Warbler Mystery
I saw a strange warbler today. As best I can tell, it’s a Nashville Warbler, but that would be really unusual for Alaska. Any help with identification would be appreciated.
Update: I went back this afternoon and saw two birds together. I did think they were probably both the same species, but did not get a clear look at both of them together, so I am not positive about that. I have added several more photos from this afternoon below the first four, which I took this morning.
Matt, I like your Nashville call. The absence of any “eyebrow” or other facial marks rules out a lot of options. I suspect many will try to convince you of how variable and drab an Orange-crowned can be. Again, I think the eye ring and lack of other facial markings make this sighting special. In my uninformed opinion, If it is not a first year Nashville Warbler, it is visitor from even farther away.
Also, at the end of the your pic list is an unidentified immature Warbler that I think is a Yellow-rumped.
Comment by Tom Schantz — November 6, 2006 @ 9:48 pm
Looks like a Nashville Warbler to me. Nice photos.
Jim
Comment by Jim DeWitt — November 7, 2006 @ 8:33 am
Hi Matt, we enjoyed viewing your photos. The last ones particularly look like immature Nashville. We haven’t ever
seen one of those but just looking at our book photos. Very nice photos, by the way.
Sincerely, Maria and Tom Allison (Kenai, AK)
Comment by Maria and Tom Allison — November 7, 2006 @ 11:34 am
[...] The warbler I saw the other day was a Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla). [...]
Pingback by SitkaNature » Warbler Recap — November 9, 2006 @ 9:02 pm
Matt, This bird is an adult, fall female Nashville warbler.
The only other species that comes close is Virginia’s warbler.
The nashville is told from the Virginia’s by the fact that the Nashville has a yellow throat.
Also, the Virginia’s is grey above. This bird is yellow-green above. There is a light marking between the eye ring and the beak. It is more pronounced on the Nashville than on the Virginia’s.
Because I live in Wisconsin, I have had extensive experience in IDing this species especially in telling it from a Connecticut Warbler.
Nice pics by the way.
–Chris, Richland Center WI USA.
Comment by Chris West — November 20, 2006 @ 10:12 am