IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Blue-headed Vireo, Vireo solitarius
HOW MANY: One

REPORTER: Terry Gray 890 Stefany Ln Moscow ID 83843-9635 208-882-1585
REPORTER EMAIL: clgtlg@moscow.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: No other observers

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 5/22/2009             
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 5/21/2009

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Bird observed in east Moscow, Idaho east of Eisenhouer St. north of bike path along Paradise Creek in trees just south of Good Sams. Bird was just northeast of a putting green for the seniors that live at good sams.

HABITAT: park like setting at a retirement facility in east Moscow. Mixed evergreens and leaf trees that were just starting to leaf out.

CONDITIONS: I observed the bird for approximately 15 minutes in a number of open trees that were just starting to leaf out. The sky was clear and sunny and I at one point was stand directly under the bird that was just 15 to 20 feet up in the tree. Observed this bird with Binoculars and a 30 x camera. It was seen just before 11:30 a.m. so the sun was not quite overhead and slightly behind me as I was looking north into the trees that it was in.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America.

DESCRIPTION: Blue-headed Vireo, Vireo Solitarius. This bird had a dark head with a very bold white spectacles that constrasted with the dark gray head making the head appear almost black. The scapulars and mantle were greenish in color. The nape and crown were dark gray in color. The flanks were a light yellowish green color. The throat was for the most part white to a very pail yellow. Bill was somewhat heavy looking and black. There were wing bars and the bird had very dark legs (tarsus).

BEHAVIOR: What made me check out this bird was it was singing and sounded much like a Red-eyed Vireo but definately was not. It remained in the middle of the trees as it gleaned bugs from the branches and also gleanded food from the newly opening leaves and blossoms on these trees. The bird was alone and did not interact with any other bird. It was constantly on the move and singing most of the time as it continuted feeding in the tree. Did not hear its call notes but its song was "see-you-cheerio, be-seein-u, so-long... . When it flew away from me I was unable to see the flight pattern as it flew behind trees quickly and lost sight of the bird.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? After checking my field guids and placing photos on IBLE and Inland nw Birds for comment. This did appear to be a paler bird but what stood out the most was the very dark head and bold white spectacles and white throat.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? I have seen and photographed many Cassin's Vireo and this bird had a much darker head and a greener back and more over all yellow-olive look. It's song probably was not that of a Cassin's or Red-eyed Vireo which made me ask on IBLE for ideas but I had already decided after looking at the field guides that it was a Blue-headed Vireo.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): This is a life bird for me so I was very careful in identifying this individual.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I have been a active birder for the past 10 years. I feel I am an excellent birder of our local birds.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo