Date: 4/22/25 1:51 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Marin county observations (from a half-hearted big day effort) 4/21/2025
Spent the day birding around various locations in Marin County yesterday. I left the house with a simple plan: gas up the truck at the Arco in Mill Valley, hike up Pine Mountain Fire Rd. check some other spots and make it to the Costco in Novato to pick up some groceries and get home early enough to have dinner with Megan.
Despite a slow showing for migrants I had encountered enough diversity that by the early afternoon the big-day bug had taken hold and I was making repeated stops along the way to Novato in an attempt to see as many species as I could.
My route started at the little marsh along the Redwood Highway Frontage Rd. between Goodman's Lumber and Travel Lodge. From there I headed over to Fairfax for a 3 hour hike up Pine Mountain Rd. I continued down the Bolinas - Fairfax road making a few stops along the way to do a brief scan of Bolinas Lagoon before jetting north to have a quick lunch at Point Reyes Station. After an unexpected sighting in town I was told that migrants had put in a decent showing on the Outer Point the day before so I found myself doing an impromptu early afternoon OP. From there I headed back along Novato Blvd. finishing with a scan of the Novato Creek Unit of Petaluma Marsh Wildlife Area from the overlook on Rowland Blvd. Despite the complete lack of planning, failing to visit a number of productive sites along the way, spending 3 hours hiking, and missing many "easy" species (most shorebirds, owls besides Great Horned, all the woodpeckers except flicker, oak titmouse and many others) on a day when migrants were mostly absent I was pleasantly surprised to finish the day with 124 species.
notable observations including some species seen only in one location or of more general interest:
Cinnamon Teal - a pair in the big pond at Drake's Beach
Northern Shoveler - pair at Novato Creek Marsh off Rowland
Gadwall- pairs at the Mendoza Pond and tidal pond between driveway to Oyster Farm/Lunny Ranch
Northern Pintail - a getting late pair was in the "TraveLodge Marsh" in Mill Valley, male was giving courtship head bobs but this often happens with birds pairing up on migration prior to reaching the breeding grounds. Still worth checking this spot in upcoming weeks
Green-winged Teal - lone male briefly at tidal pond between driveway to Oyster Farm/Lunny Ranch
Ring-necked Duck - 9 were at Stafford Lake
Greater Scaup - 5 were close enough to ID to species on Tomales Bay behind Inverness Store
Black Scoter - a late staying male off the Fish Docks
Virginia Rail - a couple countercalling on the big pond at Drakes Beach
American Avocet - an incubating bird was on the island off Rowland /Novato Creek Marsh
Short-billed Dowitcher - flock of 14, tidal pond between driveway to Oyster Farm/Lunny Ranch
Spotted Sandpiper - one in the "TraveLodge Marsh" in Mill Valley, one at Novato Cree Marsh on the Island
Lesser Yellowlegs - with three Greates in the "TraveLodge Marsh" in Mill Valley, can't recommend this spot enough for anyone passing through/getting gas. In several visits this winter I've noted 40+ Greater Yellowlegs here
Glaucous-winged Gull - only one was on the beach by life saving station/Fish Docks
Forster's Tern - 50 + on the island off Rowland, including copulating/courting/fish passing pairs
Red-necked Grebe - 3 birds in splendid alternate off Drake's Beach
Green Heron - one vocal bird flew into a possible nest in a tree on Mesa Dr. in Point Reyes Station, later another flying over the road/Stemple Creek as I was leaving town
Brown Pelican - only saw two on the day, one flying over Nunes Ranch in the Outer Point was expected, a confused looking juvenile on ALPINE LAKE (!) was NOT
Cooper's Hawk - adult hunting Band-tails/Mourning Doves on Pine Mountain Fire Rd was the only one seen on the day
Bald Eagle - an immature soaring over Bolinas lagoon was the only one on the day as well
FERRUGINOUS HAWK - the biggest surprise of the day and a very late record for Marin County was a second year Ferrug spotted with the help of a mobbing crow as it soared over Point Reyes Station a little before 13:00 before drifting out of sight to the north
Belted Kingfisher - the only sighting of the day was one flying over Point Reyes Station
American Kestrel - only one of the day was a male being harassed by Red-wings on the north side of Novato Blvd a bit west of Stafford Lake. Might be worth investigating by anyone atlasing that area
American Crow - quite a few observed on the day but (2) together at the Nunes Ranch were my first observation for the Outer Point, according to Logan and others these birds have been out there for a few days now
PURPLE MARTIN - two female Purple Martins passed over the hillside above the FIsh Docks residence with a mix of other swallows in the early afternoon. Perhaps migrants or with the increasing numbers of Martins nesting in the wooded/more inland part of the Seashore local birds foraging afield
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - the only one encountered was at the bottom of the Nunes Ranch Cypress Row
Hermit Thrush - only one was in the trees above the FIsh Docks residence
Fox Sparrow - one heard on the Pine Mountain Fire Rd. hike
Rufous-crowned Sparrow -a healthy count of (7) on the Pine Mountain Fire Rd. hike
Hooded Oriole - one was calling from the palm behind Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station where they have been regular in spring/summer for a couple of years now
Great-tailed Grackle - a couple singing birds off Rowland where their numbers seem to be growing, surprisingly none were in the Costco parking lot but it was getting late by then
Yellow-rumped Warbler - the lone obvious migrant was at the Fish Docks, birds persistently singing as if on territory were along the Bolinas-Fairfax Rd in the area of Alpine Lake where this species is a uncommon/localized breeder
Black-throated Gray Warbler - one singing along PineMountain Fire Rd.
Black-headed Grosbeak - surprisingly only one detected, singing near Alpine Lake, I would've expected many more by this date but spring migration seems to be lagging
A full list with checklists can be seen at this link:
