Hi,
I've not been out birding, but I've been living vicariously through the
plentiful and at times astonishing reports on the list serve.
In last week of April my backyard had one Wilson's, one MacGillivray's, and two
Orange Crowned Warblers.
This evening, May 1, I observed what I suspect, but can't insist, is a Bell's
Vireo. Overall very drab; bill longer and heavier than a warbler. Eye ring
noticeable but not pronounced, same with the one wingbar that was visible
through binoculars. Very twitchy. As in "Will you please sit still for one
second" twitchy. I didn't know enough to look for any particular tail action;
but again, it certainly twitched a lot. The eye seemed large, the way a Yellow
Warbler's eye looks large, or an empid's; but it did not behave like, or have
the shape of, a flycatcher. It was by the stream, which seems right for Bell's
according to the guidebooks; but was feeding in the mid-story of the trees, not
lower down as the guidebooks report. But I guess they have to go where the
bugs are.
If someone gets to Aztlan soon, maybe keep an eye out for it. Otherwise, it
was pretty slow there for the half 45 minutes I spent there.
Cheers,
Bill