Hi, 

My attention was attracted to a different chickadee
call on Monday afternoon, a little way upriver from
Violette's Lock, while I was searching
(unsuccessfully) for the Neotropic Cormorant.  The
call was lower-pitched, coarser, and slower than a
Carolina Chickadee call.  I finally located the bird
as it was foraging among vines and leaves and saw that
the cheeks were bright white and contrasted markedly
with the underparts.  The flanks showed a light buffy
tone, and the rest of the underparts were a slightly
whiter tone than than I thought a Carolina ought to
display.  The coverts and flight feathers were edged
in white (though the white was not as obvious as the
white on the cheeks).  I did not think to look at the
tail length and was not able to see the nape full on. 
I looked at the bib but I don't remember anything
about it.  

This is the most head-turning chickadee call I've
heard in the DC area in many years.  Based on the call
and the white cheeks, and recollections of the
chickadees we saw in Minneapolis five weeks ago, I am
thinking of this bird as a ?Black-capped Chickadee, in
spite of my unsatisfactory view.  

Gotta run, 

Rob Hilton
aimophila10
Silver Spring
yahoo

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