Ovenbird, sapsucker ID, miscellanea

As posted by others, today (Nov 16) the OVENBIRD continues at the B&B Garden in the TRV, and I would also add that it specifically continues in the southwest section of the garden and that one way to possibly increase your chances of finding it is to check the "leaf litter" under the larger bushes and small trees, especially those patches that are damp from recent irrigation. When I saw the bird today it was searching out such areas and finding good amounts of food at them. Also at the B&B is a sapsucker which has been reported by several folks as a Red-naped; but it is, in fact, a hybrid RED-NAPED X RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (somewhat too much red on the head for a Red-naped, and a few small red blotches on the upper breast). Also in the TRV today, the VESPER SPARROW continues with the Savannahs at the Sunset ball fields, and the mini-invasion of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS continues with now an increase to 6 birds at the "sod farm".  At the Tijuana Estuary, one REDDISH EGRET continues, there were 2 "LARGE-BILLED" Savannah Sparrows, and 9 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons (8 adults, 1 sub-adult) together. A HOODED MERGANSER in one of the estuary tidal channels was unusual. It is worth noting, given the sad state of affairs with Loggerhead Shrike numbers most everywhere, that 1 bird is back at the "usual spot" at the sw. corner of the helicopter field in Imperial Beach. The only other shrike I've seen on the coastal slope during the past month is up at San Dieguito Lagoon in Del Mar.

Yesterday, the 15th, a returning, wintering Yellow Warbler was at the Cottonwood Creek Park extension in Encinitas, and another returning, wintering Yellow was in Cardiff near Oxford X Brighton. Wintering Yellow Warblers are certainly less routine in the North County than they are in South County.

–Paul Lehman,  San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports