[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – The exciting news of a Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata, found by Paul Lehman and Barbara Carlson in Coronado, San Diego, lifted me out of a dull early-morning blur checking through endless Yellow-rumps at Mission Bay. I jumped in the car and soon made it over there to check it out. While I was picking over warblers shooting in and out of several favored Melaleuca trees, Paul and Barbara came back over and helped me look for the Blackpoll. Sure enough, two minutes later Paul pointed to the left side of the tree and there was the bird! Harassed severely by Yellow-rumps, the Blackpoll was very flighty and only settled for a moment in view, disappearing around the back of the tree into more quiet tangles. It then hopped trees and showed itself atop the opposite Melaleuca tree where I obtained a nice series of photographs.

This appears to be a diffusely marked first fall individual with a nice yellow coloration and indistinct streaks. The golden-yellow lower legs and particularly the feet, characteristic of Blackpoll Warbler, can be easily picked out in many of the photographs below, especially the final image. A very nice wood-warbler find and a new San Diego County bird for me that I had hoped to come across this fall.

Blackpoll Warbler – Coronado Island, San Diego, 03 Nov 2013

Blackpoll Warbler – Coronado Island, San Diego, 03 Nov 2013

Blackpoll Warbler – Coronado Island, San Diego, 03 Nov 2013

Blackpoll Warbler – Coronado Island, San Diego, 03 Nov 2013

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2012] – This warbler was first found by Barbara Carlson and Christine Harvey at the junction of San Fernando and Lawrence Streets in the La Playa neighborhood of Point Loma, San Diego on 18 Nov 2012. Shortly after it was found I went over to the location and obtained some close photographs as it preened and then foraged in small pepper trees. The bird had a structure much like Townsend’s Warbler but looked a bit “off” for that species in my opinion. One immediate difference, apart from the obvious absence (mostly) of yellow in the plumage, was the well defined grey auricular coloration merging without interruption to the nape. It was not separated from the nape by a lighter colored posterior auricular frame, forming a dark auricular patch, like that of Townsend’s Warbler. Also the white throat had below it a dusky gray bib, sort of like a faded “Myrtle” (Yellow-rumped) Warbler. It does seem to have a faint yellow patch on the breast side too – weird. Perhaps the most noticeable difference though came from its call – a low and syrupy churp quite unlike the emphatic sharp chit call of Townsend’s Warbler. In my opinion it sounded very similar to the call of a “Myrtle” (Yellow-rumped) Warbler.

The flight photograph below shows what appears to be three colors to the body upper parts with the rump (yellow-green) contrasting with both the back (olive-green to brownish) and upper tail coverts (bluish-grey). I was concerned the back color was an artifact of the light, but it does also contrast with the bluish-grey scapulars that kind of muddle in to the back color if you look carefully. To my eye also the lower back looks green where it borders the rump – that’s four colors on the body upper parts! Many of the feathers of the upper parts appear to have small dark centers. Also visible on the left wing in the flight photograph are the freshly molted greater and median coverts, with just a few retained and more faded looking greater coverts.

The photographs below of the closed left wing show quite well a couple of the freshly molted median coverts poking out from under the fluffy scapulars. The median coverts have wide black bases but the black tapers quickly to a fine central streak. Based on Pyle 1997 this would seem to indicate this is a hatch year (HY) female, or possibly a second year female Townsend’s Warbler.

Perhaps the bright greenish-yellow rump and yellow feathers on the flank sides point to some type of Yellow-rumped Warbler parentage. If this were the case I think the white throat and white supercilium most strongly suggests “Myrtle” Yellow-rumped Warbler as one parental species. Other features clearly resemble Townsend’s Warbler although the face pattern is different from that species in my opinion. The almost complete absence of yellow coloration would also need to be explained.

Could this be a hybrid “Myrtle” Yellow-rumped Warbler X Townsend’s Warbler? Many features of the bird fit one or other of this species pair. In some of my photographs it looks like a Myrtle and in others a Townsend’s Warbler! On several occasions it sat around upright on long legs and preened its chest feathers and I thought it looked just like a Yellow-rumped Warbler. The posture in the photograph above looks just like that species and the stoutness of the bill is striking too. Quite unlike the perched horizontal posture and finer more delicate bill of a Townsend’s Warbler. Very baffling!

I would be interested in hearing what other people think about this warbler. Perhaps someone even encountered a similar looking bird before. So far, my searches on the internet have not yielded anything that looks quite like this bird!

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2012] – While searching near Mission Bay Golf Course, San Diego for yesterday’s Prairie Warbler, I came across this brightly colored basic plumaged Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica. It was feeding in another lerp infested eucalyptus close to the golf course but proved difficult to photograph as it hung right over the highway! This bird is in quite freshly molted basic plumage which really shows off the stunning green color on the upper parts. Not a bad consolation prize as it worked out!

The vivid green coloration on the upper parts, indistinct dark centers to upper tail coverts (barely visible on the last photograph below), and extensive white coloration on the three outer rectrices (r4-r6) indicates this is most likely a hatch year male Chestnut-sided Warbler. One neat field character to help identify this bird in the tree canopy above you, looking essentially white from below, are the clearly visible pale yellow patches on the rear flanks behind the legs.

So far in Fall 2012 Chestnut-sided Warbler has only been found at Lake O’Neill, Camp Pendleton in North County where perhaps two different individuals were seen in September. It is one of the more frequently recorded eastern warblers in California and can usually be banked on to be found here in the county each fall. This happens to be the first one I found myself here in San Diego County, my “self-found” list is climbing!

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2012] – The day after my original sighting of Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla on 15 Sep 2012 a second report came in from the other side of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery by Rich Norgaard on 16 Sep 2012. It seems most likely it is the same individual and it was nice that many people got to see this quirky ground-dwelling warbler after it was refound. I ventured over to the location late in the afternoon, at “The Dip” on the west side fence line. I found the Ovenbird walking around feeding busily on the open grass and it allowed very close approach. I obtained these photographs as it walked in the long shadows from the setting sun. As I soon realized, this species has a built in light meter and hates open full sunlight!

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2012] – I was out at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery again before dawn in search of nighthawks but with no luck. It was just getting faintly light when the warm Santa Ana winds picked up again from the east around 5:45 AM. I could tell this was going to be another scorching hot day here in San Diego and in fact temperatures did exceed 100°F later on. After searching favored spots in the south and east sides of the cemetery I started walking over to the northeast section.  As I got near to the small road loop a small warbler flew up onto a low branch of the first large Torrey Pine, letting out a loud strong “chip” call. As I got it lined up in my binoculars I could see that it did not hop, but walked slowly along the branch! Sure enough it was boldly streaked underneath and had a large pale eye-ring – Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla!

The Ovenbird paced carefully along the branch looking down at me allowing a few more photographs. In some respects it almost looked like an Olive-backed Pipit from Asia walking along the branch, and for a split second the thought crossed my mind it might be that species, until I saw the very bold black streaks – a bit too strong! After just a few seconds of presenting itself the Ovenbird flew off over the east perimeter wall and away.

Ovenbird is a rare visitor to San Diego County with about one record per year. Some individuals have stayed for long periods at favored localities. The species is considered a Category B rarity by San Diego Field Ornithologists which denotes about one record annually.

The call of this species is quite distinctive, a loud sharp “chip”. Looking through online resource Xeno-Canto there are several good recordings of the call. The recording below is of two birds calling together. The louder voiced individual in this recording is a good match to the bird I saw today.