Whatbird.com

I saw this gorgeous specimen in my 'personal' birding spot in the woods behind my condo complex.  The whole section of woods isn't much bigger than 4 acres....but half-way through there is a section cleared (about a mile long and maybe 80 yards wide) to allow power lines to run through.  The power lines were erected many a years ago, so wildlife has had a long time to grab hold in that area.  I sit on a small rock ledge about 40 feet above the opening........ I sit there for 2-3 hours and can easily see 15-20 species without turning my body.

 (By the way, I live in Connecticut)

The woods are mixed deciduous trees with pines sprinkled around...at the edge of the clearing there are many a dead trees that cater to one of my favorite birds, the Pileated Woodpecker (good lord that bird is LOUD!).  In the clearing itself are many tiny streams that end in a swamp/marsh before it reaches the Housatonic River abuot 1/2 mile away.  In the clearing are many cattails, small evergreen bushes, <20 feet high rock legdes, many thorny bushes and thickets, and a few small deciduous trees.... among other random bushes and plants (lots of wildflowers).

 

I saw this bird out of the corner of my eye and at first, thought it was a Goldfinch.  In the last 2 weeks, 15+ Goldfinches frequent my thistle feeder which is about 1/2 mile away from where I was sitting.  I quickly realized that it was not a Goldfinch, as it did not have the black crown of a male, and it was far too bright yellow to be female. The bird landed in a very tall thorn bush that was about 45-50 yards away from where I was and stayed on the same branch for about 5 minutes.  All it did was spin around and fiddle a little bit.  I snapped these photos then.... (sorry about quality)

(I have about 5 more photos....more of the same.  Except one clearly shows no markings on the head like some other yellow colored warblers.)

 

Am I correct in assuming this is a Yellow Warbler??  I know it isn't a Goldfinch...the only other bird I thought it might be was a Prothonotary Warbler, which also has a 'clear' yellow head.  But my photo shows less dark coloring on the back half of the bird.

 

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

---

Ya know what would be great for a guy like me?

To be in a coma.

-George Carlin-

Not sure it's a Yellow Warbler but the pics are too blurry to tell for sure.  Sorry

---

Matthew 6:26

Maybe a Female Scarlet Tanager. It doesn't look like a Yellow Warbler to me.

No, not a Tanager.

 

I forgot to mention that after the bird went deeper into the bush where I couldn't see it, 3 times it 'jumped' about 5 feet above the bush and dove back into it.  It was a move that was obviously beyond the normal foraging and insect catching.  Almost as if it was some sort of breeding display or something.

---

Ya know what would be great for a guy like me?

To be in a coma.

-George Carlin-

From the last picture, even though you can't see the head, the overall shape and coloring does indeed look like a female scarlet tanager.  100% for sure this bird is not a yellow warbler, but be patient - there will be loads of singing yellow warblers around in Connecticut in the next couple of weeks - it's the most common springtime warbler all along the Connecticut shore.

I'm not convinced its a Tanager.  I've only seen one pic (out of dozens) that shows a femlae Scarlet with a yellow as bright as my bird.  Most are dull. 

 

Whatever's clever.... Do Scarlet Tanager's shoot up in the air and then dive back down into the bush??  It seemed like there was a small child hidden inside the bush and was throwing the bird up and down about 3 times.

 

 

Even though it drives me @$%*%#& crazy, I am usually wrong.... so yea.

---

Ya know what would be great for a guy like me?

To be in a coma.

-George Carlin-

Pine warbler maybe, but we're just guessing because the photos just aren't clear enough for this exercise.

The photos are so blurry because they are cropped and zoomed in about 5 times.  I was quite far away from the bird.....

 

 

Anything on the 'jumping'???

---

Ya know what would be great for a guy like me?

To be in a coma.

-George Carlin-

Definitely a Pine warbler.

barredowl:

Definitely a Pine warbler.

 

Definately, huh??  I didn't really think of that one..... pics on Google and my field guide do like very similar.

 

 

I'm guessing no one knows anything about the jumping up and down in the bush....

---

Ya know what would be great for a guy like me?

To be in a coma.

-George Carlin-

On the first pic you can see how the wings are gray just like a Pine warbler, while the Yellow warbler has yellow wings.

Why not a Yellow Warbler?

And this is definitely NOT a Pine Warbler. They have white undertail coverts.

Ephily:

Why not a Yellow Warbler?

And this is definitely NOT a Pine Warbler. They have white undertail coverts.

I agree that this is definitely not a Pine Warbler.

From the third photo I would go with Female Scarlet Tanager but it looks shorter in the other photos which does seem to point to a dull Female Yellow Warbler.

MaxJo, here is a link to some info on the Summer Tanager and one of their behaviors fits you description.  It's towards the bottom of the page under Behaviors http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Summer_Tanager_dtl.html

---

Matthew 6:26

Just thought I'd share an opinion from the West Coast.  The bird in question looks like a bird that is very common out here and I believe is a little more rare in the east.   It's possible that this is an Orange Crowned Warbler that is migrating through up to its breeding grounds.

I know that eastern OCWa's are more grey in colour but even out here this species certainly has some variation in it.

Also, the active 'flycatching' behaviour sounds a lot like what I see out here.

Maybe some other Westerners can put in their two cents.