Rara Avis!

 

I was returning back from taking out the trash this morning and heard a clear "chip" in the tree above me. Thinking it was probably a yellow-rumped warbler (which are rather plentiful around here), I looked up casually. What I saw made me freeze: high up on the tree was a bird with black and white markings on its face like I had not ever seen before. I stared at it a bit, but felt unsure that I'd be able to identify it later because of how far away it was. So I raced back home to pick up my binoculars and a camera. 

Luckily, it was still there when I got back. I took as many photos as I could and stood there a while observing the pretty little thing flit from branch to branch and tree to tree, all the while continuing to "chip" away. 

When I got back home, I checked two different field guides to confirm what I was seeing. It looked quite definitively to me like the yellow-throated warbler. This warbler (Setophaga dominica) comes in two main varieties/subspecies: white-lored or yellow-lored. What I had seen was a yellow-lored one. 

However, there was one troubling issue. According to both books I was consulting as well as online sources, this bird is not really supposed to be seen in this part of the country, being primarily a bird of the southeastern USA. I found only one report of this bird in the LA area, dating back to May 2007. I also discovered that it is considered a statewide rarity for California.

So I sent my pics to Mr. Kimball Garrett, the Ornithology Collections Manager at the LA County Natural History Museum, a very well known and accomplished birder in this area. To my delight, he wrote back, confirming my identification, with the words: "Yes, this is certainly a Yellow-throated Warbler -- nice documentation of one of the few winter records for coastal southern California." And another local birding expert that I consulted on the pics wrote: "It might start a small stampede if the bird's location was known!"


It was beginner's luck, no doubt, but I am on cloud nine. What a wonderful way to cap the year!