Warbler Guy, given I live in the SF Bay Area, which warbler species are the most common to see during the non-breeding season (i.e., overwintering species)?

Good question, Sheehi (in Fairfield).

In general, in correct habitat, below I list the order (from most common to rarest) for abundance of wood-warbler species in the SF Bay Area during the non-breeding season. I suggest only the initial two on the following list — Yellow-rumped and Common Yellowthroat — are common to detect throughout the SF Bay Area during the non-breeding season:

(Orange-crowned Warbler, above, a common SF Bay breeding species, but rare to absent during the non-breeding season)

1. Yellow-rumped Warbler

2. Common Yellowthroat

3. Depending on which habitat you visit, the next most common species to detect could be:

Orange-crowned Warbler (strongest contender for the 3rd spot; see above photo)
Hermit Warbler (rare to absent during the non-breeding season)
Wilson's Warbler (rare to absent during the non-breeding season)
Palm Warbler (seen annually during the non-breeding months, but never common in the SF Bay
Area during the "winter" months.....most common seen in during autumn migration along the coast, especially within Point Reyes National Seashore)
Black-throated Gray Warbler (rare, but annually seen during the winter, and, if so, during the West Marin Christmas Bird Count, for example)
Nashville Warbler (rare to absent during the non-breeding season; typically a transient in the SF Bay Area; does not nest here)

Regards, Daniel

warblerwatch.com
(hosts information about my 25+ years of Wildlife Biology services, in addition to my bird tours via the "Bird Tours" tab)

Warbler Guy, Where may I most likely see warblers in northern California near you (or where might I see warblers in Marin County)?

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Warbler Guy, Where may I most likely see warblers this time of year in northern California near you (or where might I see warblers in Marin County)?

Thanks for asking, Jeremy (in Mill Valley, CA).

Here's a great web site to note seven fine Marin County birdwatching spots (i.e., the best birding places in Marin County, and, arguably, some of the finest birding locales in northern California):
http://www.marintrails.com/birds.html

(By the way, my Web site, www.warblerwatch.com, features a button -- "2016 Nature Watch Calendar" -- where you can read several brief accounts that discuss wood-warblers in northern California and, in particular, wood-warblers in Marin County.)

Currently, among the seven on the list, I suggest going to Rock Springs (on Mt. Tamalpais) and
Muddy Hollow (within Point Reyes National Seashore, a paramount, iconic place on the W. Coast to see diverse species of birds in multiple families/orders).

In these two spots where forests occur, the most likely wood-warblers to see currently include TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (non-breeding season resident only; see closest above photo) and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (typically the AUDUBON's subspecies).

At Rock Springs and Muddy Hollow, watch for the much less common (in this order) ORANGE-CROWNED and HERMIT WARBLER, too -- though they are both rare to absent throughout most of Marin Co. during January (Populations of these two neotropical migrants return in late winter and spring, thereby nesting in suitable habitats throughout the County.) Even more rare at this time of year is to see the NASHVILLE WARBLER (above photo, below the headline), though it periodically makes a cameo appearance and, indeed, the local annual Christmas Bird Count surveyors sometimes extract one from the landscape.

The Stinson Beach area is another "hot spot" for periodic sightings of uncommon overwintering/non-breeding season warblers, with NASHVILLE WARBLER and HERMIT WARBLER seen there on 12/5/16 by Peter Pyle. Check out sialia.com under his North Bay Birds listserv post, if you wish directions to the grove of trees where he saw these two species (as I know it's often a prime spot to watch for warblers in December/January annually).

Regards, Daniel

warblerwatch.com

(features my "Birding Tours" information for the 8-hour trips I often lead for birders)