Posted by David La Puma on August 22, 2002 at 06:46:45:
I stopped into the Mary Krome Park Audubon Sanctuary(corner of Krome ave and Avocado)yesterday morning and had a smattering of early migrant activity (but nothing like Michelle, Jill and Robin!). Many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, several Vireo Ojo Rojo's, a Black-throated Blue female, a male American Redstart, and a weird little yellow warbler, that it now turns out (after consulting the undertail pattern page of the Peterson's guide to Warblers) was probably just that, a Yellow Warbler! The bird was feeding high in the top of a tree when I pished to it and it dropped only a few branches. As it peered down at me I noticed the large black eye, dry chip, and tail spreading...immediately I though wilsonia species...Wilson's or Hooded. I saw no white in the outer tail feathers, so I leaned towards Wilson's (and the chip note was definitely not the metallic "chink" of a Hooded)...but something didn't seem right. The undertail feathers showed a distinct pattern, yellow with olive edging in the outermost...I wasn't so sure that Wilson's didn't show this (it's been awhile since I've seen one from underneath!), so I had to wait until I got home last night to check...after consulting the Peterson's guide, the Yellow Warbler shows an exact match for the tail pattern, as well as the call (and it's tendency to call incessantly when pished). The "big eye" effect also fits more with a Yellow than a Wilson's, but the only characteristic that still bothers me is the tail spreading...I don't remember ever seeing Yellow's do this, especially not as much as the two Wilsonia species. I wasn't able to relocate the bird which proved quite frustrating...but did result in me finding a bountiful supply of guavas...which soon (after about 3) alleviated such bitter feelings.
Also of possible interest:
there were two Bank Swallows on the wires outside Lucky Hammock intermixed with Barn Swallows, a Northern Harrier cruising the fields opposite the hammock, and an Upland Sandpiper in the same field as well (I didn't check the regular Uppie spot, but I assume they would still be there since one was near the Hammock)
cheers
David