Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Blue-headed Vireo
Scientific name:	Vireo Solitarius
Date:	09/13/25
Time:	8:30 am roughly
Length of time observed:	a few minutes
Number:	1
Age:
Sex:
Location:	Garr Ranch, Antelope Island
County:	davis
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	10 ft at closest up to 20 yards
Optical equipment:	vortex 10x and Nikon d500 with 500m lens.
Weather:	clear calm sunny
Light Conditions:	sun was behind, bird in front. direct sunlight at times, with shade of trees at others.
Description: Size of bird:	solitary vireo sized
(Description:) Basic Shape:	bulky, medium tail, thick hooked bill
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	contrasty blue grays, bright yellows and greens, white.
(Description:) Bill Type:	hooked vireo bill
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I first found this bird foraging in the Russian olives at the south end of Garr ranch. it immediately struck me as a very bright solitary vireo. at eye level I got great views of it foraging. contrasty white throat to blue head, bright white spectacles, and lots of yellow in the sides. it was facing me when I first spotted it, and before being able to see any other features of the bird, it struck me as a BHVI due to the sharp line of the blue cheeks into the white throat. knowing Kaleb and Esther were nearby, I yelled for them to run over and take photos of this potential BHVI. by this time, it had flown to the picnic area where they first were able to see it. higher up at this point we all tried our best to photograph it. at this angle there was even more direct sunlight and the birds green back with a solid line into the blue head were apparent. at this point I got a few photos here and there while also trying to watch it through my binos, while others were photographing. after the bird had been lost, we looked at Kaleb's back of camera shots, and I decided it could still be a CAVI. And that I would review my photos later. in hindsight, I'm somewhat frustrated at myself for writing off what I was seeing in the field, for the one shaded, not ideal photo on the back of a camera. a few days later, I looked at my photos and decided they reaffirmed what I had seen in the field. from august 22nd to September 30th, I visited Garr ranch 16 total times and observed 96 total CAVI's in that time, this solitary vireo being the brightest and most contrasty by far. during the time of year where CAVI should be the brightest, this bird stood out. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	silent
Behavior:	frantic foraging mid canopy.
Habitat:	Russian olives, and not sure of the tree type in the picnic area.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	CAVI: significant yellow wash in the sides, a blue gray and not green gray head, a separation between blue head to green back, a contrasty white throat against blue head, bright white spectacles are all field marks that in combination point away from CAVI. I can find plenty of photos on ebird of BHVI being rather dull, showing less contrast in the throat, less yellow, ETC ETC all out east deemed as BHVI. I can't find any photos on ebird of a CAVI showing this level of brightness in the back, separated into the head, plus a combo of all the other field marks.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	no previous experience with BHVI, 100+ CAVI this fall alone.
References consulted:
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	McKay Olson
Observer's address:
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Esther Sumner, Kaleb Anderson.
Date prepared:	11/12/25
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	https://ebird.org/checklist/S273172280