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A Few San Diego Area IDs (1 Viewer)

Blaumeise

Blaumeise

Well-known member
Hi there,

I'm having trouble with a few IDs from the San Diego area. All taken last Thursday and Friday. 1-3 were taken at San Elijo Lagoon, the second pic under 1 was taken at Rancho Bernardo and the rest were taken at Palomar Mountain State Park.

1. Ladder-backed Woodpecker? Pics show two different individuals.

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2950/img0099crskk2.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7745/img0303crsad2.jpg

2. Fox Sparrow (Sooty)?

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8994/img0235crswu9.jpg

3. Subadult Anna's HB?

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4667/img0291crsaf7.jpg

4. Song Sparrow?

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4148/img0443crsgu2.jpg

5. Common Yellowthroat female?

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/4307/img0468crsrw4.jpg

6. Allen's HB female?

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6286/img0494crsul9.jpg

7. Anna's HB female?

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5409/img0521crsol3.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/5311/img0526crsdg0.jpg

Many thanks in advance.

Misha
 
Not an expert on Western woodpeckers, but I would guess juvenile Nuttall's Woodpecker for the first photo, and juvenile Hairy Woodpecker for the second. I cannot say I am completely comfortable with either ID though.

Regarding the second category (the sparrow), I would guess juvenile Savannah Sparrow, but not sure.

Regarding the fourth category, I would agree with Song Sparrow.

Regarding the fifth category, I would say Orange-crowned Warbler.

Best,
Jim
 
I'll leave the Hummers to someone else, but for the others I'd say:
1. Nuttall's Woodpecker for both
2. Song Sparrow
4. Song Sparrow
5. Yellowthroat - 1st year male
 
Blaumeise said:
I'm having trouble with a few IDs from the San Diego area. All taken last Thursday and Friday. 1-3 were taken at San Elijo Lagoon, the second pic under 1 was taken at Rancho Bernardo and the rest were taken at Palomar Mountain State Park.
Click to expand...

Hi Misha,

You've got some interesting pictures there. I've tossed my thoughts after yours.


1. Ladder-backed Woodpecker? Pics show two different individuals. These are both Nuttall's Woodpeckers, the expected type in the San Diego area. They look a lot like Ladder-backs, but are larger, with more black in the face and on the nape/upper back.

2. Fox Sparrow (Sooty)? This is a good one, in that it looks like the Large-billed rostratus subspecies of Savannah Sparrow, a really good candidate for being elevated to a full species soon.

3. Subadult Anna's HB? Yes.

4. Song Sparrow? This one is a Song Sparrow, and a juvenile at that.

5. Common Yellowthroat female? This one is rather tricky with all of the weird head molt, but overall, the structure and pattern suggest an Orange-crowned Warbler.

6. Allen's HB female? This one looks like an Anna's to me also.

7. Anna's HB female? An Anna's for sure. Could be a young male too.

Chris
 
[EDIT: Posting at the same time as Chris Benesh]

Bird Hard 2 said:
I'll leave the Hummers to someone else, but for the others I'd say:
1. Nuttall's Woodpecker for both
2. Song Sparrow
4. Song Sparrow
5. Yellowthroat - 1st year male
Click to expand...

I am starting to think that both might be Nuttal's myself. The dark back certainly is not consistent with a typical hairy. [EDIT: Looks like Chris and I agree on Savannah Sparrow and Orange-crowned Warbler also].

Best,
Jim
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone for the quick responses!

Chris Benesh said:
These are both Nuttall's Woodpeckers, the expected type in the San Diego area. They look a lot like Ladder-backs, but are larger, with more black in the face and on the nape/upper back.
Click to expand...

I have a question about this ID. I guess San Diego would be outside the LBWP's range. BUt what completely threw me off is that in the Sibley, it shows Nutall's as having a red hind crown. Both of the woodpeckers in my pics had pretty much the entire crown red, with very little black in between the bill and the red. Is that normal and is Sibley just off on this one? Thanks.
 
The woodpecker's are Nuttall's, the most common woodpecker in San Diego.

The Fox type sparrow thing, I'll leave to someone else.

Song Sparrow for sure.

I make positive ID's of warblers by song. Not quite sure what this is.

All of the hummers are Anna's. The chunky build and relatively short bill are good clues.
 
Blaumeise said:
Thanks everyone for the quick responses!



I have a question about this ID. I guess San Diego would be outside the LBWP's range. BUt what completely threw me off is that in the Sibley, it shows Nutall's as having a red hind crown. Both of the woodpeckers in my pics had pretty much the entire crown red, with very little black in between the bill and the red. Is that normal and is Sibley just off on this one? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well you will notice that I indicated that both woodpeckers were juveniles. Juveniles have red on the front of the head-- as Sibley's indicates. That is the only explanation I am aware of.

Gentoo said:
I make positive ID's of warblers by song. Not quite sure what this is.
Click to expand...

To me, the broken eye-ring typical of Orange-crowned Warbler is pretty apparent on this bird. Overall strong greenish coloration, including under tail coverts, is also good for Orange-crowned Warbler by my lights.

Best,
Jim
 
Last edited:
Blaumeise said:
I have a question about this ID. I guess San Diego would be outside the LBWP's range. BUt what completely threw me off is that in the Sibley, it shows Nutall's as having a red hind crown. Both of the woodpeckers in my pics had pretty much the entire crown red, with very little black in between the bill and the red. Is that normal and is Sibley just off on this one? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi Misha,

The forward placed red crown is indicative of juveniles, which along with the date and loose-textured plumage, makes sense.

Chris
 
Wow. What's going on with that warbler then? I see why you say Orange-crowned, what with the white-tipped primaries and the contrast in the coverts, but what's all that around the head? Looks like a Yellowthroat-like mask starting to appear?
 
I agree with Chris' species IDs as well.

But regarding #2, San Elijo Lagoon is THE place to find the Belding's Savannah Sparrow (subspecies beldingi) in SDCo. I think it's probably that subspecies rather than rostratus.
 
Jeff hopkins said:
But regarding #2, San Elijo Lagoon is THE place to find the Belding's Savannah Sparrow (subspecies beldingi) in SDCo. I think it's probably that subspecies rather than rostratus.
Click to expand...

Hi Jeff,

You're right, of course. I was taken in by the seemingly large bill and black face, though I was thinking the bill was small for a rostratus. The danger of single images. I'm not sure if the systematics have been worked out yet, but Belding's is closer to rostratus than to typical Savannah Sparrows. So maybe it will fall out in the Large-billed group too when/if they are split.

Chris
 
Bird Hard 2 said:
Wow. What's going on with that warbler then? I see why you say Orange-crowned, what with the white-tipped primaries and the contrast in the coverts, but what's all that around the head? Looks like a Yellowthroat-like mask starting to appear?
Click to expand...

I think the somewhat unusual markings around the head are either photographic artifacts or a result of some sort of molt into or out of plumage showing the gray head that some Orange-crowned Warblers show.

What I would like to know concerns the second woodpecker photo. Nuttall's is supposed to show a ladder backed appearance, i.e. horizontal striping, but this photo shows a bird with spotting reminiscent of a Hairy Woodpecker. Is the spotting characteristic of a juvenile Nuttall's, or is this an unusual bird?

Best,
Jim
 
J. Moore said:
What I would like to know concerns the second woodpecker photo. Nuttall's is supposed to show a ladder backed appearance, i.e. horizontal striping, but this photo shows a bird with spotting reminiscent of a Hairy Woodpecker. Is the spotting characteristic of a juvenile Nuttall's, or is this an unusual bird?
Click to expand...

Hi Jim,

I think that the impression you are getting is due to camera angle and perhaps the bird being slightly disheveled. We are seeing spots on the scapulars, white bands on the primaries and tertials, along with a few white spots on the back. This amalgam does not create the crisp ladder back pattern seen when getting a better dorsal view. The pattern of the scapulars (lots of white spotting versus black in Hairy), lack of the central white patch on the back (white in Hairy), and barred/spotted flanks (versus white in Hairy) are all features supporting the ID as a Nuttall's Woodpecker. Also, in San Diego, Hairy Woodpecker is essentially a pine forest bird during the breeding season:
http://www.sdnhm.org/research/birdatlas_draft/focus/woodpeckers-2.html

Also relevant to this thread is the following image of juvenile Nuttall's:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2008/2522320843_62923226f0.jpg?v=0

Chris
 
Chris Benesh said:
Hi Jim,

I think that the impression you are getting is due to camera angle and perhaps the bird being slightly disheveled. We are seeing spots on the scapulars, white bands on the primaries and tertials, along with a few white spots on the back. This amalgam does not create the crisp ladder back pattern seen when getting a better dorsal view. The pattern of the scapulars (lots of white spotting versus black in Hairy), lack of the central white patch on the back (white in Hairy), and barred/spotted flanks (versus white in Hairy) are all features supporting the ID as a Nuttall's Woodpecker. Also, in San Diego, Hairy Woodpecker is essentially a pine forest bird during the breeding season:
http://www.sdnhm.org/research/birdatlas_draft/focus/woodpeckers-2.html

Also relevant to this thread is the following image of juvenile Nuttall's:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2008/2522320843_62923226f0.jpg?v=0

Chris
Click to expand...
Chris is right on here. You do not see Hairy Woodpeckers in San Diego in summer at all. They are in the mountains of San Diego County (mainly on Mt.Laguna and Palomar Mountain), above 5,000 feet of so.
 
Chris Benesh said:
Hi Jim,

I think that the impression you are getting is due to camera angle and perhaps the bird being slightly disheveled. We are seeing spots on the scapulars, white bands on the primaries and tertials, along with a few white spots on the back. This amalgam does not create the crisp ladder back pattern seen when getting a better dorsal view. The pattern of the scapulars (lots of white spotting versus black in Hairy), lack of the central white patch on the back (white in Hairy), and barred/spotted flanks (versus white in Hairy) are all features supporting the ID as a Nuttall's Woodpecker. Also, in San Diego, Hairy Woodpecker is essentially a pine forest bird during the breeding season:
http://www.sdnhm.org/research/birdatlas_draft/focus/woodpeckers-2.html

Also relevant to this thread is the following image of juvenile Nuttall's:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2008/2522320843_62923226f0.jpg?v=0

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks for responding Chris. I was not questioning the ID (I agree the black back is decisive). Was just wondering why the back did not look barred. But your explanation makes sense.

Best,
Jim
 
Chris Benesh said:
Hi Jeff,

You're right, of course. I was taken in by the seemingly large bill and black face, though I was thinking the bill was small for a rostratus. The danger of single images. I'm not sure if the systematics have been worked out yet, but Belding's is closer to rostratus than to typical Savannah Sparrows. So maybe it will fall out in the Large-billed group too when/if they are split.

Chris
Click to expand...

Actually, I've seen some documents online which already list large-billed as p.r. rostratus and Belding's as p.r. beldingi rather than two separate species. But last I saw, they're still trying to decide on the systematics, or at least they haven't disclosed any decisions to the general public yet. We'll just have to sit tight until we learn whether we get two or three new species. ;)
 
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