May 2005 Field Journal 5.2 Red-breasted Nuthatch
The RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH in my backyard is still present as of today. I
don't recall any sightings from May from previous years from my backyard.
Maybe I need to see if Mrs. Nuthatch is around as well...5.5 Backyard Birds
I haven't even looked out my window and there's already a Western Tanager
and a Wilson's Warbler in my backyard (both migrants).5.5 Chain of Lakes
Fallout in progress? Not at the Chain of Lakes. One measly flock of about 10 WESTERN TANAGERS and 50+ CEDAR WAXWINGS was all I had.5.13 Central Park, NYC
In addition to the identified birds below, there was another unidentified warbler (Pine???) with yellow underparts, white undertail coverts and not much else in terms of field marks. There was probably a WILSON'S WARBLER singing too that I ignored... BTBW and BLBW, both males, both singing, in the same binocular field....Ramble and Belvedere Castle area (thanks Alan!):
Great Egret
Chimney Swift
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Barn Swallow
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Orange-crowned Warbler (celata)
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
MOURNING WARBLER (female, low in the shrubs just east of the castle)
Canada Warbler
LINCOLN'S SPARROW (whoo-hoo... :-)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
5.13 Mourning Warbler near Belvedere Castle this morning
This morning, I had a female MOURNING WARBLER east of Belvedere Castle. It
was low in the shrubs near the water about 1/3 of the way towards the little
overlook area at the east end of Turtle Pond.Description:
A somewhat heavy-looking warbler with a green back, yellow belly and gray
head and upper breast. The gray breast was cleanly demarcated from the belly
though I could not tell if the border was ragged or not and the coloration
was more medium gray as opposed to dark gray. There were no black tips to
the gray feathers at the bottom of the bib. If there was an eye ring around
the dark eye, it was very thin. The bird was not heard vocalizing.Analysis:
Only the three _Opporornis_ warblers other than Kentucky have gray heads,
yellow bellies and green backs. Connecticut Warbler has a large and in
spring should show a broad eye ring in both sexes. MacGillivray's Warbler
is a western speciality, even less likely than Mourning Warbler and both
sexes usually show distinct eye crescents in spring. The absence of
(observed) eye ring strongly suggests MOURNING WARBLER, while the somewhat
medium gray, less saturated appearance with the absence of dark feathers at
the base of the bib sugggests adult female. I have very limited experience
with Mourning and Connecticut Warblers, but extensive experience with
MacGillivray's Warbler. The photo at:is a good match for this individual.
5.18 Wrentit Breeding Ecology
I'd start with this:http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/scrub/wrentit.htm
In particular, note the aversion to eucalpytus mentioned in this article.
5.20 Red-breasted Nuthatch continues in my backyard...
5.21 RE: Status of Greater Pewee in California
I wouldn't think juveniles would be found at this time of year. The CBRC has not endorsed any spring records (and few early fall records, for that matter) of Greater Pewee as per the draft of 'Rare Birds of California' that I have. Most accepted records range from November through April, with the majority between December and March. Also of note is that there are only two accepted records from all of Northern CA, neither further north than SCZ.5.28 Bear Valley
The NORTHERN PARULA continues along Bear Valley road between mile markers 1.18 and 1.28.5.29 Santa Fe Grade, Del Puerto Canyon Road, Mines Road
Gadwall
Mallard
Ring-necked Pheasant
California Quail
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Killdeer
Long-billed Curlew
California Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Lewis's Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Hutton's Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
Yellow-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Rock Wren
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Wrentit
California Thrasher
European Starling
Phainopepla
Yellow Warbler
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock's Oriole
Purple Finch
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
Lawrence's Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow5.30 Yellow-breasted Chat at Sunset Circle
David Armstrong found a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at Sunset Circle today. It was still calling around 11:00 when I showed up.Home
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