“Myrtle” Yellow-rumped Warbler – visiting eucalyptus in Point Loma

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2014] – I found this male “Myrtle” Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga (coronata) coronata on 05 April 2014 hiding out in a large flowering eucalyptus tree in Westminster Park, Point Loma. This is a well wooded park and was loaded with birds during my visit just after lunch. The large sycamores, leafing out nicely, and many flowering exotic trees were pulling in lots of birds. I picked through many common migrants and winter residents before suddenly spotting this nice looking male Myrtle Warbler. It appears to be almost in full alternate plumage which made it stand out from the dozens of accompanying “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler. Features which distinguish this male Myrtle Warbler from the Audubon’s Warbler include the white throat (yellow in Audubon’s), blackish colored auricular (gray in Audubon’s), white supercilium (concolorous gray in Audubon’s), white tipped greater and median secondary coverts (a more extensively white “panel” look here in male Audubon’s), and the more extensive white underside to the outer tail feathers which extends to the tail tip on the inner feather vane (there are more extensive black tips in Audubon’s). It was a nice surprise although it proved difficult to photograph in the thickly foliaged eucalyptus! While trying to attract the warbler into view I also had close approaches by a couple of inquisitive male Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus that were very interested in the commotion of warblers darting around me.