Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Prothonotary Wabler
Scientific name:	Protonotaria citrea
Date:	10/07/26
Time:	4:35 pm
Length of time observed:	30-40 seconds
Number:	1
Age:
Sex:
Location:	My work facility, not far from Hastings Pass
County:	Tooele
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	5 ft at the closest
Optical equipment:	none
Weather:	clear, sunny, no wind
Light Conditions:	bright
Description: Size of bird:	Plump Warbler
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Round, short tailed
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Yellow, White, Blue Green
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	While on a work break with coworkers, we were outside sitting on a bench next to some mixed sagebrush and rabbitbrush. Worth noting, it s some of the only shrubbery for miles around, as this entire valley is consistently grazed by cattle, and barely even has grass remaining. During migration I ve seen many migrants use this patch including COGR, RBNU, many YRWA s, mixed sparrow and blackbird flocks, ETC. randomly I noticed a bird pop up and land on the fence next to us. Just an absurdly bright yellow/orange bird as I could only really see its front parts. At first I thought it was possibly a YEWA, but this bird was much deeper in yellow coloration, also rare for the date, and as soon as it flew I knew it wasn t. It let out a couple of sweet flight calls, not consistent with YEWA, as well as flashed some white outer rectrices when it landed. I whipped out my phone and zoomed in as far as it would go, and started filming video. I could tell through my phone screen it was a PROW when the blue wings, green back, and white belly and UTCs became apparent. It flew again letting out another yummy sweet flight call, and landed again, where I got a second video - this time shaded. After a few seconds there, it picked up and flew south over the facility. I quickly reviewed the video I had gotten and took a bunch of screen grabs. The only thing to add from this that I hadn t noticed while filming was the large bright white undertail, which you can see in the screen grabs, which is split down the center by dark feathers. This seems to to possibly be a trait shown by HY birds, along with the dusky green head down to the back also shown in photos which is consistent with female/HY types. The bill was practically invisible due to poor quality camera, which may also suggest a lighter bill color, also consistent with a non adult male type. But that s pure conjecture. Even at roughly 5 feet away at its closest, I don't recall much bill detail in person. Gorgeous bird, wish I had my binos, and yet even in their dullest form, these birds are absurdly bright to the naked eye. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	gave a few sweet up slurred Seet calls which I captured in video and noticed in the field.
Behavior:	frantic foraging in the shrubbery
Habitat:
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	YEWA and WIWA - white UTCs, white undertail, white upper tail outer rectrices, blue wings, and the overall shade of yellow effectively rule out YEWA and WIWA BWWA - certainly the closest comparison based on plumage, and yet the lack of white wing bars effectively rules out this species. OCWA - white UTCs, blue wings, tail patterning in any form, and the pure bright yellow/orange coloration effectively rule out OCWA.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	no previous experience with PROW or BWWA, but have seen uncountable numbers of YEWA OCWA WIWA
References consulted:	Sibley, Merlin, The Warbler Guide(in app form and book)
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:
Date prepared:	10/08/26
Additional material:	Photos https://ebird.org/checklist/S400137346
Additional comments: