|
English and Scientific names: |
MacGillivray’s
Warbler, Oporonis tolmiei |
|
Number of individuals: |
1 adult,
possibly female base on light gray of hood |
|
Locality: |
Cameron |
|
Specific Locality: |
Peveto
Woods |
|
Date(s) when observed: |
April 25,
2010 |
|
Time(s) of day when observed: |
first
around 9am(not sure of this time) when Phillip Wallace and Jennifer Alexander
photographed it then later between 11:15 and
11:45 when I observed it several times. |
|
Reporting observer and address: |
Rosemary
Seidler |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
none at
the time that I took the photo but many others observed it earlier and later
in the day. |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
Phillip
Wallace, Curt Sorrels, Mac, Myers, Dave Patton, and others |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
bird was
often in heavy undergrowth in the shade but a few times it was observed in
full sunlight. Either way, the split
eye ring or crescents stood out. |
|
Optical equipment: |
Swarowski
10X binoculars in excellent condition |
|
Distance to bird(s): |
20 to 50
feet. |
|
Duration of observation: |
on and
off for about 40 minutes. |
|
Habitat: |
heavy
undergrowth often with oak scrub |
|
Behavior of bird: |
When I
first arrived at Peveto around 8:30 am I met Dave Patton who had just seen
the bird but missed getting a photo.
He said that the bird had been calling. We could not relocate it. Later Mac Myers found some of us to say
that the bird was relocated. I had a
brief look at the bird in the open – not blocked by shrub or sticks – but in
the shade. The white crescents above
and below the eye really stood out.
The bird was actively foraging hopping from one stick to another. When I returned to the woods about two
hours later I heard about a Lazuli Bunting and was walking around looking for
it. I heard loud persistent chip/call
notes. They were monotonal and evenly
spaced. Indigo Bunting were in the
area and chipped a few times but the note was not the same. I followed the chipping and caught a
glimpse of could have been a Mourning or MacGillivray’s. Another glimpse showed the white arcs by
the eye. It flew twice while I
observed it. Chipping was more or less
constant. Since it was chipping before
I began watching it I’m not sure that the notes were a sign of stress. Since Philllip’s and Jennifer’s photos were
not that great I was anxious to document the bird. After I got a fairly decent photo I left
the bird. I told Gay Gomez and Dave
Patton where I had seen it. |
|
Description: |
The most
noticeable characteristic was the white crescents above and below the dark
eye. Bill and legs were not black but
I can’t tell you what color they were just light rather than dark. Gray hood which covered the head and
extended down the nape and throat. The
gray seemed light than on the birds I’d observed in the west. This was possibly a female. Belly and undertail coverts were bright
yellow. Flanks were mostly yellow with
some darker tones. Back and top of
tail were a solid drab olive greenish color – no wing bars, spots, stripes,
etc. |
|
Voice: |
loud
strong evenly spaced chips |
|
Similar species: |
I had
seen a Mourning and several Nashville Warblers earlier in the day. Mourning Warbler look similar but no white
around the eye. The white crescents
were, to me, the most prominent
feature of the MacGillivray’s. The Nashville had a full eye ring and the gray
did not extend down the throat. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
Photo
taken by me is attached. |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
Seen on
several trips out west. Seen in AZ,
WY, NM, CO, TX. |
|
Identification aids: |
A
MacGillivray’s Warbler was reported on Saturday night so I checked Sibley and
the song and call on my iPod after the meeting. at time
of observation: The first time other
birders pointed it out to me. The
second time I was alone but knew what I was looking at from previous study
and observation. after
observation: played the song and call
on my iPod when I was back in my car to compare chip notes. I’m not good with songs or calls but it
sounded the same to me. |
|
This description is written from: |
transcribed
from notes made at the time on a digital recorder._ |
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Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
yes |
|
Date and time: |
4/27/2010 10:15
am |