This morning when the sun hit our back yard, I noticed a warbler foraging
actively in the brush. I figured it was a Townsend's at first and didn't
pay much attention in order to see what all else was around. However, it
was active enough that it kept drawing my attention so that I really looked
at it and noticed that it's head was all pale yellow without markings, no
auricular patch and no streaking along the sides of the body. I'm fairly
certain it was a female Hermit Warbler.



This would be the first record for Vashon though there have been several
times where potential birds have sung from high in trees never presenting
themselves for a definitive look. There also has been at least one hybrid
sighting. I think most to all Kitsap County and Olympic Peninsula birds are
considered to be hybrids, right? I would guess that the bird I saw was
really a hybrid but visibly very close to pure Hermit. The one area I'm not
sure of because of the lighting was its back which should be olive green for
Townsend's and greyish for Hermit. The back on this bird looked mostly
greyish but could have had some green in it. I couldn't get a good enough
sense to be absolutely sure.



Any thoughts from tweeters?



I also heard Varied Thrush for the first time earlier in the morning, though
there have already been other Island sightings.



Ed



Ed Swan



Guide

Birding Vashon Island and Beyond

206.463.7976

mailto:edswan at centurytel.net





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