Golden Gate Park (09/22/2021)

today was my first day in GGPark this week. so weird to not go until the middle of the week! this first day of Fall really felt like it, in SF at least. started off as a warm and sunny day and gradually got cloudier and cooler as the day progressed. did my default route today. was greeted almost immediately by a Townsend’s Warbler at Stow Lake. flew right past my face! saw only one Wood Duck at the Stow Lake Boathouse. have the other two moved on? walked the Pioneer Trail and saw a variety of small birds, and wasn’t able to ID one yellowish-gray bird. it’s always the way. but another Townsend’s Warbler showed itself to me in a Coast Live Oak. and, with the help of Bob Toleno, i now know i saw a Clay-colored Sparrow amongst juvenile White-crowned Sparrows on Pioneer Meadow. life bird for me! wish i had realized it was a new-to-me bird. i would’ve followed it for better looks at it! but, i wanted to continue strolling the trail to admire the Fall colors starting. spotted a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk at the Fairy Door, which flew right over me and onto a eucalyptus branch super close to me! and, lastly, had to finish at the owl nursery. Junior was unusually close to the trail, like he used to be when he was a young whipper snapper. and, lucky me, he wasn’t just napping the whole time i was there. lucky me. pics in the comments for the owl fans among you…. on my way out of the nursery, a Pacific-slope Flycatcher flew right into the same tree i saw it last time i was there. i love seeing the same birds in the same place. it’s like they’re new neighbors of mine. if only temporary.