Tweets,

I just returned from an interesting morning's walk at Lake Sammamish State
Park. Near the bathrooms of the Group Picnic area (near the entrance to the
large closed-off seasonal parking area), I stumbled upon an odd warbler in
the pines that made me ponder HERMIT WARBLER.

I sketched this bird at:

http://www.pluggablelogic.com/aves/YellowFacedWarbler.gif

Looking at my references, HERMIT WARBLER would be unusually out-of-season
for our area, not to mention noteworthy at other times of the year in King
County. I'd appreciate any comments on the tentative ID and/or the winter
distribution and early spring arrival dates of HEWA in our area.

The yellow on this bird was restricted to the face and head only. There was
no discernible face pattern - yellowest immediately around the eye with a
faint small olive blotch or two in other spots on the face. It's back was
gray. I could discern no yellow on the breast, flanks, or vent. The tail
was relatively long and the central undertail feathers were white out to the
tail tip (relevant?). Underparts were largely unmarked. I saw no obvious
streaking along the flanks or breast sides, perhaps only a fleck or two.
The throat had a sprinkling of black spotting and dark hind crown spotting
also helped set off the yellow face. It had two crisp bright white
wingbars.

Checking Dunn and Garrett's Warblers guide in addition to Sibley, the
closest match would suggest something like a 1st-spring female HEWA. I hope
others have the opportunity to look for this bird. It was associating with
a large mixed flock involving Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Brown Creeper...

I have seen Townsend's in all months of the year on the Sammamish Plateau as
well as various times inside the park. This plumage doesn't seem to jive
with a Townsend's, a hybrid, or another member of the complex - but then I
have little experience with Townsend's x Hermit hybrids and only a moderate
amount of experience with HEWA.

Carl Haynie
Sammamish, WA
Carl.Haynie at pluggablelogic.com

P.S. -- Also of interest were three flyby and calling Common Ravens (a
personal first for the park) and two Red-breasted Sapsuckers.