[Douglbirds] Warbler ID

[KarenSMetz at cs.com]

This warbler, about 5 inches, was 7 feet from me, and below me, in partial 
shade, gleaning insects off a Caryopteris shrub.  I watched it very closely 
through 7x42 binoculars for a few minutes, and here is what I saw:

Pale gray head contrasting with an olive green, not gray, back
No color visible on the crown
Complete white eye ring
Bright yellow throat
Yellow bib
Pale yellow breast and sides, contrasting with a lighter, grayer belly
Olive green wings and body
No wing bars
Bright yellow undertail coverts
No color on rump

I first assumed this warbler to be a Virginia's but the body color was 
definitely olive and definitely not gray; the breast and belly were yellow, not 
gray; and the throat was strikingly bright yellow, not gray.  These three features 
made me pause,  stimulating some doubt.  Is this individual simply much more 
colorful than the typical Virginia's?  I know Nashville Warbler is very 
unlikely.  Would NAWA likely be this far south this early, if coming from Alberta 
and Saskatchewan?  What do you think? 

Thanks for any input.   

Karen Metz
Franktown/Deerfield







   
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