I've been holding off on making a proclamation, but I do believe the elderly Warbling Vireo has returned to Bohnett Park on the Westside of Santa Barbara. Mark Holmgren saw a bird there back on September 9th, and this bird was seen for the next several days. I birded the park pretty regularly thereafter, and didn't see a Warbling Vireo in early-mid October. Then on October 23rd, Mark Bright saw a WaVi, and I have seen it every day since, including today. Whether this is the same bird as the September bird is anyone's guess.
If this is indeed the same wintering bird, it was first seen on a Christmas Bird Count in January, 2014, which means it's back for its 13th winter.
As you might know, Warbling Vireo was recently split into 2 species, Western and Eastern, and plumage differences are very subtle. The best way to differentiate them is by song, and of course our wintering bird is quiet, and may well be a female. I *think* our bird is a Western Warbling Vireo by the fairly dark crown and lack of yellow tones below.
Small numbers of Swinhoe's White-eye have been in the park recently, and the usual small flock of American Goldfinches has returned to the creek. There's also a Wilson's Warbler in the park.
