Birds on the Brain

The San Francisco Bay is the largest estuary on the Pacific Coast, making it an ideal refuge for a variety of winged creatures including shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds. Every fall more than 250 species of migratory birds visit the region, so whether you’re on the sandy shores of Ocean Beach, or hiking the steep slopes of Mt. Diablo, or just sitting on your backyard patio, you’re already on the perfect viewing platform….

Black-throated blue warbler
Although the black-throated blue warbler generally does not inhabit or migrate to the California coast, individual birds can be spotted throughout the Bay Area. The black-throated blue warbler breeds in the northern deciduous forests of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada, and in winter migrates to Caribbean Islands and Eastern Latin America. Cool fact about them: the sexes look so different that they were originally described as two species, and they even hang out in different areas, the males preferring lower elevation forests and the females liking shrubby habitat at higher elevations. Apparently they make some compromise during mating season. And its name, as you can see, definitely refers to the male’s markings.

(via Fall migratory birds in the Bay Area > Bay Nature Bay Nature)