Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Blackpoll Warbler
Scientific name:	Setophaga striata
Date:	9-13-2020
Time:	9:10 am
Length of time observed:	Observed: 8 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	1st year
Sex:	Unknown
Location:	Willard Spur
County:	Box Elder
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	10
Optical equipment:	Pentax 10x50 binocular, Nikon Binoculars
Weather:	Sunny, Smoky and hazy.
Light Conditions:	Good.
Description: Size of bird:	~5
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Medium Warbler
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Drab yellow
(Description:) Bill Type:	Slender
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Yellowish drab over most of breast and face. Olive-green crown and mantle with dark streaks on mantle. Faint Buffy streaming s on sides. Two thin white wing-bars. Broken eye-ring that was overshadowed by the yellow of face. Short tail with white undertail. Yellowish pink feet and back of legs. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	None.
Behavior:	Foraging for insects in a row of tamarisks. No consistency or pattern to how it moved through them.
Habitat:	Tamarisk row adjacent to brackish marsh.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Pine Warbler- Crown and back were more olive-green than expected in a Pine. Auriculars were lighter and didn t give off appearance of eyebrow like the dingy auriculars of the Pine. Vent was white, but underside/lower belly had a dingy appearance, unlike the white lower belly of the Pine. Bay-breasted Warbler- Vent of BBWA would ve been dingy/buffy unlike the clean white of the Blackpoll. Diagnostic comparison field mark was the pale yellow of the back of the legs and the pinkish feet.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have only seen this species a few times, but never in this plumage.
References consulted:	Sibley, The Warbler Guide (App), Macaulay Library
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Mike Hearell
Observer's address:	North Ogden, Utah
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Taylor Abbott
Date prepared:	9-13-20
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	Taylor obtained much better photos than I, but is still without power from last weeks wind storm and may need a few days before sending them in.