While on my vacation in Big Bend National Park last week, I spotted what
I thought was a Black-capped Vireo on the Window Trail.  I'm a beginner
so I took detailed notes and looked it up later.  It's head was very
black with bold white spectacles.  It's head was too black to be a
Solitary Vireo, is there any chance that this bird was something else and
should I report the sighting to the Big Bend Natural History Association?

-Anne

That's excellent!

What do you recall of the bird's vocalizations and behavior?  How high
was it located with respect to the ground, brush, trees...?

It was in a smaller oak type tree bouncing around the middle
(maybe 10-12 feet off the ground)  I remember having to follow it
with my binoculars because it was moving around alot.
Does that help?

On 18 May 1995, Anne Neumann wrote:

Black-capped Vireos have been reported by others at the Window Trail in
Big Bend this spring, so it is very likely your identification was correct.

Congratulations!

----------
Joe Morlan
Albany, CA
jmor...@slip.net

I found one last year at the Blue Creek Canyon
trail and, no, there is no chance it was any other
vireo from your description. It is listed in the Big
Bend bird guides as a localized resident so it
would be reportable while you were there just
to alert other birders who may not have seen it.
IMHO it is the prettiest Vireo in the US.

                        HR

I don't know what the policy is in the US, but I always report any rare
sightings to the appropriate authorities, including things that I am not
completely sure about, on the grounds that they may support evidence
passed on by other watchers.

In article <3pfrvk$...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu>, Anne Neumann <an...@jollyville.mc.utexas.edu> says:

In article <3piac8$...@xenon.brooks.af.mil>

I, too, am a beginner and took a mini tape recorder into the filed for the
first time yesterday. What a difference! With a little practice I was able to
hold the binocs in one hand (not well though...need newer, lighter ones!)
and the recorder in the other and tape the notes instead of writing. It
saved me from looking/writing/looking/writing/etc. and the mic was even able
to pick up some of the vocalizations. I also use it to record sitings as they
occur and emotion. For example, I saw my first Wood Thrush and watched it long
enough to realize its nest was nearby...what a great sight!

The fun part was listening to the tape on the way home and listening to my call
of the different sightings....kinda like Lorne Greene I think ;-)

Just thought others might want to give this a try as I found it to be much
easier than the pad/paper method and it can always be transcribed later!

Ken
ss...@tjuvm.tju.edu