Sunday, May 6, 2012

Prothonotary!


I was lucky enough to blunder into a skulking Prothonotary Warbler at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery today while birding with Frank Meyer; please excuse the horrible photos but PROWAR is a damn rare bird here in California, particularly in spring.

While superficially similar to Yellow Warbler in these photos (it's not a particularly bright male...first year bird?), the long, pointed bill and sharply contrasting blue-gray wings set it apart...unfortunately, I was unable to get a clear shot showing the white undertail coverts. Several of us were lucky enough to get some much better views, albeit briefly....it was a sneaky little bastard.


You can see the blue-gray wings through the veg a bit better in this one. Stoked.

10 comments:

  1. I read about this earlier on the SD birding list, great bird!

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    1. I was just talking about seeing one yesterday....the bird gods have answered my nerd prayers.

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  2. wow. That is a FREAKY sighting. Congrats!

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  3. Nice work Seagull! Those pics may be a bit blurry, but I dig all the stuff in the background. It reminds me of that Jim Hensen Dark Crystal movie, which I am going to assume you've seen more than once, because if you hadn't, well...then you'd be an anomaly.

    Congratulations on that exquisite bird.

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    1. Exquisitely uncooperative! It really did not like being seen. Thanks all the same.

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    1. Thanks Mia. Someone caught a glimpse of it before I got there, but I had no idea when I came across it...I wish I could have managed something better than head shots though.

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  5. How 'bout a 2nd year male since it's....2012 and it was born in 2011, maybe...judging by your description. Good work Tucker-fucker!

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  6. Lovely post and great images. I have no photos of a prothonotary warbler yet.

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