ML29596591

Age and sex

Unknown age, Female - X

Media notes

This female Canada Warbler, photographed by Curtis A. Marantz on 29 May 2016, was found earlier in the day by Ali Sheehey at the Silver Saddle Ranch and Club, Galileo Hill, Kern County, California.

Observation details

This was a relatively small, slim warbler that had a notably long tail, and thus it was quite similar structurally to the Wilson's Warblers that were foraging in the same trees. The bill was relatively short and slim, but I was unable to determine both the finer details of its shape and or its length relative to field marks on the face. The crown was rounded on a head that appeared to be unremarkable in size, the neck was relatively short and inconspicuous, and the body was at least relatively plump. I thought the wings were of medium-length, yet I was unable to determine either the primary projection or the placement of the wingtips relative to the uppertail or undertail coverts. I thought the tail was as long as the head and body combined, and I noted that it was either parallel-sided or slightly flared, and with what appeared to be a jagged tip. The legs were relatively long and slim. This bird was conspicuous and the sharp contrast between the slate-gray upperparts and the bright yellow underparts; however, the plumage patterns were relatively nondescript for a warbler. The crown, nape, back and sides of the neck, and the back, scapulars, wings, and upperside of the tail were uniformly slate-gray in coloration. I was not sure if the immediate forehead was white or dark, but my impression was that the rest of the forehead and the forecrown were similar in color to the crown. Quite conspicuous was a yellowish supraloral-stripe that may or may not have connected with an eyering that appeared to be round, unbroken, and a yellowish-buff in coloration. I also thought the lores were dark, but they did not appear to break the eyering in front of the eye. I failed to note in the field the location of the lower edge of the dark face, but my impression was that the line of demarcation extended back from somewhere near the gape and likely along the lower edge of the moustachial and auricular regions. I noted no contrast between the crown, nape, back, and scapulars, all of which appeared to be uniformly slate-gray in coloration. I noted no pattern on the wings. I likewise noted that the upperside of the tail was uniformly dark and seemingly not contrasting strongly with the wings. Contrasting sharply with the dark gray of the head and upperparts, the throat, breast, belly, sides, and flanks were a relatively bright, lemon-yellow in coloration. Also clearly evident was a band of relatively narrow and seemingly somewhat blurry streaks that extended across the sides and breast. Given that these streaks did not extend onto the throat, the demarcation between the unmarked throat and the heavily marked breast was "U-shaped" and extending right along the junction of the throat and breast. I did think the lower edge of the breast-band was uneven in appearance, with the streaks being of variable length. I further thought the streaks on the breast were dark gray as opposed to black, and I did not think they were either as conspicuous or as black as I would've expected on a male of this species. As far as I could determine, the lower breast and the entire belly, and flanks were unmarked. Contrasting relatively sharply with the yellow of the belly and flanks were the white undertail coverts, which were relatively long and tapering to a point just under half way out the tail. I thought the demarcation between the yellow of the belly and the white of the undertail coverts extended straight across the vent region. The tail appeared to be entirely dark and unmarked. The bill appeared to be mostly, if not entirely, dark but I also had a difficult time seeing it clearly. The eyes were dark yet I was unable to determine their precise coloration. Finally the legs and whatever I could see of the feet appeared to be a relatively bright orangey-flesh in coloration.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF400mm f/5.6L USM

ISO

3200

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/800 sec

Dimensions

3035 pixels x 1918 pixels

Original file size

1.62 MB