I had a very similar observation (without photos) and similar confusion. The bird was fairly bright and felt a bit hooded, but I could never really get a clear look at it. I considered mourning warbler, but leaned towards orange crowned. Perhaps because I'd seen them here before in the same habitat, but decidedly plainer, duller birds. Is there anything in the behavior that could help to separate the two species. This bird was foraging in my field, staying on the stems of various stiff clumps of grasses or the stems of mowed buckthorn clumps. It stayed in one clump for several minutes, never getting above the level of the surrounding grasses, and then it would shoot off to another clump providing brief glimpses. Inga Schmidt Geauga Co. On Aug 26, 2010, at 9:27 AM, Kenn Kaufman wrote: > Hi Ray, > > Yes, you're right: Mourning Warbler. You've captured a perfect > side view, > so we can see the stocky body shape, with relatively long undertail > coverts > extending back along the tail (Orange-crowned Warbler would look more > compact and its tail would extend farther past the undertail > coverts). The > relatively thick bill and the strong legs and feet on your bird are > also > better points for Mourning. The slight pale crescents above and > below the > eye are good for either species at this season, but Orange-crowned > would > show more of a dark line through the eye as well. The pattern of the > underparts on this bird would also suggest Mourning. Finally, the > date is a > critical point: It's not unusual for migrant Mourning Warblers to be > coming > through in late August, but this would be exceptionally early for > Orange-crowned, which shouldn't show up here much before mid- > September. > > Kenn Kaufman > Oak Harbor, OH > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Silvey" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 11:21 PM > Subject: [Ohio-birds] Help with ID of warbler from Pickerington Ponds > > >> Last Saturday on my way back from viewing the Mississippi Kites I >> stopped >> at Pickerington Ponds and had a look at what I thought was >> an Orange-Crowned Warbler. After reviewing the photo though, I am >> not so >> sure. I am not used to seeing so much gray in the head. My other >> thought >> is >> maybe a Mourning ? >> >> http://www.raysrock.com/warbler_unknown_1DS3_13321_pickerington_ponds_oh.jpg >> >> Thanks for any help. >> >> Ray Silvey >> jumlikpo at yahoo period com >> > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/ > . > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]