Warbler Guy, you teach classes at Merritt College, I see (with a Google search)...correct?

Yes, Aundra, and thanks for the plug.

Here's a "copy and paste" from my Daniel's Merritt College Classes blog about my upcoming 2016 class:

Raptors Of The Bay Area: September 8 - early November, 2016 (1 lecture & 6 all-day field trips)

SOON AT A (MERRITT) COLLEGE NEAR YOU: (merritt.edu) (September, 2016)

Raptors Of The Bay Area And Central CA (see p. 124 at the college’s catalog for BIO 80A; this class begins 9/8/16 as a slide show/lecture introduction, then six all-day Saturday field trips occur in Sept., Oct., and Nov., 2016; register at merritt.edu beginning in April or May, 2016).

(below, 2nd or 3rd year sub-adult Golden Eagle)

Details For This Two-Month Class (One slide show/lecture; six all-day field trips):

- Thursday, 9/8/16: 7 pm - 9:50 pm slide show features 19 SF Bay Area raptors we may see during our six all-day September, October, and November, 2016 field trips;

- Five all-day Saturday field trips: 9/10, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/22, and 11/5/16
(e.g., Hawk Hill in Sausalito, Scaggs Island (off Highway 37), Altamont area (Golden Eagle breeding "epicenter"/activity center), etc.)

Focus Of Class/Purpose: 

We'll explore: a) the ecology/life cycle of raptors; b) migration; c) identification tips for the 19 potential species that either nest or migrate through the SF Bay Area annually.

About The Instructor:

A Merritt College ornithology instructor since 2003 — and a leader of birding outings since 1984 — Daniel (M.S., Natural Resources) is a freelance Certified Wildlife Biologist Associate. He regularly conducts bird surveys for common and rare species and possesses five survey permits. His popular website highlights northern California birds (see "Birding Links" area) at warblerwatch.com (His eight-year-old wood-warbler blog hosts articles, quizzes, and photos at http://warblerwatch.blogspot.com)
Questions? Please let me know at danieedelstein@att.net
warblerwatch.com

Warbler Guy, It's "spring" in my mind, so which warbler species might I see, please? (PLEASE! Too long a winter for me!)

I feel your "pain," Sandee (in Albany, NY).

At your end of the USA, look for Yellow-rumped Warbler (and, perhaps, Palm Warbler) as the most likely species to see now or in early spring.

On the West Coast where I live and conduct San Francisco Bay Area birding tours, initial returning warblers are most likely to be Orange-crowned Warbler individuals (though a few hang around all "winter"). 

The largest pulse of incoming Orange-crowned in Marin County where I live appear by March, with other wood-warbler species arriving this month or in April, including:

(below, male Hermit Warbler)

- Hermit

- Black-throated Gray

- Wilson's

- Yellow-breasted Chat

- Yellow-rumped

Feel free to ask me more questions at:

danieledelstein@att.net

warblerwatch.com

features "California Bird Arrival Times" for returning migrants at my web site's "Birding Links" area.

Enjoy the birds, Daniel

Warbler Guy, are any birds back yet on migration where you lead birding trips? (I think you live in the SF Bay Area, right?)

Yes, Mary (in LA), our first, true returning migrant is the Allen's Hummingbird.

First reports of it appearing here were on 1/16/16 in Occidental where Mike Heffernan noticed a male at his feeders.



(male Allen's Hummingbird, above)

He posted his sighting on the North Bay Birds listserv that you can access at sialia.com

I've seen two other reports since that date, but, by now, a major pulse has occurred -- so this common coastal breeding hummingbird is now in plenitude throughout central and northern California.

Have you seen any in the LA area, Mary?

WHY am I writing about hummers on a warbler blog? Because you must know I enjoy ALL birds among our 10,200 or so species worldwide....and NOT just the 56 annually seen wood-warblers in the United States area and 114 wood-warblers in the New World within the Parulidae/wood-warbler family (!)

Enjoy the weekend, Daniel
warblerwatch.com

Warbler Guy (Daniel), was that you being interviewed on Earth News Journal (about birding by ear)?

Yes, Cam, I confess the oral crime:

You can hear the real deal and my schpiel about "why and how" to ID birds by ear....and one of my "Top Ten 10 Tips For IDing Birds By Ear" at:

http://earthnewsjournal.com/birding-by-ear/