The prize bird of a quick pre-work feederwatch at 7:15 this morning was a 1st year WHITE-EYED VIIREO.  I think it was associating with chickadees that were coming to our feeder;  the vireo was not interested in the feeders, but instead hopped around on the ground, on the fence and in various bushes at the back of the yard.  I had very good views of the strongly yellow lores, yellow flanks paling to off-white in the center and a whiteish throat, and pretty evenly dull greenish upperparts.  It was a dark-eyed bird.  I have never paid much attention to the color of the greater covert bar in this species, but this bird had strongly yellow wingbars, not white as is typically illustrated.  It hung around in good view for a couple of minutes then went into next door's yard.
 
A Red-breasted Nuthatch came to the feeder and birdbath yesterday at dusk.  We have also had Purple Finch this week (though we get those annually in early November) but no Siskins yet. This is about as diverse as it gets in our backyard.
 
Regards
 
Clive Harris
Cabin John, MD



			
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