tags: Black and White Warbler, Mniotilta varia, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Black and White Warbler, Mniotilta varia, photographed in Quintana and Beach, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 20 March 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with tsn-pz camera eyepiece 1/350s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
I'll take a stab and say a black and white warbler. The field marks are the black and white stripes on the head and back, the white edges to the wings, and the funny black checks on the rump. And they're in Texas this time of year. Cute birds.
And, judging from the brownish primaries, this is a Black-and-white Warbler in just its second summer. Hatched last summer (AHY or after-hatch-year, in the jargon), it has yet to go through a complete molt that will give it those totally black flight feathers of an older bird.