[SBB] Smiths Creek - 9 warbler morning + empids

[[[email protected]] (Mike Rogers)]

All,

This morning 4/14/07, I decided to check the area around the Smiths Creek fire station for migrants. I arrived at 7:45am and the meadow by the station and the surrounding woods were very quiet, with only BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS singing in any numbers; one CASSIN'S VIREO was also singing here. Continuing up to the hillside behind the station also produced no migrants, although when I finally reached the summit on the Bonnhoff Trail a small flock included a singing male LAZULI BUNTING, a NASHVILLE WARBLER, 2 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and a couple of singing AUDUBON'S YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Encouraged by this, I followed the Bonnhoff Trail towards Twin Gates, soon hearing more Dendroica song atop a ridge heading west. A short hike later, I was standing near the top of a ridge looking down on leafing out oaks, enjoying continuous singing from dozens of warblers as the sun tried to break through the clouds. I ended up spending an hour standing in this one
 spot, enjoying incredible looks at 7 species of warblers and other migrants. Very conservative counts of the birds seen from this area include (there could easily have been twice this many - these numbers represent the highest counts seen/heard at once augmented by individuals with distinctive plumage differences):

1 HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER
1 DUSKY FLYCATCHER
4+  RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS
1 WARBLING VIREO
4+ ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS
3+ NASHVILLE WARBLERS
13+ AUDUBON'S YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS
9+ BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS
6+ TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS
2+ male HERMIT WARBLERS
2+ WILSON'S WARBLERS
4+ LAZULI BUNTINGS
many PURPLE FINCHES
a pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES
4 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES
2 PINE SISKINS

The Hammond's Flycatcher was silent, but was typical of the species, with a proportionately large head, a tiny nearly all-black bill, a short tail, and a long primary extension. The Dusky Flycatcher was notably different, with a longer bill that was half (linear distance) orange on the underside (viewed from directly below), and differently proportioned, lacking the large-headed look of the Hammond's and with a longer tail, this being accentuated by the bird's short primary projection. This bird sang an abbreviated song once, giving the first "prll-it" note, this being less raspy, grating, and sneezy than the corresponding song note of a Hammond's Flycatcher. Both these flycatchers had the narrow, straight-sided bills, slightly tear-dropped eyerings, gray heads and breasts, and grayish-olive backs typical of Hammond's/Dusky Flycatchers and the Dusky showed an obvious pale outer edge to the outer tail feathers.

At 10:00am, it started to rain and I made my way back towards the fire station, finding another small flock with a WARBLING VIREO, a singing male AUDUBON'S YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, 2 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.

In the vegetation by the dried up pond near the green gate by the broken down barn I managed to get nice, although brief, looks at a singing male MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER. Just west of here was a calling HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. I started to walk along Smiths Creek, but the rain got heavier and I was forced to head back to the car, leaving just before 11:00am.

Lingering winter birds were still in good numbers, with dozens of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, 4 HERMIT THRUSHES, and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW in addition to the above-noted kinglets. Also, on the drive up, I noted two VARIED THRUSHES, at mileposts 8.9 and 9.6, northwest of Hall's Valley.

A quick stop at Grant Lake in pouring rain added a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (9th warbler species) and 2 low-flying VAUX'S SWIFTS. Lingerers here inlcuded a WILSON'S SNIPE and 2 BUFFLEHEADS. Driving down Quimby Road, I saw 2 WILD TURKEYS just east of San Jose in block 0530, the first record for this atlas block.

Birding yesterday Friday the 13th was less successful. I failed to find any grackles at the Coyote Creek Golf Course(although the 4 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were still there, along with 2 WILSON'S SNIPE) and a stop along the Guadalupe River north of Curtner failed to turn up any Black-chinned Hummingbirds, although I did find an incubating ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, an adult male MERLIN, 2 HOODED ORIOLES, an immature SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and 11 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (including a nice adult male MYRTLE, as well as several singing male AUDUBON'S).

Mike Rogers
Sunnyvale

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