Subject: Accent on Success w/Accentor
Date: Dec 12 00:07:54 2003
From: gina sheridan - gsherida8502 at yahoo.com
Although this report is from Montana, I know that many
Inlanders and Tweeters are treking over to see the
Siberian Accentor. Here is the latest report.
As of today (12/11/03), the Siberian Accentor is still
present. I thought that I might add a couple of brief
hints or suggestions for visiting birders too.
I was spent a total of three hours on Wednesday,
12/10/03 (10-11:30 & 1-2:30) and saw the SIAC only for
about five seconds under the canoe on the right side
of the trail. Although the bird was in shadow, it's
bold facial pattern was diagnostic. However, this was
not a really satisfying view of a life bird.
After a daybreak viewing of a pack of Gray Wolves in
Yellowstone this morning, I returned to the SIAC site
by mid-morning. One other birder (Marvin Cooper of
Seattle) was present today too. Marvin had been on
site for any hour before my 10:30 arrival, but had not
yet had a definite sighting.
After conversing through our open car windows a bit, I
commented that I really wanted a good clear view of
the bird this time. Ten minutes later, my wish was
granted. Marvin and I viewed the SIAC flitting around
the rain barrel on the SW corner of the cabin. After
about thirty seconds, the bird flew back behind the
cabin and disappeared. We had superb views of this
attractive Asian visitor. This sighting occurred at
10:40 AM, 12/11/03.
Fifteen minutes later (10:55), I saw the SIAC land on
the largest cottonwood on the left side of the bridge.
The SIAC clung to the bark on the trunk of the tree
about ten feet off the ground. It then flitted into a
shrub just to the right of the cottonwood. After about
minute, it disappeared into the shrubbery on the right
side of the bridge near the bird food pile on the
ground.
My impression of the bird is that it visually
resembles a miniature Varied Thrush that has a
disposition of a nervous, flitty warbler. Even the
pale, pumpkin colored supercillium and upper breast,
the hint of a breastband, and the slaty hindneck make
me think of it as a micro-Varied Thrush.
As previously noted, the SIAC can often be seen in
shrubbery, trees, and other objects near the feeders.
Out of the three times that I saw the bird, it was
twice headed toward the shrubbery on the northwest
corner of the foot bridge.
Many people have seen the SIAC on the right, near
corner (NW corner) of the foot bridge. There is a hole
or depression at this corner of the bridge that birds
can drop into and feed unobserved. I am pretty sure
that SIAC dropped into this hole and fed below our
sightline. Who knows how much time the SIAC might
spend in this hole completely unobserved?
After consulting with a Canadian birder who had
visited the bird quite a few times, I would concur
with his opinion is that the mid-morning hours are
probably the optimum time to see the bird. You can see
it at any time of the day, but I think that your
probability is the highest from 9:30-11:30 AM.
As was evidenced by today's events, a couple of
watchful birders is way better than just a single
birder. Possibly, the single birder who misses the
SIAC is so transfixed by the ground in front of the
bridge that he/she misses it when it lands on the rain
barrel or something else just off the trail.
When the SIAC landed on the rain barrel today, I was
focused on the ground in front of the bridge and
probably would have missed it had not Marvin called my
attention to it. Vice versa, when I spotted the SIAC
on the trunk of the cottonwood, Marvin was screened
out by his car's position and couldn't pick it up.
Moral of the story is four eyes are better than two.
Good luck to all of those who have caught accentor
fever! Please note that Tom Miner Road is
treacherously icy and slick as a glacier.
BTW, our mammal list for Yellowstone park included
Elk, Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Bison, Coyote, Red Fox,
Gray Wolf (13 of the Druid Pack and one lone
challenger who had the Druid's undivided attention),
Mountain Cottontail, and Bighorn Sheep.
Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA
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