[Birdnet] possible Orchard "type" Oriole at Lucin

[Tim Avery]

This morning Tom and Colby Neuman and myself birded the Lucin trap in 
the West Desert.  We were all sitting on the east side of the pond in 
the trees watching warblers, orioles and tanagers coming to the water on 
the west end of the pond when a female oriole that was conspicuously 
solid colored underneath landed in the cottonwood that is fallen into 
the pond.  Both Tom and I were able to see the bird as it dropped into 
the tree and out of site.  We tried to get Colby on the bird to 
hopefully all get eyes on it and come to an ID.  Unfortunately the bird 
flew up into the canopy and literally "disappeared".  We spent the next 
hour and forty-five minutes scouring the small patch of trees, with no 
luck relocating the bird.  Ironically we only saw /heard 2 more orioles 
the rest of the morning (meaning at least 3 others were not seen/heard 
again.

Tom wasn't sure of the birds ID, but did concur that the birds entire 
undersides were "a yellow-orange-green".  I noted two distinct white 
wing bars, and gray wings, but not much else.  Based off these 
characteristics the possibilities are limited to both Orchard and Hooded 
Oriole.  Unfortunately I didn't note the size of the bird, just the 
"oriole" shape and the fact that it was completely colored 
underneath.    I haven;t had enough experience with either species in 
the field to know the variability in plumage.  One thing ins Sibley that 
struck me was the white feathering on the sides of the female Hooded, 
that our bird definitely DID NOT HAVE.

My gut instinct, along with the fact that it is May 19th tells me that 
this bird was likely a an Orchard Oriole.  I wouldn't expect Hooded 
Oriole to still be migrating north at this date, and overshoot about 300 
miles.  However, I would expect Orchard Oriole to still be moving north, 
and to show up at a western migrant trap at this time. ( I have seen 
Orchard this week in both 2004, and 2005 in eastern Nebraska and in 
Colorado at a trap.)  This date would also be within 10 days of the 
previous sighting of this species in Utah (May 29, 1990 in Fruita).  
Unfortunately, as with most migrant trap birds, it will likely move onto 
the north this evening at dusk.  For those who haven't birded the 
Lucin/Owl/Rabbit Springs area in the west desert during peak migration, 
it is something worth doing at least once.  Lucin is about 47 miles 
north of Wendover on the northern edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats.  
The property is owned by the DWR, and is an old Railroad water station.  
The mass of trees here is an oasis in the desert, where over 120 species 
have been recorded.  WE saw 36 species yesterday morning alone, of which 
30 were likely migrants.  If you would like more information about Lucin 
email me privately...

Colby will post about the entire weekend  when he and his dad return 
form Fish Springs tomorrow evening.  I had to come home early because I 
got two (2) flat tires :(

Good Birding

Tim
tanager at timaverybirding.com