Radio Road birding (Redwood City, CA)

I briefly birded Radio Road on my way home from work on Wednesday, and although it was very windy, the birding was pretty good.

 
Anyone know what species of duckling this is?

In the main (southern) pond were the most ducklings I have ever seen – there must have been well over 100 of them!  Many were Mallards, judging by the adults they were hanging with, but several looked different, and weren’t with their parents, so I don’t know whose chicks they are.

 
This little one’s bill looks a little large to be a Mallard.  Pintail?

A lone Black Skimmer made a pass over the ponds before lying down on the levee between them, and a hundred or so Willets noisly chattered and preened on a  sandbar.

 
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)

 

Several adult Black-crowned Night Herons were next to the road, and farther away I saw a couple of juveniles in the trees, blending in much better than the dozen or so Snowy Egrets also perched there.

 
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

 

Otherwise it was the usual mix of Avocets, House Finches, Blackbirds, Gulls, and a bunch of highly-mobile Barn Swallows.

 
American Avocet (Recurvirosta americana)

As I left, two Turkey Vultures soared overhead, a bird I don’t often see on the western shores of the SF Bay, although they’re quite common on the coast and farther inland.

Birds seen (21 species):
– American Avocet
– American Crow
– Black Skimmer
– Black-crowned Night Heron
– Black-necked Stilt
– Brewer’s Blackbird
– Canada Goose
– Caspian Tern
– Cinnamon Teal
– Cliff Swallow
– Common Raven
– Gadwall
– House Finch
– Mallard + many dozens of chicks
– Northern Mockingbird
– Northern Pintail
– Ring-billed Gull
– Ruddy Duck
– Snowy Egret
– Turkey Vulture
– Willet

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