Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Warbler Guy, does Northern Parula nest in California? -- given the abundant recent sightings during this 2020 summer.

Good question, Peter (in Sebastopol, CA).

Given I have detected this species several times in the last few months — and based on several eBird records this year and previous years in the SF Bay Area and the North Coast — I'm inclined to believe sporadic nesting sites are present.




(Above: male, Northern Parula) 

From June through the present, more than one Northern Parula male has repeatedly sang in the same general area, suggesting potential breeding presence for the region.

A more true measure of validity for the above theory would be if multiple, annual presence is detected in the same spot for this species. That's because a male Northern Parula often returns to the same vicinity — sometimes the same nesting tree (!) — each breeding season.

Successive detection of this species in the same spot has occurred in Marin County where I live, so I suspect this phenomenon may be occurring elsewhere in Sonoma and Mendocino County (north of Marin County) this year.

Meanwhile, I'll be out listening among willow groves and other typical spots on the North Coast.

Regards, Daniel

WarblerWatch.com

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