Date: 10/21/25 5:01 pm From: Marty Freeland via groups.io <martinf3...> Subject: [pen-bird] Recent notes: Blue-headed Vireo, Magnolias, etc.
Hi all,
Highlights from the past two weeks or so have included a Blue-headed Vireo, two Magnolia Warblers, a new Black-and-white, an American Redstart, and a few Nashvilles and such.
On 10/8, I birded the north coast from Pacifica to Moss Beach for part of the morning. Migrant numbers overall were lower than expected. A Magnolia Warbler was at Calera Ck, near the area used by Cedric Duhalde's wintering bird a couple years ago. Chris Hayward and Caitlin Chock relocated it later in the day and they had a Nashville at the same site as well.
On 10/14, I birded the south coast through the morning and early afternoon. At Pie Ranch, near Ano Nuevo State Park, I found an apparent Blue-headed Vireo in the large redwood and walnut trees at the base of the enclosed garden area. The bird was present for the rest of the day, mostly demolishing tent caterpillars in the same large walnut, and was photographed by many observers. My photos and a discussion of this individual's identification are on eBird. To me it appears to be a pretty good Blue-headed Vireo, and that has been the unanimous consensus among those to whom I have circulated photos, but additional input is always welcome. The identification of this species complex is challenging and San Mateo's three previous possible records of Blue-headed Vireo have been associated with identification controversies. All occurred during the period when this species was reviewed by the CBRC, and none was accepted (two were rejected and one not submitted): the 1998 and 2001 birds were borderline individuals that may have been Blue-headeds, but were not accepted as such on CBRC review, and the 2012 bird was reported as a Blue-headed by a careful observer, but another very careful and knowledgeable observer relocated what was presumably the same individual the next day and concluded that it was a bright Cassin's. This one did not even make it to the CBRC, though it is accepted in eBird. Many thanks to Ron Thorn for kindly providing details related to prior Blue-headed Vireo records in the county. The Pie Ranch bird is evidently the first record for the county that seems not to be compromised by concerns related to identification, although it is certainly possible that some of the previous records may have been legitimate.
A quick note on access to Pie Ranch: this site is a private working ranch and birders are graciously permitted to access the lower part of it by the management. A map of which areas are accessible is on a large sign just NE of the farmstand. It is okay to bird these areas even when the farmstand is closed; if the farmstand is open, it would be a good idea to buy something when you visit. The owners and employees are all very nice and welcoming. Let's keep it that way! Pie Ranch is an excellent spot for sparrows and has great potential for things like Dickcissel and Painted Bunting; there is also some riparian at the southwest end and it is the most coastal site in the county where Nuttall's and Acorn woodpeckers breed, to my knowledge, excepting the corner of Pacifica that has beachfront resident Nuttall's like SF does. I like Pie Ranch a lot, but never in a million years would it have been my guess for where our first well-credentialed Blue-headed Vireo would turn up!!
Over the rest of the day numbers of Neotropical migrants were low, more or less as expected for this date. A Western Flycatcher on Gazos Creek was getting late. Also on Gazos was a White-throated Sparrow high in an alder, a Nashville Warbler at the base of the road, and a Western Tanager that Kent Forward pointed out. A large flock on Pescadero Creek contained a Warbling Vireo, also getting late.
On 10/17, I birded the north coast from Mussel Rock to Miramontes Ck. I was again impressed by the high numbers of migrants at Mussel Rock, which included 3–4 gray-headed Orange-crowned Warblers, 2 Black-throated Gray Warblers, and a rather late Swainson's Thrush. At the Farallone Willows in Montara, a Magnolia Warbler was with a flock that also included a Nashville. Magnolia is always one of my favorite eastern warblers to see in the county. Another Swainson's Thrush was in the Etheldore Willows. Later, an American Redstart was at Princeton Willows, near where Logan Kahle and I had one on 9/23 and where I had one on 9/30. Whether one, two, or three birds are involved in these three records is uncertain. I thought the first two looked subtly different from one another in the field, but this is not really borne out by photographs and the third one looks fairly similar too. So it may all be one bird, either with a prolonged but not quite unprecedented 24+ day stopover, or perhaps settling in to winter. In the evening, one each of Wilson's, Yellow, and Nashville warblers were on Arroyo Leon between the Mariners Church parking lot and the patch just downstream of Main St.
On 10/19, after surveys at TomKat Ranch I birded the south coast from the Ano Nuevo area north to Purisima Ck for part of the afternoon, joined by Chris Henry and Kevin (Haoning) Gong. A late Western Flycatcher was at Pie Ranch and a Black-and-white Warbler along Stage Rd. just north of Pescadero, first spotted by Kevin, was the 5th noted in the county this fall. The Loggerhead Shrike first reported by Troy Pittock was still on Purisima Ck Rd near the intersection with Verde Rd.
On 10/20, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma I was very surprised to see the same female Common Yellowthroat high in the same Eucalyptus stand as on 10/1. That is a strange enough situation to see a migrant in as a one-off, but to stay in the area and apparently use the same tall trees for 19+ days is most unexpected. A Pacific Wren was in the shrubbery around the Holy Cross flower farm.
On 10/21, more surveys at TomKat Ranch had 2 Hermit Warblers and a new Loggerhead Shrike, the county's third this season. Another Nashville Warbler was along Pilarcitos Ck near the westernmost pumpkin patch on Hwy 92. In checks of many other spots on the central coast on 10/19 and 10/21, I had no Neotropical migrants whatsoever. So far, numbers of Ruby-crowned Kinglets feel somewhat above average and numbers of most other common passerine winterers feel about par for the course.
