Hello fellow birders,

At 4:30 this afternoon while studying outside Meiling Hall at OSU (by the
medical center) I saw a few warblers arrive and feed in the trees by the
building.  Last fall and this spring, I've been absolutely amazed at the
number and diversity of warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and so forth that
I've seen in this small group of 5 or 6 trees.  Today, there was a very
obliging male Canada Warbler accompanied by a similarly obliging first year
Blackpoll Warbler.  There was another warbler with them, however, that has
me a little confused, and if there is anybody with more experience that can
offer some insight on this, I would LOVE it.  This bird was not cooperating
with me like its companions were; it kept feeding very actively close to the
treetop and the ends of branches, so there was usually foliage partially
obstructing my view. The Canada and Blackpoll fed a little lower and among
the somewhat larger branches.  After torturing my neck for about 25 minutes
trying to follow it and get decent views, I think it may have been some
degree of cross between a Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers.  It had
a dark eyestripe, pale yellowish-white supercilium, olive crown and back,
unmarked yellow throat and breast, white belly, yellow lower belly and rear
flanks, pure white undertail coverts, olive wings, yellow secondary coverts
(similar to Golden-winged, but not as bright yellow and a little olive
between the feathers), and a somewhat pale grayish bill with darker tip.
It's tail was shortish, square, olive, and unpatterned.  It was noticeably
smaller than the Blackpoll Warbler, and the "jizz" of the bird was
screaming Vermivora at me.  My first thought was Tennessee Warbler, but the
pattern of yellow and white on the underside didn't mesh and the wing
markings of course don't match up with Tennessee.  I have made some sketches
of the bird and scanned them; you can see them at
http://www.dropshots.com/airforcenye#date/2007-09-04/21:39:42  Please note
that it was somewhat difficult to get a good view of the wingbars from
below.  It seemed like a patch of yellow but may have been two broad
wingbars.  Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Good birding,

Nate Nye
Hilliard, OH

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