While at a very windy Chincoteague/Assateague on Saturday, on the short Tom's Cove Nature Trail, which borders the tidal marsh behind the beach, one bird confused me more than the others. In retrospect, it seems that it must have been a boat-tailed grackle, and that the lighting was playing tricks on me, but here goes: 12 inches, give or take, glossy dark purple back and head (although it appeared to have a black collar across the nape of the neck), but here's the confusing part - the whole breast/frontside appeared to be a warm tawny brown (both my wife Carole and I clearly saw it as brown). It was very distinctly different from the backside coloration. Any thoughts? Could this be a juvenile (I have no pictures of a juvenile to go on), just poor lighting, or something the storm blew in that I'm unfamiliar with? Thanks for any help, Dan Mullarkey danielm@econ.ag.gov