Date: 10/31/26 10:45 am From: flyingcarlini via NEBirds <flyingcarlini...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] AOS updates feat. UNK Ornithology
Thank you Peggy and Jacob for the lifer! And thank you Thane for posting this important info! We had a migrant marsh-wren here in Lancaster Co a couple days ago that we had assumed was Eastern but after uploading the few pics obtained, started leaning Western instead based on Sibley's examples and also All About Birds' photos of both species which varied A LOT between more and less reddish individuals. Any opinions on our bird and/or advice on how to safely differentiate Eastern and Western would be greatly appreciated! Photo examples seemed consistent on these points (to our amateur eyes so may or may not be accurate):
• solid brown crown and solid brown strip across nape in Western/black peppered into crown and center of nape in Eastern
• richer reddish scapulars contrasting with lighter colored secondaries on Western folded wing/equally reddish color on scapulars extending into secondaries on Eastern folded wing
Are we headed down the right path? Can we hang our hat on any of these points, or are we doomed to report Western/Eastern for non-singing birds? Below is the link to our checklist and attached photo:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S406656056
