Golden Gate Park
May 25, 2020
Lat: 37.76, Long: -122.48, Acc: 24 m
Site –
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Topography: relatively flat, minor changes in elevation
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General Habitat: grassland, Eucalyptus/Pine forest
Species 1 – Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata)
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Japanese Cherry – Prunus serrulata
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Lat: 37.7 Long: -122.5 Acc: 16 m
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Observations – white flowers with a hint of pink, about 40 bees constantly buzzing around the flowers
Species 2 – Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
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Steller’s Jay – Cyanocitta stelleri
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Observations: blue body, black head and crest, flying from branch to branch picking at things, flew to another tree & called
Species 3 – Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans)
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Pride of Madeira – Echium candicans
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Observations: bright indigo flowers, long frosty leaves, a few bees pollinating the flowers
Species 4 – Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
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Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos
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Elk Glen Lake
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Observations: Two ducks, one male (bright green neck) and one female (brown and white) swimming together as a pair, occasionally bobbing their bills in the water and fully dunking themselves
Species 5 – Crimson Bottlebrush (Melaleuca citrina)
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Crimson Bottlebrush – Melaleuca citrina
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Lat: 37.7 Long: -122.48 Acc: 24 m
Species 6 – Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Detailed Species Description:
- Observations: Two hawks flying in a pair – darker body feathers with brighter orange tail feathers – gradually following each other to higher elevation, then diving down, closely following one after the other, occasional calls, this “play/monitoring” cycle repeated without rest
- A fellow passerby mentioned that it is currently the Red-tailed Hawk’s nesting season, so she had been seeing them more recently in the area
- Observed in the sky at Lat: 37.76 Long: -122.48 Acc: 6 m, about 50 m from Elk Glen Lake
- Information gathered from “All About Birds” Cornell Lab https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/id
- Size & Shape: large hawks with broad, rounded wings, and short, wide tail
- Coloring: rich brown body, pale under, red tail
- Behavior: soar in wide circles high above a field, attack in a slow, controlled dive
- generally monogamous, they initiate courtship and maintain the pair bond with aerial maneuvers performed by both members of the pair
- migration is diurnal, depending on weather, with northern populations traveling south
- Distribution: most widespread birds of prey in North America
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Photo found: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/id
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Red-tailed Hawk – Buteo jamaicensis ——- Photo found: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/id
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The pair of red-tailed hawks I observed in Golden Gate Park
Narrative –
I left my house around 1 pm and walked three blocks to the 19th Ave entrance to Golden Gate Park. I was prepared with my hand sanitizer and I observed many people out, either alone or in pairs, on their way to the park. Throughout my excursion, I noticed that people were very mindful of keeping distance and I gladly found myself alone on the trail for most of my walk. It was blue skies and sunny out, but the air was still brisk, which was a refreshing change from being inside. It was also nice to get outside and have a change of perspective. When I was on my walk, I realized how beautiful and unfazed nature was and it was nice to find a place of peace, especially with everything going on in the world right now.
The specific path I took on my excursion
The area of Golden Gate Park I explored