Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Scarlet Tanager
Scientific name:	Piranga oilivacea
Date:	October 14, 2011
Time:	mid-day
Length of time observed:	~ 30 min.
Number:	1
Age:	adult
Sex:	female
Location:	Beck Spring, Snake Valley
County:	Millard
Latilong:
Elevation:	~ 1505 m
Distance to bird:	15-20 m
Optical equipment:	8 x 42 binoculars
Weather:	clear and slightly windy
Light Conditions:	full sun
Description: Size of bird:
(Description:) Basic Shape:
(Description:) Overall Pattern:
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I noticed a couple tanagers feeding in a Russian olive adjacent to Beck Spring. The first was an obvious female type Western Tanager and the second appeared a bit smaller and a touch brighter. It eventually moved up a bit and I was able to confirm the lack of wing-bars. Since we were looking into the sun we moved around to the other side of the spring and Kevin and I relocated the tanager higher in the dead branches of a large poplar tree. We watched both tanagers for a half hour or so foraging in the tops of the poplars trees, sometimes gleaning, but mostly flycatching bees, wasps, and flies. Description: A Piranga tanager slightly smaller appearing than the nearby Western Tanager. Olive yellow head, undersides, and uppersides; more olive on crown, back and rump, and yellower on throat, breast, and belly. Dark gray / black wings with no wingbars and relatively short, dark gray tail. Black eye with faint yellow eye-ring and gray legs. Stout yellowish bill darker across culmen and palest on lower mandible. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	none heard
Behavior:	see above
Habitat:	Spring complex outflow and associated vegetation.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Distinguished from Western Tanager, primarily, by olive back, dark wings lacking wingbars, and white underwings.
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:	Also observed by Kevin Wheeler.
Date prepared:	11-20-2011
Additional material:	Photos
Additional_Comments:	information copied from field notes