November 1999 Field Journal 11.13 [SFBirds] Re: [SFBirds] Hermit X Townsend's Warbler at the Rhododendron Dell
Joseph Morlan wrote:
>
> SF Birders,
>
> On my class field trip to Golden Gate Park this morning, we found an
> apparent hybrid Hermit X Townsend's Warbler. Does anybody know if
> this hybrid combination has been seen in the City before? I know it's
> been photographed on the Farallons.
>David Nelson found an individual last year that I identified as such. My
recollection was that it bore a close resemblence to hybrid a) of the Townsend's
Warbler X Hermit Warbler hybrid in plate 14 of D&G. In retrospect, though, it's not clear that
there was more than one characteristic which suggested hybridization. I've attached my original text email on this.Subject: 9.18.98 SF Birds
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 11:20:21 -0700
From: "Mark W. Eaton" <eaton@best.com>
To: sfbirds@lists.best.comThe PROTHONOTARY and CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS were still on the west side of
North Lake this morning. They were ranging well up and down the west side,
so you might need to walk a bit to find them.I also refound both buntings this morning, feeding on the bare area/path
which separates the two lobes of the lake. One of the buntings is showing small
amounts of lazuli coloration on the head and the rump and hints of cinnamon
on the breast which seem to indicate hatch year male LAZULI BUNTING.The other bunting is more problematic. It has noticeable streaking on the
breast and sides of the flanks, quite unlike the extremely faint vestigial
streaking on the Lazuli Bunting. While I won't attempt to summarize the vaguaries of
separating Lazuli Bunting from Indigo Bunting in this plumage (see
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/march.htm for a discussion by the heavies
on this matter), the following comment from Joe seems to summarize my
difficulties:"The vast majority of Indigo Buntings show clear unambiguous blurry streaks
across the breast."I did not attempt to analyze in detail the wingbars, but immatures from both
species can show wingbars. Apart from probability and guilt-by-association,
I'd be interested in an analysis based on field marks which indicates that both
buntings are LAZBs, rather than a Lazuli Bunting and an Indigo Bunting which is
what I wrote this morning. (N.B. I already have Indigo Bunting on my year list :-)Calvin and I birded the Arboretum and found nothing in the California
section.We then went to the Horseshoe Pits. This area is north east of the
Conservatory, more or less directly across from the hospital. South and
above the pits, we found a pair of BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS and an ACORN WOODPECER was easy to see in the scrub oaks. We also managed to refind David's bird.The bad news is that it's not a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, but the good news is
that it's interesting. In good light at eye level, it looks just like a
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER with a pale throat. In fact, I seem to recall that the yellow on
the face may not have gone all the way to the collar on the warbler. After
rereading D&G, I believe that this is a hybrid TOWNSEND'S x HERMIT WARBLER, as there is a plumage of Townsend's Warbler X Hermit Warbler which resembles a pure Townsend's Warbler with a pale throat.11.19 [SFBirds] Re: [SFBirds] Waxwings and Varied Thrush
I've had better luck in SF being serendipitous with these species than
actually staking out a location. Varied Thrush is usuallly present in the park at this time
of year in various locations. The lawns in Sharon Meadow and the Arboretum
where American Robins feed are good earlier in the morning. Cedar Waxwings are local and irregular
though it seems that the AIDS Dell is a good spot. Of course, I haven't birded the
city in a few weeks now. :-|Home
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