Rare Bird Report 3-A-08
Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form
Species: Canada Warbler
Reporter: Cliff Weisse, 4125 Beaver Springs Rd., Island Park, ID 83429, 208-558-7789, cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com'
Other Observers: Steve Butterworth - tntbutters@cableone.net
Darren Clark – clarkd@byui.edu
Jay Carlisle - jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu
Bob Davis - rhdavis@srv.net
Rob Larrañaga - Rob_Larranaga@fws.gov
Plus others I don’t have contact info for.
Date of Observation: 5/31/08
Date Report Prepared: 6/1/08
Locality of Observation: Camas NWR, at the far north end of the “Straightaway”, the row of Cottonwoods that runs north along a canal north and east of the headquarters.
Habitat: Oasis/shelter Belt in farm/desert landscape
Conditions: Sunny and calm with little noticeable wind. Approximately 2:00 pm. Observation was from distances between 40 yards and 10 feet, both in sunshine and shadows. I used Nikon 10x42 Premier LX binocs. Prior weather was several days of rain/showers. The bird was observed on and off for about 1.5 hours.
Did you take notes…
not at all
Did you consult a field guide or other reference work?
later the same day
What guide or reference did you consult?
Peterson’s Warblers by Dunn and Garrett
Description: From memory:
-Upperparts blue gray
-Underparts yellow
-Undertail coverts bright white
-There was a band of black streaks entirely across, and confined to, the breast and not extending onto flanks
-Complete bold white eye ring
-Lores yellow
-Legs and feet pink
-Face black around eye and extending across the forehead and onto the fore-crown. The black fore-crown blended into the bluegray hind-crown gradually but not evenly. There were black spots that became fewer until they gave way to the gray of the crown, reminiscent of Kentucky Warbler’s spotted crown.
-Tail spots were looked for and not seen – the tail appeared entirely dark above and below.
Behavior: The bird foraged actively on the ground and in low branches mostly less then 4 feet from the ground, only once moving up to about 8 feet off the ground then quickly returning to the ground. Frequent sallies and gleaning from the ground litter (of leaves and dead sticks) were observed. The bird appeared slightly larger and longer tailed than Wilson’s Warbler in direct comparison. Wings were often drooped and it flicked its folded tail to the side.
How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? The bird was first observed by and pointed out by another birder. When it came into my view I recognized it immediately as a male Canada warbler by the blue gray upperparts, white eye ring and black streaks across the breast.
How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? The only species that resembles Canada Warbler closely is Kirtland’s Warbler which can be eliminated by complete eye ring, complete band of streaks across the upper breast, and unstreaked yellow flanks.
Experience with this species: I’ve seen Canada Warbler on two previous occasions in WI (fall) and NJ (spring).
General experience birding: 14 years
Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? I did not obtain photos but attached are photos taken by Rob Larrañaga (Camas NWR manager) and Jake Briggs.
Photo by Jake Briggs
Photo by Jake Briggs
Photo by Rob Larrañaga