Sabine's Gulls, jaegers, and arriving southern breeding shearwaters will be out there. This is also a great time for numbers of Black-footed Albatross and possibilities for Laysan Albatross. Assuming conditions do not deteriorate, this could be a good short this Saturday for Murphy's.
To signup, the link is below.
https://www.alvarosadventures.com/pelagic-dates-2026.html
Good seabirding to you all!!
Alvaro
Alvaro Jaramillo
alvaro@...
www.alvarosadventures.com
Attached are 4 grainy pictures of a bird I saw at Arrowhead Marsh today foraging in the flats with many Western Sandpipers. One shows a sandpiper in the background for size comparison. At first, I thought plover but don’t know. Would like any thoughts.
Jim Roethe
Orinda
-- -- ~ Hilary Powers - Hilary@... - Oakland CA ~ ~ www.salamanderfeltworks.com; www.Etsy.com/shop/SalamanderFeltworks ~ ~ Now a member of the the Oakland Cottage Industry Collective! ~ ~ Needle Felted Sculpture - Real and Fantasy Creatures ~
Greetings all -
We have some space available for this Sunday's full-day trip. Weather forecast looks great, NW at 15 dropping to NW at 5 by late afternoon and low swell. It will also be NW at 15-20 for much of the interim period from now, which should be good for Pterodroma petrels in the vicinity. Cost is $185; you can sign up for this trip at https://noyopelagics.com/.
Mendocino Coast Audubon Society has been a great supporter of Noyo Pelagics, including making scholarships available to pay full fare for high school or collage students. They are also now stepping up further, reserving camp sites for the night before each trip to lower the lodging costs for those who don't mind listening to owls and waking up to singing Pacific Wrens in the woods of MacKerricher, Van Damme, or other local state parks.
If you are interested in the scholarship program and would like to apply for one, contact Tim Bray <tbray@...>. If you are interested in the camp sites, contact me <ppyle@...> and/or Roger Adamson <radamson@...>.
We were out for a half-day trip on the 19th and it was quite birdy out there, with spectacular migrations of scoters and loons and an abundance of alcids, gulls, phalaropes, and shearwaters, although the south winds kept the albatross numbers lower than usual (15-20 as opposed to 135 at once on the 15th) and brought us no deep-water species. Northwest winds should change that. There are also tons (literally) of Humpback Whales out there now, with bird flocks all around them. Marine productivity seems very good off Mendo at the moment.
Hope to see you out there this weekend or later in the summer or fall.
Happy migrant birding,
Peter
On Apr 18, 2026, at 07:15, Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur@...> wrote:cowbirds are always around in the Bay Area. After the breeding season they form flocks and become more localized. In spring they disperse to look for nests to parasitize so you may see them more frequently and in more places. But they never actually leave and I would not categorize them as ever being uncommon or rare in a general sense.One thing that will increase your detections is familiarizing yourself with their vocalizations. They try to be sneaky when looking for nests and might be tough to spot but they vocalize to each other.dmOn Sat, Apr 18, 2026 at 7:04 AM Hilary Powers via groups.io <hilary=salamanderfeltworks.com@groups.io> wrote:On 4/17/2026 6:46 PM, ktandy2 via groups.io wrote:
They're uncommon but not astonishing at Lake Merritt at this time of year. I keep a record of what we see on the Golden Gate Bird Alliance 4th-Wednesday walk, and there's about a 50-50 chance in April and rather less in May and June. The rest of the year, unheard-of - dunno where they go then.I live in North Oakland/Temescal on a commercial street. I have a bird feeder outside my front window and for the past few days I've had a brown-headed cowbird coming to the feeder! I have NEVER seen a cowbird in Oakland before, although I've seen them on Grizzly Island. Has anyone else seen cowbirds in the Oakland flats?
-- -- ~ Hilary Powers - Hilary@... - Oakland CA ~ ~ www.salamanderfeltworks.com; www.Etsy.com/shop/SalamanderFeltworks ~ ~ Now a member of the the Oakland Cottage Industry Collective! ~ ~ Needle Felted Sculpture - Real and Fantasy Creatures ~