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| Goldfinch, El Polin Spring |
I can't say if birding in the sun is better than birding in the fog, but I don't need to tell you which one is colder. I was glad I wore a longjohn top on today's ride.
I guess we're in for more whipsaw weather after today (where it's 58 degrees outside my door), with temps even here in the Sunset District forecast to reach 82 degrees on Tuesday.
Last week I was planning to head out on a little road trip this coming week, including a stop at Death Valley, but once again I find myself holding back due to a seriously hot weather forecast.
Although I didn't photograph any rare birds today, it's always enjoyable to get outside on the ebike for a few hours. I started at Inspiration Point on Arguello Boulevard in the Presidio. The Point used to overlook El Polin Spring, but you can't really see down there anymore through the brush. I'm not complaining: the brush is stuff like toyon and California lilac and it looks great!
From there I rode down the bike-legal Ecology Trail where I spotted a couple of camera traps soon after thinking to myself what a nice job they're doing of creating great habitat. There's actually lots to explore down there, and it was easy to imagine the place teeming with wildlife. Maybe someday.
I pretty much wrapped up the day at Sutro Heights, where I did see a bird that was new to me. Unfortunately, it flew away before I could get my camera out.
I went after a Townsend's warbler and some pygmy nuthatches while hoping the rare bird would come back, and I somehow accidentally set the camera to start bracketing my exposures. Each click of the shutter fired off several frames with a variety of exposure settings.
I still have no idea how I did that, but I had to stop everything, dig my reading glasses out of the bike bag, then press lots of buttons for an exercise in futility before turning to the menu settings where I finally figured out how to shut it off. By then my buzz was killed, and I'd given up hope of seeing the rare bird again.
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| Bushtit, Presidio Ecology Trail |
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| I love how its hanging onto that thin seedpod in its quest for insects. If there is an insect there somewhere, I can't see it. |
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| Coast Redwoods, Presidio Ecology Trail |
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| Bathing Song Sparrow, El Polin Spring |
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| Golden-crowned Sparrow |
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| Mr. Goldfinch |
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| Great Egret Under Freeway Overpass |
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| Killdeer Near Crissy Lagoon |
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| A kingfisher was hunting from branches very near the great blue heron at Crissy Lagoon. The kingfisher was too far away to photograph (and too obscured by branches up closer), but I couldn't resist stopping for the heron, which stood like a statue for the couple of minutes I stood in the chilly wind watching it. |
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| Classic Foggy Bridge View From Lincoln Boulevard |
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| Western Bluebird Makes An Adjustment |
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| Western Bluebird, Legion of Honor Museum |
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