[EBB Sightings] Golden-crowned Sparrows

Hi all,
It isn't at all unusual for Golden-crowned Sparrows to be present in the Bay Area in late March. I get a couple of them on Big Days in Contra Costa every year during the last week of April and occasional birds may even linger into early May. Perhaps feeder birds that spend the winter disappear earlier and the birds I see in late April are moving north, I don't know, but at any rate the presence of wintering birds in late March is typical. 
As to Chuq's bird carrying a stick I can't even hazard a guess as I don't believe the species has ever nested in the continental U.S. If for some reason the species was to attempt to nest so far south it should be thoroughly documented! 
Enjoy the weather,
Steve Glover
San Ramon


--- On Sun, 3/29/09, Chuq Von Rospach  wrote:

> From: Chuq Von Rospach 
> Subject: Re: [EBB Sightings] Wrentit  at  Sibley
> To: "Rod Thornton" 
> Cc: sightings at diabloaudubon.com
> Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 12:12 AM
> I spent time at Ed Levin in Milpitas today, and found both
> golden-crowned and (ratty, partially moulted) white-crowns.
> One golden-crowned was carrying around nesting material. I
> suppose it might have had other reasons for the twigs, but I
> can't think of any, and I didn't think they nested
> locally.
> 
> 
> On Mar 28, 2009, at 7:03 PM, Rod Thornton wrote:
> 
> > Also jockeying for space in the tree were a California
> Towhee & a Golden-crowned Sparrow. I'm surprised the
> sparrow hasn't left for his Alaskan feeding grounds yet.
> 
> 
> --
> Chuq Von Rospach
> blog: http://www.chuqui.com
> photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui
> email: chuqui at me.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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