Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2025-65
| Common name: |
Tennessee Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Leiothlypis peregrina |
| Date: | 11/09/25 |
| Time: | 7;36 AM |
| Length of time observed: | 10 mins |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | first winter |
| Sex: | Presumed Male |
| Location: | Halfway Wash St George |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | variable - closest being 5 ft. |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex 10x42's, Nikon Camera with 500m lense, |
| Weather: | early morning, calm, clear. |
| Light Conditions: | early morning golden hour light |
| Description: Size of bird: | medium size warbler |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | warbler with long bill |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | white under, yellow chest throat and head, green gray back. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | long for a warbler. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
First knew we had something interesting based on the chip call. Nothing
like all the present OCWA and YRWA. sounded a lot like a YEWA chip call
but less substantial. once located, I thought I had a BBWA with only
views of the face and undertail, I saw the darkish eyeline, and some
yellow wash to the sides, but with white UTC's, and a white belly. after
watching it a while, the slight yellow wing bars and lack of prominent
white wing bars ruled bay-poll out, with only Tennessee left as an
option. the bird had a lemon yellow breast, white from the bottom of the
chest down into the UTC's, light yellow wing bars, a greenish gray back
and wings, and yellowish washed face with a dark eyeline, and a very
short tail. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | YEWA like chip calls heard often. |
| Behavior: | flighty, rapid foraging like a migrant. |
| Habitat: | dense tamarisks of halfway wash |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
OCWA: really the white UTC's and white belly rule out OCWA effectively. plus the dark eyeline, lemon yellow wash, and lack of any streaking add to it. tail too short for OCWA. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
My 5th TEWA of 2025 in Utah, hundreds of OCWA. |
| 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, Steve and Cindi Sommerfield later in the day, Paul Hicks the next day. |
| Date prepared: | 11/13/25 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: | https://ebird.org/checklist/S283806594 |