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Posted by Scott Atkinson on 13:27:40 06/15/05
Tropical Audoboners:
Just back in Seattle after another fabulous Florida visit, I have now had the opportunity to check various sources on a strange bird I found near Tarrytown back on June 8. I'm only now in a situation where I have the time to report fully--and the bird may well still be around. Given that the strange bird was on territory and sang continuously from the site, I wonder if there is any birder in the Orlando or St Pete area willing to revisit the site:
LOCATION--this is the new Little River Recreation Area access to the Withlacoochie State Forest. It is west of Orlando along Rt 50, the nearest town is Tarrytown. There is a prominent sign indicating the turnoff. Right at the sign, you head north up the dirt road and go 1.1 miles (exact odometer reading) until you reach a spot where another road heads off to the right (east). Park here and listen for the bird singing on the right side at the shrubby foot at the edge of pine forest. I have been unable to find any good internet map of the access.
DESCRIPTION. What struck me right away about this bird was the odd song--the song did not have the distinct rhythmic triplets (whichitty-chee, whichitty-chee, whichitty-chee) or sweetness in quality one associates with Com. Yellowthroat. The song was steadier and had a plainly richer quality--more like an Oporornis.
I pished and the bird, a male, jumped out and came over (within 15 ft of me once) almost immediately. I watched it for about a minute. The bird was in the open several times but was also obscured partially by shrubbery. On first impression, the bird struck me as long for a Com. Yellowthroat--especially the tail, and the black mask was fuller than at least the forms of Com. Yellowthroat I've seen elsewhere. The bill also seemed a little longer than other forms, and was notably black and more curved than Yellowthroats I've seen elsewhere. Perhaps most interesting, the bird was entirely rich yellow below from throat to undertail coverts--seen from mostly rear and side profiles--again reminding me of an Oporornis.
From above, the bird was colored like any other Yellowthroat, and there was a thin light line (highlighting) above the black mask. As the bird was in shade, I was uable to be certain of the coloration of the highlighting, but it looked alternately buffy to dirty whitish. I did not note any grayish coloration in the crown, but not knowing a thing about what is normal for breeding ignata Com. Yellowthroats, I did not look for any either; at the time I did not bother to consider the bird anything but a Com. Yellowthroat, but I was puzzled by its differences with Yellowthroats I'd seen previously.
HABITAT. The strange yellowthroat sang steadily from a shrubby area at the point where the road forks 1.1 miles in, this area is a small opening in the pine forest. The other yellowthroats along the route were found in typical open, marshy habitat.
Question for all--is there anyone who can revisit this site?? For all I've found regarding the local ignata race of Com. Yellowthroat, I think this bird at a minimum warrants a second assessment.
Best of luck--
Scott Atkinson
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