Hawk Hill: https://ebird.org/checklist/S151365367
Date: September 27, 2023
Location(s): Hawk Hill (37.8255° N, 122.4994° W)
Site Description:
Hawk Hill is located within the Marin Headlands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just north of San Francisco. It has a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, and surrounding landscapes. The topography is characterized by rolling hills that are covered in coastal scrub vegetation and grasslands, with scattered cypress/pine trees. Habitats include chaparral, coastal grasslands, and coastal forest. Key bird species often seen at Hawk Hill include raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels, as well as songbirds like California Towhees and Anna’s Hummingbirds.
Species account: Common Raven (Corvus corax)
The Common Raven is a large, all-black bird with a wingspan of about 3.5 feet and a length of 21-27 inches. They are known for their thick wedge-shaped tails and robust bills. Their plumage is a shiny, glossy black, and they have shaggy throat feathers. When they are in flight, their wedge-shaped tails and pointing wings are distinctive features. They are highly adaptable birds and are found in a variety of habitats including forests, grasslands, coastal cliffs, and urban areas. They are omnivores and feed on insects, small mammals, fruits, plants, etc. They are very social and interactive birds. The Common Raven has a broad distribution across Europe, North America, North Africa, and Asia. Ravens are usually monogamous and form long-term bonds. During late winter or early spring which is their breeding season, their behavior becomes complex in order to attract and bond with potential mates. After they have found their mate, they build their nests together which shows how strong their bonds are among each other. At Hawk Hill, it was one of the first birds I saw very close up. It was perched on a fence, looking at the coastal view and chirping very loudly.
Narrative:
We left for Hawk Hill around 8:17 AM and reached around 8:42 AM. The weather was pretty clear with a slight breeze but became pretty sunny and hot after. As soon as we arrived at Hawk Hill, the panoramic views of the Marine Headlands and the Pacific Ocean surprised us, it was beautiful. Throughout our trip, the birdlife at Hawk Hill was so amazing to see. We were greeted by many Ravens and also got to see some raptors like the American Kestrel and Red-tailed hawks. I also got to see a small little lizard camouflaged in the dirt and plants!
Allen from Golden Gate National Parks Conservatory, Golden Gate Raptor Observatory came to us to give us a talk about raptors and how to tell the difference between them by the wing shape. I still found it pretty difficult to tell the difference between all of the varieties of these raptors, hopefully by the end of this class I will be able to! Allen also handed us a brochure pamphlet with all the different raptors that are observed in the Marin Headlands. It was very cool to see the whole team of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservatory and how they were rotating, looking for raptors. I’ve never seen so many birders in my life, honestly considering becoming one after taking this class!😂
Photos:
Sources:
- Sibley, D. A. (2000). The Sibley Guide to Birds. Knopf.
- Common Raven – eBird. (n.d.). https://ebird.org/species/comrav
- Hawk Hill. Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. (2019a, May 15). https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/hawk-hill