Date: 12/25/25 5:00 pm From: Richard Bradus via groups.io <grizzledjay...> Subject: Re: [EBB-Sightings] Possible Lucy’s at Booker - details
Apologies for my somewhat cryptic post - a Merry (if stormy and belated) Christmas to all.
The bird was seen at Booker T Anderson Park in Richmond, same place as the continuing Summer Tanager and Tennessee Warbler.
I spotted it initially around perhaps 11:50am when it perched in the open for a minute or so on a small willow branch in the row of trees along the creek, and first thought it looked like a bit like a Bushtit, but the tail was not so long and it had a narrow, warbler beak. I got Nat Smale on it but when he started to raise his camera to try to get a photo it flew off to the south toward the row of eucs and I lost it (and I don't think Nat got a sufficient view to be comfortable of the ID, particularly as the bird was somewhat backlit).
Later (perhaps 12:45pm or so), while searching again for the tanager, etc. it appeared briefly high up in the trees near where the tanager had been and was seen by Kevin Hintsa and his buddy (sorry, I forgot your name) but quickly flew off, again south toward the tall eucs and we were unable to follow it.
The bird was striking in its plainness; it was gray overall, with whitish underparts, lacking any streaking on the breast or sides or any discernible markings around the face. My view was straight on but looking up mostly at the underside, so I did not get a view of the crown or uppertail to ascertain for any rufous coloration. It was smaller and appeared a bit more plump than the Yellow-rumps, with a thin, pointed warbler beak (not like a Bushtit or Goldfinch) and lacked white eye ring or black wing patch as would be expected of a Kinglet (plus it held its position for much longer than a Kinglet or vireo would).
I'm reasonably confident of the ID as a Lucy's Warbler (can't think of anything else it could have been) but have refrained from formally submitting as such since the other observers only got brief views and there is no photo documentation. With the weather being as it is, we can only hope that it stuck around; like the Tennessee Warbler (for me a bit difficult to spot), patience and determined search may well be necessary.
Good luck! (And thank you Jack Hayden for finding the tanager and bringing us to this spot).
Richard BradusSan Francisco
On Wednesday, December 24, 2025 at 12:51:53 PM PST, Richard Bradus via groups.io <grizzledjay...> wrote:
Around noon and 12:45pm two sightings of what may have been a Lucy’s Warbler-small, gray, unmarked. Same trees as Tennessee etc. near creek.
Please excuse typos and such
