First, photos, video, audio, and other details and comments are on eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S399897142. A Palm Warbler is also at this spot and others had a Tennessee here later in the day as well.
PLEASE be very mindful about access at this location. The riparian along Whitehouse Ck, where the Painted Redstart was, is the private property of Costanoa Resort. Birders are permitted to access the riparian IF we park in the main parking lot, not in pullouts along the private road, and walk back down to the creek. This was confirmed today by Costanoa management. There is a store and a restaurant at Costanoa Resort that are open to the public and that is why birders can access this site (the management hopes we will make purchases at the restaurant or store), so consider visiting them and buying something if you are here. It is important to keep management favorably disposed toward birders so that we do not lose access to this awesome location. Thanks to Caitlin Chock for helping get access details out while I was trying to send satellite texts from the stakeout with very poor reception.
Some quick additional details about the bird: After I found it just before 9:30, I left to reach cell service and get the word out. After returning and trying to relocate it for an hour, Richard Jeffers and I heard it calling a short distance upstream from the original spot and Richard spotted it in an alder. We ​got good but brief views before it vanished again into the riparian. I think Tom Duncan may have seen it briefly a couple hours later, but other than that it was not detected again today despite much effort, as far as I know. It disappears into the riparian and (likely) into the stands of tall Eucalyptus and other exotic trees, much of which is more or less inaccessible, and clearly it does not call very often, although it called repeatedly (and spontaneously) for several minutes around 10:30 when it was seen for the second time.
Although it was missed for much of the day today, it is certainly possible that the bird may be present tomorrow (plenty of previous fall migrants in NorCal have stayed multiple days). If you chase, again, please be very careful to park in the main lot and stay out of the way of resort staff and guests.
Good birding,
Marty Freeland
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From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> on behalf of Marty Freeland via groups.io <martinf3...>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 9:41 AM
To: 'Peninsula Birding' <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: [pen-bird] PAINTED REDSTART
