Birding : My cardinal sin

I can't believe this..

2 days ago I reported that I saw Grace's Warbler. 2 were already there when I arrived and thanks to them could spot it.

And one of them was expert birder and Tropical Parula leader Mr. Marantz! Whom I frequently consult on my findings.

Just found out on SD ebird alert and was flabbergasted. Really I'm getting senile, tripping at the venue and now this.

Sample his 'Marantzian Tome'(brilliant description by another legend Kimball Garrett lol) on ebird;

1	Grace's Warbler This was a well-marked bird despite the fact that the bright yellow coloration was essentially restricted to the face and throat. The crown was medium-gray from the forecrown back to the nape and then down the back and sides of the neck to the back. A blackish band along the lower edge of the crown served to accentuate the supercilium. Demarcating the lower edge of the cap was a supercilium that extended from near the base of the bill through the supraloral region before arching over the eye and then continuing back along the upper edge of the auriculars. The supercilium was bright, lemon-yellow as it extended through the supraloral region, over the eye, and back at least part way across the auriculars, however the rear portion faded to white. A dark wedge that connected the base of the bill with the front edge of the eye served to demarcate the yellow in the supraloral region from the same color on the throat. The dark coloration the lores continued through the moustachial region and along the lower edge of the auriculars that served to demarcate the upper edge of the yellow throat. Complementing the yellow supercilium was a crescent of this same color located under the eye that was demarcated below by the darker moustachial region. The auriculars behind the eye appeared to be at the same shade of gray as the crown and this same color extended back across the sides and back of the neck without any suggestion of a white patch on the neck. The back and scapulars were about the same shade of medium-gray as the crown and I noted at least some suggestion of fine, dark streaking on what I believe was the scapulars and lower back. I never clearly saw the rump, but once when this bird tipped downward I noted that the uppertail coverts were gray with what appeared to be dark shaft-streaks. The upperside of the tail was quite dark, but I have some recollection of paler edges to the rectrices. The wings were relatively well marked with two relatively narrow wingbars that represented white fringes that extended across the tips of both the greater and median coverts. The greaters coverts had blackish bases that contrasted not only with the white tips, but also with narrow edges of gray that produced a row of fine, vertical stripes between the wingbars. The remiges likewise appeared to have dark gray to blackish centers that contrasted with narrow yet well-defined fringes of about the same shade of gray as the back to produce a finely striped pattern to the rear part of the wing. The underparts contrasted strikingly with the upperparts primarily as a result the bright, lemon-yellow color that extended from the chin down across the throat and breast before merging sharply with the white color that extended through the belly, flanks, and undertail coverts. I thought the upper edge of the yellow throat reached the lower edges of the moustachial and auricular regions, and I noted no contrast or markings within the yellow. Whereas the center of the lower breast and belly were unmarked, there were several rows of relatively narrow, blackish streaks that extended along the sides from near the shoulder down along the flanks. I did not think the streaks were his bold, black, or as sharply defined as I have seen on some Grace's Warblers, but these markings were more conspicuous than on the dullest individuals that I have seen. I once thought there may have been some pale yellow on either side of the vent. When seen from below, the tail was mostly white, albeit with a narrow black frame that extended the length of the outer web of the outer feather and which seemed to expand distally to cross the shaft even though it did not curve around the tip. The pattern that resulted was therefore one of striping as opposed to a discrete tail-spot. I thought the bill and eyes were dark even though I could not see their precise coloration. I noted on more than one occasion that the legs were quite dark.

1 Grace's Warbler

This was a well-marked bird despite the fact that the bright yellow coloration was essentially restricted to the face and throat. The crown was medium-gray from the forecrown back to the nape and then down the back and sides of the neck to the back. A blackish band along the lower edge of the crown served to accentuate the supercilium. Demarcating the lower edge of the cap was a supercilium that extended from near the base of the bill through the supraloral region before arching over the eye and then continuing back along the upper edge of the auriculars. The supercilium was bright, lemon-yellow as it extended through the supraloral region, over the eye, and back at least part way across the auriculars, however the rear portion faded to white. A dark wedge that connected the base of the bill with the front edge of the eye served to demarcate the yellow in the supraloral region from the same color on the throat. The dark coloration the lores continued through the moustachial region and along the lower edge of the auriculars that served to demarcate the upper edge of the yellow throat. Complementing the yellow supercilium was a crescent of this same color located under the eye that was demarcated below by the darker moustachial region. The auriculars behind the eye appeared to be at the same shade of gray as the crown and this same color extended back across the sides and back of the neck without any suggestion of a white patch on the neck. The back and scapulars were about the same shade of medium-gray as the crown and I noted at least some suggestion of fine, dark streaking on what I believe was the scapulars and lower back. I never clearly saw the rump, but once when this bird tipped downward I noted that the uppertail coverts were gray with what appeared to be dark shaft-streaks. The upperside of the tail was quite dark, but I have some recollection of paler edges to the rectrices. The wings were relatively well marked with two relatively narrow wingbars that represented white fringes that extended across the tips of both the greater and median coverts. The greaters coverts had blackish bases that contrasted not only with the white tips, but also with narrow edges of gray that produced a row of fine, vertical stripes between the wingbars. The remiges likewise appeared to have dark gray to blackish centers that contrasted with narrow yet well-defined fringes of about the same shade of gray as the back to produce a finely striped pattern to the rear part of the wing.
The underparts contrasted strikingly with the upperparts primarily as a result the bright, lemon-yellow color that extended from the chin down across the throat and breast before merging sharply with the white color that extended through the belly, flanks, and undertail coverts. I thought the upper edge of the yellow throat reached the lower edges of the moustachial and auricular regions, and I noted no contrast or markings within the yellow. Whereas the center of the lower breast and belly were unmarked, there were several rows of relatively narrow, blackish streaks that extended along the sides from near the shoulder down along the flanks. I did not think the streaks were his bold, black, or as sharply defined as I have seen on some Grace's Warblers, but these markings were more conspicuous than on the dullest individuals that I have seen. I once thought there may have been some pale yellow on either side of the vent. When seen from below, the tail was mostly white, albeit with a narrow black frame that extended the length of the outer web of the outer feather and which seemed to expand distally to cross the shaft even though it did not curve around the tip. The pattern that resulted was therefore one of striping as opposed to a discrete tail-spot.
I thought the bill and eyes were dark even though I could not see their precise coloration. I noted on more than one occasion that the legs were quite dark.

Birding

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

My cardinal sin

1

Grace's Warbler

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