Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Chestnut-sided Warbler
Scientific name:	Setophaga pensylvanica
Date:	6/25/25
Time:	07:22
Length of time observed:	5 min
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	Male
Location:	Wasatch Hollow Park
County:	Salt Lake
Latilong:	40�'08.4"N 111�'33.9"W
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	15 feet
Optical equipment:	Zeiss Victory 10x42
Weather:	clear calm
Light Conditions:	early morning about 1 hr after sunrise
Description: Size of bird:	Small
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Warbler
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Bright golden Crown, bright crimson streaks on flanks
(Description:) Bill Type:	small straight bill
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I wasn't planning on birding but decided stop by for a few minutes on my way home, so of course I didn't have my camera with me. As I walked down the path from Bryan ave. I heard many Lazuli Buntings singing. I saw a small bird fly up to a snag just off the path near the first large bushes. I put the binoculars on it and was shocked to see a brightly colored un-mistakable Chestnut-sided warbler. It had a bright golden crown and dark red streaks on its sides. It stayed on the snag for several minute preening and I was able to get really great looks for a surprisingly long time despite looking East toward the rising sun. It was still shadowed due to the curve of the ravine. I opened Sibley app to assure myself I wasn't crazy and continued to watch it while debating if I should try and get a picture with the cell phone held up to my binoculars. I saw it sing once and the sound was much quieter than the surrounding Lazulis, but I started a merlin recording hoping it would be able to pick up the song if it sang again. I eventually decided to attempt the cell phone binoculars trick while my eyes were off it it left, and I wasn't able to get a picture. I believe I was able to record its song briefly. Merlin Identified what I believe was the song as a Yellow Warbler, however it was set to Rocky Mountains so that would be understandable. I didn't see any Yellow warblers in the area but they could have been there. As I am not very familiar with chestnut-sided warbler song I could be wrong about the recording. I uploaded the recording to my ebird list.
Song or call & method of delivery:	I saw it sing once and may have gotten a bad recording via merlin which I will attach to the ebird list. (ebird audio)
Behavior:	Sitting and preening.
Habitat:
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Nothing is really like it that I could think of as a breeding male. It was really distinctive
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Ive seen it a few times, once in SLC but that was an immature/female.
References consulted:	Sibley Birds App
Description from:	From memory
Observer:	Beth Cottam
Observer's address:	5484 Walden Wood Cir
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	6/26/2025
Additional material:	merlin recording uploaded to ebird
Additional comments: