Site Report: Heron's Head Park

Red-throated Loon

Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis)

Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Western Sea Slater (Ligia occidentalis)

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

Willet (Tringa semipalmata)

House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)

American Wigeon (Mareca americana)

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)

Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)

Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Pallid-winged Grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis)

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) Male

Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) 1st Winter

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) Female

Common Loon (Gavia immer) Nonbreeding

Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) In Flight

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) nonbreeding

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) Male

Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis)

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) Male - Heron's Head Park

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) Male Heron's Head Park

Dunlin (Calidris alpina) Nonbreeding Plumage

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) Alternate Plumage

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) 1st Summer

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

Willet (Tringa semipalmata)

California Darkling Beetle (Coelocnemis californica)

Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)

Checkered Periwinkle (Littorina scutulata)

Clam Worm (Alitta succinea)

Heron's Head Park is a spit of land that gets you out into the bay a bit with a nearly half mile between the point of the park and Hunter's Point. This was originally landfill, but a small salt marsh has developed, and there are efforts to plant native plants in the park. There was previously a power plant here, but it is actively being deconstructed.

Visits

2006-02-09: None
2006-05-25: None
2006-08-27: None
2007-01-10: None
2007-01-25: None
2007-02-16: None
2007-02-25: None
2007-03-29: None
2007-04-13: None
2007-04-24: None
2007-08-24: None
2007-10-28: None
2007-11-14: None
2008-01-26: None
2008-05-03: Another unusual bird seen at this park. The loon was at the end of the park.
2008-05-29: None
2009-11-29: Afternoon visit at low tide
2012-04-14: Part of the park was closed off for some unknown reason.
2012-09-07: Looking for reported Lark Bunting
2012-09-23: Walked around on all the trails in the park.
2012-12-13: Extreme high tide.
2013-03-30: Walked around.
2013-08-05: Biking to the point
2013-12-01: Walked around the park
2014-01-01: walked to the end of the pier, low tide
2014-01-11: Walked around
2014-02-17: Short visit at night.
2014-05-26: Walked around the park and nearby.
2014-12-27: Walked around
2016-01-24:
2016-02-14:
2016-11-03:
2017-01-29:
2018-01-28:
2018-02-11:
2018-02-17:
2018-10-21:
2019-11-03:
2020-01-26:
2023-01-17:
2023-07-22:
2024-05-31:
2024-12-30:

Species Seen

Kingdom: Animals (98 records)

Phylum: Arthropods (3 records)

Class: Insects (2 records)

Order: Beetles (1 record)
- Family: Darkling Beetles
- California Broad-necked Darkling Beetle (Coelocnemis dilaticollis)

Order: Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets (1 record)
- Family: Short-horned Grasshoppers
- Pallid-winged Grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis)

Class: Malacostracans (1 record)

Order: Isopods (1 record)
- Family: Rock Lice, Sea Slaters, and Allies
- Western Sea Slater (Ligia occidentalis)

Phylum: Chordates (93 records)

Class: Birds (92 records)

Order: Anseriformes (12 records)

Order: Cranes, Rails, and Allies (2 records)
- Family: Rails, Gallinules, and Allies
- Ridgway's Rail (Rallus obsoletus)
- American Coot (Fulica americana)

Order: Doves and Pigeons (3 records)
- Family: Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
- Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
- Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies (5 records)
- Family: Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
- Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
- Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)
- Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
- Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts (1 record)
- Family: Hummingbirds
- Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)

Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots (1 record)
- Family: Kingfishers
- Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

Order: Owls And Nightjars (1 record)
- Family: Barn Owl and Grass-owls
- American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata)

Order: Pelicans (30 records)
- Family: Cormorants
- Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)
- Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus)
- Family: Falcons and Caracaras
- American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
- Family: Herons
- Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
- Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
- Great Egret (Ardea alba)
- Family: Loons
- Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)
- Common Loon (Gavia immer)
- Family: Oystercatchers
- Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)
- Family: Pelicans
- Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
- Family: Stilts and Avocets
- Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Order: Perching Birds (24 records)
- Family: American Blackbirds and Orioles
- Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
- Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
- Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
- Family: Bushtits
- Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
- Family: Cardueline Finches and Allies
- Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
- House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
- Family: Jays and Crows
- California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
- American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
- Common Raven (Corvus corax)
- Family: Mockingbirds, Thrashers, and Allies
- Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
- Family: New World Warblers
- Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
- Family: Old World Buntings
- White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
- Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)
- Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
- California Towhee (Melozone crissalis)
- Family: Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
- Family: Starlings and Mynas
- European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
- Family: Swallows
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Family: Thrushes and Allies
- American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
- Family: Tyrant Flycatchers
- Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)
- Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
- Family: Waxwings
- Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
- Family: Wrens
- Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)

Order: Shorebirds and Allies (12 records)

Order: Vultures (1 record)
- Family: New World Vultures
- Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Class: Mammals (1 record)

Order: Carnivorans (1 record)
- Family: Phocidae
- Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

Phylum: Mullusks (1 record)

Class: Gastropod (1 record)

Order: Littorinimorpha (1 record)
- Family: Periwinkle Snails
- Checkered Periwinkle (Littorina scutulata)

Phylum: Segmented Worms (1 record)

Class: Polychaete Worms (1 record)

Order: Phyllodocida Worms (1 record)
- Family: Ragworms and Allies
- Clam Worm (Alitta succinea)

Lifelists

Trips

San Francisco 2007