327. Virginia's Warbler

Date         June 12, 2021

Location    Bryce Canyon National Park (Mossy Cave Trail), UT

I heard a song that was vaguely reminiscent of a Wilson's Warbler, so I stayed back while the others walked ahead to the waterfall. I didn't get a great look, but I definitely noticed the yellow undertail coverts -- which I figured would be a clincher -- and a nice white eye ring and the rest was basically gray. The song, field marks, and range all fit this species. QED.

Cornell: Virginia's Warbler

326. Steller's Jay

Date         June 12, 2021

Location    Bryce Canyon National Park (Navajo Trail), UT

We arrived at essentially the bottom of the trail, and we sat down to take a short break. I informed Kevin and Mieka that I had heard something unfamiliar and was going to check it out.

Down from the trail a bit I tracked the chattering sound to a pine tree. Another man was there as well, looking at the tree. He suggested that it was maybe a Pinyon Jay. I got a fairly good look at it -- good enough to ID it, but not a great look since it was in the shadows of the tree limbs -- and looked in my field guide. It was then that I realized that it was a Steller's Jay, not Pinyon, and the man agreed with me. He was visiting from Wyoming.

The jay later moved over to where we were resting, and Mieka got some pictures, but they were without the telephoto lens, so they were basically useless unfortunately.

Cornell: Steller's Jay

325. White-throated Swift

Date         June 12, 2021

Location    Bryce Canyon National Park (Navajo Trail), UT

For a while I thought I was seeing strange-looking swallows flying over the hoodoos, but then I heard their scratchy, descending calls and the light bulb went on. The white throats (and bellies, and sides -- I mean, there's a lot of white going on here compared to White-throated Sparrows) confirmed the identification.

Cornell: White-throated Swift

324. Townsend's Solitaire

Date         June 11, 2021

Location    Bryce Canyon National Park (Inspiration Point), UT

After admiring the view of the hoodoo amphitheater for a bit, I heard an energetic warbling song that I didn't recognize. I saw two birds flitting through the branches of the nearby pine trees. I had to pursue them down the Rim Trail a bit, but I eventually got a decent look at them. The white eye ring was helpful in identification (as was the song, ex post facto). I never saw the buffy wing patches since they were moving so fast and in amongst the shadows of the evergreen branches, but I don't think that's uncommon; even in the picture above, they are barely noticeable.

Cornell: Townsend's Solitaire