San Francisco Bay Area [CA/USA] - Small bird (1 Viewer)

[djleahy]

Here are a few other shots of the same bird. All of them are somewhat out-of-focus due to branches interfering with the AF system, but contain views from a couple of different angles that may help with ID...

I've been holding my tongue, but with the new photos, I'd have to vote for Wrentit. The first picture looked like a Wrentit to me (the eye more than anything else), but I was skeptical about Wrentits vs Bushtits around Shoreline Lake, which is heavily infested with Bushtits. The new photos look like all Wrentit to me. The eyes again.

I don't trust size so much on IDs, though.

 

[Gentoo]

I've been holding my tongue, but with the new photos, I'd have to vote for Wrentit. The first picture looked like a Wrentit to me (the eye more than anything else), but I was skeptical about Wrentits vs Bushtits around Shoreline Lake, which is heavily infested with Bushtits. The new photos look like all Wrentit to me. The eyes again.

I don't trust size so much on IDs, though.

On this same not, these additional photos put me even further into the Wrentit camp for the reasons you mentioned regarding the eyes. However also from looking at the branches it's on. Bushtits look tiny even on the thinest twigs which this bird is clearly not perched on.

 

[Jim M.]

I've been holding my tongue, but with the new photos, I'd have to vote for Wrentit. The first picture looked like a Wrentit to me (the eye more than anything else), but I was skeptical about Wrentits vs Bushtits around Shoreline Lake, which is heavily infested with Bushtits. The new photos look like all Wrentit to me. The eyes again.

I don't trust size so much on IDs, though.

Here is a link to a photo of a female coastal Bushtit:

http://www.bobsteelephoto.com/Images/Species_Images/bush/bush_R2M16330.jpg

Here is another photo that Chris Benesh provided in the thread Jan linked to:

http://www.thoma.com/thoma/hikes95/birds/bushtit.jpg

I could be wrong, but to me these look virtually identical to the bird in all three photographs posted above. Maybe you guys in the Wrentit camp could explain how you see these photos differing from the subject bird (or provide a Wrentit photo that looks as close or closer).

I did just check on eBird, and confirmed that while Bushtit is frequently reported around Shoreline Lake, there is only one report of Wrentit and that was from June.

Best,
Jim

 

[Gentoo]

Bushtits are smaller than this Wrentit:
http://www.chelmarshrg.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/dartford.jpg.w560h713.jpg

 

[jthoppes]

while Bushtit is frequently reported around Shoreline Lake, there is only one report of Wrentit and that was from June.

In theory this shouldn't matter, since both species are resident. (And Wrentit will be less frequently reported wherever they both occur, just on secrecy grounds alone.) I still think it's a Bushtit- I can't reconcile the color distribution for a Wrentit.

 

[birderbf]

100% Bushtit, I'm surprised this has caused such a stir

http://www.thoma.com/thoma/hikes95/birds/bushtit.jpg

 

[AlexC]

Bushtits are smaller than this Wrentit:
http://www.chelmarshrg.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/dartford.jpg.w560h713.jpg

Hey now, Gentoo! It's never fair to throw banding photos into an argument on size! 8-P

Birds in the hand ALWAYS recalibrate how big your eyes "think" they are.

I'm still for Bushtit. Too bad Chris isn't here to comment - he's probably away on some amazing trip seeing some amazing birds... (I ever tell any of you that Chris and I bumped into each other on a trail in BROWNSVILLE TEXAS???)

 

[luvdabirds]

Bushtit...

Notice bill shape compared to Wrentits in links above...

Another Bushtit photo (Interior form) for comparison:

http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/images/Common_Bushtit_large.jpg

 

[Chris Benesh]

Bushtits are smaller than this Wrentit:
http://www.chelmarshrg.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/dartford.jpg.w560h713.jpg

Hi All,

I've been really busy with tours, so I missed this thread on Bushtit versus Wrentit. I am in the female Bushtit camp following the same rationale in my posts on an earlier thread that JanJ referenced above:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=957446&postcount=7
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=957726&postcount=11

I have always been impressed by the similarity of Wrentit to the Dartford Warbler of Europe and I got a chuckle from the one Gentoo posted above, which is a Dartford Warbler.

I hope everyone on the forum is doing well and in good spirits! I'm off to look for Golden-cheeked Warblers (and Acadian Flycatchers) tomorrow.

Chris
currently in Utopia, Texas.

 

[Gentoo]

Hi All,

I've been really busy with tours, so I missed this thread on Bushtit versus Wrentit. I am in the female Bushtit camp following the same rationale in my posts on an earlier thread that JanJ referenced above:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=957446&postcount=7
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=957726&postcount=11

I have always been impressed by the similarity of Wrentit to the Dartford Warbler of Europe and I got a chuckle from the one Gentoo posted above, which is a Dartford Warbler.

I hope everyone on the forum is doing well and in good spirits! I'm off to look for Golden-cheeked Warblers (and Acadian Flycatchers) tomorrow.

Chris
currently in Utopia, Texas.

I googled that pic and that's what came up.