Field Journal Entry 8
Date & Location
November 1, 2023
Mt. Tamalpais | 37°55’19.7″N 122°36’13.9″W | 2,578 ft
The Pole | 37° 55′ 25.7664”N 122° 35′ 46.3452”W | 2,571 ft
Mt. Tamalpais State Park – Stinson Beach | 37°54’37.3″N 122°37’29.6″W | 2,571 ft
Site Description
Mt. Tamalpais is a mountain located in the Marin Hills of Marin County and offers stunning views of the Bay Area, Marin Hills and Pacific Ocean. The mountain has steep slopes, ridges and valleys, similar to the topography at Mill Valley Air Force Station, which is where we were mainly birding at. There are a variety of habitats at Mt. Tam including open chaparral, mixed conifer forerst, riparian woodland and meadows. Common key bird species found at Mt. Tamalpais are Wrentits, Dark-eyed Juncos, Acorn/Downy/Hairy Woodpeckers and Turkey Vultures.
The Pole is a site located on a steep, rocky ridge on the East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais. Although the topography and habitats are similar to Mt. Tam, the area consists of mainly open chaparral, some mixed conifer forest, a few meadows and cliffs nearby. As for key bird species, the same species could be similar to those at Mt. Tamalpais, but there have been sightings of Varied Thrushes, Merlins and Kestrels here!
Not far from the mountain, is Mt. Tamalpais State Park – Stinson Beach, located on the East side. Similar to Mt. Tamalpais, it offers breathtaking views of the Bay Area and Pacific Ocean as well as being a great place to see various bird species. The topography consists of steep hillsides, deep valleys and a rugged coastline and the habitat is similar to the other two sites, including coastal scrubs as well. Key bird species include Band-tailed Pigeons, Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures and Acorn Woodpeckers.
Species Account
Acorn Woodpecker | Melanerpes formicivorus
Acorn Woodpeckers are medium-sized birds with a unique and striking face pattern, found in oak woodlands and forests among North America, Central America and Colombia. Their crown is bright red, while their forehead and throat are a pale yellowish color. Their eyes are also pale, and the rest of their body is glossy black with streaks on their underparts. These birds are known as “clowns” because of their distinguishing features and calls, thus having the same resemblance as a clown. Acorn Woodpeckers are known for their habit of drilling holes and storing acorns in trees, which is why they have strong bills. These woodpeckers are cooperative breeders, meaning that other members of the group help to feed and raise the young of the mated pair. Although they are funny-looking, they are intelligent birds that can solve problems, in addition to being vocal with other woodpeckers.
Narrative
At 8:20 am, we started driving to Mt. Tamalpais and arrived at around 9:05 am. It was slightly cold but as time passed, it got warmer. We walked around the area and heard a few birds like Dark-eyed Juncos and Pine Siskins. For some time, we went off trail to get to an area where we all got to sit and enjoy the view together while keeping our eyes out for birds, of course. Before we sat down, we saw a Western Meadowlark perched on a telephone line, which was a new species we’ve never seen before! It was a pretty bird with distinct yellow coloration on its underside. Moments later, we saw a Merlin fly by and we were able to identify it based on its features and flight. Besides that, there were a lot of California Scrub Jays and we were all surprised that there were so many!
After spending almost 2 hours at Mt. Tam, we drove to a site called The Pole (…literally), which is on the East Peak of Mt. Tam. We were at this site for only about 15 minutes and Dr. Paul was telling us what kind of birds we’re able to hear and see. I think this is where we heard the Varied Thrush!
At 11:20 am, we started heading over to Mt. Tamalpais State Park – Stinson Beach. Right as we got out of the cars, we saw a couple of Acorn Woodpeckers in a coastal Redwood tree. Dr. Paul described these birds as clowns because of their features & calls. Looking at one through the scope, it really did look like a clown but they’re kind of cute. After, we turned our eyes over to the view overlooking Stinson Beach and saw Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers and a bunch of Band-tailed Pigeons fly by! Before leaving, we took a couple of class pictures. On our way back, I fell asleep because it was a long drive back. I woke up right when Dr. Paul started talking about ‘genomic islands of divergence’ and called my name…I thought I was having a nightmare because there was an Evolution exam for his class the next day. Other than that, it was a fun day!
Sources
¹ Acorn Woodpecker – eBird. https://ebird.org/species/acowoo
² Acorn woodpecker – Overview. All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Acorn_Woodpecker/overview#
³ Mount Tamalpais. Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. (2021, July 12). https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/mount-tamalpais
