IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM


SPECIES:


Mourning Warbler


HOW MANY:


1


REPORTER:


Elise Faike
PO Box 977
Challis, ID 83226
208-879-5291


REPORTER EMAIL:


faikeatp@yahoo.com


OTHER OBSERVERS:


Marty Collar found the bird. It was also seen by me, David Faike, Gerald Deutscher, Marlin Jones, Chuck Trost, Cliff Weisse, Bob Davis, Darren Clark.




DATE REPORT PREPARED:


3-16-2008


DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:


5-22-2003


LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:


Camas NWR, Fish & Wildlife Windrow, across road to west from F&G House


HABITAT:


Russian Olive Windrow next to freshwater pond


CONDITIONS:


This bird was seen almost 5 years ago, so I don't recall exactly the duration. It was probably for about 15 minutes, long enough to get good views and see all of the defining characteristics, but not long enough to scare it away in case others wished to see it. It was within view about 10 feet from where we stood along the windrow, in a Russian olive. Conditions were good. 5 of us (Dave, me, Marty, Marlin and Gerald) walked the windrow to relocate the bird which the others had seen in the middle of the windrow when they called us to drive over from Challis. We relocated the bird at the eastern end of the windrow, where it makes a corner. Later that day Bob came over and saw it with Gerald. Chuck, Cliff and Darren had also seen it that day, and Chuck asked us all to sign an official report form, which we did.
Optics used were all of our best, B&L Elites, Swarovski binocs and whatever the others preferred.
The bird seemed to be moving up the windrow and could not be refound the following day.


I didn't make any detailed notes at the time. Chuck asked us to sign the form with all of the pertinent info on it, but apparently that form has been lost.
If you have any questions, please let me know.


Dave and I did not take any photos of the bird, and I do not know if any of the others did so.


DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:


Yes, another day after the observation


DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:


Yes, later the same day


WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:


National Geographic, Sibley, Field Guide to Warblers


DESCRIPTION:


Warbler with all gray hood and black throat, yellow body, greenish back, no eyering. Throat with flecking. Male.


BEHAVIOR:


Hanging out in Russian Olives, it had apparantly moved down the windrow to the point where Dave and I saw it. It was probably foraging.


HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?


This was definitely a Mourning Warbler. Marty had called us over from Challis, a 3 hour drive, to see it.
He, Gerald and Marlin had already positively IDed it before we arrived, but what clinched it for me was the all dark head on the yellow body, WITHOUT AN EYERING. I could also see flecking on the chin/throat, but that was not its clinching feature.


HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?


It was neither a Mac or a Connecticut, because it did not have any trace of an eyering.


EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):


I had seen this species previously in TX, MI and Costa Rica. It's one of those birds that when you see one you know it instantly. I've seen Macs commonly here in ID and in CA, but only one Connecticut Warbler, in WV. We are constantly on the lookout for a CT, with its complete eyering. This bird was an "instant" Mourning Warbler.


GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:


Excellent. I've been birding since childhood.


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


None

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