Monday, October 19, 2020 was a day for seeing lots of tiny feathers floating on waves in the San Francisco Bay and landing in among the reeds and other detritus on the beach. Since it was a windy day and impossible to photograph these feathers in situ, I brought them home to photograph and measure them, then took them back where I found them.
There were hundreds of birds swimming on the water, including: coots, pied-billed grebes, mallards, cormorants, and others.
All of a sudden, dozens of birds took flight. There was a disturbance in the water. Then we saw a harbor seal! I've never seen one this far south in the bay. What a treat! But the birds didn't think so.
Feather: Sandpipers & Allies
Length: 2 in (5 cm)
Pattern: Two-toned
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Note: there were a lot of Least Sandpipers along the shore a few days earlier:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61522125
Feather
Species:
Length: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
Pattern: Mottled
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather: Common Gallinule
Length: 2.2 in (5.5 cm)
Pattern: Black with green irridescence
Placement: Body feather
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather: Mallard
Length: 3.3 in (8.5 cm)
Pattern: Mottled
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather: PIed-billed Grebe
Length: 1.3 in (3.2 cm)
Pattern: Unpatterned
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather: Mallard
Length: 1.8 in (4.5 cm)
Pattern: Bi-colored
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather
Species: Mallard
Length: 3.7 in (9.5 cm)
Pattern: Mottled
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather
Species:
Length: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Pattern: Unpatterned
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather: Mallard
Length: 3.3 in (8.5 cm)
Pattern: Unpatterned
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather
Species:
Length: 2.2 in (5.5 cm)
Pattern: White with tiny brown spots
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Feather: Mallard
Length: 3 in (7.5 cm)
Pattern: Mottled
Placement:
References:
*https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/truthseqr/43213-very-small-feather-collection-from-sf-bay
Comments
Add a Comment