Townsend’s Warbler - A gem of a bird!

February 2, 2007 on 8:22 pm | In Bird Alert |

Greetings!
This was a happy bird-day for us. My husband and I had the afternoon free and decided to head over to Jack London State Park to see how the birds were doing now that winter has progressed to February.

Readers will know that one of our favorite spots in this valuable parkland is the eucalyptus forest just above the upper parking lot. It was a nippy day, with quite a wind rattling the long, fragrant leaves and we noted many fallen trees and broken off limbs in this bright, interesting grove. This small area is the haunt of woodpeckers, Varied Thrushes, and secretive wrens. Our habit is to go about 20 steps, stop, and stand for a few minutes just looking and listening.

About half way between the parking lot and the crossroads path at the other end of the forest, oaks begin to mingle with the eucalyptus trees, and it was here, to the right of the path, that I glimpsed quite a small bird moving about in the oak canopy.

It’s darker where the oaks are, and my first vague impression was of a compact bird with what looked like a prominent cheek patch and black under the chin. This immediately put me in mind of our daily friend, the Chestnut-backed Chickadee. One of the chickadee’s most distinct field marks is his bright, chubby cheek patch.

For a few moments the bird hopped out of view again, but on my second sighting, I caught just the tiniest glimpse of a deeply forked tail and a flash of yellow.

“Aha! American Goldfinch“, I thought to myself.

And yet, something kept me standing still. The American Goldfinch and the Chestnut-backed Chickadee are daily birds for me at my birdfeeder. I’ve had hours of observation opportunities. And, perhaps this is why I waited a moment longer, scanning the dense foliage for another view of the bird. Something must not have looked quite right to me, though I really wasn’t aware of thinking this at the time.

And then I got a better look. In fact, two birds became visible at once, and it was this third sighting that showed me the unmistakable markings of a brand new bird for us - the Townsend’s Warbler!!!

Field Notes on the Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi

As my illustration shows, this bird is extremely unique in appearance. Note that black chin and facial stripe, with the little golden patch on the ‘cheek’, just below the eye. And talk about color! In the gloaming of the forest, this bird first struck me as almost orange in hue, the yellow was so vivid. However, he popped into the sunlight at one point and I could see that golden is truly the word to describe his facial markings and breast. Note the checked lines along his sides and the grey-to-white of the rump. The upper back is a sort of olive-green and there are two white streaks on the wings.

For the past few months, we have enjoyed having the Audubon’s Yellow-rumped Warbler as a daily visitor to our backyard, and like him, the Townsend’s Warbler is a winter bird in Sonoma County. There is really no possible way to confuse the two birds, as the markings are so very different. Townsend’s Warbler is a little smaller than the Yellow-rumped Warbler, as well.

We only got to observe the Townsend’s Warblers for a couple of minutes, but it was enough to note their wonderful, Bushtit-like ability to tackle branches rightside-up, upside-down and sideways. Their movements are quick and agile, and keeping track of where they are does give your eyes a workout.

I was interested to read in Cornell’s article about the Townsend’s Warbler that comparatively little is know about these birds, although my Sibley Guide lists them as being common in coniferous and mixed forests. A wide variation in egg count has been found in this species - from 5-11 eggs. It would also appear that males and females have very different abilities. Only females build nests, and only male Townsend’s Warblers sing.

My husband and I did hear a peculiar song neither of us recognized. A sort of buzzy sound. According to our field guide, that may just have been this warbler.

Bird songs continue to be an area of intensive study and interest for us. We know most of the common birds by ear, but today, we were completely fooled by an invisible Stellar’s Jay who first convinced me he was a Pileated Woodpecker, and then convinced me he was a hawk before he started making that harsh, mechanical raaah raaah that I associate with his species. He really had us going for a few minutes there!

But to return to the subject of this post, getting to add the Townsend’s Warbler to our lifelist was really a happy event for us. I have looked at the photo of this bird in one of my birding guides for years and longed to see him. In person, he was every bit as charming as I could have wished. Warblers, in general, are some of the most colorful and interesting birds you will ever see in California, and this little fellow is surely one of the most beautiful.

If you’d like to try to see the Townsend’s Warbler yourself, please make use of our accompanying map to reach the exact spot where we saw him today. You may need to be patient and stand still for awhile, scanning the trees for darting movements. Bring your birding binoculars! You won’t want to miss the chance to really hone in on the intricate markings of this special winter bird - a real little gem of a warbler!