Subject: [Tweeters] Phinney black and white warbler
Date: Aug 13 17:24:03 2009
From: amk17 at earthlink.net - amk17 at earthlink.net


I was enjoying the chickadees in the yard when I realized that one was not a chickadee but a black and white warbler. I don't think it was a Black and White Warbler.

It had a solid black cap (which is why it blended in initially as I was not really paying attention to the chickadees until I realized, "wait! what!? That's not a chickadee. It's a blackpoll. But that doesn't make sense." ), white cheek patches, a black stripe below the cheek patch, a white throat, black streaking on sides, white breast, and a streaky back. The white throat is throwing me off as it makes the most sense if it was black. It was quite close, within 3 feet, in a shrub by the window.

It was not gray or lighter black or olive or dusky. My first thought was Blackpoll but ... by the time I ran for the camera it was gone. I wasn't expecting anything other than a chickadee so wasn't really paying attention until it was too late :-( Arghh.

Any guesses about it's identity?