Re: RE: Black-throated Blue females ?

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Darius and Rick,

I'm really confused.  I don't know what versions of Peterson's Warblers (Dunn
and Garrett) and Warblers of the Americas (Curson, Quinn and Beadle) you guys
are looking at, but they don't show young males in brown-olive plumage and
they do discuss the white primary patch.  Dunn and Garrett note that juveniles
are brownish above, but that plumage is long gone before they migrate.  Pyle
points out that young males frequently show their typical adult-like plumage
before they are fledged.  The only brown backed Black-throated Blue Warblers
we would see here in migration are females.  Both books note that the white
patch is indistinct in first fall females.  Dunn and Garrett note that about
10% of the first fall females lack the white patch in the wing altogether.
The rest, including all older females and all males have the patch.  I guess
they are non-smokers.

I hope this clears up the question.  Pardon my lecture, but things seemed to
be getting out of hand.

Paul O'Brien
Rockville, MD
pobrien776@aol.com

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