RECORD #: 5-B-03
IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM
SPECIES: Northern Parula
HOW MANY: 1
REPORTER: Stacy Jon Peterson
(currently: 20252 Lucas Ave, Eagle
River, AK 99577)
(then of Mtn Home AFB, Idaho)
REPORTER EMAIL: SJPeterson@aol.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: Dave and Sylvia Shasky
then of Mtn Home, Idaho;
currently in central Oregon
DATE REPORT PREPARED: 11 August 2007
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 30 May 2003
LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: home of Dave and Sylvia Shasky, on the north side of Mtn Home Reservoir, Mtn Home, Elmore County, Idaho
HABITAT: residential trees -- oasis in the desert north of the reservoir
CONDITIONS: Very windy day, passage of major front had just moved through, complete with thunder and rain. After the weather cleared, the bird was heard singing in the trees behind the house (we were having a BBQ, or trying to! in the garage / driveway). The bird sound drew my attention, and I followed it up with B&L 10x42 binoculars and a Canon Powershot Pro 90 Image Stabilized camera (10x zoom).
DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: No, not at all
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: National Geographic guide.
DESCRIPTION: This report is from memory solely to accompany the photographs I took that day, and assigned IBRC Record #: 5-B-03. Photographs are here: http://www.idahobirds.net/photo/nopa30may03.html. The photos show a warbler-shaped bluish-gray bird with a yellow throat, dark chest, and yellow breast, white belly. The back was greenish. A partial eyering was also present, as were two prominent wing bars.
BEHAVIOR: I had lived in Mississippi for 3 years (1998-2001) prior to moving to Idaho and was familiar with Northern Parula vocalizations. This bird didn't sound exactly as I was accustomed to -- it appeared to lack the "fall off the ladder at the top" portion of the rising "zeee, zeee, zeee..." song. But it was still recognizable to me as a potential parula, which prompted me to investigate further. The bird foraged extensively in a fruit tree, but I didn't see what it was eating. Bird remained for several minutes, sticking primarily to the fruit trees in the yard. Several birders were notified that day, but subsequent searches later that evening and during the next day were unsuccessful.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? My experience with parulas allowed me to conclusively identify it on sight. Photos show the important field marks for a male Northern Parula.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Tropical Parula is the closest competitor, but it lacks the partial eye ring and dark breast band. Other species (Cerulean, for example) are similarly blue-gray colored, but none have the combination yellow throat and belly separated by the dark chest AND greenish back. Chestnut-sided Warbler has a greenish back, but is not blue-gray colored...
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I have considerable experience with all similar eastern warblers in all plumages, having lived in the Gulf Coast and birded extensively in Florida, the Carolinas, and elsewhere... I've also birded in south Texas several times and have seen Tropical Parulas on a handful of occassions.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I've been birding since 1984 all over the USA. I monitored bird migration from offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico for Lousiana State University during all seasons -- identifying and tallying nearly all eastern warblers as they migrated over the Gulf (primarily in both spring and fall)... I consider myself as advanced...
WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photos