Date: 4/24/24 12:55 pm From: Brian Fitch via groups.io <fogeggs...> Subject: [SFBirds] Crossbills
I was walking the Vista Grande Canal this morning, and was thinking about
Josiah’s and Cedric’s sighting last week of crossbills flying over, when I
saw movement in one of the haggard pines growing along the fence above the
canal. Sure enough, it was a male Red Crossbill. I quickly spotted a
second male and a female. I approached a little closer and then sat on the
concrete edge of the ditch to see if any others were present. They
obviously recognized me as a person who respects a bird’s personal space,
because they then graced me with a long drinking and bathing session on one
of the mud beaches in the canal. Five bright pink males together, two
yellowish females together, and two grayish immatures together made for at
least nine crossbills, the most I’ve seen in town in some years. They were
mostly silent, but gave a few type twoish calls upon returning to the
pines, where they preened and finally started prying at cones, which was
how I left them. This was across the road to the west of the south end of
Lake Merced, adjacent to the Olympic Club golf course.
The only other unusual species was a late Aleutian Cackling Goose grazing
with Canadas at the boathouse at Harding Park.
Brian Fitch
