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Subject:

Cape May Warblers - an additional field mark

From:

Robin Todd

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Mon, 10 Oct 2005 14:35:23 EDT

I forgot to mention the yellow rump on the Cape Mays (?) I saw yesterday.  
Here is an amended version of my earlier posting.

  
"At 16.00 - 17.30 I watched 2-3 warblers foraging in a birch and red maple in 
our yard.  

rather bright yellow wash to breast with distinct streaking 
throats unstreaked
white wing bar (located close to leading edge of folded wing)
dull grayish upper parts 
white undertail coverts with black at extreme tips of tail
yellow rump, but not always visible
faint dark line through eye contrasting with pale gray of face
thin pointed bill
short tail
foraging often close to branches, pausing often, but also flying to leaves
silent

At first I though they were immature yellow-rumped warblers but the bill was 
too fine and yellow rumps (I still think of them as 'myrtles') seem always to 
be chipping and are bigger. They also seemed smaller and plumper than yellow 
rumps.

I think these were fall male Cape May warblers but have rarely seen this 
species.  I would appreciate any comments.

Regards,

Robin Todd
Ellicott City"