Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 12:46:32 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Willow Warbler Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit It is not totally unexpected that the Phylloscopus warbler found in Alaska is a Willow Warbler -- they are probably among the northernmost breeding small birds in Europe and are found across the northern tier of Asia further east than Chiffchaff, although this species also extends into Siberia (Siberian Chiffchaff, often considered a separate species). I remember hearing Willow Warblers singing at midnight along the Arctic Ocean in Norway (of course, being midsummer, it was bright daylight!) -- they were breeding in clumps of dwarf willow. Other passerines around were Lapland Bunting, Arctic (Hoary) Redpoll and Red-throated Pipit. One "quick and dirty" way of separating non-singing birds is that Chiffchaffs generally have dark legs while Willows have flesh-colored legs, but when you are dealing with a new species for North America, this is probably not enough to go on! Congratulations to George and the others on this great find! Gail Mackiernan Slver Spring, MD p.s. Barry and I are off to Panama tomorrow, so if any "goodies" show up while we're gone (until Sept. 6), please ask them to stay! ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================