This winter has brought a few rare birds to Santa Cruz County and this week a Hooded Warbler showed up at Natural Bridges State Beach. This is an East Coast bird that was last seen in the county in 2006.
Black and White Warblers show up somewhere in Santa Cruz County each year and this winter is no different. A B&W was spending time in a 4 block long green space called Bethany Curve in Santa Cruz proper.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) is a rare visitor for the central coast where one was last seen in 2008 at Ano Nuevo State Park (per ebird database). So needless to say, I was off in search of this rarity when I got an ebird email alerted of the flycatcher's presence at Miramontes Point area in San Mateo California.
Sometimes looking out your window reveals the familiar but when I pick up my camera my sense of observation turns the familiar into something new and exciting.
Wrens are very common in Santa Cruz County with the Bewick's being the most common and wide spread. We also have the Marsh, House, and Pacific Wrens but they are common in the appropriate habitat. So, when a Rock Wren showed up last weekend it was a big deal for the area birders.