The birds I found made it feel more like Winter than Fall, though. In Fall, I expect a diversity of migrant warblers and vireos, birds on their way to tropical climes for the season. Instead I found sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets; birds that will stay the entire winter. Of course, it's always fun to enjoy these birds for the first time, and it's fun to see some of the local residents. Wrentits are especially common in this little patch of hills, and those bizarre one-of-a-kind birds are always a treat to see. Mockingbirds were outnumbered by California Thrashers, but I still managed a picture of one:
Northern Mockingbird near the parking lot at the Puente Hills habitat restoration project.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2892735185/
I finished the short hiking loop there by 9:30, and, not wanting to get home too early and distract Libby, I headed off to Creek Park. I bird Creek Park at least once a week already on my way to and from work, but I always have to be out of the park before eight to get to work on time. Here was an opportunity to be there a little later and see what was going on. It was a little more like Fall there. A group of colorful Nashville Warblers feeding in a Eucalyptus Tree were joined by a single Western Tanager. I also found a single Wilson's Warbler, but otherwise the trees were filled with Orange-crowned Warblers. For some reason, this species was super-abundant in Creek Park on Saturday, and in the week leading up to it. It was a good time to stop and enjoy a common species.
A confiding Orange-crowned Warbler forages for insects in a tree's bark.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2893576294/
Orange-crowned Warblers are a warbler found throughout North America, though its appearance is rather variable across this wide range. The Pacific-slope subspecies, of which the bird above is most likely a representative, is among the brightest in coloring. The eastern-most (boreal) subspecies is much grayer, with yellow sometimes confined only to the area under the tail. However, they share the same eye-pattern - a weak eye ring broken by a dark trans-ocular line. The orange crown itself isn't a very good field mark because you can rarely ever see it. I think I've seen an Orange-crowned Warblers orange crown once, ever. And I've seen a lot of Orange-crowned Warblers. Usually they keep it well covered.
See? Can't see the Orange!http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2892736369/in/photostream/
These Pacific Orange-crowned Warblers often spend all year in California. They generally winter in coastal lowlands, and move up into the local hills to breed. After breeding, they return to the lowlands to spend the winter (some migrate south to Mexico). But in Creek Park, I had a couple of birds singing on territories well into June, suggesting that some at least attempted to breed here.
Like many warblers, the Orange-crowned Warbler forages for insects in trees and shrubs, climbing, jumping and flying from branch to branch looking for its next meal. Warblers are Libby's favorite group of birds, and many other birders' as well, not only because they are often very beautiful, but because they are fun to watch. They're full of life and energy concentrated in a tiny little feathery package. Sometimes this can also be frustrating, though, as it can be difficult to get a clear look at the whole bird as it zips from one leaf to another in dense foliage. Hence I was so happy to get his many close-up pictures of one!
After taking pictures of the warblers, I wandered back to the creek to sit and watch a flock of Bushtits and Nutmeg Mannikins pick lerps off of an infested Eucalyptus tree while a mixed trio of Downey and Nuttall's woodpeckers pounded away on some trees above my head. All very much resident birds, and all very fun and refreshing. By then it was getting quite hot, and I was getting hungry, so I jumped in the car and headed home to see Libby and have some lunch -- she'd made great progress on her homework while I was gone. Fall or Winter, there are always good birds to be seen in Southern California.
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