Different bird at my deck last evening

[Pauli Driver-Smith]

I had a small bird fly down at my feet last evening then take off into the trees. I got a fairly good look at it, and I know for sure that it is one I have never seen before. It took off again before I could get a picture.

I'm not a professional birder or even a avid hobbyist anymore, so I don't know the proper terminology, but I'll do my best to describe it.

 

It looks like a warbler. right size, beak and body shape, etc. What is different is that it had an orange throat that bled down into his chest, dark brown/almost black body, white wing patches/bars` and a bit of a black cap that stretched down to his back. The orange was really orange until it reached his chest then blended into more of a yellowish tint. If it was a lot bigger, I'd say it resembled some Orioles in coloring.

Any ideas of what it might be?

Pauli Smith

Highlandlake/Mead, Weld County.

I live across the road from the south shore of the lake.

[Mary Keithler]

Hi Pauli,

At least part of your description sounds like a Blackburnian warbler.

Mary 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 20, 2025, at 10:18 AM, Pauli Driver-Smith <hollyho...@msn.com> wrote:



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[Mary Keithler]

Hi Pauli, 

According to Sibley’s range map, they are rare here, but certainly possible.

Mary 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 20, 2025, at 10:28 AM, Pauli Driver-Smith <hollyho...@msn.com> wrote:



That is the closest that I found in my bird book, but do they get down this far south? Beautiful bird. I wish I could have gotten a photo, but it was too fast for me.

Pauli

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From: Mary Keithler <mkei...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2025 10:27 AM
To: Driver-Smith Pauli <hollyho...@msn.com>
Cc: cobirds <cob...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Different bird at my deck last evening

 

[Pauli Driver-Smith]

That is the closest that I found in my bird book, but do they get down this far south? Beautiful bird. I wish I could have gotten a photo, but it was too fast for me.

Pauli

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From: Mary Keithler <mkei...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2025 10:27 AM
To: Driver-Smith Pauli <hollyho...@msn.com>
Cc: cobirds <cob...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Different bird at my deck last evening

 

[Pauli Driver-Smith]

I think it is too small. It was somewhere in size between a goldfinch and a House sparrow. I got a good look at its size because it landed right at my feet, then flew up into the tree next to my chair, sat there for a second, then flew off into the other trees. It looked like a Warbler in body size and shape but which kind, I'm not sure of. The closest it comes to in my bird book is a  Blackburne Warbler, but I didn't think they came this far south.

Pauli

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From: Jessi Oberbeck <ivory.bil...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2025 10:33 AM
To: Pauli Driver-Smith <hollyho...@msn.com>

Subject: Re: [cobirds] Different bird at my deck last evening

Western tanager?

Jessi O
720-254-7503
www.MaryKay.com/JessiO
Facebook.com/JessiOMK
On Twitter @JessiOMK

[Patrick O'Driscoll]

As Mary says, it's certainly possible.

We had a rather celebrated Blackburnian five years ago at the "migrant trap" that is the First Creek @ Green Valley Ranch hotspot in Denver. 

The male bird stuck around for five days in mid-May 2020 and became a lifer for many birders. 

Patrick O'Driscoll

Denver

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/C3275ED3-602E-4C39-B53C-66CA5DF34660%40gmail.com.

[Ira Sanders]

May 11, 2006, Welchester Tree Park, Lakewood

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAMNEzJNSyXbmvFro7Ldf2CF3f_95P6ByB4-uLE2-HZq6eAiwXQ%40mail.gmail.com.

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Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

"My mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

[Pauli Driver-Smith]

Another question. Now that we think that it is a Blackburnian Warbler, what do they eat? I still have a bid feeder out filled with niger seed for the gold finches, and a pie plate filled with treats such as slightly ripe strawberries, blueberries, cherry tomatoes, etc. Was it attracted to any of that?

I'm going to keep an eye out for it and if I see it again, I'll notify the list.

By the way, the Yellow headed blackbirds are especially abundant on the south end of Highland Lake this year, and I was able to see my first fledglings. They almost look like chicks that have started to feather out a bit.

Pauli

Higlandlake/Mead, Weld County

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From: DAVID A LEATHERMAN <daleat...@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2025 11:21 AM

To: Pauli Driver-Smith <hollyho...@msn.com>
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Different bird at my deck last evening

 

Pauli

Could it have been a Blackburnian Warbler?

Dave Leatherman

Get Outlook for iOS

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From: cob...@googlegroups.com <cob...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Pauli Driver-Smith <hollyho...@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2025 10:44:09 AM
To: Jessi Oberbeck <ivory.bil...@gmail.com>; cobirds <cob...@googlegroups.com>

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/LV8P220MB1709E802267E4AD5B2D201AEDF7CA%40LV8P220MB1709.NAMP220.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.

[Gary Brower]

May 27, 2024, Cherry Creek State Park.

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[Pauli Driver-Smith]

I haven't seen it again, but if it is still around, I'll keep an eye out. I have about 60+ trees on my property across from Highland Lake. They are very birdy this year,  but until last evening, nothing unexpected.

Pauli

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From: Ira Sanders <zroadr...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2025 12:00 PM
To: Patrick O'Driscoll <pato...@gmail.com>
Cc: Mary Keithler <mkei...@gmail.com>; Driver-Smith Pauli <hollyho...@msn.com>; cobirds <cob...@googlegroups.com>

[Mary Keithler]

Hi Pauli,

I believe a warbler would be eating bugs, probably not seeds.

Mary 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 20, 2025, at 12:42 PM, Pauli Driver-Smith <hollyho...@msn.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/LV8P220MB1709D15D5112105A69AFA810DF7CA%40LV8P220MB1709.NAMP220.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.