ML613456927

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

**very rare taxa - presumably this ssp based on multiple features, which has very few documented records in the east, although it is very likely overlooked. In the thicket by the Payne school. Initially when this bird teed up, I thought it was a YPWA from the naked eye before I got my bins on it (although its behavior and proportions were superficially similar to that species). This bird was distinct from ruficapilla both structurally and plumage-wise, with a suite of features consistent with ridgwayi: - most obvious was a distinctive tail-bobbing behavior. The bobbing was unique, with the pumps being quick (not as deliberate as in Palms), mostly below the horizontal level of the body, and often including a sideways component at times. - structurally quite distinct as well -- with a lanky and gangly appearance as well as a long-tailed and long-billed impression - fully gray back, blending uniformly into the grayish head. The extent of this feature was quite distinctive from all eastern NAWA I've personally seen, and I believe it was outside the spectrum of that taxa. This feature rendered the typical grayish hood not apparent. In addition, when seen from afar, this feature and the following caused the bird to superficially give off more of an impression of a male TEWA or OCWA, than NAWA. - bright greenish rump and uppertail. At certain angles in flight and while tail-bobbing, this was very apparent. - large patch of white on vent

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS Rebel T6

Lens

EF75-300mm f/4-5.6

ISO

800

Focal length

300 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/1000 sec

Dimensions

2452 pixels x 1635 pixels

Original file size

1.09 MB