English and Scientific names:

English and Scientific names:	Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
Number of individuals:	One individual, adult male in winter plumage
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Jefferson
Specific Locality:	Mississippi River batture in Harahan, La. Closest intersecting street is Normandy
Date(s) when observed:	1-08-11
Time(s) of day when observed:	approx. 3pm
Reporting observer and address:	Lizette Wroten Harahan, La 70123
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	N/A
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)	N/A
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	Sunny, most trees were leafless and the bird was well lit
Optical equipment:	Nikon Monarch 10.5 X 45 binoculars, new
Distance to bird(s):	15 feet initially, then 75 feet
Duration of observation:	Several minutes
Habitat:	Swampy, wooded area between the levee and the Mississippi River, containing Willows, Tallows, some large trees such as Sycamores and Pecans, vines and scrubby undergrowth. Directly across the levee from the spot where the bird was seen is a residential neighborhood with mature hardwoods and conifers.
Behavior of bird:	I was standing in a small clearing pishing when the bird flew in, landing on a sapling about 15 feet in front of me and 10 or 12 feet above the ground. It inspected me for a moment then turned and flew up into a Willow, approx. 30 feet high. It moved somewhat slowly around in the Willow and a couple of adjacent bare trees, and appeared to be gleaning insects.
Description:	When the bird landed in the sapling it was facing me directly, and the first thing I noticed was the "school bus yellow" breast and belly. Very quickly it turned sideways,preparing to fly away from me, and I could see a black wing with two prominent wing bars, which appeared to also be bright yellow. As the bird foraged in the canopy, I could see that it was larger than a warbler, and had the stout, bone colored bill of a tanager. The tail was black, and there was a slight rosy cast to the forehead.
Voice:	Did not vocalize
Similar species:	This bird's bill looked like that of a Summer Tanager and it's shape was like a slightly less stocky Summer Tanager, but the dark wings with pronounced wingbars precluded that species.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	I took two photographs through my binoculars; am submitting cropped versions along with the "as taken" ones.
Previous experience with this species:	Only one. A fall/winter plumaged male landed on a birdbath in my backyard, then flew up into a Live Oak and disappeared. I had a very brief, but very good look; was even able to see the yellow of the rump, something I was not able to see on this bird.
Identification aids:	Peterson's Eastern Birds and National Geographic Birds of North America Sent photos to Nancy Newfield and Glenn Ousset who both agreed they suggest Western Tanager.
This description is written from:	Memory
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Date and time:	1-13-11

Western Tanager

Piranga ludoviciana

One individual, adult male in winter plumage

Jefferson

Mississippi River batture in Harahan, La.

Closest intersecting street is Normandy

1-08-11

approx. 3pm

Lizette Wroten

Harahan, La

N/A

N/A

Sunny, most trees were leafless and the bird was well lit

15 feet initially, then 75 feet

Several minutes

As the bird foraged in the canopy, I could see that it was larger than a warbler, and had the stout, bone colored bill of a tanager. The tail was black, and there was a slight rosy cast to the forehead.

Did not vocalize

This bird's bill looked like that of a Summer Tanager and it's shape was like a slightly less stocky Summer Tanager, but the dark wings with pronounced wingbars precluded that species.

I took two photographs through my binoculars; am submitting cropped versions along with the "as taken" ones.

Only one. A fall/winter plumaged male landed on a birdbath in my backyard, then flew up into a Live Oak and disappeared. I had a very brief, but very good look; was even able to see the yellow of the rump, something I was not able to see on this bird.

Peterson's Eastern Birds and National Geographic Birds of North America

Sent photos to Nancy Newfield and Glenn Ousset who both agreed they suggest Western Tanager.

Memory

Yes