Date: 10/29/26 6:26 am From: liammsf <liammsf...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Ruby-crowned Kinglet breeding in Santa Cruz county?
I concur with the comments of Dominik and Kent, the appearance of the bird
(particularly the larger, wide-set bill) and the chosen nest site, fits
Western Flycatcher far better than either kinglet or Hutton's Vireo.
Liam
On Thu, Oct 29, 2026, 6:07 AM Kent Johnson <kentjohnson...> wrote:
> Hi Carol,
> I cannot account for your friend's saying it had a ruby crown, but the
> bird does not have the bill of a vireo or the wing of a kinglet. The nest
> is also very unlike that of a vireo or kinglet. It all does look like a
> Western Flycatcher.
> Cheers, Kent Johnson
> ------------------------------
> *From:* <mbbirds...> <mbbirds...> on behalf of
> Carol Pecot <carol.pecot...>
> *Sent:* Thursday, October 29, 2026 3:03 AM
> *To:* <dominikmosur...> <dominikmosur...>
> *Cc:* MBBirds <mbbirds...>
> *Subject:* Re: [MBBIRDS] Ruby-crowned Kinglet breeding in Santa Cruz
> county?
>
> Hi Dominik,
> Are you a night owl too? I had just sent out some comments about other
> possible birds to my email, and then saw your comment before I shut the
> computer down.
>
> Totally agree that it is also similar to a Western Flycatcher in looks and
> nest site (and timing), but the beak is very black, with no sign of a crest
> (which can be hidden, but I’ve not seen it hidden that much). And, of
> course, the person I was talking to said that she occasionally saw the ruby
> crown. I asked her 3 separate times, just to make sure, but I will be
> going back and doing that yet again! When I asked her if the bird tended
> to move around very quickly, she instantly agreed. I will definitely be
> talking to her again.
>
> Carol
>
> On Oct 29, 2026, at 2:42 AM, <dominikmosur...> wrote:
>
> Hi Carol,
>
> This looks like a Western Flycatcher. They often build nests on man made
> structures like this.
>
> d
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Oct 29, 2026, at 02:14, Carol Pecot <carol.pecot...> wrote:
>
> Thanks Liam, and also thanks to many others who responded.
> In answer to some of the comments or questions:
>
> -I’m definitely familiar with the Ruby-crowned Kinglets being here in the
> non-breeding season - I look forward to hearing the old typewriter sounds
> of their call every fall, and always try to observe the very hard to see
> yellowish feet (usually unsuccessfully, because they move so quickly).
> -I really perked up when she said it was nesting, because I thought that
> they did not nest around here. After I confirmed that the records and
> range maps did NOT list them breeding here, I sent out the email.
> -in recent years, it seems like they sometimes stay longer than I expect,
> but I don’t think I have recorded any dates
> -I’m about 4 miles downhill (Santa Cruz side) from the Summit Road at
> elevation ~ 1,100 ft, and I am pretty sure that the person I was talking
> about is local to me, perhaps a bit closer to the Summit Road - I’ll ask
> her where the pictures were taken.
> -below are the pictures that she shared with me. She also had a
> silhouette picture of one of the other birds that would hang out nearby,
> but I didn’t ask for that one. She did not have a picture of it showing its
> ruby crest, but said she had seen it a couple of times, but most of the
> time it was hidden.
>
> Comments about ID from the pictures?
>
> Thanks, Carol Pecot
>
>
> <image000000.jpeg>
>
> <image000000.jpeg>
>
>
>
> Below is the date stamp of the first picture
> <image000000.jpeg>
>
> Below is the date stamp for the second picture
> <image000001.jpeg>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 28, 2026, at 7:18 PM, liammsf <liammsf...> wrote:
>
> Ruby-crowned Kinglets are expected region-wide currently, during the non
> breeding season. They aren’t known to breed in or near the Santa Cruz
> Mountains; furthermore there are no eBird records of the species in June or
> July in Santa Cruz County.
>
> If there are photos, those would be good to include. I’m not aware of any
> rules prohibiting photo attachments to the email list.
>
> Liam Murphy
>
> On Oct 28, 2026, at 7:01 PM, donna cowan <donnicus44...> wrote:
>
> They breed and nest in the summer, usually July and August
>
> On Wed, Oct 28, 2026, 6:49 PM 'Louise West' via mbbirds <
> <mbbirds...> wrote:
>
> I saw and photographed one at Roaring Camp yesterday, but have no clue if
> it’s breeding. I got one badly blurred image with the crown showing, but
> the sharp shots (alas) don’t show the red crown.
>
> Louise W
> Felton
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Oct 28, 2026, at 6:37 PM, Carol Pecot <carol.pecot...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Are there any records or sightings of Ruby-crowned Kinglets breeding in
> the Santa Cruz mountains?
> >
> > In my garden today I was talking with a non-birder, and I thought I saw
> a Ruby-crowned Kinglet flitting by. I finally saw enough to id, including
> the call, and said “Oh, it’s a Ruby-crowned Kinglet”. The person I was
> talking to said “that’s what I thought it was”, which seemed weird given
> she was not a birder. She explained that it was one of the few birds she
> knew because one had nested outside of her room and she got lots of good
> looks, and even saw the ruby crown a few times. She showed me a June 29
> picture of the bird sitting on the nest, and a July 3 pic of the babies.
> >
> > She also reported some interesting behavior. When the female was
> sitting on the nest, there were two adult kinglets who would perch nearby,
> waiting. When she arrived, they would also arrive, and when she left, they
> left. Do kinglets have a history of “helpers” from prior broods?
> >
> > Does anyone have information on Ruby-crowned Kinglets breeding in the
> mountains here?
> >
> > Thanks, Carol Pecot
> >
> > PS the picture sure looks like a Ruby-crowned Kinglet sitting on the
> nest (not a Hutton’s Vireo), and I have permission to share it. However, I
> must confess that I know how to attach a picture to an email, but I think
> we are not supposed to do that? I don’t know how to set it up as a
> link….. I’ll try to figure that out if anyone wants to see the pic.
> >
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