Observers: Chris and Rosie Howard
Email: chris93514@gmail.com
Verification: MONO
Remote Name: 72.47.2.164
Date: 09/02/2008
Time: 01:14 AM -0400
Birds were quiet and sparse up the South fork Bishop Creek drainage this morning. We did manage seven warbler species, though. The highlight was a Hermit Warbler foraging in lodgepole pine trees with 4 Townsend's Warblers. None showed any sign of hybridization, which we look for on all Hermit's and Townsend's. The Hermit had a soft golden head with darker olive auriculars and nape. Two white wing bars on dark gray wings. Below was white with no streaking. There was a dusky smudge on the lower throat, so we wonder if it was a young male. The other warblers were 1 Orange-crowned (lutescnens), 2 Nashville, 2 Wilson's, 1 MacGillvray's (heard only), and a few Audubon's. We also observed two empids, which we both felt were Dusky's. Notably absent were Green-tailed Towhees, Fox Sparrows, and Hermit Thrushes.