Warbler (?) ID - northern Ohio, U.S. (1 Viewer)

P

prweasel

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #1

I shot this image in Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Erie in Northwest Ohio. It's the time of year when that area is filled with all types of Warblers, so I assume this is a Warbler of some sort. I like to have a correct ID before I post it with the rest of the birds in my online gallery.

Is this a Warbler? If so, what type?

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

pat

 

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birderbf

Wild, Wild West ................... ern Spindalis

• May 16, 2007

• #2

An excellent photo of a Warbling Vireo. A common species, especially on Birdforum's ID needed section these days

Good find!

 

P

prweasel

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #3

Thanks.

Wow ... I got another shot the day before about 100 miles south of this one that was also identified as a Warbling Vireo, but it didn't seem to have so much of a yellow cast on the chest. ( http://www.pbase.com/hemlepp/image/78754578 )

Ottawa, and the neighboring Magee Marsh were filled with brightly-colored birds, but Magee Marsh was so crowded Sunday with birdwatchers that it was all but impossible to shoot.

pat

 

E

emupilot

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #4

I vote for Philadelphia Vireo. The eye line is weak, but I think that bird has way too much yellow, especially on the throat and breast, for a Warbling. Whichever vireo, it's a spectacular photo!

 

Phil Carter

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #5

Philadelphia for me too.

Phil

 

Dave Hall

Bumbling Bears

• May 16, 2007

• #6

Hi dark lores makes this a Philadelphia for me

 

tim.birdboy

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #7

I say Philadelphia too, really yellow!

 

JANJ

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #8

Perhaps that yellow on the throat is partly due to light reflection from the surrounding foliage? I think that the loral mark is within the variation for a well maked Warbling Vireo. I would expect a Philadelphia to have a darker and more well defined post-ocular stripe (behind the eye) and a narrower supercilium behind the eye (variable though) a stronger face pattern so to speak.

http://www.pbase.com/image/43428296

http://www.pbase.com/image/43520923

Also the grey crown seems 'Warbling Vireo pale', darker and more contrasting in PV. In spring PV the throat and upper breast are the brightest part of the underparts. In Warbling - which might have some yellow on it´s breast but usually paler yellow than the brighter yellow flanks - as it appears to be in Pats bird.

http://www.pbase.com/image/60084839

http://www.pbase.com/image/60084840

Just a thought.

JanJ

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #9

I would have said jizz-wise it was more Warbling... but its a good few years since I saw these guys well.

 

B Lagopus

Voler

• May 16, 2007

• #10

I think JanJ has excellent points on the post-ocular stripe, and the lighter crown.

But the bird is a Philadelphia VIREO nonetheless, in my opinion. It does have dark lores. Just as importantly, it has a yellow spot on the center of its breast, in the same light as the white feathers all around. Most significant of all, the yellow on the throat goes from in the light, to in the shadow, to just a little edge of yellow on the sliver of throat visible in the light on the other side.

So, it's not a lighting artifact in either spot. The bird truly is yellow in some of the key areas used to differentiate PV from WV.

Dark Lores + Yellow Throat + Yellow Center of Breast = Solid PV

In my opinion anyway...

 

Last edited: May 16, 2007

AlexC

Aves en Los Ángeles

Opus Editor

• May 16, 2007

• #11

B Lagopus said:

...But the bird is a Philadelphia Warbler nonetheless...

Click to expand...

We know you meant vireo

 

JANJ

Well-known member

• May 16, 2007

• #12

Well you can´t blame a guy for trying I saw the PV to.

You are probably right BL...but wouldn´t it be nice to see another image of this one

What do you say Pat?

JanJ

 

P

prweasel

Well-known member

• May 17, 2007

• #13

Unfortunately, that's the only image I got of the bird. I saw it. It saw me. I snapped a quick photo. It left quickly.

It was fun shooting up along Lake Erie Sunday but next year I'll head up on a weekday. Magee Marsh was like Times Square on a sunny spring Saturday afternoon. There were so many birdwatchers and photographers there that it was difficult to move.

But the variety of birds there was pretty incredible.

Thanks for all your help on this ID and on the many others I've posted in the past. I like shooting birds. I'm just not very good at identifying what I've shot.