First migratory fall birds - warbler-ish IDs - South Florida (1 Viewer)

[Zackiedawg]

We've been having a few waves of migrating birds starting to pass through our area - redstarts, pine and prairie warblers, b&w warblers, and even a prothonotary. Mixed in to all my shots as this one I'm having difficulty figuring out. The top part of the head really showed a reddish-orange tinge in person, and seemed fairly solid colored. It never gave me a clean shot, being shy and staying in the cover of the branches, so I only got a few possible ID-able shots...

1. https://g4.img-dpreview.com/785287BD746D4910B514695154BC2CE5.jpg

I can't promise this is the same bird, but I think it is, though the reddish colors don't show very well as it was in extreme shade:
2. https://g1.img-dpreview.com/3C8AD1C93BCF479ABAC225E8680FEFB5.jpg

And just to throw in one more, I'm pretty sure this is a pine warbler - it's a clean shot out in the open, and there were lots of others around, but I'm used to them having yellow eye-rings and this one was more white...I'm not as good with the seasonal colors such as first fall or juvenile, so just wanted to confirm that's what this one is:
3. https://g3.img-dpreview.com/B2E039D61E2347E9B4FFD2D09BD72156.jpg

 

[D Halas]

I'm not sure about the first two, but the third is a Prairie Warbler.

 

[KenM]

Am wondering if images 1-2 refer to a Male Mangrove Warbler?

Cheers

 

[connorco]

1 and 2 looks like Prothonotary Warbler to me.

 

[Zackiedawg]

I don't think a mangrove warbler would be likely in that area - at least I've never seen or heard of one there. Prothonotary is a possibility - one had been spotted nearby though it seemed to be a much more full yellow. Would they occasionally have a darker or reddish-orange hue to the head?

 

[Butty]

Undertail-pattern/colour is right for prothonotary warbler and (apparently) wrong for yellow-warbler-types. Upper head colour is weird - doesn't look like shade.
Mangrove yellow warbler is a whole Gulf-width away - and I guess sedentary.

 

[pianoman]

1 and 2 seem more bulky - almost a Tanager-like look - does Western ever wander close to Florida?

 

[Zackiedawg]

Yeah - that head color stood out by eye as well - and stayed the same whether he moved through shadow or sunlight - it was definitely a darker color or shade, and to the eye, looked fairly rusty-orange-ish. It was on the top half of the head only - unlike the mangrove where the reddish color takes up the whole face.

Western tanagers have been here in SE Florida on rare occasion. I got a shot of one back in October 2019, though it looked quite different:

Western tanager by Justin Miller

pbase.com

 

[Butty]

1 and 2 seem more bulky - almost a Tanager-like look - does Western ever wander close to Florida?

Bill-shape is entirely wrong for a N American tanager. This is apparent even in pic 1 where most of the bill is hidden.

 

[Butty]

that head color stood out by eye as well

In which case, pics 1 and 2 are certainly different birds - yes?

 

[Zackiedawg]

That threw me too - I thought I was tracking the same bird through the branches, but as you can see it was well blocked - and another could have taken my attention. There were dozens of birds - mostly prairie warblers - in the same batch of trees, along with this mystery bird (or birds). If the second is a different bird, I wonder if it could be the same species, but slightly different color variation - as they look quite similar in build and definitely different from the many prairies around.

 

[birdmeister]

Both of the first two images show a Prothonotary Warbler, one of the longer-billed warblers and with such a rich orangey-yellow color.

 

[Zackiedawg]

OK - thank you. Sounds like prothonotary as the most likely - and it would make sense as someone had just posted a photograph of one about 100 yards from this spot the week before. Many thanks to all.

 

[KenM]

Structurally it’s certainly more Prothon, however the head pattern on image one, would certainly be extreme for that species?

Cheers

 

[Zackiedawg]

I wonder if there's any chance he had gotten into something that colored his head - pollen, dirt, etc? It seems a little unlikely, but I've seen other birds in our area get 'tinted' by various natural settings - or by diet. Also, could it just be partially melanistic?

 

[KenM]

I wonder if there's any chance he had gotten into something that colored his head - pollen, dirt, etc? It seems a little unlikely, but I've seen other birds in our area get 'tinted' by various natural settings - or by diet. Also, could it just be partially melanistic?

I’ve certainly seen pollen stained birds Zackie always possible, but the tone does look quite opaque and reasonably well defined....dunno.😮

Cheers

 

[birdmeister]

I think the colors are being played with a bit by the shady conditions, but still I would guess this is an immature. I think they tend to show the darkest head/crown among the species.