Posted by Michael L. P. Retter (198.178.132.253) on October 17, 2000 at 23:03:16:
My first impression on bird #1 was Bewick's Wren. Then the apparently lacking eyeline threw me. At which poitn I stepped back and noticed the undertail pattern, which immediately made me think of California Gnatcatcher, but the bird appears to be too 'fat.' Then I noticed how brown the wings were. Puzzled for a few seconds, I again noticed the white tips to the retrices. Then I noticed that barred undertail coverts appear to be showing on the righthand (our right) side of the bird. So, again I returned to Bewick's Wren, which is where I stand. I think the view makes the eyeline less obvious than it "should" be. The streaked auriculars are also a plus.
#2 - Mac Warbler.......not really any other thoughts here.
But then again, I'm just a farm boy from central Illinois, and I see neither of these birds on a regular basis; that must factor in somewhere.