Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2022-42
| Common name: |
Tennessee Warbler |
| Scientific name: | ? [Oreothlypsis pereigrina] |
| Date: | 9-22-2022 |
| Time: | 1230pm |
| Length of time observed: | 30minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | ? |
| Sex: | ? |
| Location: | along the Weber River on UDWR Property near Peterson, Utah |
| County: | Morgan |
| Latilong: | ? |
| Elevation: | approx. 5000ft |
| Distance to bird: | 10 to 50 ft. |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 10x42, Nikon D7200 camera with 150x600mm lens also camera and binos used by Arnold and Aaron Smith |
| Weather: | clear and sunny |
| Light Conditions: | poor in the under story of trees but great when bird would move into clearings |
| Description: Size of bird: | small warbler maybe 5 inches |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | warbler |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | yellow/gray above with yellow/white below with very white under tail feathers |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | very small thin typical warbler |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Description of Field Marks nearly identical to an Orange-crowned Warbler
though all around lighter than OCWA I'm used to seeing and with a very
obvious white under tail. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | never made a noise |
| Behavior: | flitting around in the leaves and branches of a large willow tree feeding on insects it was finding |
| Habitat: | riparian area with corn field on one side river on other |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Orange-crowned Warbler is more olive green over all with yellow not white under
tail feathers one was seen in tree with this bird showing a great comparison.
Warbling Vireo is larger and much larger, different shaped bill. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
only seen once before
in Arizona with a birding group and the white under tail was the big
point the experts were noting to group. |
| References consulted: | in the field we used sibley bird app, ibird pro app, and photos on the internet, at home I compared my photos to my library of bird books including Sibley's, Peterson, National geographic, stokes, etc. |
| Description from: |
(Notes taken at time of sighting - Notes made later - From memory - )
Aaron spotted light colored warbler feeding in top of a large willow. Bird initially thought to be a Orange-crowned Warbler but looked a bit light. For several years I've been watching the OCWA in fall for a Tennessee Warbler since the two species look so similar. Aaron quickly noted the pure white under tail feathers on this bird. There was an OCWA in the same tree which gave great comparison of the difference in the under tail of the birds. The three of us spent at least 30 minutes watching bird trying to get decent pictures and making sure of our identification that this was TNWA. Light was very poor in the under story of the trees and do to the leaves changing everything was very yellow, however the bird was seen in good sunlight several times to confirm the id of TNWA. Was only able to get decent pictures of the underside and head of this bird, though did see the upper side which basically reminded me of an OCWA except for the white under tail. |
| Observer: | Weston Smith |
| Observer's address: | 1375N 6800E Croydon, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Aaron Smith, Arnold Smith |
| Date prepared: | 9-24-2022 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: |
hoping my father and brother will send me their comments and pictures so I
can add them. Here is Aaron's info on the warbler you can add to the
additional info. Here is Arnold's email to Weston with a photo: |