Golden Gate Raptor Observatory
Marin Headlands, California

Located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the beautiful Marin Headlands, the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory's hawkwatch site is one of the scenic wonders of the world. At the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, the site has hosted an annual fall hawkwatch for the last twenty years. Raptors moving south along the coast and birds following the ridgeline of the Outer Coast Range suddenly find themselves faced with a two mile expanse of water (the Golden Gate). Many hawks are hesitant to cross and either circle a few times to gain altitude or look for another option. This is probably the best place to view Red-shouldered Hawks, which can be seen nearly every day during September and October.

For more information, visit the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory Web site.

Red-shouldered Hawk, California race
© Brian E. Small