Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah

Rec. # 2011-59


Common name:

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Scientific name: (Dendroica pensylvanica) [Setophaga pensylvanica]
Date: October 5-7, 2011
Time: various
Length of time observed: ~ 20 minutes total
Number: 1
Age: first fall
Sex: female
Location: Tonaquint Park, St. George
County: Washington
Latilong: 19
Elevation: ~ 870
Distance to bird: ~ 10 m
Optical equipment: 8 x 42 binoculars
Weather: overcast, rainy, and windy to clear and calm
Light Conditions: various
Description:        Size of bird:  
(Description:)       Basic Shape:  
(Description:)  Overall Pattern:  
(Description:)            Bill Type:  
(Description:)                              
Field Marks and
Identifying Characteristics:
I observed a hatch-year female type Chestnut-sided Warbler at the pond at Tonaquint while watching the Prothonotary Warbler. Later I thought I relocated this warbler but noticed there was a second CS Warbler present with faint rufous streaking along the sides (first fall male or adult female type). I viewed both warblers foraging together in a willow on October 6th. Present through at least October 7th.

Description:

Medium sized, chunky warbler. Uppersides: bright lime green crown, mantle, and rump, dark olive-gray wings with prominent yellowish white wingbars, and thin yellow edging on the secondaries and primaries, and broader yellow-white edging on tertials. Gray face with black eye and complete distinct white eye-ring. Undersides white from chin to undertail coverts; grayish wash at sides of upper breast. Tail feathers dark with white edges when perched, flashing white outer rectrices in flight; underside of tail white with black teardrops at tips of outer rectrices. Dark gray bill legs and feet.
(see photo)
Song or call & method of delivery: chip similar to a Yellow Warbler
Behavior: gleaning and hover gleaning
Habitat: dense vegetation (willows and cottonwoods) around edge of pond
Similar species and how
were they eliminated:
 
Previous experience with
this & similar species:
yes
References consulted:  
Description from:  
Observer: Rick Fridell
Observer's address: Hurricane, UT
Observer's e-mail address: rfridell@redrock.net
Other observers who independently identified this bird:  
Date prepared: 11-18-2011
Additional material: Photo
Additional_Comments: information copied from field notes