English and Scientific names:	Bell's Vireo, Vireo bellii
Number of individuals:	1, adult, alternate plumage - based on intensity of "yellow" on flanks and brightness of wing bars
Locality: LOUISIANA:	St. Martin Parish
Specific Locality:	University of Louisiana at Lafayette Farm on southeast corner of 15 acre wooded wetland woodlot north-central property line. Farm is located on approximately 1 mile south of LA 92 and is accessed by W. J. Bernard Road.
Date(s) when observed:	July 13, 2004
Time(s) of day when observed:	Approximately 7:40 AM CDST
Reporting observer and address:	Jay V. Huner St. Martinville, Louisiana
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	None
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s):	None
Light conditions:	Bird was at edge of woods moving in and out of shadows. Light was good and coming over observer's shoulder.
Optical equipment:	Swift 8 x 42 Waterproof Binoculars
Distance to bird(s):	Approximately 20 minutes [sic]
Duration of observation:	approximately 3 minutes
Habitat:	Forest edge - bottomland hardwood woodlot
Behavior of bird:	The bird was flying in and out of the forest edge, apparently feeding. It stopped several times permitting me to see it from the right side several times for 15-20 seconds in good light.
Description:	The bird had a visible white eye ring and white lore. The eye color was dark. The head was slate gray. The flanks were yellowish. There was a distinct white wing bar. The back was greenish. Size was similar to a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher which I had seen a few minutes before - around 4.5 inches. In the absence of any photos, most observers would suggest that I saw a young White-eyed Vireo. Under normal circumstances, I would defer to such learned judgement. But the white eye ring and white lore stood out to me. The bird also "seemed" physically smaller than a White-eyed Vireo although shape varies greatly depending on feather fluffing. As luck would have it, Thayer's Guide to North American Birds includes a "film" of Bell's Vireo and very plainly shows the field marks I noted.
Voice:	Bird was silent.
Similar species:	This is a repeat of item 15. But, again, the white eye ring and white lore plus the slate gray head convinced me that I was not seeing an immature White-eyed Vireo.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	No, sad to say. Sort of hard to anticipate seeing a bird that needs to be documented with photos!
Previous experience with this species:	I viewed a western form of Bell's Vireo briefly in Arizona in April 2004. The yellow wash on the flanks identify this bird as an eastern form of Bell's Vireo.
Identification aids: at time of observation:	None - just thought it was an odd looking vireo.
after observation:	Approximately 6 hours after observation, I consulted, in the following order, the Sibley Guide to Birds, Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2nd edition, and A Guide to Field Identification - Birds of North America. Later that evening, I reviewed Peterson's - A Field Guide to the Birds of Texas, Peter Field Guides - Western Birds, and National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds - Eastern Region. This morning - July 14, 2004 - I reviewed my Thayer's Birds of North America CD and Lowery's 1972 edition of Birds of Louisiana.
This description is made from?	I first made notes about 6 hours after seeing the bird. Yes, I was influenced by the photos and images that I saw in the guides as well as the written descriptions.
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes, at this point I am based on the white eye ring and white lore.
Reporter:	Jay V. Huner
Date and time:	July 14, 2004 - 9:25 AM