The Three Amigos ride again: Queen Victoria Birding: Clark's and Western Grebes along with Heerman's Gull at Sausalito

The 6th of February found us in San Francisco. We had booked a trip to Alcatraz, as you do. Part of the trip involved a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and a visit to the village of Sausalito on the north side of the bay from San Fran. We had 90 minutes in this pleasant village, so after a coffee stop we walked along the seafront in the winter sunshine. I could pick out both Clark's and Western Grebes in a mixed flock of Grebes about 100 metres offshore. After a little patience a few did come that bit closer allowing a snap. A couple of Red-throated Divers were also present, with one bird swimming very close to the shore. In the village centre a single adult Heerman's Gull was perched on the sea wall. I was particularly pleased with this sighting as I thought I had missed my chance as I hadn't seen it along the Mexican coast earlier that week. In a small park on the north side of town, I had a small flock of Golden-crowned Sparrow and a single Western Scrub Jay, conveniently rooting around in a small patch of scrub. On a nearby roof of the local marine I had my first Brandt's Cormorants of the trip along with Plenty of Double-crested and numerous Brown Pelicans. The Brandt's showing the distictive blue throat patch.