Hi Paul,

I saw the same bird Tuesday Oct 26 at noon, and was also amazed at how close
it foraged.  I thought it was a female Common Yellowthroat (because I don't
have much experience with OC warbler).  Fall warblers are tough.  Beautiful
subtle coloration, studied without binoculars.  Thanks for the report.

Paul Mocko
McLean, VA


>From: Paul Pisano <>
>Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding <>
>To: 
>Subject: [MDOSPREY] Belated report - OC in DC
>Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 22:52:22 -0500
>
>Last Thursday (10/28) with the beautiful weather and a full lunch break, I
>took the opportunity to grab a sandwich and eat it on the Mall.  Since I
>had
>yet to get a close look at the new grounds around the National Museum of
>the
>American Indian, I decided to eat it there.  So I sat on the wall by the
>big
>pond and enjoyed the pseudo-natural beaver pond.  Being the middle of the
>day, I wasn't expecting to see much birdwise, but it wasn't long before I
>saw a warbler hoping around on the ground amongst the bushes near my feet.
>The bird was picking lots of very small bugs off the ground and the bushes,
>and seemed more concerned about getting harassed by the House Sparrows than
>getting close to me.  In the end it was probably within 2 feet of me at its
>closest.  Who needs binoculars when they're that close?  Problem was, the
>bird was just a uniform and not particularly striking olive-gray with no
>outstanding field marks.  Based on these features, it didn't take long to
>figure that it was either an Orange-crowned Warbler or a Common
>Yellowthroat
>- most likely a first year female of either species, and in the end I have
>concluded it was an Orange-crowned.  The lack of brown tones, more olive
>than yellow throat without a clear demarcation between it and the malar,
>and
>the faint, blurry grey streaks on the olive breast helped me reach that
>conclusion.  I never got a good look at the undertail coverts because I was
>looking down on the bird most of the time.
>
>
>
>I've never seen an Orange-crowned spend so much time on the ground, but the
>behavior immediately reminded me of a close relative, the Nashville
>Warbler.
>The Nashville that spent last winter at the Arboretum behaved in much the
>same fashion - staying close to the ground and picking bugs off the
>undersides of leaves.
>
>
>
>Also present at the pond was a Swamp Sparrow.
>
>
>
>Sorry for the late post.
>
>
>
>Good birding,
>
>Paul Pisano
>
>Arlington, VA

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