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Warbler in Southern California. (1 Viewer)

PONYRCR

PONYRCR

Well-known member
This little bird as been driving me crazy the last few weeks.

Every morning it visits my honeysuckle. Usually as I'm getting my son out the door to school. By the time I can run back in and grab my bins it's gone.

Today the little sucker decided to quit playing hide and seek.

I saw it in the honeysuckle and had time to run in the house, grab my camera, and find it in exactly the same place. I even got off a few grab shots.

It's a most drab little bird. Drab olive above and drab yellow below. That's it. No white or other markings on it.

These aren't the best photos but all I had a chance to get.

I also saw a very similar little bird today. This one was feeding in a plant just outside my kitchen window so I had a good chance to observe it. At first I thought it was the same one. This other bird was also a drab olive above and drab yellow below, but looked to have an ever so slight white eye ring, and a thiner/sharper bill. Same birds?? Sorry no pics of the 'kitchen' bird.
 

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That makes sense. I used to get Am. Goldfinches in my yard all the time when I put Niger seed out.

The other little bird I saw out my kitchen window was nearly identical in the drab coloring but had a much thinner bill, a faint eye ring and may have been a touch smaller then the Goldfinch. Any idea what that might have been?

I wish I had grabbed my camera but I was so fascinated watching the little guy.
 
Hi PONYRCR,

I'm getting a real Lesser Goldfinch vibe from your images, though the lighting is tricky on them. Your describing a bird that is very drab with olive tones above and yellowish below. That fits real well with a female Lesser Goldfinch.

http://www.bobsteelephoto.com/Species/lego.html

Also, the wingbars visible look thinner to me than those of American Goldfinch, and there seems to be a slight hint of streakiness to the back. American Goldfinches are mostly tan colored in winter with yellowish heads, but with very dark wings and usually thick, buffy wingbars.

http://www.bobsteelephoto.com/Species/amgo.html

Chris
 
PONYRCR said:
The other little bird I saw out my kitchen window was nearly identical in the drab coloring but had a much thinner bill, a faint eye ring and may have been a touch smaller then the Goldfinch. Any idea what that might have been?

I wish I had grabbed my camera but I was so fascinated watching the little guy.
Click to expand...
What about this?

http://www.roysephotos.com/OrangeCrownedWarbler.html

Chris
 
Orange-crowned Warbler is in the genus Vermivora which translated means "worm eating." Doesn't seem that a bird with a conical bill would eat many worms. I wonder if this points to something else? : )
 
jcwings said:
Orange-crowned Warbler is in the genus Vermivora which translated means "worm eating." Doesn't seem that a bird with a conical bill would eat many worms. I wonder if this points to something else? : )
Click to expand...
Hey jcwings,

The way I interpreted PONYRCR was that he had the pictured bird (Lesser Goldfinch to my eye) AND a second species that was colored like the goldfinch but with a thinner bill. It is that second species that is possibly an Orange-crowned Warbler.


PONYRCR said:
The other little bird I saw out my kitchen window was nearly identical in the drab coloring but had a much thinner bill, a faint eye ring and may have been a touch smaller then the Goldfinch. Any idea what that might have been?
Click to expand...

Chris
 
Chris Benesh said:
Hey jcwings,

The way I interpreted PONYRCR was that he had the pictured bird (Lesser Goldfinch to my eye) AND a second species that was colored like the goldfinch but with a thinner bill. It is that second species that is possibly an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris you are correct.

The warbler was one I saw out my kitchen window today. No picture.

P.S. - I'm a she. |:$|

JoAnne
 
PONYRCR said:
Chris you are correct.

The warbler was one I saw out my kitchen window today. No picture.

P.S. - I'm a she. |:$|

JoAnne
Click to expand...
Yikes!

Sorry about that JoAnne. I won't let that happen again! I see that you are big into horseracing. I'm a fair weather fan myself.

Chris :egghead:
 
AmpelisChinito said:
American Goldfinch, nonbreeding. Check in your Sibley's. I wish I had those in my backyard!
Click to expand...
I've got plenty up here in north central Vermont is that normal this late.
 
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