Records Committee Utah Ornithological Society Web Site

Records Committee
Utah Ornithological Society

Status & Comments
Year 2018 (records 26 through 50)

2018-26 Pyrrhuloxia

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	Acc	Description matches a Pyrrhuloxia.
2nd round:	8 Sep 2018	Acc	Same comment as before...
Kenny F.	7 Jun 2018	Acc	Description seems to match Pyrrhuloxia.
2nd round:	30 Aug 2018	Acc	Does a good job ruling out Northern Cardinal or any other species.
Stephanie G.	14 Aug 2018	No, ID	Hm, a tough call. This species would be hard to mistake for another, but because of the rarity and lack of photos, I'm voting no to push to the second round.
2nd round:	19 Sep 2018	No, ID
Mike H.	8 Aug 2018	Acc	If only the world were perfect and all rare birds were photographed. It sounds as though the looks they were able to get were good and the description fits. I have a difficult time talking myself into accepting such a rare sighting without photographic or audible evidence, but will at this time to further discussion.
2nd round:	13 Sep 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	8 Jul 2018	Acc	The description: Cardinal-like, red and grayish overall, yellow bill,brings "What else could it be."
2nd round:	27 Sep 2018	Acc
Steve S.	17 Jul 2018	Acc	I will tentatively vote accept as the description seems to fit.
2nd round:	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Description fits
Mark S.	3 Jun 2018	Acc	Good description eliminates similar species.
2nd round:	24 Sep 2018	Acc	Nothing else fits.
Larry T.	29 Aug 2018	Acc	Very rare sighting but it's such a distinct bird if seen well hard to mistake.
2nd round:	4 Oct 2018	Acc	No change on my thoughts.
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	Acc	I'll admit that I'm hesitant to accept this record based on likelihood, but I can't think of anything else that fits the description from this observer.
2nd round:	19 Sep 2018	Acc	Description seems to fit Pyrrhuloxia.

2018-27 Red-necked Grebe

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	23 Jul 2018	Acc	Photo matches Red-necked Grebe.
Stephanie G.	9 Jul 2018	Acc	good record
Mike H.	12 Jun 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	8 Jul 2018	Acc	Easy decision with nice photos.
Steve S.	17 Jul 2018	Acc
Mark S.	3 Aug 2018	Acc	Excellent documentation.
Larry T.	29 Aug 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	Acc	Photos clearly show a Red-necked Grebe.

2018-28 Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	Acc
2nd rnd:	8 Sep 2018	Acc	The direct comparison info supports that this is a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.
Kenny F.	23 Jul 2018	Acc	Spectrogram matches the single slurred note of the male position call of a Pacific and not the two-part call of a Cordilleran.
2nd rnd:	30 Aug 2018	Acc	Here is a direct comparison image I made of the spectrograms of my call and the calls of different Pacific-slopes and Cordilleran Flycatchers to make this as easy as possible. I know that hearing a quick call note can be hard to differentiate but the spectrograms are quite strikingly different. Direct comparison: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/112943711 Note that this is a gap between the two notes on all the different Cordilleran Flycatcher recordings. It is always two parted. In Pacific-slopes, the call is slurred and comes across as one continuous line with no gap. My recording shows very clearly that there is no gap. Note 1- The images of the Pacific-slope calls on the Applied Bioacoustics site look wider than my call. This is because it has spread out the time on the x axis of the recording. Spectograms of additional recordings of this species with a similar x axis timeframe from ebird exactly match the pattern and shape of the spectrogram of my call. One from the Pacific Coast of Oregon: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/50339#_ga=2.44305892.1771546395.1535429057-120809354.1451154625 One more from the Pacific Coast of California: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/7600#_ga=2.44305892.1771546395.1535429057-120809354.1451154625 Note 2- In the direct comparison photo shared above, the middle Pacific-slope call looks like it may be two parted but this is an artifact of a poor recording. You can still see that the call is slurred overall and matches the pattern of the others although it is fainter.
Stephanie G.	14 Aug 2018	Acc	Audio waveforms match Pacific-slope
2nd rnd:	19 Sep 2018	Acc
Mike H. 2nd rnd:	6 Sep 2018	Acc, NAS	I wasn t able to come to a conclusion on this record prior to the first round cut-off. After spending more time and looking through all of the detailed data that Kenny presented, I still can t bring myself to say this is 100% without a doubt a Pac-slope. I feel it is best to lean towards caution with this record.
Dennis S.	8 Jul 2018	No, ID	Once again I'm up in the air on this Western Flycatcher complex. The submitter certainly has done a great deal of background work on this record and one previously and is convincing in most respects. He is commended for his efforts. However I'm still uncommitted as to the occurrance of PSFL in our State. Even researchers/authorities have problems with separations and to base a record on its supposed migration timing and pattern is not sufficient for acceptance. The songs and call notes are mostly so similar as to be indistinguishable. So here we are again. Lets go to the second round and see if we can convince ourselves one way or another.
2nd rnd:	27 Sep 2018	Acc, NAS	Still not convinced to species level.
Steve S.	17 Jul 2018	Acc
2nd rnd:	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Expected species with sonograms to match.
Mark S.	3 Aug 2018	Acc, NAS	I commend Kenny for all the data and the detailed write-up. Maybe it's just me, but I fail to see the strong correlation between the spectrogram of this bird and those of the birds in the reference material. Especially the examples from Applied Bioacoustics look to me like the Cordilleran position note fits the bird in this record better than that of the Pacific-slope. Information regarding presumed migration patterns in another state are interesting, but certainly require some level of "ground truthing" in Utah before we accept these conventions as applying to Utah as well. Given the difficulties in this "species" pair, I'd prefer to err on the side of caution.
2nd rnd:	24 Sep 2018	Acc, NAS	I still find numerous examples of breeding season COFL that present very similar spectograms on Xenocanto, for example: Montana: https://www.xeno-canto.org/388333 Colorado: https://www.xeno-canto.org/323422 Mexico in summer (only COFL there at that season): https://www.xeno-canto.org/322407 Colorado: https://www.xeno-canto.org/188042 Mexico in summer: https://www.xeno-canto.org/14072 etc. I think there's very little clarity, and not just a bit of circular logic, even regarding position notes.
Larry T.	29 Aug 2018	Acc	Sounds good for a Western Fly.
2nd rnd:	4 Oct 2018	Acc	As before.
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	Acc	I believe that this would be the expected empid observed here (compared with the Cordilleran).
2nd rnd:	19 Sep 2018	Acc	Seems good for a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

2018-29 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	23 Jul 2018	Acc	Description matches STFL best.
Stephanie G.	14 Aug 2018	Acc	Description seems to rule out other species
Mike H.	8 Aug 2018	Acc	Good description.
Dennis S.	8 Jul 2018	Acc	Slight concerns with tail length description and lack of experience with this species, but overall enough base characteristic touching for acceptance.
Steve S.	17 Jul 2018	Acc	Description sounds good and this should be a fairly easy ID.
Mark S.	3 Aug 2018	Acc	Good description rules out similar species; date and location are consistent with previous occurrences of this species in Utah.
Larry T.	29 Aug 2018	Acc	Description sounds good for this species.
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	Acc	Well-written description eliminates other possibilities.

2018-30 Least Flycatcher

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	23 Jul 2018	Acc	Photo and audio match LEFL.
Stephanie G.	14 Aug 2018	Acc
Mike H.	8 Aug 2018	Acc	Well documented.
Dennis S.	8 Jul 2018	Acc	Many observers over a couple weeks span, photos, and calls leave no doubt. I may have been the only Utah County Birder who didn't see this bird. It's tough to be in Alaska for two months, but someone needs to keep the economy going! Anyone like King Salmon or Halibut?
Steve S.	17 Jul 2018	Acc
Mark S.	3 Aug 2018	Acc	Excellent documentation.
Larry T.	29 Aug 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	Acc	Photos look like a Least Flycatcher, with big-looking head and short wings; the call on the ebird checklist was a distinct "chebic" call.

2018-31 Common Redpoll

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	No, ID	I'm puzzled by the described "unstreaked chest" and "unable to observe chest coloration" comments. Similar species were not effectively eliminated, and the summer range of this species is very far north. I don't think there's enough evidence to support acceptance.
Kenny F.	23 Jul 2018	No, ID	Description seems good but there are essentially no records of Common Redpoll in the West in June. This would be the latest record in Utah by 6 weeks. I'm curious what the rest of the committee thinks of the record.
Stephanie G.	13 Aug 2018	No, ID	I'm voting no because of the time of year and lack of photos.
Mike H.	8 Aug 2018	No, ID	Time of year and observer s lack of experience with this species leads me to vote no at this time.
Dennis S.	20 Jul 2018	No, ID	Highly unlikely! Other than a half-dozen or so early June records, this would be the first recorded E-bird record for July in the lower 48.
Steve S.	17 Jul 2018	No, ID	The observer states that this bird had a dark bill. If he could see what he says was a pinkish forehead and a dark chin patch he should have been able to see a yellow bill.
Mark S.	12 Aug 2018	No, ID	The date for this record is incredible for this species, and the observer does't adequately eliminate the MUCH more likely Cassin's Finch. The mention of a dark bill in particular doesn't fit Common Redpoll.
Larry T.	29 Aug 2018	No, ID	Odd timing for a Redpoll?
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	No, ID	Aside from this bird being unexpected in mid-summer, a couple things in the observer's description don't fit Common Redpoll: the unstreaked chest and a dark bill.

2018-32 Brown Pelican

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	20 Jul 2018	Acc	Although the photo is very poor, the size and coloring of the bird are shown. Combined with the description, I think this is enough to accept.
2nd round:	21 Nov 2018	Acc	The description matches a brown pelican.
Kenny F.	23 Jul 2018	Acc	Description matches Brown Pelican and the picture shows a large brown bird even if it doesn't show the bill.
2nd round:	4 Nov 2018	Acc	The description matches a Brown Pelican exactly and I don't think that a bad picture taken with a smart phone in challenging photographic conditions should be held against the description, especially if the photo doesn't show anything that would rule out Brown Pelican.
Stephanie G.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos leave more to be desired and I wish that other people had seen the bird to confirm, but it's a pretty unmistakeable bird so I'll vote to accept.
2nd round:	6 Nov 2018	Acc
Mike H.	8 Aug 2018	Acc	Having trouble deciphering this subpar photo. The posture looks more like a heron than a pelican, but maybe I m missing something? The coloring, size, and description of the bill from the observer leave me wondering what else this could be.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	Going off of the description more so than picture.
Dennis S.	20 Jul 2018	No, ID	This ones a toss-up! Photo adds nothing (could be a Shoebill). It is someone the right time of the year for this rare vagrant and they do retain their juvenile plumage for the first few years, so it could be. With a recent year record in this same area maybe they are becoming more "common" and are starting to tag along with the whites when migrating back. Even with these points I have some concerns with this record. How far away was the bird. Could light condition-light waves, or staining have made it appear more brown than normal for a white? Anyway "No ID" for now and see what others think.
2nd round:	7 Oct 2018	No, ID	It seems everyone has basically the same concerns and maybe there's enough for acceptance, but our standard for acceptance needs to be maintained at somewhat of a convincing level.
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
2nd round:	18 Oct 2018	Acc	Description seems to fit a Brown Pelican
Mark S.	12 Aug 2018	Acc	This is a difficult record, and I'd like to see some discussion, even though I'm not completely opposed to passing it. If I recall, the bird was never found after this initial sighting. The biggest issue is determining if it's truly a Brown Pelican, or just an aberrant-plumage or dirty/oiled Am. White Pelican, that have occurred and been misidentified as Brown Pelican in Utah in the past. The problem I have with this record is that the pattern of light and dark in the admittedly poor photo does not seem to match the expected pattern for either an adult or juvenile Brown Pelican. Specifically, the broad light patch that's either towards the rear of the bird, or more likely on the shoulder, doesn't fit any plumage of Brown Pelican. I'm open to discussion on this record, but my inclination is to consider the evidence as inconclusive.
2nd round:	5 Oct 2018	Acc	Despite reservations, I'll vote to accept, based more upon the written description than the photo. The light belly would seem unlikely for an oiled AWPE, since the underparts are the most likely to be soiled.
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc
2nd round:	13 Nov 2018	Acc	I can understand the concerns with this record but as others have said I think there is enough to call it a Brown Pelican.
Kevin W.	13 Aug 2018	Acc	I'll tentatively accept this record based on the description; the photos show a bird that is dark above and light below, which could indicate a juvenile Brown Pelican.
2nd round:	9 Oct 2018	Acc	With the description, I find this hard to be anything but a Brown Pelican.

2018-33 Hermit Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	30 Aug 2018	Acc	Good picture. Regular fall migrant in the highlands of southwestern Utah. Given the number of sightings on ebird, this shouldn't be a review species but unfortunately people up to this point haven't been submitting records for this species to the committee.
Stephanie G.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Looks pretty straightforward.
Mike H.	14 Aug 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	15 Aug 2018	Acc	Nice photos.
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	28 Aug 2018	Acc	Excellent photos; no sign of a hybrid.
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	19 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos show distinctive Hermit Warbler

2018-34 Hermit Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	30 Aug 2018	Acc	Good picture. Regular fall migrant in the highlands of southwestern Utah. Given the number of sightings on ebird, this shouldn't be a review species but unfortunately people up to this point haven't been submitting records for this species to the committee.
Stephanie G.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Looks good
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	I can t tell if it s an artifact or not, but the vent appears to have a yellowish tint which would point more towards Black-throated Green. I would expect to see a darker auricular if this were so. I will vote to accept on what I can see for sure instead of what might/might not be there.
Dennis S.	15 Aug 2018	Acc
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	28 Aug 2018	Acc	Photo supports Hermit Warbler, but written description needed to eliminate a hybrid.
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	19 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos show distinctive Hermit Warbler

2018-35 Hermit Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	30 Aug 2018	Acc	Good picture. Regular fall migrant in the highlands of southwestern Utah. Given the number of sightings on ebird, this shouldn't be a review species but unfortunately people up to this point haven't been submitting records for this species to the committee.
Stephanie G.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Looks good for an immature female.
Dennis S.	15 Aug 2018	Acc	Good picture. Regular fall migrant in the highlands of southwestern Utah. Given the number of sightings on ebird, this shouldn't be a review species but unfortunately people up to this point haven't been submitting records for this species to the committee.
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	28 Aug 2018	Acc	Photos show a typical female Hermit, and no signs of a hybrid.
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos show young Hermit Warbler

2018-36 Baltimore Oriole

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	30 Aug 2018	Acc	Great shots of a species with surprisingly few records in Utah.
Stephanie G.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Lay-up!
Dennis S.	31 Aug 2018	Acc	Picture perfect photos.
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	28 Aug 2018	Acc	Good documentation; unmistakable.
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos show a Baltimore Oriole

2018-37 Prothonotary Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
2nd round:	1 Dec 2018	Acc	I saw enough of this bird over the viewing period to ID it as a Prothonotary Warbler.
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Excellent description perfectly matches Prothonotary Warbler.
2nd round:	3 Jan 2019	Acc	Description rules out all other possible species.
Stephanie G.	19 Sep 2018	Acc
2nd round:	6 Nov 2018	Acc
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc	Description sounds good.
2nd round:	27 Dec 2018	Acc	Description still sounds good.
Dennis S.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Good comparison of similar species.
2nd round:	8 Nov 2018	Acc
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	Description fits well for Prothonotary Warbler
Mark S.	24 Sep 2018	Acc	Good description of a distinctive species.
2nd round:	13 Dec 2018	Acc	t's a hard species to mistake..
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc	Distinct bird with decent looks.
2nd round:	13 Nov 2018	Acc	I'll stay with my vote to accept.
Kevin W.	29 Sep 2018	No, ID	I think the submitters may have seen a Prothonotary Warbler, but with both of them only getting brief, obscured views of parts of the bird, it would seem easy to jump to conclusions on the identity.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	I'll lean on Kathy's confidence in the identity of this bird.

2018-38 Blackpoll Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Great documentation of this bird.
Stephanie G.	19 Sep 2018	Acc
Mike H.	13 Sep 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Are all submitted photos of BLWA?
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	24 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos and description eliminate similar species.
Larry T.	4 Oct 2018	Acc	Nice fall record.
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	Photos show a Blackpoll Warbler

2018-39 Long-tailed Jaeger

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc	Good description of points considered to ID bird.
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Amazing find and photos.
Stephanie G.	19 Sep 2018	Acc
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	30 Sep 2018	Acc	Crazy bird! Good convincing report and photos. Who would have guessed such a record.
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Remarkable record, but well documented. Structure and color both support Long-tailed Jaeger.
Larry T.	18 Oct 2018	Acc	The photos look like a LTJ.
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	Crazy Record! The submitter did a good job of eliminating other possibilities.

2018-40 Tennessee Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	8 Sep 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Nice photos showing the white undertail coverts.
Stephanie G.	25 Oct 2018	Acc
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos of submitted bird appear to have more of a darker greenish yellow than normally for TEWA, but descriptions and comparison to OCWA are convincing. "Observed obscene numbers of TEWA." Where? Not in Utah!!
Steve S.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Mark S.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos are marginal, but do show some diagnostic features. Coupled with the written description, similar species are adequately eliminated.
Larry T.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	For a ten-second observation this was pretty detailed, but looks good for a Tennessee Warbler

2018-41 Reddish Egret

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	3 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Excellent shots of this long-staying rarity.
Stephanie G.	25 Oct 2018	Acc
Mike H.	10 Sep 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	27 Sep 2018	Acc	Nice photo.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Mark S.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos show a Reddish Egret.
Larry T.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	Good documentation.

2018-42 Tennessee Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	3 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Good shots of the white undertail coverts
Stephanie G.	6 Nov 2018	Acc
Mike H.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	White undertail looks clean..
Dennis S.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Good backup photos.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Mark S.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Good documentation.
Larry T.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	Looks good for a Tennessee Warbler to me.

2018-43 Hutton's Vireo

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	10 Nov 2018	No, ID	From the photos, the facial markings and overall coloration of the bird seem to indicate a Bay-breasted Warbler. However, I'm not very experienced with the fall plumage of this species, so I would like to see what others say about this record.
2nd round:	1 Dec 2018	No, ID	After reviewing other's comments, I'm still not convinced this is a Hutton's Vireo. I have limited experience with this species, but my initial impression of the photos was not what I remember from my personal observations of the species. I recall a more spectacled appearance due to pale lores and a more prominent eye ring. Does anyone know if there might be fall plumage variations due to worn or molting feathers? I'm also concerned because this species is not known to wander far from its normal range as others have mentioned as well. I prefer to remain cautious with another no vote, but would like to see more discussion on the possibilities of plumage variations due to the season and/or age of Hutton's and other more probable vireo species.12
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	No, ID	I think this is an immature female Cassin's Vireo. Some can appear a dull greenish like a Hutton's but Cassin's will show a complete eye ring vs a broken one in Cassin's. Hutton's also aren't very prone to vagrancy and tend to not leave their home range- https://ebird.org/map/hutvir?neg=true&env.minX=&env.minY=&env.maxX=&env.maxY= &zh=false&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2018 The closest population of Cassin's to Utah is the Grand Canyon. We may eventually get one in Utah but it will most likely be somewhere in Washington or Kane counties.
2nd round:	3 Jan 2019	No, ID	I believe the lighting is misrepresenting the actual colors of the vireo. The sunrise time for that date is around 7am, meaning the sun was low at this point of morning (the observation is from 7:40 am) and light was just coming over the mountains at that time resulting in the vireo looking yellower than it actually is. A color corrected version of this bird can be found here: http://tinypic.com/r/213f6vc/9. The yellowish wash on the flanks and the white underparts in the corrected version look better for Cassin's Vireo whereas Hutton's should be just drab olive underneath.
3rd round:	8 Jan 2019	No, ID	To answer Mike's question, Jon is a SL County birder and he says the location was Garr Ranch. I still think that the low morning light affected the coloration of the photo and the color-corrected version shows a color pattern more consistent with Cassin's Vireo.
Stephanie G.	6 Nov 2018	Acc
2nd round:	9 Dec 2018	No, ID	The likelihood of a Hutton's Vireo in Northern Utah is quite slim, and I can see how it could be another immature vireo sp.
3rd round:	15 Mar 2019	No, ID	Likely immature Cassin's Vireo
Mike H.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Blue-gray legs, unbroken eye-ring, thicker bill, and absent of dark band on the back edge of lower wings bar.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	I ve tried to turn this into something else, but I can t. I feel it s more likely that the location of the photo isn t right.??? I m not familiar with the name of the observer. Is he a local birder?
3rd round:	15 Feb 2019	Acc	Question- If this were a photo from CA would there be this sort of debate on species? I don t think so. I know this sighting is losing traction, but everything I stated in my first comments are still true. I also feel there are more field marks pointing to Hutton s than there are pointing away once a range map is taken out of play.
Dennis S.	7 Oct 2018	No, ID	I've anguished a while over this record. In many respects it fits a HUVI - wing bars, bill shape, yellowish wing and tail edges, head shape ect. - little doubt it's a vireo. But? The two HUVI subspecies - (Mexican and Pacific), have very little to no migration. There are no records in the Great Basin or Intermountain States. The Mexican HUVI has been seen as far north as the Flagstaff area. The Pacific is pretty much confined to west of the Sierra Crest in the Pacific States. Could it be a juvenile Cassin's with a weak developed eye-ring and mask? I'm open for enlightenment!
2nd round:	19 Nov 2018	No, ID	With no new enlightenment from First Round my concerns haven't changed. Major concern is still its predominantly non-migratory status, with no records from the Great Basin.
3rd round:	18 Jan 2019	No, ID	We've covered all the bases for this record and I can see evidence for all views. However, as a first state record, I still can't in complete conscience vote to accept. My main problem still involves the question of a non-migratory, never occurring outside its Pacific Slope and Southern Arizona ranges, showing up on Antelope Island. As mentioned, if suddenly for some reason we begin to get other records, then maybe we can reevaluate its status.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	No, ID	Photo seems to be a Hutton's Vireo, but with a nonmigratory bird and no records that I can find for either Idaho or Nevada which I would expect before Utah I'm not sure what to think. Could the photos have been mixed up with another location? Curious to see what others have to say.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	No, ID	I still can't convince myself that this is a Hutton's Vireo
3rd round:	2 Mar 2019	No, ID	I still can't rule out young Cassin's Vireo
Mark S.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Remarkable record. While not unexpected for Utah, Antelope Island, and an apparent Pacific-type bird are not what I would have anticipated for a state-first record. While I have some minor reservations over the eye ring and lack of pale lores, I think those are best explained by age (perhaps a juvenile bird?) and molt, since body feathers would still be molting at this date. The overall structure, wing markings, general coloration, and leg color all support Hutton's Vireo. I can't think of a better fit for this bird.
2nd round:	13 Dec 2018	Acc	I can understand the reservations of some committee members in accepting a Hutton's Vireo on Antelope Island in early September, it is an extremely unlikely occurrence. But the photos clearly show a first year Hutton's Vireo. Perhaps a case could be made for a human-assisted transport, though I think that is unlikely for this species, but the identification of the bird is correct. Bill structure eliminates all warblers. The bill size eliminates Cassin's, and most other vireos, except perhaps Philadelphia, which it clearly isn't for numerous reasons. The overall body structure, of short tail, shorter primary projection and stocky body fit only Hutton's. Cassin's has a much longer-looking, lankier build to it. Because first fall Cassin's is perhaps the most likely alternative candidate, let me go into detail regarding the numerous plumage/coloration differences, in addition to the aforementioned structural characters, that make this a Hutton's Vireo, and not a Cassin's. The half eye-ring and (lack of) spectacles is perfect for first-fall Hutton's, and wrong for Cassin's, that should have a much more prominent and complete eye-ring, and a much whiter lore. Even in immature plumage, the "spectacled" look is there. First-fall Hutton's typically doesn't show a white lore. The facial markings of this bird match perfectly a first-fall Hutton's. The overall coloration also matches the dingy, yellowish, rather uniform plumage of a young Hutton's. Cassin's should be much whiter in the throat and under parts, grayer on the head and upper parts in general (especially a young/female Cassin's), and generally showing more contrast in the plumage. Even first year Cassin's has the same basic pattern as the adult. The short, thick, very white upper wing-bar is perfect for Hutton's, and wrong for Cassin's, that has a longer, thinner upper wing-bar. The leg color looks very bluish gray to me, another characteristic of first-fall Hutton's. Both Cassin's and adult Hutton's have darker gray legs. There is nothing about this bird that is inconsistent with a typical first-fall Hutton's Vireo, and no other identification comes close to matching. We can debate the remarkable nature of this occurrence, and whether it represents a natural case of vagrancy, but the identification is correct.
3rd round:	15 Mar 2019	Acc	I still can't see anything about the bird in this photo that doesn't fit Hutton's Vireo best. Sometimes range/vagrancy patterns aren't the most reliable field marks.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	No, Nat	I don't know what this bird is if it's not a Hutton's. But being so far away from any of it's naturally occurring areas for a non migratory species I would like to hear what others think. Maybe someone knows how far east they have been recorded in Nevada?
2nd round:	5 Jan 2019	No, Nat	As Mark so eloquently covered the correct ID of this bird I really don't see any reason to add to it. It looks like a typical HY Hutton's. This isn't a species known to be held in captivity either. But for a species that doesn't seem to wander anywhere near N. Utah or outside it's known range at all I don't have anywhere else to place it at this time since I would call it a Hutton's Vireo. Maybe we can look at the record again someday it any pattern of vagrancy starts to appear.
3rd round:	7 Mar 2019	No, Nat	Same thoughts.
Kevin W.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	I never would have guessed that Utah's first Hutton's Vireo would show up on Antelope Island, but it looks good to me.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	I am confident that this bird is a Hutton's Vireo (I can't turn it into anything else). One could question how the bird ended up on Antelope Island, but it seems very unlikely that it was human-transported.
David W. 3rd:	16 Jan 2019	No, ID	Man! I have gone back and forth on this one. And then back and forth again. It structurally certainly does look like a Hutton's vireo. In the end, though, I cannot eliminate a very drab Cassin's. I am troubled by the long primary extensions. Also, the eye-ring looks like a very very drab version of a Cassin's much more than a Hutton's to me (it is complete on top and broken in front, and the spectacle is thin in the lore area above a distinctly darker lore stripe). Very good points have been made on both sides of the argument, but I think that the very fact that so many excellent birders can't agree suggests that we ought to wait for a more definitive record for such an improbable state-first. I'm voting NO because I think we haven't proven it guilty of being a Hutton's beyond reasonable doubt.

018-44 Philadelphia Vireo

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
2nd round:	1 Dec 2018	Acc	Although a photo would be nice, I'm still willing to accept based on the detailed description and comparison to, and elimination of, Warbling Vireo.
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Thorough description matches Philadelphia Vireo.
2nd round:	3 Jan 2019	Acc	There is another record in Utah of this species on Aug 30, so the date is ok for vagrancy in Utah and a bright warbling vireo is ruled by the description.
Stephanie G.	6 Nov 2018	No, ID
2nd round:	9 Dec 2018	No, ID
Mike H.	15 Nov 2018	Acc	Accepting, but hoping to see more discussion.
2nd round:	6 Jan 2019	Acc
Dennis S.	7 Oct 2018	Acc	Convincing enough details and comparison with WAVI for acceptance.
2nd round:	10 Dec 2018	Acc	Still believe enough good details for acceptance.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	The description seems to eliminate other vireos and has the right field marks for Philadelphia
Mark S.	26 Sep 2018	Acc	The description is excellent, and the observer experienced with the species. The date, while perhaps early for Washington County, is in line with sightings elsewhere in Utah. With so few records, it seems to me that our data set is a bit slim to make fine judgements regarding season of occurrence.
2nd round:	13 Dec 2018	Acc	Still believe enough good details for acceptance.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	No, ID	Sounds like it could have a bright Western WAVI to me. It's on the early side for a Philly in Utah. Possible but I would like to see pics at this date.
2nd round:	5 Jan 2019	No, ID	I still don't feel comfortable accepting this bird as a Philly. I can't rule out a bright warbling at this time of the year without better evidence.
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	I'd like to see photos, but the description seems to best match a bright Philadelphia Vireo.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	No additional comments.

2018-45 Ovenbird

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Awesome band and photos.
Stephanie G.	25 Oct 2018	Acc
Mike H.	25 Sep 2018	Acc	Easy ID and no doubt it was here...
Dennis S.	27 Sep 2018	Acc	If only all records were so easy.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Mark S.	26 Sep 2018	Acc	Photos show Ovenbird.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	Photos show distinctive Ovenbird.

2018-46 Blue-footed Booby

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc
Stephanie G.	25 Oct 2018	Acc
Mike H.	25 Sep 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	27 Sep 2018	Acc	Great FOS. I'm on my way down!
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Mark S.	26 Sep 2018	Acc	Remarkable record. From the photos, it appears to be a juvenile female. It's a first-year bird for sure, and the pupils look like a female, from what I can see.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	Acc	I've been wondering when this species would show up. Nice bird for Utah.
Kevin W.	29 Sep 2018	Acc	Great find!

2018-47 Palm Warbler

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Excellent photos.
Stephanie G.	6 Nov 2018	Acc
Mike H.	30 Oct 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	27 Sep 2018	Acc	Nice supporting photo.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Mark S.	5 Oct 2018	Acc	Photo shows non-breeding Palm Warbler; behavioral notes support the i.d.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	9 Oct 2018	Acc	Photos and description of behavior (tail-pumping) indicate Palm Warbler.

2018-48 Ruff

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
2nd round:	1 Dec 2018	Acc	This observer is clearly experienced with this species and has provided a very good description which supports his ID.
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Great documentation matches Ruff.
2nd round:	3 Jan 2019	Acc	The direct comparison with a Lesser Yellowlegs only bolsters the thorough description of a Ruff.
3rd round:	8 Jan 2019	Acc	Ruff isn't a rare bird to this observer who has probably seen more than all of us combined. I haven't seen any suggestions by anyone else as to what else besides a Ruff that this bird could be.
Stephanie G.	6 Nov 2018	No, ID
2nd round:	9 Dec 2018	No, ID	I'm not sure I'm comfortable with accepting a 10 second flyover record.
3rd round:	15 Mar 2019	No, ID
Mike H.	15 Nov 2018	Acc	Not an ideal observation, but description fits, and observer has extensive experience with this species.
2nd round:	27 Dec 2018	Acc	One s experience with a species shouldn t be understated, and this observer has encountered more Ruffs than I will probably see in my lifetime. Also, 10 seconds is ample amount of time for an experienced eye to ID a bird in flight.
3rd round:	6 Jan 2019	Acc	Still feel the same.
Dennis S.	8 Oct 2018	No, ID	A brief overhead flying look at a shorebird is enough to raise Id questions. However, the experience of the reporter with this bird and the detailed report helps to remove some of the doubt. But for now I'd like to move to the next round to see what other committee members thoughts are.
2nd round:	10 Dec 2018	No, ID	A flyover rare shorebird ID is still an uncomfortable stretch
3rd round:	18 Jan 2019	No, ID	No additional thoughts - still a 10 sec. rare shorebird flyby!
Bryan S. 3rd:	2 Mar 2019	No, ID
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	Acc	The description fits Ruff
3rd round:	2 Mar 2019	Acc	I still think a 10 second look is acceptable for a birder familiar with the species.
Mark S.	5 Oct 2018	Acc	Excellent documentation from an experienced observer. I would encourage Mr. Cox to continue to submit such exceptional write-ups, even without photos.
2nd round:	13 Dec 2018	Acc	Ten seconds is actually a pretty long look for a flyover bird. I'll not second-guess the experience of the observer, who obviously knows this species very well. The description eliminates similar species.
3rd round:	15 Mar 2019	Acc	I can understand the reservations of many committee members, and on a rarer species I could appreciate a level of caution. But I still think that an observer with this level of experience with this very species is more likely to get the i.d. correct than wrong.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	No, ID	Very convincing description but I still have a hard time accepting a flyover Ruff.
2nd round:	5 Jan 2019	No, ID	I appreciate the observer took the time to write this record up of what may very well have been a Ruff. But even with his experience with the bird in flight I think the bird should be let go as a probable.
3rd round:	7 Mar 2019	No, ID	No change on this one.
Kevin W.	10 Oct 2018	No, ID	I'm going to bump this to the second round. The description is exceptional for someone who also says that the bird flew overhead for 10 seconds with a dark cloud behind, so he couldn't make out the bill or other features. The traits described may be distinctive enough to rule out all other shorebirds, but I'm not sure about that.
2nd round:	14 Dec 2018	No, ID	I still question that this bird could be positively identified in a 10-second flyover with a dark cloud behind that obscured critical field marks.
David W. 3rd:	27 Jan 2019	No, ID	There's been a lot of discussion about the quality of the sighting and the skills of the observer. I come down on the side of the argument that 10 seconds of good observation is a perfectly adequate look for most species when made by a knowledgeable birder (which this one claims to be and as affirmed by several members of the Committee and his excellent reputation). However, in this case, the observer himself points to less than ideal angle & distance to the bird ("utterly crap situation"), resulting in a paucity of field marks. And even experienced birders make mistakes. Therefore, I do not wish to focus on experience or length of sighting. Instead, let's look at the submitted evidence itself: Pro: 1) Paler than the LEYE. Appeared all tan & white. -- I'll put this under the pro column, even if it isn't exactly unique, and varies from individual to individual in many species during fall migration. 2) Obvious head projection well in front of wing. -- I suppose I will put this in the vaguely pro column based on an assumption that "well" here means "a whole bunch". I am hesitant to do this because head extension varies so much depending on how stridently a bird is flying, and plenty of other species certainly have heads well in front of their wings. 3) Plump. Wing & body length similar to Lesser yellowlegs, but heavier build. -- OK. Plumper than yellowlegs and many sandpipers, though not all. [I will grant here that the observer correctly identified a Lesser yellowlegs he saw flying overhead, though much of the ID seems to hinge on this point]. 4) Wingbeat (floppy, vaguely pigeon-like wingbeats with a bit looseness to the wingtips). -- You know, I do have a vague memory of Ruffs (which were very common winter visitors at sewage ponds in Africa where I began my birding) having a bit odd wingbeats. Con: 1) The bill itself was not seen. That's a major problem to my mind. It also makes me wonder, far more than the duration or angle, of the adequacy of the sighting. Neutral: 1) Breast appeared pale tan grading into white on the lower belly vent but not the obvious flashing white of the underwing. --Vaguely pro, but not a very unique field mark. 2) Bright white secondary coverts. Bright white secondary underwing coverts with a narrow but strongly contrasting black tips to the trailing edge of the wing. --Vaguely pro, but not a very unique field mark. 3) Most sandpipers have parallel-sided inner wings, the leading edge of the and the trailing edge are almost perfectly parallel and there is no expansion where the wings meet the body. On this bird the wings obviously expanded so the base of the wings was clearly broader than the majority of the inner wing. The inner wing also tapered slightly along its length to the wrist joint. -- I suppose there might be some sort of nuance here that the observer is talking about that I am missing, but when I look at field guides I see LOTS of sandpipers which have inner wings that are broader at the base (due to extending tertials), including certain plovers, yellowlegs(!), some other Tringas, godwits, curlews, many Calidris (including knots), dowitchers, and phalaropes. Am I missing something? 4) Feet projecting beyond tail. -- Although this is a field mark that eliminates many species, it doesn't eliminate the very species to which the observer compares this bird, the yellowlegs. And, one might also point to a Stilt sandpiper, though that species is smaller than a yellowlegs. 5) Broad tail. -- Again, not a very unique feature; and one that changes depending on what the bird is trying to do aerodynamically. OK, so in conclusion, I think it is very likely that the observer, being capable and experienced, saw a flying Ruff. His gut feeling about the jizz of the bird is fairly compelling. However, I do not personally think that he presented enough definitive field marks to eliminate all other possibilities. I wish I were not voting in the third round, so I could give some of the others on the Committee a chance to convince me otherwise. [On a lighter note, I find the choice of "Air" for habitat very amusing, though probably facetiously missing the point of the question. Well played, sir!]

2018-49 Red Phalarope

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Nice find for Lake Powell.
Stephanie G.	9 Dec 2018	Acc	Thick bill with yellow base.
Mike H.	30 Oct 2018	Acc
Dennis S.	7 Oct 2018	Acc	Nice photo.
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc
Mark S.	11 Oct 2018	Acc	Photos show a Red Phalarope.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	10 Oct 2018	Acc	Thick bill, bold cap and mask, and plain gray back are shown in the photos.

2018-50 Red Phalarope

Evaluator	Date	Vote	Comment
Kathy B.	21 Nov 2018	Acc
Kenny F.	4 Nov 2018	Acc	Photos show paler back and thicker bill.
Stephanie G.	9 Dec 2018	Acc	Not sure if the photos are conclusive. It seems a bit far away to be sure.
Mike H.	14 Dec 2018	Acc	I m assuming a couple of things on this record. 1- There views through the scope were much much better than the photos show. 2- The color patterns are more of an artifact. Will vote to accept at this time.
Dennis S.	7 Oct 2018	Acc
Steve S.	18 Oct 2018	Acc	Description fits and even poor photos seem to show unstreaked back of Red Phalarope
Mark S.	11 Oct 2018	Acc	Photos show clear gray back and shorter bill; combined with the written description establishes the identification.
Larry T.	13 Nov 2018	Acc
Kevin W.	10 Oct 2018	Acc	The description seems to fit Red Phalarope well, but the photos seem to show a bird with a back as dark (or darker than) its cap, and the quality is too poor to show other distinctive traits.