Date: 10/31/25 4:13 pm From: Marty Freeland via groups.io <martinf3...> Subject: [pen-bird] Recent notes: Canada Warbler, new Am. Redstart and Tennessees, etc.
Hi all,
Highlights from the past few days have included a Canada Warbler, a new American Redstart, two new Tennessees, several Nashville and Palm warblers, and several cool leucistic birds. It continues to be a strong year for Ruby-crowned Kinglet with above-average numbers noted almost everywhere, and for Orange-crowned Warbler, especially (but I think not solely?) gray-headed birds. The first White-throated Sparrows at traditional wintering locations that I have noted returned this week.
On 10/28, I birded the north coast from Mori Pt. to Moss Beach. At Mori Pt. a greenish-yellow warbler with white outer tail feathers was in the coastal scrub. I followed it around for a bit thinking that perhaps it would be a Prairie. Instead, eventually I got good views of an Orange-crowned Warbler with pure white outer rectrices! I have never seen anything quite like that. Also present were 2 White-throated Sparrows. A coastal Northern Mockingbird at Pedro Pt. was notable. At the Farallone Willows in Montara, there was a bright Tennessee Warbler. At the same location was a San Mateo endemic, the White-throated Black Phoebe (Sayornis albogularis), returning for another winter; this striking leucistic bird spent last winter at the same site and was seen nearby (by Kent Forward) in September 2023. A Nashville Warbler was at the bottlebrushes near the entrance road to the hospital in Moss Beach.
At Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, I spent a while with a Pacific/Winter wren that gave remarkably Song Sparrow-like calls, to my ear, and certainly sounded quite different from an ordinary Pacific Wren, though also not quite spot-on for Winter. Sending around the recordings it seems that most agree that this bird sounds ambiguous. A particularly helpful analysis by Ethan Monk noted that peak frequency in some calls is ~3700 kHz, which is typical of Winter, but in others it is somewhat higher (albeit not quite into the ordinary territory of Pacific) and many calls show a doubled lower harmonic, which is a pro-Pacific feature. I was not able to see the bird well enough to obtain photographs or assess the plumage characteristics that are useful for identification. Winter Wren has yet to be recorded in San Mateo County. Better audio and photographs of the Fitzgerald bird could be nice; however, there are also normal Pacific Wrens at this location.
On 10/29, I birded the north coast from Vallemar neighborhoods to Half Moon Bay for much of the day. Another new Tennessee Warbler was at Sanchez Adobe park and a new Nashville was not too far away at St. Peter's Catholic Church in the upper Linda Mar area for yet another day with the Tennessee + Nashville combination. At San Pedro Valley CP I found a striking Canada Warbler that gave excellent looks behind the visitor center, and eventually cooperated to give a small group good looks later on after being relocated by Caitlin Chock. This was San Mateo County's second individual this fall and a much-anticipated county bird for me. We have had 2 Canadas and 2 Worm-eating Warblers this fall—the same number of Blackpoll Warblers recorded in the county this season! I am not aware of other records of Canada Warbler for the north coast proper (north of Moss Beach), though there certainly may be one or two.
On 10/30, I birded neighborhoods from Moss Beach to Miramar through the early afternoon when I had to leave for classes. At one of my traditional spots for White-throated Sparrow in east Miramar three individuals were present, a rather high count, especially for late October. Also present was a Golden-crowned Sparrow with a white right cheek, continuing a streak of leucistic birds. Otherwise it was rather slow all day with cold temperatures and strong northwesterly breezes.
On 10/31, I birded pumpkin patches and neighborhoods in southern Half Moon Bay in the early morning. At Bob's Pumpkin Patch, two Palm Warblers were together in the southwestern area of the field, which was very active. Birding the Moonridge neighborhoods on upper Miramontes Ck (or a feeder creek?), which is an area that I like very much for late fall/early winter, a dull female-type American Redstart was with a flock in willows all the way at the northeastern corner of the development. I think this is the county's ninth this season, which is an above-average total.
As always, photos and details and locations, etc., are on eBird.
