Date: 9/26/25 2:55 pm From: Marty Freeland via groups.io <martinf3...> Subject: [pen-bird] Recent notes: Blackburnian, Blackpoll, etc.
Hi all,
Highlights from the past week have included multiple new Tennessees and Black-and-whites, a Blackburnian, a Blackpoll, a redstart, and a Willow Flycatcher. Wilson's Warblers have really cleared out, going from 1–2 per flock on 9/18 to 1–2 per morning over the past couple days. Yellow Warblers have also diminished substantially and are now vastly outnumbered by Townsend's at most sites. Small numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and other late-season birds are present on the coast, although numbers of western migrants in general continue to be somewhat below average for me.
On 9/18, a couple hours in the afternoon on the south coast (at various times with Logan Kahle, Caitlin Chock, Chris Henry, Kadynn Hatfield, and Matt Brady) produced a Black-and-white Warbler on upper Gazos Creek.
On 9/19, after spending most of the day in Santa Cruz I had my San Mateo County FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Lincoln's Sparrow in the Whitehouse Ck valley. A Black-throated Gray Warbler was at Costanoa.
On 9/20, a Tennessee Warbler was at Princeton Willows early in the morning. My FOS Sooty Fox Sparrow was in the same location. A grosbeak on Pilarcitos Ck below the parking lot for Fisherman’s Tavern was likely a Rose-breasted, but I was unable to obtain photos and views were not quite good enough to be certain. It was a formative-plumaged bird that appeared to show coarse streaking across the entire upper breast.
On 9/21, I spent the whole day on the north coast (all other days this week were half-days or less in the county). Migrant numbers were fair to low but good birds were still present. E.g., I was only able to find one substantial flock on lower San Pedro Ck, an area where I usually find 2–4, but this single flock contained a HY male (I think) Black-and-white Warbler. Nearby at Sanchez Adobe, somewhat higher on San Pedro Creek, I was surprised to see a dull Blackburnian Warbler with a flock, using not only the alders in the riparian but also the nearby stands of Eucalyptus. Blackburnian is a more regular vagrant to the county now than it was historically, though still quite rare. At Mussel Rock Park, a Willow Flycatcher was in the back (upslope) portion of the large willow basin. This year, as with most years, I have had fewer Willow Flycatchers on the San Mateo coast than waterthrushes, or redstarts, or Tennessees, etc. Speaking of Tennessees, yet another was at the west Miramar willows (near the DCFL spot), birded from the end of Ventura St in the early afternoon. And a fourth good warbler was a HY Blackpoll with a flock at the west end of Oak Ave. Pk in Half Moon Bay in the evening, the first I have noted in the county this fall. Other locations I checked on this day included Mori Pt, Calera Ck, several patches in Montara, Fitzgerald MR, Denniston Ck, the Emergency Willows, the east Miramar willows, Carter Pk, Mariners Church, the Johnston House, Miramontes Ck, the ends of Pilarcitos Ave and Chesterfield Blvd, and (briefly) the small pine tree at Devil's Slide where, remarkably, other birders photographed an American Redstart the day before.
On 9/22, always fun to see together were Nashville and Tennessee warblers at Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma. At least 2 Tennessees were present. Unfortunately I had to leave to make it to classes shortly before Summer Lee and Chris Hayward refound the AHY male Cape May discovered the previous day by Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin.
On 9/23, a brief check of parts of the north coast with Logan Kahle produced an American Redstart at Princeton Willows before I had to leave for classes. This was the 8th in the county this fall, which is an above-average number.
Finally, this morning (9/26) a Cassin's Vireo on Butano Ck below Pescadero Ck Rd was notable on the immediate coast.
