|
English
and Scientific names: |
‘Eastern’
Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii bellii
)
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
1 in fresh fall plumage |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Cameron Parish |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Peveto Beach Woods, ca. 3.5 mi. E of Johnson Bayou |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
25 September 2009 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
~12:00 – 12:10 PM CDT |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Devin Bosler Lancaster, PA |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
Edward Raynor |
|
Other observers who independently
identified the bird(s) |
none |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Slightly overcast with optimal midday sunlight. Sun angle high and backlighting not a
factor. |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Zeiss Victory FL 8x42 (excellent condition) |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
ca. 4-5 meters |
|
Duration
of observation: |
~10 min. (non-continuous) |
|
Habitat:
|
Mature, fragmented coastal chenier woodlot
adjacent to Gulf. Live
oak-honeylocust-hackberry dominated woodlot with herbaceous understory. Understory primarily ragweed, baccharis,
etc. |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
The vireo was observed foraging and in
flight. It was actively foraging in
typical deliberate vireo fashion between two live oaks at the northeast
corner of the woodlot. It was first
spotted at the edge of the woodlot by the fence line before quickly ducking
into dense cover. It occasionally
popped up into view while foraging deep within the oaks and gave good looks
for several seconds at a time. It
made a few short flights while foraging. |
|
Description: |
A smallish vireo with dull olive-green upperparts
and pale yellowish-white, nondescript underparts. Underparts washed with pale yellow especially on sides, flanks,
and vent. Grayish head contrasting
moderately with rest of upperparts. Two
ill-defined, pale wing bars with the lower (greater coverts) wing bar being
much more prominent. Subtle whitish,
broken spectacles and dark lores. A
noticeably pale bill with a slightly duskier upper mandible (dark culmen). Dark brown irides. Tarsi and feet dark gray. |
|
Voice: |
silent |
|
Similar species: |
Empidonax flycatchers can be eliminated by
foraging behavior and general morphology.
Kinglets and warblers can be eliminated by the thickness of bill, pale
spectacles, and overall plumage pattern.
White-eyed Vireo (WEVI) can be eliminated by the indistinct, pale
spectacles, dark lores, single prominent white wing bar, pale bill, and dark irides. No other similar vireos occurring in LA. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
No, unfortunately not. |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
Very familiar with Eastern ssp. from previous
encounters in Midwest (IL, MO) plus 3-4 individuals in LA. |
|
Identification
aids: |
National Geographic Complete Birds of N.A. (Alderfer
et al. 2005). |
|
This
description is written from: |
notes made during the observation, notes made
after the observation, memory. |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Yes, positive. |
|
Date
and time: |
Devin Bosler 9 October 2009 2:30 PM EDT |