Birders Prepare for Annual Count of City's Diverse, Dwindling Bird Life

By Ryder W. Miller

Facing some sad tidings this year, birders will gather Dec. 27 for the annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count to document all the birds they can find between San Bruno and the Golden Gate.

Concerns are numerous, including the fact that the Great Blue Herons at Stow Lake did not have any chicks this year, continuing worries over the number of California Quail that can be found in Golden Gate Park, low numbers of Western Snowy Plover at Ocean Beach, an increase in the number of predatory ravens at Ocean Beach and the passing of famous Academy of Sciences ornithologist Luis Baptista.

The California Quail, the state bird, has struggled to survive despite populations of feral cats living in Golden Gate Park. Alan Hopkins, Sunset District resident and former president of the Golden Gate Audubon Society, said the number of quail in Golden Gate Park is "about the same as in the spring."

"We're not exactly sure what the quail numbers are so far. We'll have to see what's happening in the Presidio," Hopkins said. "That's why we do the Christmas bird count."

This is the first year since 1993, when the Great Blue Herons at Stow Lake were first observed, that there were no chicks born.

"The birds sat on eggs that didn't hatch," said Nancy DeStefanis, director of the Stow Lake Education Project. "It was the first time there were no chicks at all because there was only one nest."

Between 1993 and 2000 there were 46 chicks that fledged.

The numbers of endangered Western Snowy Plovers on Ocean Beach also may be down this year.

"Last report I heard, someone saw six," Hopkins said. But some may have gone over to Crissy Field.

With more than one hundred bird species found in the City, it is difficult to keep track of all of them. The annual count provides some helpful information.

Lisa Wayne, the director of the Natural Areas Program for the SF Recreation and Park Department, is concerned about San Francisco populations of the Wrentit, Hutton's Vireo, Bank Swallow, Spotted Towhee, Bewick's Wren, Cormorants, Flycatchers, Cliff Swallows, Shorebirds, Marsh Wrens, Yellow Throats, Savannah Sparrows, White Crowned Sparrows and Dark-Eyed Juncos.

"We do want to keep an eye on those in general," Wayne said. The Wrentit is feared to be extirpated (lost) from the City.

Hopkins says some of the bird species that are of special concern for the SF Audubon Society bird count include: Gadwall, Black Scoter, Peregrine Falcon, California Quail, California Clapper Rail, Marbled Murrelet, Harry Woodpecker, Stellar's Jay, Bewick's Wren, Wrentit, California Thrasher, Common Yellow Throat, Spotted Towhee and Tri-colored Blackbird.

"The birds most in trouble are the ground-dwelling birds," said Hopkins. This group includes the California Quail, Spotted Towhee and White Crown Sparrows.

Ornithologists gathered on Nov. 3 for the "Nature's Music: The Science of Bird Song" symposium held at the California Academy of Science to honor recently deceased Academy ornithologist Luis Baptista.

Nina Jablonski, Irvine chair and curator from the Department of Anthropology, said of Baptista:

"We have lost not just a colleague, but a beacon of inspiration. We can describe many of our colleagues as talented, disciplined, insightful, methodical and diligent, but for Luis we must recruit other words: brilliant, charismatic, wonderful and lovable. Because his research, especially in recent years, became so widely known, it will live on. His birds will sing to other ears."

Baptista studied how birds learn songs from one another and explored the limits of bird communications. His work also has contributed fundamentally to our definition of how birds identify with one another and how scientists should identify species.

Jablonski writes that Baptista's favorite laboratory was Golden Gate Park, where he could recognize more than 150 bird species and "imitate most of their calls."

When recently interviewed about city birds, Baptista discussed the problem of feral cats in Golden Gate Park and the different dialects of local White Crown Sparrows. He also mentioned Darwin's studies of various breeds of pigeons.

Despite the gloomy outlook for Bay Area birds, there have been some interesting birds seen recently in the City due to various bird migrations.

"The Tropical King Bird returned to Golden Gate Park, which we are all excited about," Hopkins said. Other rare birds sighted include the Tennessee Warbler, Sharp Tailed Sparrow and Bay Breasted Warbler, which were spotted at Lake Merced.

But migrating seabirds "were really poor - very few going through," Hopkins said.

Though scientists have questioned the accuracy and importance of the annual Audubon Society bird count, the counts do provide the manpower to search the City for rare species.

"There is no way a one-day event can capture every little nuance. But it can provide a broad picture. The sightings are peer reviewed," said Hopkins. "On the national level, the Christmas Bird Count does represent a good picture of population trends."

The national Christmas Bird Count is the world's largest all-volunteer bird survey. The first one took place in 1900 in reaction to the Christmas tradition of hunting birds.

Roughly 18,500 individuals participated in the 1900 census; the current number is around 45,000.

Last year's San Francisco Count included 89 bird-watchers; they found 57,470 birds and identified 170 species.

The Audubon Society is looking for people to count birds in backyards, downtown, and at nearby waters. To volunteer, call Hopkins at (415) 664-0983.