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always for the community VOL 26 NO 4
June 2021
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SPOTLIGHT
Enlightening History of the Museum of the San Ramon Valley Explored Over the past twelve months, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley has offered free virtual presentations on the third Thursday of the month. This month on Thursday June 17 at 11:30 we are excited to offer a presentation on our history: 1996 the year the Depot moved.
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See HISTORY page 5
This photo of Castle Rock was taken from Diablo Foothills. For beautiful trails that provide shade and calm during the oncoming hot days of summer, visit Castle Rock Park which offers picnic areas, a ball field and swimming pool. For more information, please read Beverly Lane’s article on page 2. Photo by Edward MacKay.
Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) By James M. Hale
The delightful, springtime song of Wilson’s Warbler. is a chattering, descending series of loud notes. Their call is a short “chuff”. The vocalizations are highly diagnostic, and help to identify this species from other warblers. Ornithologist, Alexander Wilson, first described the species in 1811, as Muscicapa pusilla, from its type locality of southern New Jersey. He called it the “green black-capt flycatcher”. After many taxonomic changes, it is currently recognized as Cardellina pusilla. Cardellina is a diminutive Italian dialect for the European Goldfinch. The epithet pusilla means very small. Wilson’s Warbler ranges from just under four inches to almost five inches in length. The wingspan ranges from five and one half to six and one half inches. They weigh five to ten grams. The plumage is greenish-
olive on top, with canary yellow underparts. The black head cap is characteristic of the male, with females lacking or possessing reduced caps. Northern races are larger, west coast races are greener above and brighter yellow below. T h re e s u b s p e c i e s a re recognized, although recent genetic studies indicate there could be six distinct breeding groups of Wilson’s Warbler. Luxury resorts and residential developments in southern Baja, have destroyed and reduced the wintering habitat for the northwest coastal race, which has a distinctive orange-fringed cap. Their numbers have declined during the twentieth century due to this habitat loss. Wilson’s Warbler breeds in northern Canada and the western United States.
Fa i r l y o p e n w o o d l a n d s , with an understory of brush and thickets in moist areas with streams, bogs, ponds, and wetlands, are preferred habitats. Wintering habitats in Mexico and Central America are widely varied from open clearings, coffee plantations, deciduous forests, mangroves, to anywhere they may find food, water, and cover. In all seasons, Wilson’s Warbler prefers secondary growth vegetation with riparian and wetland influence. Willow and alder thickets are a favorite habitat, particularly in Contra Costa County, where riparian habitat comes at a premium. Nesting begins in March on the West Coast, and extends into August for Canadian populations. In some montane populations, the male Wilson’s Warbler is polygamous. The
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female constructs a cup nest hidden on the ground, or sometimes up to five feet above ground level in West Coat populations. The nest is made of vegetation that is lined with hair, feathers, and soft materials. Two to seven creamy, white eggs with reddish spots are laid, and incubated for eleven to fifteen days. The young are altricial, requiring much parental care. After fledging in from eight to thirteen days, the parents tend to the young for several weeks.
Home and Garden page 6
See WARBLER page 9