Park E-ventures Newsletter Archive

The Elusive, Mystifying Northern Harrier

“Harrier!” exclaimed my co-intern, Heather, pointing at a hawk skimming down the hillside.

I looked up as it passed, its long wings carrying it on an unwavering glide. I had no idea how to identify this raptor. “It has that patch of white at the base of its tail, just like... more >>

A Hawkwatcher’s View of the New Hawk Hill

I wrote an earlier article on the background of the Hawk Hill restoration issue and its ecological intricacies (December 2011 Park E-ventures article), but here I wanted to address the big question that I heard only a few hundred times this autumn: what happened to the hawks as a... more >>

Broadwing Bonanza on Hawk Hill

On September 27, 2012, on Hawk Hill, we counted 295 Broad-winged Hawk sightings, 10 times our previous one-day count for that species. We even exceeded our season-total record—248 sightings—in just that one day. Why is this exciting?

Broad-winged Hawks are soaring hawks that nest throughout the eastern broad-leafed forests. They do... more >>

Red-tail, phone home!

This season, the GGRO is able to use brand-new technology to help us track bird movements. On Friday, August 23 we put out a GSM (cell phone) transmitter on a female juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, nicknamed Augusta. This device utilizes a GPS device, similar to a hand-held or car GPS unit,... more >>

Exploding the Myth of the Raptor Peak Week

Throughout the 1980s–90s, the GGRO Peak Week—that is, the seven-day stretch that contained the highest hawk count days of the year—truly happened in a week (or roughly a week). In those not-so-ancient times, we recorded highest count days as early as September 15 (569 sightings in 1987) and as late... more >>

Here Again, Gone Again: Red-necked Phalaropes

By Robyn Smith, GGRO Intern

For many visitors to the Marin Headlands, the main draw to Rodeo Lagoon may be a willow-lined walk to the beach, a picnic by the historic buildings of Fort Cronkhite, or a chance to watch some interesting wildlife.

In August, the east end of Rodeo Lagoon... more >>

From Intern to Program Manager: A Round-trip Migration

By Chris Briggs

In March 2000, I got a call from Buzz Hull offering me a Parks Conservancy internship here in the Headlands with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. I was so excited for the opportunity to work with birds of prey,... more >>

Breezy Redtails and Their Feather Secrets

“Is that hawk on a leash?!” The absurdity of the question nearly stopped me in my tracks last fall. As an intern and new docent with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, I had heard many of the same questions over and over again. Where... more >>