RobinHood

That would make me a happy camper. Both are "rare" at the moment so I have posted it as Rusty but commented on the dark eye and will see what the reviewer thinks.

Southern Georgian Bay today. A little rusty with ducks after the summer. I'm leaning female Redhead (overall brown colour and round head) versus Ring-necked (distinct eye ring). Thanks.

Another photo. I think the overall colouring looks like Rusty? Brewer's is almost unheard of in this area.

Southern Ontario this morning. Fairly sure this is a Rusty but all the photos show a dark eye, maybe the lighting. Thanks.

Thanks. It was just the one in the centre I wondered about - rounder head and face pattern (should have said) but was pretty doubtful.

Southern Ontario today. Ruddy Duck maybe or is it just the angle. We don't see many Ruddy in this area so worth checking one way or the other. Thanks.

Proud parent.

Thanks Benjamin. I suspected the answer was along these lines and there is certainly a difference between the two types of "streaking". It's just strange that this is the bird that I find it on routinely (along with the white rather than buffy undertail coverts), maybe this particular colour lends itself to this phenomenon more readily. I wondered if the more expert birders had just got used to it and no longer even noticed it as per the Tony L. comments about recognizing (your holistic viewing) versus IDing. Anyway, enough time has been wasted on this. Appreciate the input.

Thanks. That's made my day - been trying to spot one for a while.

Southern Ontario this morning. High hopes for this one. Appeared quite chunky with a large head and the very distinct eye ring looked to be yellow. Wishful thinking again? Thanks.

Thanks for the responses. It didn't help that I posted the wrong image (too early, too much coffee and too much of a hurry to leave the house). The I mage I meant to post is below, same bird. I have others that are more prominent. The breast streaking tends to be muddier, larger and less linear. The undertail coverts of this bird are also more white than buffy. Basically I was asking anyone with extensive experience with warblers whether the breast streaking and colour of the undertail coverts are fairly reliable markers if that is all you have for a reliable ID. Thanks.

I've been seeing a lot of what I believe to be Bay-breasted Warblers over the past week or so (about twenty yesterday). First photo from yesterday. I've been using the feet colour to distinguish and almost all the Bay-breasted have a lot of buffiness on the sides. However my guides all say no breast streaking for Bay-breasted and streaking for Blackpoll. At least half of the Bay-breasted I see appear to have some level of streaking. Second photo shows typical amount of streaking I see. Also the Bay-breasted often have white undertail coverts rather than buffy. Just wondered if first of all my ID is wrong (oops) or do others see the same streaking I do but have just got used to it and ignore it. I'm still wondering if perhaps hybrids are quite common or a more likely explanation that the guides are overstating this difference.

Bay-breasted Warbler put on quite a preening show yesterday.