Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form
Rare Bird Report #: 2-A-07
Species: Mourning Warbler
Reporter: Cliff Weisse, 4125 Beaver Springs Rd., Island Park, ID 83429, 208-558-7789, cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com
Other Observers: Chuck Trost, Darren Clark, Dave and Elise Faike, Marlin Jones, and possibly others? The person that found the bird does not want his name included in this report.
Date of Observation: 5/22/03
Date Report Prepared: 3/1/07
Number seen: 1 male
Locality of Observation: Camas NWR, specifically in the shelter belt of Russian Olive/Siberian Pea across from the “Fish an Game House”, located about ¼ mile east and ½ mile south from the headquarters. The shelter belt wraps around the back of the pond across the dirt road from the house and continues west for about ¼ mile. When I observed the bird it was in the long east/west running row of trees west of the pond and just at the east end of where the Russian Olives thin out about 60 yards west of the pond. The bird was in sunlight at times during the observation which lasted perhaps ten minutes total during which there were periods when the bird was not in sight. What I really recall is the first good view I had of it, at about knee height in sparse Siberian Pea. It hopped out on a low branch giving me an excellent view of the left side of the bird with sun on it so the lighting was excellent.
Habitat: Shelter Belt consisting of Russian Olive and Siberian Pea.
Conditions: I only recall that it was sunny and warm. I saw the bird at close range, perhaps 15 yards with Nikon 10 x 25 Mountaineer binoculars.
Did you take notes… no
Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? Yes
What guide or reference did you consult? Sibley Guide to Birds, North American edition, Peterson’s Warblers
Description: I realize this report is being prepared years later and human memory isn’t that good but I had some close looks and can recall some details of the observation. The bird appeared very much like a MacGillivray’s Warbler, olive upperparts, yellow underparts with gray hood. There was a limited black bib where the gray hood met the yellow underparts and the black extended downward as in Pink-sided Juncos. There were definitely no eye arcs present. These were looked for by multiple observers at close range and were definitely absent.
Behavior: This individual foraged much like MacGillivray’s Warbler, skulking low in dense brush. It moved out into sparser vegetation when pushed by birders advancing on both sides of the shelter belt. I attempted to photograph the bird by walking out 100 yards from the shelter belt, advancing ahead of the bird and hiding in Sagebrush near the shelter belt. Two other birders attempted to crown the bird and push it close enough for a photo but the bird stopped and acted very agitated so I asked them to back off, which I did as well, so as not to cause the bird to leave the area before others arrived to see it (several other birders were on their way to Camas at the time). The bird never vocalized while I was present and no interactions were observed with other species.
How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? The bird had already been identified but the field mark I was looking for, and saw within seconds of finding the bird, was the lack of eye arcs.
How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? MacGillivray’s Warbler is the obvious species to eliminate. That is accomplished by the lack of white eye arcs. Other Oporornis warblers are possibilities as well but the gray face with no eye arcs, or eye ring, eliminates all but Kentucky. Kentucky is not hooded and has a bold black and yellow face pattern.
Experience with this species: This is the only Mourning Warbler I’ve seen. I see many MacGillivray’s annually, have never seen a Connecticut and have only seen one Kentucky, which was very distinctive and was recognized immediately.
General experience birding: 10 years
Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? no