[TN-Bird] Re: Lincoln's & Orchard Oriole - Knox

  • From: luvsbirdn <luvsbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: Chris Sloan <chris.sloan@xxxxxxxxxxx>, tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 19:13:48 -0800 (PST)

Chris,
 
I looked at hooded oriole but ruled it out based on range - probably a 
mistake.  I figured I was on enough of a limb already with orchard and I 
doubt I could tell the two apart if they were side-by-side (what is "fairly" 
similar to you is "very" similar to me).  The underside of this bird was very 
yellow - which I presume lends itself more toward orchard but I'm not sure.  
Unfortunately, I can't check this area again until the weekend..  Hopefully 
someone with more experience will luck up and see the bird.  I should know not 
to rule something out because it's "out of range", when I don't also rule 
things out for being "out of season".
 
Thanks for the reply,
Kelly

--- On Mon, 11/9/09, Chris Sloan <chris.sloan@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


From: Chris Sloan <chris.sloan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [TN-Bird] Lincoln's & Orchard Oriole - Knox
To: luvsbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Monday, November 9, 2009, 7:27 PM


Kelly-
Did you rule out Hooded Oriole?  Given the late date, it's something that has 
to be considered.  It hasn't occurred in TN before, but it does have a pattern 
of vagrancy, and females are fairly similar to female Orchard.

Chris Sloan
Nashville, TN
http://www.chrissloanphotography.com



On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 7:04 PM, luvsbirdn <luvsbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

While birding the Turkey Creek wetland area in west Knox County yesterday 
morning (~8:15 - 9:30) with my wife, we noticed 2 very interesting birds:
1) Lincoln's Sparrow
2) Orchard Oriole (female)

Both birds were on the weedy side (outside) of the paved path, maybe 20-40 yds 
west of the interpretive sign ("Fall Flora Fauna Farragut") - both at nearly 
eye level in the weeds & both occasionally perching in the small trees on that 
same side of the path. We got very good looks at both birds. Saw the Lincoln's 
first, then about 30 minutes later on our way back through (searching for the 
Lincoln's again) we saw the oriole.
 
1) The Lincoln's sparrow was unusually cooperative, offering good looks from 
all angles.  "Razor crisp" fine streaks on buff-ochre breast and flanks, very 
small central breast spot, thin eye ring, brown crown (maybe even rusty-brown) 
finely streaked with black & having a thin, light-colored central crown stripe; 
much more delicate than song sparrow - especially the bill, and much more 
"finely" marked than song or swamp.
 
2) The orchard oriole was a complete shock as this is way beyond any normal 
departure date.  It was too large and long-tailed for a warbler (chat was 
immediately ruled out as the bill was all wrong and this bird was completely 
yellow underneath - although I believe Stedman and others have documented 
winter chat records for TN).  Tanagers immediately ruled out as the bill was 
typically oriole-like (again, all wrong for a tanager - which would be equally 
odd this time of year).  Dull green above, white wing bars, rather bright 
yellow underneath - including undertail.  Perhaps I'm not considering all 
possibilities but I'm quite certain of what I saw.  Bird was quite active & 
appeared to be foraging in 3-4 ft tall weeds, though I couldn't tell if it was 
eating weed seeds/flowers or finding insects.  I paid little attention to the 
weedy vegetation as far as species but not likely I could ID anyway.  Behavior 
was not typically oriole-like in my
 experience - but the bird was what it was.
 
The latest date for orchard oriole in east TN has been reported to me as 
Sept. 30.  Carole Gobert reported a female orchard oriole in this same area on 
Sept. 27 of this year.  This possibly is the same individual even though our 
sightings were 6 wks apart and the bird I saw would seem to be "lost" at this 
point.  The bird appeared perfectly healthy so I doubt it is "lingering" due to 
an injury.
 
Kelly Roy
Knoxville TN

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=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
      To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
                    tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
                To unsubscribe, send email to:
                 tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
            with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
                ------------------------------
                Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
                         Cleveland, OH
                -------------------------------
               Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
                          Rosedale, VA
__________________________________________________________
         
          Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
              web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
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                          ARCHIVES
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                       MAP RESOURCES
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Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com

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