[SBB] Stevens Creek north of Highway 101 - 6 species of warblers!

[Mike Rogers <[[email protected]]>]

All,

This morning 11/16/06, I birded the stretch of Stevens Creek from just 
south of L'Avenida to Crittenden Lane. Quite surprising for mid-November 
were a remarkable 6 species of warblers! YELLOW-RUMPED and COMMON 
YELLOWTHROAT are expected, but less expected were:

1) the continuing (since 6 Oct) hatch-year female BLACK-THROATED GRAY 
WARBLER, still with the kinglet/bushtit flock along the creek near the 
north end of the Moffett housing complex.

2) a male WILSON'S WARBLER with an injured leg. This bird can only 
forage by hovering and sits (a bit wobbly) with its belly pressed on a 
branch. This is likely the same bird seen 30 Oct, although I did not 
note the injury then. It spent over ten minutes at the creek crossover 
well south of the lone eucalyptus.

3) two TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and one YELLOW WARBLER at the same location 
as the WILSON'S WARBLER.

These would be great birds for the Christmas count if they can make it 
another month! Also unexpected at the bay edge were a PURPLE FINCH and a 
HUTTON'S VIREO, both the first observations I have had of these species 
here in at least 2 years (the only other records I can find at the 
moment are 10/25/98 for Purple Finch and 8/23/01 for Hutton's Vireo). 
Also new for the cumulative list of the past two years were a 
PIED-BILLED GREBE and a male AMERICAN WIGEON (first ever for here?). A 
WILSON'S SNIPE being attacked by an adult COOPER'S HAWK was the first 
I've seen here this fall. November can be interesting!

Also of note were 2 HOUSE WRENS (crossover and Crittenden Lane bridge), 
4 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and a FOX SPARROW of the race zaboria.

Mike Rogers
Sunnyvale


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