Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2007-46a
| Common name: |
Pine Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Dendroica pinus |
| Date: | 11/26/07 |
| Time: | 0945 |
| Length of time observed: | 5 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | first-fall |
| Sex: | ? |
| Location: | Location: Beaver Dam Wash, immediately south of Lytle Ranch |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | 19 |
| Elevation: | ~820 m |
| Distance to bird: | 4-12 m |
| Optical equipment: | 8 x 42 Leica ultravids |
| Weather: | Clear and cold (temps in the 40's) |
| Light Conditions: | Clear and sunny |
| Description: Size of bird: | See below |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Relatively large warbler, with long thin black bill. Dull olive upperparts, with
brownish wings with two distinct off-white wingbars, and no obvious tertial or
primary edging; clean unmarked olive-yellow back; yellow-olive head with brownish-gray auricular patch and light supraloral line and yellow eye-arcs above and below the eye; yellow throat and breast extending down to sides, diffuse olive streaking on sides of upper breast and flanks; white belly and undertail coverts; relatively short primary projection but with wingtips extending beyond undertail coverts; long tail extending well beyond white undertail coverts, underside of tail mostly white with thin black border around undertail coverts and thin black edges near tip. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none |
| Behavior: | Foraging rather slowly and methodically through mid to lower level of large cottonwood |
| Habitat: | Riparian habitat along the Beaver Dam Wash |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Fall plumaged Pine Warblers can be very similar to fall Blackpoll and
Bay-breasted Warblers. When Tim and I realized the warbler was in the Blackpoll
/ Bay-breasted / Pine group, we quickly eliminated Blackpoll by the unmarked
back and face pattern. I concentrated on observing the tail proportions and pattern as from my experience this is the best single character to distinguish Pine Warblers from the others (tail length and white undertail patches appear nearly twice as long in Pine Warbler). Fall Blackpoll distinguished from fall Pine by presence of distinct braces on the back, distinctly marked wings with bright white tertial edgings and primary tips, long primary projection, and very short tail with long undertail coverts, and more distinctly patterned undertail (showing less white). Fall Bay-breasted distinguished from Pine by plain face, presence of faint braces on the back and more olive upperparts, distinctly marked wings with bright wingbars and tertial edgings, clear buffy sides of breast (lacking streaks), long primary projection, and a proportionally short tail with long undertail coverts |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
First in Utah, however very familiar with Pine Warblers on their wintering range in the southeastern states. I also have observed many Pine, Bay-breasted, and Blackpoll Warblers during fall migration in the east. |
| References consulted: | Sibley's large guide |
| Description from: | Description is copied from field notes made following the sighting |
| Observer: | Rick Fridell |
| Observer's address: | Hurricane, UT |
| Observer's e-mail address: | rfridell@redrock.net |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Tim Avery |
| Date prepared: | 12/01/07 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional Comments: | Description is copied from field notes made following the sighting |