Totally awesome feeder bird
Mike Collins (collins@ram.nrl.navy.mil)
Wed, 23 Sep 1998 21:41:19 -0400
Although I've been birding within walking distance of my
apartment every day this month, I have been blown away
by some of the birds that have shown up. I never thought I
would see a Connecticut Warbler in migration, but it
became a junk bird. I never dreamed of seeing a Brewster's
Warbler, but then I did two days in a row. After lucking
out with so many Connecticut and Mourning Warblers and
seeing all the willow thickets at Wakefield Park, I started
thinking that MacGillivray's Warbler could show up. And
it did!
But now I have seen something that I found even more
shocking, and it was at my feeder--at my apartment--inside
the Beltway! A year ago, a Lincoln's Sparrow showed up
at the 7-11 nearby. It was close enough to be a yardbird,
one that I thought would never be surpassed. But the bird I
saw today blows it away. I'm curious if anyone can guess
what it was. Hint 1: It was eating seed. Hint 2: It has
appeared on the DC area RBA but not for some time. Hint
3: It's a gorgeous bird. Hint 4: It is a native species. I hope
you don't mind the quiz, but I am very curious if anyone
would expect this bird.
Want to hear something funny. My wife (an avid backyard
birder) spotted the bird yesterday and described it to me. I
told her what it might be based on her description and then
said that it couldn't possibly be that bird. I then forgot
about it because I figured it would leave last night with the
cold front. When I got home this evening, I decided to
watch the birds at the feeder for a while. Then I caught
sight of a strange bird and had no idea what it was. All I
could think was "European vagrant." Then I realized it was
in winter plumage and figured it out. How bizarre. I was
able to ID it from my wife's description, but then drew a
blank when I saw it!
Mike Collins
Annandale, Virginia
collins@ram.nrl.navy.mil