Perhaps a magnification would show the eye circle to be crescents above 
and below the eye. To my eye this bird looks more like a female Mourning 
Warbler. All the MacGillvray's I've seen (Wyoming, Arizona, Texas) don't 
give such a strong impression of an eye ring but rather one of two 
distinct and quite separate crescents. On the basis of these two photos 
(though bird ID's from photos are not my specialty), I would lean 
strongly towards Mourning Warbler.

Frederick Pratt

On 8/19/2012 13:05, Allan Strong wrote:
> Birders,
>
> Several current and former UVM students were birding yesterday at Dead Creek (Brilyea) and found a possible MacGillivray's Warbler.
>
> In the messages below are links to a couple nice photos and more information on where they saw the bird.  If confirmed, it would be a state-first!
>
> Any thoughts on the photos would be welcome.  MacGillivray's is not a species I've seen very often.
>
> Allan
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: Justin LeClaire <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: August 19, 2012 10:27:00 AM EDT
>> To: Allan Strong <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: Potential rare warbler...
>>
>> It not quite quite a quarter mile down the eastern trail at the brilyea access. The trail that starts at the little parking lot that is passed the dam. It was bouncing around on the underbrush right on the trails edge.
>>
>> My two main reasons for the potential macg's is the light throat that has some gray at the base and that incomplete eye ring. Im glad it's at least not a Nashville! Thanks for spreading the word.
>>
>> Justin
>>
>> On Aug 19, 2012, at 10:09 AM, Allan Strong <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Justin,
>>>
>>> Nice photos!  The bird is either a Mourning or MacGillivray's warbler.  The short tail points more toward Mourning, but the eye-ring pattern looks better for MacGillivray's.  I'll send your email around for some more opinions.  Where exactly did you see the bird?
>>>
>>> Allan
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>> On Aug 19, 2012, at 2:02 AM, Justin LeClaire <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hey Allan!
>>>>
>>>> Earlier today (Saturday the 18th), Tyler, Stephanie and I were birding at the Brilyea access when I came across a yellow warbler with a grayish head and yellowish body that Tyler quickly said was probably a Nashville warbler as soon as he and Stephanie saw the bird. Still being a cool find in my eyes, I took plenty of pictures and got a couple good ones of him. Going through my pictures tonight after work, I came to be almost certain that it is not a Nashville warbler, and though it seems very farfetched, from the research i've been doing for the last hour and a half it appears that it may actually be a MacGillivray's warbler (as you probably know, a western- US bird), and if so I think a female. I've put the two best pictures I have of the little gal on flickr and am pasting the link to them below this message. eBird doesn't even have any reported sightings of this warbler in Vermont in its history and though I am not very optimistic with that in mind- the pictures seem to be a near-perfect fit.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/85270080@N05/?hide_photostream_welcome=1
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> Justin
>