id help please

[pat lillich]

this guy is in small trees near ponds in San Jose area - the pictures are from this morning (february)small, quick moving, bright yellow patch on lower back just above start of tail

thank you for your help!

[Roy Priest]

Pat, I certainly don't know my warblers but I think you called it when you said , bright yellow patch on lower back, a yellow-rumped warbler.

[Dan Brown]

Nice ID pix of a fall/winter Yellow-rumped Warbler, probably a female. My 2 cents anyway.

[Paul Guris]

Interesting. This bird looks like a "Myrtle" warbler that we see commonly in the East, and frankly I wouldn't look at it twice here. I'd be interested in the opinions of West Coast birders. Can this plumage fit "Audubon's"? If it is a "Myrtle", is that unusual for California?

[Dan Brown]

Interesting. This bird looks like a "Myrtle" warbler that we see commonly in the East, and frankly I wouldn't look at it twice here. I'd be interested in the opinions of West Coast birders. Can this plumage fit "Audubon's"? If it is a "Myrtle", is that unusual for California?

My experience is that Myrtle's are uncommon here in the central valley of CA. Along the coast, they seem to be much more common. I was recently birding at Bodega Bay (north of San Fran.) and observed 100's of Myrtle's! It was hard to find an Audubon's! So, I'm thinking that maybe in San Jose, (closer to the coast) Myrtle's wouldn't be that uncommon.

[Paul Guris]

Thanks, Dan. Nothing beats local knowledge.

[pat lillich]

thank you everyone! I really appreciate everyone's help - it was a very enjoyable little bird, but I hadn't ever noticed it before. And I'm happy that i did ok with my guess from the guidebook too.