Rare Bird Report #37-B-09

Idaho Bird Records Committee
Rarities Report Form

Species: Magnolia Warbler

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

Other Observers: None

Date of Observation: 4 June 2009
Date Report Prepared: 6 June 2009

Locality of Observation: Camas NWR, Jefferson County, in a Russian Olive in the wind row adnacent to Camas Creek north of headquarters, a.k.a. "The Dogleg".

Habitat: Riparian oasis surrounded by farms/desert habitat.

Conditions:  Sunny and calm with virtually no wind.  Observation took place at about 8:30 AM.  Distance about 15 yards.  Binocs were Nikon Premier 10 x 42.  

Did you take notes… No

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? Yes, later the same day; Petereson's Warblers (Dunn and Garrett)

Description: Small warbler sized bird.  Rump yellow; mantle black; crown gray, face had black "mask" through eye with white; white line above and behind eye; throat yellow; flanks yellow with extensive wide black streaking that extended all the way through the breast; tail (seen from above only) black with extensive white band covering most of the tail but not extending to the terminal end; wings had a large white patch covering most of the greater coverts.  Bill thin and black.  I did not see leg color or the black band across the upper breast.

Behavior: The bird flushed from grass ahead and to my left and flew to my right into a Russian Olive at about eye level.  It then perched on a branch in full view, facing away from me, and preened for several minutes.  It the flew through the row of trees and was glimpsed one more time.  I did not search for it further.  It did not sing or call.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you?  When it flushed it appeared extensively black and I knew it was different.  When it landed I saw the yellow rump and black back, then the face pattern which I recognized as that of a Magnolia Warbler.  

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they?  There really aren't any species that could be confused with an adult male Magnolia Warbler.  The tail pattern is diagnostic among North American warblers as is the combination of yellow rump and black back.

Experience with this species: I've Magnolia Warbler on several trips to NJ and a coule in Idaho.

General experience birding: 16 years

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you?  No