I have heard Arctic, it does indeed have a farty little buzz as though its
grandma were a bunting. Not a chip.
Alan Contreras
Eugene, Oregon
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
Sent from my iPhone
Note: owing to my heavy workload and travel schedule through Dec. 5, response
to messages may take up to a week.
On Oct 5, 2015, at 10:34 PM, Hendrik Herlyn <hhactitis@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Tim and all,
That's a very tantalizing observation! Supposing it was not some type of
American wood-warbler, but one of the Asian Phylloscopus warblers, I think
the call note alone rules out Arctic Warbler, which is supposed to have an
almost dipper-like "dzri" call (plus at least one wing bar). Dusky Warbler
has a sharp "teck" call (Sibley likens it to Lincoln's Sparrow), which might
sound a little more like a Mac. I have seen or heard neither - wish I had
time to zip back down to the South Coast!
Hope someone can relocate the bird! Ah, the joys of fall migration!
Hendrik
On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 6:57 PM, Tim Rodenkirk <timrodenkirk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I was headed north out of Bookings around noon today and decided to stop off
at Lone Ranch wayside for lunch. After a quick bite I headed down to the
creek for a look. I walked along the creek in the trees to the mouth. At
the mouth I heard an unfamiliar warbler chip, kind of Mac-like but not as
sharp and well, definitely not a Mac. Actually, describing it is a bit
difficult, just something I was not familiar with. In some vegetation and
tree roots overhanging the creek I found the warbler. It was a dull
grayish-olive green above and I first thought Orange-crowned just cause of
the color but it was feeding right on the creek and the call was to sharp
for an Orange-crowned so I kept on it. It turned over feeding and it was a
murky pale whitish-yellow below. The color extended all the way from the
breast to the undertail coverts. Then the bird turned over and instead of
having a split eye-ring it had a long white supercilium? It then promptly
disappeared. I listened for a while then heard the chip up creek. I was
able to locate it low along the creek again flitting around in the
overhanging roots right above the creek. I did not notice any wing bars
although it could have had a very pale one nor was there a white wing patch
like on BTB Warbler females. Also, the undertail coverts were the same color
as the rest of the bird below. I remember having a discussion about 1st fall
female BTB Warblers and that they lacked a white wing spot but the feeding
behavior seemed wrong for that species- this bird was low and acted like a
waterthrush although it didn't bob its tail like one and was unstreaked
below.
So, I guess if I was to pick a more "common" species I would call this a 1st
fall Black-throated Blue. However, it had a long straight white
supercilium, almost like a Bewick's Wren. Also the undertail coverts were
not a pure white, they looked like a continuation of the color above- the
murky whitish-yellow. So, maybe it is something less common like an
Arctic/Asian Warbler species? Arctic sure came to mind but I have no
experience with any such warblers so I really hesitate to go anywhere with
this.
I had to leave after I saw it the second time and it had disappeared again-
I am hoping that someone may have time to look for it mañana? I suspect it
is a "good" species whatever it may be? I won't have time to go back as I
will be busy- bummer I found a bird that appears to be something I have not
seen before but cannot ID!
Merry migration!
Tim R
Coos Bay
--
__________________________
Hendrik G. Herlyn
Corvallis, OR
"Nature is not a place to visit. It is home."
-- Gary Snyder
