Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2003-08
(This information was transcribed by the webmaster
from a report and notes).
| Common name: |
Yellow-throated Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Dendroica dominica |
| Date: | 28 Dec 2002 |
| Time: | 1:30 pm |
| Length of time observed: | 30-45 seconds? |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | (1st-yr?) |
| Sex: | female |
| Location: | Zion Nat. Park - near Grotto Picnic Area |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | 30-40 feet |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42 Swrovski SLC's |
| Weather: | (see below - under Light Conditions) |
| Light Conditions: | "Conditions were perfect, with full sun on the bird, with me facing away from the sun." |
| Detailed description of bird: | "It was roughly the size of a Audubon's yellow-rumped, but differed in many respects. The throat and upper breast were a brilliant lemon-yellow. The head had a distinct white supercilium, a distinct ½ white eye-ring below the eye, and a triangular black patch behind the eye with an extension through the eye and to the base of the bill. A distinct white "ear-patch" directly behind the thickest part of the black patch was very obvious. The crown was gray, the back gray with a few faint tan/pale brown streaks on the lower back and tertials. The flanks had heavy streaking, including a heavy blackish zig-zag streak, with some faint black or tan streaks above and below. The belly was white. There were two distinct white wing bars. The vent and undertail coverts were white. The underside of the tail was white, and the upper side of the tail was gray. When the bird flew there were no obvious white tail spots as in yellow-rumped. Based on the coloring (faint brown), I thought it was possibly a first-fall female." |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | "While counting some white-crowned sparrows I heard fin unfamiliar chip note that was clearly not that of a Yellow-rumped warbler, which would be the only likely warbler in winter." |
| Behavior: | "It seemed quite curious, and may have been attracted by my earlier pishing." |
| Habitat: | "large cottonwoods" |
| Similar
species and how were they eliminated: |
|
| Previous experience with this & similar species: | "I have previous experience with this bird, having seen many individuals in the eastern US, Texas and Belize." |
| References consulted: | |
| Description from: | See: Rough field sketch, Original scribbled field notes, 2nd cleaner drawing |
| Observer: | John Spence |
| Observer's address: | PO Box 833, Page, AZ 86040 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | spence@thedam.com |
| Other
observers who independently identified this bird: |
|
| Date prepared: | 28 January 2002 |
| Additional material: |
Report from which most of this information has been taken: lst Draft for CBC compiler (with Bob Showler) Original Documents |
| Additional comments: | "I am 100% positive about this id." |