A search for migrants along the Paint Branch Stream Valley
Park trail in College Park (PG County) turned up two: a
single NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW and a warbler.
I need help with the warbler ID. I got less than 30 seconds
on the bird, with its back and tail always toward me. This
was a deep greenish yellow bird, dark upperparts, yellow
underparts (all the way to the base of the tail). The
upperparts of the tail were noticeably dark. I could not
see the sides of the bird, so I didn't notice the presence
or absence of any streaks. Turning its head to one side,
the face was yellow with a black line through the eye and a
distinct U-shaped black curve under the eye that I described
in my notes as a "bag under the eye". There was no rufous
evident on the back or the top of the head (but it's
possible the sun angle---behind me and to one side---washed
out the colour). The bird *almost* made a tail wag gesture
-- it reminded me of the beginning of the tail bob of a
Hermit Thrush. If this was a Prairie Warbler (suggested by
the facial markings?), it's a day earlier than the earliest
date in the Yellow Book. And I'm very hesitant with such an
ID since I had to retract one under similar circumstances
last year (Apr 6)! A Palm Warbler (yellowish race) is more
reasonable for the time of year, but there was a lot of
green and no rufous evident. However, Bob Ringler noted
last year that Palm Warblers are still molting at this time.
Pine Warbler does not show yellow underneath all way to the
tail. The warbler was perched on the fence in the shrubby
vegetation between the path and the agricultural fields,
about midway along the section of trail that winds between
the golf course and the fields. Any suggestions
appreciated!
Meanwhile, here's the full report for the day -- good
diversity:
Report Details
Location name: Paint Branch Stream Valley Park
Observation date: 3/31/06
Duration: 1 hour(s) 45 minute(s)
# of people in birding party: 1
Are you reporting all the species you identified? Yes
Total # of species: 38
Observation type: Traveling Count
Start time: 8:00 AM
Distance covered: 2.5 mile(s)
Area covered: N/A
Weather had a negative effect on my ability to collect
birding information: No
Checklist diary notes:
A nice slow ride looking for early migrants (breezy winds
out of the south). Thin clouds, otherwise sunny and fairly
warm. Highlights were two migrants: Northern Rough-winged
Swallow (large swallow, brown back, dusky throat) and a
warbler (maybe Prairie? Deep greenish yellow, black upper
tail coverts, black line through eye and under eye, slight
suggestion of a tail bob, yellow underparts all the way to
tail; no vocalization). May have heard kingfisher and
Chipping Sparrow. The gull was up high and flying away
(likely Ring-billed). The House Sparrows were, as usual, at
the golf clubhouse. Noticeably absent: Killdeer and House
Finch.
Species Details
Species Name Number Reported
Canada Goose 45
Mallard 6
Turkey Vulture 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 3
Larus sp. 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 8
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 3
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 7
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 2
crow sp. 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 12
Eastern Bluebird 4
American Robin 30
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 70
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
warbler sp. 1
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 4
Fox Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 30
White-throated Sparrow 15
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 20
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 2
--
Derek C. Richardson, College Park, PG County, MD
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/Archives/Photos/birds.html |