Day 40: Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks, San Francisco, 6:40am-7:15am
breezy, mostly clear

I raced the sun to the top of Twin Peaks this morning, and won. Just barely!
I reached the peak just a few minutes minutes before the sun emerged from behind the East Bay mountains.

Here is the sound of sunrise from the rocky, grassy, tree-less Peak (Twin A or B, I don't know which!):


From here I have a stunning 360 degree view which includes downtown San Francisco, the Bay, Oakland/Fremont in front of me; Golden Gate Bridge and Marin County to my left, and the Pacific Ocean behind me. The ocean and mountains are bathed in pink-purple clouds. And I have post-running endorphins flowing through me. Whoa...

I hear my familiar White Throat**, or at least a relative of the one in Boston, and follow the sound down to the main Twin Peaks road. The back side of the hills shelters a steep, verdant half-valley full of little birds.

As I have noted previously, the birds here are less shy (just like their human West Coast counterparts) and I am able to clearly see a White Throated Sparrow** for the first time, perched just a few yards away. Very exciting!

Here he is, the Bird of the Day:


**Correction 2/26: It is a White-Crowned Sparrow. Thanks, Don!**
Here is the Song based on this call.