Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk Fall and winter are particularly good times for viewing raptors. Red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, sharp shinned hawks, red shouldered hawks, American kestrels, white tailed kite, or even peregrine falcons can all be seen during the fall and winter...
Marbled Murrelet

Marbled Murrelet

Marbled Murrelet In 1974, a tree trimmer at Big Basin Redwoods State Park found the nest of a marbled murrelet 140 feet above the ground at the top of a Douglas fir. Observers in the 1920’s had reported hearing the calls of marbled murrelets at dawn and dusk in inland...
Pacific Flyway

Pacific Flyway

Pacific Flyway The Pacific Flyway migration is often described as a ”highway in the sky.“ Picture a four-lane freeway in the sky, traveled by millions of birds fluttering wings of many different colors, patterns and sizes. In all reality this picture isn’t far from...
Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow Every spring, barn and cliff swallows arrive to nest in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their arrival marks the end of a very long journey, from as far away as South America. Their travels south of the border are increasingly hazardous, as more and more of...
Fledglings

Fledglings

Fledglings Every spring, thousands of baby songbirds fledge, or learn how to fly, all over the state. Scruffy looking fledglings may leave the nest, scurry on the ground and may appear to be abandoned by their parents. In reality, parents are still caring for these...