[Tweeters] White-eye sp. (Swinhoe’s??) in my back yard July 3rd 2023 - Normandy Park, WA

[Raphael Fennimore]

Greetings Tweeters,

Yesterday afternoon I saw a White-eye in my backyard in Normandy Park, a little south of Seattle! It came into a cherry tree that I had been looking at and investigated the cherries for about 2 minutes before moving on to an ornamental madrone then on to another madrone before flighting up and over my house. I did not have any optical equipment on me (bins or camera) but had my iPhone and captured many photos and a few videos, including one of it calling 10 times (it began calling after I pished/squeaked). I retrieved my bins and camera from inside but never saw or heard it again.

I have never seen any White-eye before, but preliminarily it looks and sounds like a Swinhoe’s to me, although I understand that it may not be possible to tell which White-eye species it was. Opinions and discussion are very welcome, and I have more iPhone photos if other angles might help.

Many thanks! My eBird checklist with photos and audio is here:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S143492658


I also think it warrants mention that the only other record of any White-eye in Washington (I believe) was observed by Matt Dufort less than a month ago in Seattle’s Discovery Park. That is just under 17 miles from me, and so it seems pretty unlikely to me that the bird I saw yesterday was the same individual, but of course that is possible. Matt’s June White-eye checklist can be seen here: https://ebird.org/pnw/checklist/S141055833

A very interesting and seemingly unprecedented couple of White-eye sightings here in Washington!

Raphael

PS: Pls find more, thx <3
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