Fog

Yesterday visibility was more than 100 miles from Southeast Farallon Island, and we could see landmasses in half a dozen counties surrounding San Francisco. Today, visibility is less than half a mile. We are, as they say, fogged out.

Unfortunately, neither weather condition – sunshine or fog – is very good for birding. On clear days, birds stay on course and keep migrating without stopping on the island. In fog, they can’t find the island at all. And it doesn’t help that the wind has been whipping out of the north, winging migrants easily on their way south. We only had two new arrivals today: a pair of Mallards and a Least Flycatcher skulking in the fog. Pretty abysmal for the peak of migration on Southeast Farallon. We’re hoping for a change in weather.