ML642788353

Observation details

*****whew. Continuing mega! from yesterday, refound this morning at 10:20 or so by JWM and tracked intermittently for the next 90 minutes or so. Mostly sticking to London Planes as it did yesterday but also foraging in oaks sometimes. Small compact passerine, smaller than most surrounding Parulid warblers and presenting somewhat like an oversized kinglet-thing. Often wing-flicking. Olive-brown above, whitish below with some dusky smudging on the sides of the upper breast. Bold pale supercilium curving downward behind auricular. Two bold wing bars. Notched dark tail. Stouter bill than any Parulid warblers with orange lower mandible. Bird was VERY vocal today, and often readily findable by following its calls in the canopy! Most frequently-given vocalization was a short, harsh, fairly low buzzy call, somewhat recalling CSWA in tone but more electric and rushed. Also gave several bouts of quiet (sub)song, the slowly descending electric jangle which I'd heard from dozens of individuals in Nome and Denali four years ago - a very transporting sound and not one I ever thought I'd hear within several thousand miles of here. I managed to record the buzz call but not the song - luckily JWM et al managed to get very high-quality stuff of the bird's whole vocal range today. Calls and song match ARWA rather perfectly, with Kamchatka Leaf-Warbler call often lower, more clipped, and doubled, as well as more distinctly electric in tone. More notes tba First state record and first for the Lower 48 away from the West Coast. Spent some time in a tree directly above the flower beds where the Black-chinned Hummingbird was in 2023, making the Cottage Garden bathrooms officially the best place on Randalls for rarities per unit area. Incredible bird. All downhill from here. Photos and audio tba