Hello, I thought I should add a slightly more fleshed out description of the
vireo I saw on 28 September at the Skagit WMA. I'll mention everything I
noticed, useful or not.
I encountered a vireo amongst a small mixed flock of chickadees and
Orange-crowned Warblers at about 1:30pm. It was about 25 feet away, at eye
level perched lengthwise on an alder branch, just above the underbrush and a
waterway below it.
The first thing I noticed was that the entire flank of the bird was awash in
yellow; an expansive swath, evenly distributed with no breaks or patchiness.
The upper breast and throat were rather white, but the overall impression
was of a bird entirely yellow below (though at one point I could see a
narrow white central belly). On several occasions I got a fine view of the
undertail coverts which were a solid vivid yellow. This feature was really
quite evident, though I understand not diagnostic.
The head was somber grey and slightly set off from the more olive dorsal
surface of the back. The grey head seemed just that, a grey head. It didn't
look hooded or any other like descriptor.
The most obvious attention drawing "white about the eye" was before it and
at the top of it. I perceived an interrupted white eye brow which showed as
2 subtle yet distinct segments of white. Specifically, at the upper base of
the bill was a narrow white dash heading back towards the eye. Just before
the eye it was pinched off by a bridge of grey connecting the crown to the
cheek. Above the eye was another portion of white. I did not notice
spectacles and certainly there was no other white behind or below the eye
that stood out quite like the above mentioned "interrupted eye brow".
The look was rather brief (hard to say, 20-25 seconds?), essentially I had
time to scan back and forth on the body several times and absorb the facial
features.
The wings bars were not very apparent and I must say as I quickly glanced to
and fro on this bird I didn't pick them up at all. I can not say that they
were not there, only that if they were, they certainly were not glaringly
obvious.
I attempted to get my camera in position and that was the end of that. The
bird slipped away, the chickadee flock split in two, going separate ways and
I spent the next 3+ hours searching in vain for the bird.
When I got back to the car, the first thing I did was hit the two field
guides I had there because I was so struck by the vivid triangle of yellow
under this bird's tail and had no idea if this was an important feature. As
I understand now, not really, but because of the intensity of yellow, maybe
a little.
Anyway, of course I wish I had a bit more time to study the little bugger.
When I got home that night and saw Charlie's post I must admit I had a
sinking feeling.
I am a pro at second guessing myself.
I have virtually zero experience with Bell's Vireo and none with the Eastern
form.
Charlie sent me his pictures of the Cassin's he saw and compared to the
frozen moment in time they represent, the bird I saw appeared less-heady
more streamlined/proportionate and warblerlike with a less tubular bill and
the white behind and below the eye was nowhere near as apparent. The yellow
on the flanks was more-so all encompassing and livelier and of course ran
straight through to the undertail. It's hard to make direct comparisons to a
couple of snapshots, but those are my impressions.
Anyway, there ya go ;o)
Keith Brady
Olympia, WA

_________________________________________________________________
Discover sweet stuff waiting for you at the Messenger Cafe. Claim your
treat today!
http://www.cafemessenger.com/info/info_sweetstuff.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_SeptHMtagline2