CLOSED: I. D. Help needed.

I am forwarding this request for an I. D. from the Sitka, Alaska Nature Center. He posted a number of good photos.

Thanks Gary


The last couple of days there has been a (very late) warbler around our

neighborhood. I got some photos of it today and could not come up with
an
identification.

Photos, and my thoughts on several warblers that I considered can be
found
at:

http://www.sitkanature.org/wordpress/2007/11/24/mystery-warbler/

I would appreciate any help with identification of this bird.

Thanks,

Matt Goff
Sitka

I'd agree with Orange-crowned Warbler, subspecies celata ('taiga' in Sibley; as opposed to the local west-coast breeding lutescens), though that yellowish rump is odd (the yellowish under-tail coverts do fit). Slightly reminiscent of Virginia's Warbler, but that doesn't fit on other characters (e.g. has complete eye ring).

Otherwise, it looks very like a Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) from my side of things (it breeds as far east as about 145°E in eastern Siberia). But again, the yellowish rump is the sticking point. Of others from Siberia, Dusky and Radde's Warblers can be counted out, they both have much more prominent supercilia.

Resin

PS interesting website he has there - found one misident, though, http://www.nawwal.org/~mrgoff/photojournal/2004/winspr/02-13spruceseed.html labelled Picea sitchensis seed, is Tsuga heterophylla seed

Resin