[SBB] FW: Female Balck and White Warbler

The SCVAS Arastradero Preserve walk was a great success today. The best bird of the day was the female-type BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER. This bird was definitely a different bird than the one found in Penitencia. The auriculars were not black, the throat was all white, the streaks on the sides were finer, and the black and white on the back was not as high contrast. The crown, of course, was still black with a white stripe down the middle. To get to the place where we found the bird, you actually need to go past Sobey Pond. On the right, you will see a brown sign with white lettering for the Bay to Foothills Trail. Just a few feet past that sign and still on the right is the large, leafless, and yes moss covered oak mentioned below. The bird was first seen in that tree. She did, at one point, fly over the trail to another leafless tree and then back again. Given the leafless nature of the trees in question, everyone got great looks at the bird. Observers included myself, Rich Page, Pat Kenny, and Roland Kenner.

We also had a WHITE THROATED SPARROW. Past the first main pond, again on the right, we came across a line of scrubby deadfall where a large flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS were hanging out. After some scanning of the flock, Pat Kenny came up with the larger vagrant. It was a white-striped variety with nice yellow lores contrasting sharply with the white crown stripes.

A final nice surprise was a RED-BREASTER SAPSUCKER.

Best Regards,

Kirsten R. Holmquist

408.747.0988

[[email protected]]

From: [[email protected]] [mailto:[[email protected]]] On Behalf Of [[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 1:05 PM
To: [[email protected]]
Subject: [SBB] Female Balck and White Warbler

All,

I just got a call from Kirsten Holmquist reporting that a female BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was well seen on today's SCVAS field trip to Arastradero OSP. The bird was in a large leafless (moss covered?) Oak just below Sobey Pond near a sign for the Bay to Foothill Trail. I'm not familiar with the area so I'm assuming that Kirsten (or?) will add to/correct my description as to the location where the bird was seen. It's interesting to note that Rich Page (today's field trip leader) was one of those that found the male Black and White Warbler in Penitencia Creek park during the San Jose CBC.

Take care,

Bob Reiling