First let me thank everyone who ventured a guess as to the identification of
the mystery bird at http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/feeding_bird There were 19 ;
different species guessed, but the two that topped the list were Cerulean and
Blackpoll with Cerulean getting 6 votes and Blackpoll getting 9 votes. I have
to agree with those who voted for 1ST YEAR FEMALE BLACKPOLL. Here is the
reason why. I have to admit that when I first saw the bird I identified it as a
juvenile Cerulean, but the supercillium is not nearly as pronounced as it
should be on a Cerulean and the eye-ring doesn't match. If you look at the 1st
year female Cerulean in Sibley's field guide you hardly notice an eye-ring. Yet
it is really obvious on the mystery bird. Also the dark ring under the lower
eye ring is more pronounced on a Blackpoll as it is on the mystery bird. Then
the other field marks fall into place - the white under-tail coverts, the
pattern on the underside of the tail, the green head (a bit greener than usual
I'll admit), the streaked sides, yellow throat and chest and the white
wingbars. The Blackpoll has all of these.
I'm far from being an expert, and some may disagree with my call and those who
gave the most votes to the Blackpoll. If someone does disagree and can give a
better argument for another species please let us hear it. This is all in fun,
but one thing I have learned about birders. They take their hobby seriously and
want the identifications to be correct, which is as it should be.
Here is the list of species guessed in the order of number of votes:
Blackpoll 9
Cerulean 6
Blackburnian 3
Magnolia 3
Bay-breasted 2
Northern Parula 2
Kirtland's 2
Vireo 2
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Green 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Brewster's and Red-eyed Hybrid 1
Thanks again,
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County
