IBRC #33-B-10

Idaho Bird Records Committee
Rarities Report Form

SPECIES: Blackpoll Warbler, male

REPORTER:
Cliff Weisse
4125 Beaver Springs Rd.
Island Park, ID 83429
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

OTHER OBSERVERS: Bill Schiess, rubybreleigh@yahoo.com;Chuck Trost, trostchuck@cableone.net (heard only); and Barb North (heard only)

DATE OF OBSERVATION: 5 June 2010
DATE REPORT PREPARED: 8 June 2010

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Camas NWR, in the "Straightaway" along the canal north of headquarters

HABITAT: Riparian oasis.  The bird was foraging in the double row of Cottonwoods the borders the canal north of headquarters.

CONDITIONS: Bright overcast, distance about 30-40 yards, binocs used were nikon 10x42 Premier LX.  The bird was observed in good light while foraging low in the canopy.  Color discernment was excellent.  Total viewing time about 2 minutes, heard singing for several minutes before observation.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?… No

DID YOU CONSULT A FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCE WORK? No

DESCRIPTION: Large looking wood warbler, overall black and white.  The head had a solid black cap extending down to and covering eye, cheeks were white, creating patten similar to Black-capped Chickadee.  Bill looked black.  There was a distinct black malar line (or lateral throat stripe?) that extended into streaking on the sides of the breast and the throat was white (no streaking was noted on the throat but I did not look for it so it could have been present).  Underparts were white with thin/fine blackish streaks on the sides of the breast and flanks.  Mantle was streaked with blackish the contrasted with the paler ground color, but the ground color was not noted.  Tail was dark with white outer edges of outer rectrices.  Undertail coverts white.  Leg color was not noted and wing bars were not looked for or noted.

BEHAVIOR: This individual was heard singing from near the ground on the east side of the irrigation canal.  When I approached it apparenlty flew off but was not seen leaving.  It then sang from further away to the north and again as it moved back past me headed south.  After passing me it crossed the canal and continued to forage at the botton of the canopy.  Foraging observed was gleaning with no sallying or hover gleaning noted.  The song was loud, high pitched and longer than the song of the Wilson's Warblers that were also in the area.  It consisted of a series of evenly spaced clear notes, all at the same pitch, but slightly louder in the middle section and trailing off slightly at the end.  Not as obvious a crescendo effect as some individuals I've heard in the past.  

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD AND WHAT CLINCHED THE ID FOR YOU?  I heard it sing 7 or 8 times before finally getting a look at it.  I immediately thought of Blackpoll when I heard the song but hadn't heard one for several years and wasn't sure at first.  I became convinced of the ID during the time it was singing and confirmed my impression immediately upon seeing the bird.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES AND WHAT WERE THEY?  A male Blackpoll is distinctive and difficult to confuse with other species.  Black-throated Gray Warbler has a white supercilium that was not present on this individual, a black throat, and yellow supraloral, all of which were not present on this bird.  Black-And-White Warbler has a striped head with obvious median crown stripe and supercilium in all plumages, neither of which were present on this bird.  I can't think of another species that could be confused with Blackpoll.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES: I've seen male Blackpolls on several trips to NJ but this is my first in Idaho and the first male I've seen in at least five years.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: 17 years.

WERE PHOTOS, VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?  No