While I was out atlasing today, I came across two oddities. 

This first was an otherwise healthy looking adult grackle with no feathers 
on it's head. I've heard of this before, but this is the first time I've 
ever seen it!

The second was when I saw, out of the corner of my eye, 3 birds chasing 
eachother. At first, all I could see were 3 different colored blurs, one 
orange, one blue and one brownish. The blue blur became a male bluebird, 
the brownish one a female cowbird, and I figured the orange one was a male 
Baltimore Oriole. When I found it again with my binoculars, I realized it 
was in fact an very orange colored Scarlet Tanager! The sides were a bit 
paler, but the rest of the body was almost as bright orange as an oriole! 
Quite a spectacular bird.

I continue to find Henslow's Sparrows most places with suitable habitat for 
them, and possibly an Alder Flycatcher, although it wasn't great Alder 
habitat, so it could have just been a willow with an abberant song.. I 
recorded it, and Aaron Boone is going to listen to it and let me know what 
he thinks. If anyone is in the area and wants to go find the bird and let 
me know what they think, I'd be glad to give you directions. 

Other than that, there were a few early warblers that seemed to be getting 
ready to migrate, including a redstart, a few parula and several warbling 
and white-eyed vireos. Also, a migrating empid that taunted me by staying 
very visible and very silent for a good half an hour..

Good Birding
David Rankin

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