Another Summer record

Well, these are distant shots, but it seems worth posting them as this is a bird that's only been observed about a dozen times in Sonoma County.

 

This Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) appeared at Campbell Cove yesterday and was also observed today (when I photographed it).

Although Summer Tanagers breed in the southwestern portion of the country (including southern California and Texas), this bird is thought to belong to the subspecies that breeds in the eastern portion of the country (smaller size overall, shorter bill, shorter tail).  

Here's another view while perched in a willow:

 

According to the Birds of Sonoma County California, it looks like there are only 3 other Summer Tanager records for the Bodega Head area: 28 May 1985, 10-16 October 1988, and 4 November 2008.

Summer Tanagers are neotropical migrants, breeding in North America and wintering in Central America and northern South America.  The individuals that show up here have strayed off course.

P.S.  For anyone interested in the shark pictures last night, it turns out that it was a Soupfin Shark (Galeorhinus galeus) and not a Brown Smooth-hound Shark.  I'll correct that post soon.