Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Chestnut-sided Warbler
Scientific name:	Setophaga pensylvanica
Date:	12/11/2025
Time:	0944
Length of time observed:	Five minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	M
Location:	Farnham Road, Wellington Utah
County:	Carbon
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	5 m
Optical equipment:	Vortex Razor HD 8x42
Weather:	Clear, sunny, way too warm for December (40 degrees)
Light Conditions:	Excellent
Description: Size of bird:	Between the size of a Wilson s and Yellow-rumped
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Warbler shaped, tail frequently cocked up
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Olive back and crown, white underparts, chestnut sides.
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	olive back w/ heavy black striping, olive crown, yellow wing bars, gray nape, white throat and underparts, white undertail coverts, white eye ring, and chestnut sides (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	Made a kind of smacky chip note, which I heard before seeing the bird. I found a warbler call odd at this date, and new it sounded different that the dry chip of the expected YRWA.
Behavior:	Fed low in Russian olive, spent a lot of time feeding on ground in front of tree. When on the ground, the bird often had its tail cocked up.
Habitat:	Riparian, alongside the Price River in Russian olive.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Bay Breasted: This species would show white wing bars w/o yellow crown, less streaking in back, duskier underparts, buff undertail coverts, shorter tail and wings, and a chestnut wash versus stripe down the sides.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	None
References consulted:	Sibley app, The Warbler Guide.
Description from:	From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Carl Ingwell
Observer's address:	Price, Utah
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	12/11/2025
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	Submitted photos to email listed below.