Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2020-57
| Common name: |
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Setophaga caerulescens |
| Date: | 10-4-2020 and 10-5-2020 |
| Time: | 6:05pm and 7:15am |
| Length of time observed: | 20 Minutes, and 10 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | ? |
| Sex: | Female |
| Location: | Painter Spring |
| County: | Millard |
| Latilong: | 39.1879944,-113.443644 |
| Elevation: | 5500ft |
| Distance to bird: | 5m at closest |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 10x42 Binoculars |
| Weather: | Calm 70F and calm 60F, both in shade of canyon |
| Light Conditions: | Light conditions-moderate, in shade of canyon but still plenty of light |
| Description: Size of bird: | small passerine |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | typical warbler |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Mostly olive green |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | typical warbler |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Female. Olive green back, white eyebrow and eyearc, throat yellowish edged in
white. Stout broad flat bill, compact and short tailed. Faint wing spot. Seen at
1802 30m below spring pump, relocate 50m downstream 30 minutes later. Good looks
but uncooperative for photos. Returned in am and relocated and photographed"
From my notes taken at the time (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Heard giving a distinctive sharp flat chip, superficially similar to a Junco chip, which were also present and a cause of confusion for me |
| Behavior: | Very skulky, spent most of its time hiding in dense underbrush(Skunkbrush), but would make short sallies out to catch insects, only to return to dense cover. Always near or on the ground, never seen more than 4ft high. |
| Habitat: | Unique desert spring at the base of the west slope of the House range. Narrow but dense grove of cottonwoods with understory of skunkbrush and willow with a trickle of water flowing, in an otherwise very rugged rocky Pinyon-Juniper woodland |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
No other warbler has the same field marks. Orange-crown same color and size but lacks eyebrow and throat markings. MacGilivray's similar in size and behavior but has a gray hood |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
None-lifer |
| References consulted: | Sibley app, and 'Field Guide to Western Bird'. iBirdpro app. |
| Description from: |
Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 84102 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: |
None |
| Date prepared: | 10-6-2020 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: |
eBird checklists:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S74502194 and https://ebird.org/checklist/S74502168 |