Warbler Guy, which warbler species are the initial ones that return to the San Francisco Bay in spring? Are migrating warblers returning now?

Haley, those are excellent questions.

The short answer is Orange-crowned Warbler is the typical, initial wood-warbler species to appear annually by February as a true, returning migrant among the nine SF Bay Area counties.

The true, arriving migrants that settle to nest here may join a small number that appear to “over-winter” in the SF Bay Area. (It’s also possible the “over-wintering” individuals leave during spring and seek other breeding ground territory.

Next on the landscape as arriving migrant wood-warblers here: Common Yellowthroat and Wilson’s Warbler appear by no later than later March (or, if late, early April) annually. Soon after, the initial Black-throated Gray and Hermit Warbler nesters arrive. (Note the latter four noted above sometimes, also, are detected as “over-wintering” individuals, especially during Christmas Bird Count surveys that occur throughout the holiday season period of late December – early January, annually, in the SF Bay Area.

A good source for noting the “Arrival Times” of northern CA wood-warbler species: Go to the pulldown menu at my web site (WarblerWatch.com) and choose “Bird Arrival Times” at the “Birding Links” pulldown menu option at the top of the home page for WarblerWatch.com

Regards and happy birding, Daniel Edelstein

WarblerWatch.com