Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2006-58
| Common name: |
Prairie Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Dendroica discolor |
| Date: | 10-15-06 |
| Time: | 10:30 AM |
| Length of time observed: | 3 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | HY |
| Sex: | male |
| Location: | Central |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 5500 |
| Distance to bird: | 25 feet |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42 B and L Elites |
| Weather: | Light wind partly cloudy |
| Light Conditions: | Good |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Warbler shape |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Yellow |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Thin Pointed |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
The crown,nape and back were olive. The bird had whitish yellow eye cresents.The
upper one extended to the bill and past the eye more like a supercilium. There
was some gray in the auricular area and a faint black line through the eye and
down around the lower eye cresent. The underparts were pretty bright yellow except the undertail coverts which were whitish yellow. The bird had a black spot on the sides of the lower neck area and pretty bright rows of black streaking down the sides of the breast and flanks. The wings were dark olive with two faint yellow wing bars.The underside of the tail was mostly white with dark edges toward the tips. I didn't see any red on the back. I was mostly viewing the bird front below and the side and forgot to look for the red on the back. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | I heard the bird call a couple times. It was a pretty strong hard chip note. |
| Behavior: | The bird was gleaning insects from inside of juniper and a apple tree and was pumping it's tail the whole time I was watching it. |
| Habitat: | Pinion Juniper habitat in a residentual area with a couple fruit trees. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Palm Warblers are always pumping their tails but the undertail coverts are
bright yellow unlike this bird. And the head pattern is much different. Fall Magnolia Warblers have a different head pattern and they don't pump their tail. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have seen a lot of the above species in spring and fall. |
| References consulted: | Sibley Guide,Dunn and Garrett Warblers and Pyle |
| Description from: | Notes made later |
| Observer: | Larry Tripp |
| Observer's address: | 131 N. Butch Cassidy Trl Central,Utah 84722 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ltripp29@hotmail.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Barbara Lykins |
| Date prepared: | 11-28-06 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: |