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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