SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
This Brawn Thrasher at Wiest Lake in the Imperial Valley, Imperial County, Cali- 
fornia 1-15 (here 3) April 2009 was only the fourth to be found in the Salton Sink 
and the first photographed. Photograph by Kenneth Z. Kurland. 
Northern Parulas made a better-than-average showing, with 25 
found after 28 April 2009 in Southern California, including this 
singing male on Point Loma, San Diego County, photographed on the 
second day of its 30-31 May 2009 stay. Photograph by Eric 6. Kallen. 
Mar to two breeding locations in San Luis 
Obispo, in Atascadero and e. of Santa Margari- 
ta (MLS). Four White-eyed Vireos during the 
period were more than expected, with birds at 
G.H.P. 25-28 May (AH), Huntington Beach 31 
May (BED), Mission Dam near Santee, San 
Diego 1 Jun (ChH), and in the Sierra Nevada 
at Aspendell, Inyo 31 May (SLS). Bell’s Vireos 
were on territory in Inyo as far n, as Big Pine 
31 Mar-h (T&JH) and Wyman Canyon in the 
White Mts. 22 May-3 Jun (TK); one at Wind 
Wolves Preserve in San Joaquin Valley portion 
of Kem 25 Apr (GP) was in an area where not 
recently recorded. Yellow-throated Vireos 
made a better-than-average showing, with 
birds at Huntington Beach 23-27 May (BED), 
Pt. Loma 27 May (SBM), Laguna Niguel, Or- 
ange 7-8 Jun (RMcN, AL), and on the deserts 
at Zzyzx 23-24 May (TK), G.H.P. 30 May-3 
Jun (LLA), andB.S. 2 Jun (JMcM). The status 
of Plumbeous Vireo as a spring migrant is still 
unclear; most, especially on the deserts, have 
been assumed to be misidentified dull 
Cassin’s, but the number of well-supported 
records grows every spring, in pace with in- 
creasing wintering population. For example, 
8 in Los Angeles 7 Mar-26 Apr were in areas 
where the species was not known to have 
wintered, though most or all of these proba- 
bly did winter somewhere in the area; birds 
presumed to be migrants included singles at 
Lake Forest, Orange 20 Apr QSF), B.S. 18 Apr 
(TEW), and Ridgecrest 19-25 May (SLS). Sev- 
en Red-eyed Vireos on the coastal slope 14 
May-10 Jun were more than expected in re- 
cent years; on the deserts, 2 were in Ridge- 
crest 21 May (SLS), and one was at G.H.P. 30 
May (KH-L). 
SWALLOWS THROUGH WARBLERS 
A Bank Swallow on San Clemente I. 21 May 
QST) was a rare migrant there. Two tenuissi- 
ma White-breasted Nuthatches on Clark Mt., 
San Bernardino 16 May (CC) suggests possi- 
ble nesting on that small desert “sky island.” 
A Townsend’s Solitaire at Fig Lagoon near 
Seeley 19 Apr (BK) was one of the few ever 
found in spring in the se. part of the Region. 
Two Gray Catbirds were found, at G.H.P. 24 
May (FO) and on San Clemente I. 13 Jun 
QST). A Brown Thrasher at Wiest L., s. of 
Calipatria, Imperial 1-15 Apr (SL, JL), was 
only the 4th for the Salton Sink and the first 
photographed there; another was in Ridge- 
crest 17 May (SLS). Bendire’s Thrashers are of 
conservation concern in the Region, so 3 in 
the Wild Horse Canyon area of the Mojave 
National Preserve, San Bernardino 4 Apr (SSo) 
were of note. Cedar Waxwings are routinely 
common late into the spring, e.g., 700 at 
Whittier Narrows, Los Angeles 13 May (SJM), 
but one on San Clemente I. 14 
Jun Ql-P) established the latest 
spring date for the island. 
Blue-winged Warblers are 
less than annual in the Region; 
one at B.S. 25 May (SBT) was 
first for Kem in six years. A 
Tennessee Warbler at Hansen 
Dam, Los Angeles 16 Apr 
(KLG) was exceptionally early 
for a spring vagrant but did 
not winter in the area; addi- 
tional Tennessees were at Pt. 
Loma 13 May (ChH), Bishop 
16 May (C&RH), B.S. 25 May 
(SBT), and Long Beach 13 Jun 
(SSt, BED). Two very late 
Nashville Warblers in Inyo, at Tollhouse 
Spring 24 May (KH-L) and Deep Springs 
30 May (SLS) could possibly have been 
vagrant nominate birds based on song 
(former bird) and date. Northern Paru- 
las staged a strong movement into the 
area, with at least 14 on the coast 3 
May-6 Jun and 11 more on the deserts 
28 Apr-31 May. A male Chestnut-sided 
Warbler on San Clemente I. 16 Jun 
(MDG) was the first in spring for the is- 
land; another male was in Del Mar 1 Jun 
OK). Magnolia Warblers were on San 
Clemente 1. 27 May and 2 Jun QTS) and 
inland at B.S. 25 May (TEW, LLA) and 
G.H.P 30 May (RMcN). Black-throated 
Blue Warblers are casual in spring, so 4 
this year, all in Kem, were exceptional: 
G.H.P. 26-28 May and 2 Jun (TE, 
K&BK) and California City 30 May 
(male; JCW) and 31 May (female; KK). 
A very late Yellow-rumped Warbler 
(subspecies not reported) was on San 
Clemente I. 16 Jun (DMG); a 
Townsend’s Warbler in South Gate, Los 
Angeles 9 Jun (RB) was also exceptionally 
late. Blackburnian Warblers were on San 
Clemente I. 23 May OPG), at B.S. 24 May 
(TK), and in the Morongo Valley, San 
Bernardino 30 May (DB). A Yellow-throated 
Warbler was in Bishop 30 Apr Q&DP), an 
unprecedented early date by 24 days for Inyo: 
more typical was one on Pt. Loma 31 May-1 
Jun (PU). A migrant Palm Warbler was in 
Long Beach 23 Apr (KSG); one at Finney L. 
28 Mar (BMi) likely wintered there. Blackpoll 
Warblers, casual in spring, were at B.S. 25 
May (TEW, LLA) and G.H.P. 3 Jun QMcM). 
Seven Black-and-white Warblers on the 
coastal slope 14 Apr-18 Jun complemented 19 
on the deserts 13-31 May. American Redstarts 
included 8 on the coast 15 May-3 Jun and 11 
on the deserts 15-31 May. The only Prothono- 
tary Warbler was in Birchim Canyon n. of 
Bishop 25 May Q&DP); inadvertently omitted 
from last year’s reports was a significant 
coastal record at Playa del Rey, Los Angeles 6 
Jun 2008 (DS). Coastal Ovenbirds at Hunting- 
ton Beach 15 May (DC) and Pt. Loma 29 May 
(ML) augmented the 6 in e. Kem 15-31 May. 
A Northern Waterthrush in the Prado Basin, 
Riverside 19 Mar OEP) must have wintered lo- 
cally; 6 more were on the n. deserts 30 Apr-27 
May. Kentucky Warblers were found only on 
the n. deserts, with singles at G.H.P 24-28 
May (TK), B.S. 2 QMCM) & 6 Jun (RMcN), 
and in San Bernardino at Nipton 27 May (DH) 
and Baker 30 May (TAB, BSi). Hooded War- 
blers made a strong showing late in the peri- 
od; 8 were on the coast 28 May-14 Jun, with 
5 more on the deserts 9-29 May, plus one near 
Imperial Dam 19 May (DRW) that was only 
the 3rd for Imperial. Canada Warblers, casual 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
505 
