[MDOsprey] interesting bird

FRIEND55@aol.com
Mon, 30 Aug 1999 14:49:10 EDT


This morning I had a beautiful little bird in my yard that must be some kind 
of escaped caged bird.  I saw it 3 times at less than 20 feet; my husband 
also saw it the third time and was able to verify the markings I called off.

The face up to the dark eye was a bright coral red as was the conical bill.  
The rump or maybe tail base was the same color.  The back was brownish with a 
faint wash of coral.  There were no wingbars on the gray wings.  The crown 
was gray like the cap of a mature catbird.  The tail was gray.  The 
underparts were white with a slight wash of coral red on the upper flanks.

The bird was in a weedy woody and herbaceous area and was never seen above 4 
feet.  While we were waiting for the bird to reappear a Chat came into the 
same area.  The bird was smaller than the Chat.  BTW, the only other yard 
records I have for Chat were in August and Sept 1991.

Cloudy, windy up here on the hill, 7:35, 7:50, and 8:05 A.M.

Can anyone identify this lovely bird for me?

Charlotte Friend