Calling Texas, USA birders for help (1 Viewer)

[metallurgicalman]

This week, a very short business trip to Fort Worth gave me a couple of spare hours to visit Trinity River Park in downtown Fort Worth. At first it looked pretty sterile but I had 30 ticks at the end plus a few feral species.
I am appealing for help with five species. I have hazarded a guess at each but would appreciate confirmation from a local expert.
I have attached 5 record photos. My guesses:
1. Eastern phoebe
2. Yellow-rumped warbler
3. Orange-crowned warbler
4. Red-tailed hawk
5. Ruby-crowned kinglet
Ironically, having seen my first Bohemian Waxwing this Christmas in UK, the first birds I saw at Trinity Park were a flock of Cedar Waxwings. I was very pleased with my time at Trinity Park!
Anyway, this is my first posting and I thank in advance anyone who replies. Even if my guesses are totally rubbish!

 

[apbarr]

Think you're mostly right but the order of your pics is different

1 could be Orange-crowned or Nashville
2 RT Hawk
3 YR Warbler
4 Eastern Phoebe
5 RC Kinglet

 

[Jim M.]

Welcome to the forum,

Think you're mostly right but the order of your pics is different

1 could be Orange-crowned or Nashville
2 RT Hawk
3 YR Warbler
4 Eastern Phoebe
5 RC Kinglet

Agree with Alex as to order. #1 probably OC Warbler. Think he meant to suggest Tennessee rather than Nashville as an alternative. It's certainly not Nashville, and Tennessee would be quite unusual at this time of year, though I'm not sure I could eliminate it based on this photo.

Best,
Jim

 

[james holdsworth]

Would agree with Orange-crowned

 

[metallurgicalman]

Many thanks for the immediate responses.
The wrong order was my fault. I up-loaded them incorrectly.
One final question. There were large numbers of meadowlarks present on the very dry grasses. I gather the ranges of the Eastern and Western species overlap. Is there a better bet for which species? I did not note any calls, not knowing that could distinguish them.
Despite livng in UK, this trip puts my USA "tick-list" only 35 short of my 40+ years old UK list!

 

[teircel]

#1 may be a Tennessee Warbler.

 

[KenM]

Am looking at image 1.....and have looked at the candidates mentioned.

I'm seeing a Vermivora....that appears to have a grey head/nape/mantle,
and olivey green wings.

With what would appear to be no visible eye-stripe/fore-aft super.

PP c50% of tertials (If I've interpreted the wing formula correctly?) an obvious eye-ring, a subtle creamy yellow wash to the throat and underparts, with no visible streaking.

Why isn't it Nashville?....I note that it winters in SE Texas..perhaps c350 miles south of the Fort Worth area.

cheers

 

[streatham]

Hi Ken/All,

Nashville would be much yellower underneath than this bird. Orange crowned show the much weaker split 'eyering' that you see on this bird rather than the complete bold eyering of a Nashville. You can also see feint streaking on the breast that would rule out Nashville and Tennessee.

Here are some nice OC Warbler pictures to compare with the mystery bird. http://sdakotabirds.com/species/orange_crowned_warbler_info.htm

ps OC Warbler and Tennessee are no longer considered Vermivora but rather Oreothlypis - Vermivora only pertains to Blue and Golden-winged Warblers.

 

[metallurgicalman]

Thanks for the further debate about the (putative) OC warbler. I had not realised I would bother people so much!
I have up-loaded another photo in case it helps with the confirmation.

 

[KenM]

Thanks for the 2nd image!...I can now see an 'aft' super, certainly points to OCW...but I'm struggling to see any suggestion of any suffused striations on the underparts!

Perhaps I should upgrade computer and glasses!

 

[streatham]

It does help even if there isn't much debate. You can see the distinct supercilium much easier in this shot (rules out Nashville) as well as the strongest area of yellow on the underside of the bird is on the undertail coverts (Tennessee would be variably white or slightly cream colored here rather than yellow). Nashville would be a concolorous on the underparts (apart from a white patch at the base of the legs), so Orange-crowned it is. Also a fairly common species in much of Texas in winter - not so with the other two species.

 

[metallurgicalman]

Thanks again.
Am always happy to accept the most common species!
So it's OC warbler!
Just to comment that I am amazed that there are so many people out there ready to give of their knowledge so freely.
Hope you are all having a great weekend.

 

[james holdsworth]

Thanks for the 2nd image!...I can now see an 'aft' super, certainly points to OCW...but I'm struggling to see any suggestion of any suffused striations on the underparts!

Perhaps I should upgrade computer and glasses!

OCWA, esp. worn birds show very few or almost no streaking below.The brightness of the underparts is variable, esp. as western birds are far more yellowish than eastern birds.