From the Va. list serve, FYI my Maryland friends.

Date: Mon, May 9, 2011 at 10:04 PM
Subject: Orange -Variant Tanager
To: 

While I was fixing lunch today, I looked out my kitchen window at the bird
bath about 8-10 feet away) and saw a bright orange bird about the size of a
Cardinal or a Robin.  Having never seen an  Oriole in my yard before, I ran
and got my camera and managed to get about 30 shots before the bird few
away. It was a beautiful bright orange bird. As I was reviewing he pictures
in my camera, I realized something was odd; the bird had no wing bars and no
black on the head or neck. It was not an Oriole; it was a Tanager; an
orange-variant  "Scarlet" Tanager.  Sibley ( 2000, P. 463), notes such birds
are "occasional."  Chan " Robbins, (1966, 1983\, p.306) notes such birds are
usually "first year males".  I had seen orange Tanagers before, always at a
distance; never so close or so orange as the one I saw today. It really was
a stunning bird.
Earlier in the day I had seen a bright, male Cape May Warbler in the stream
at Monticello Park, and in the late afternoon was able to photograph an even
brighter Cape May from about 15 feet in a friend's back yard bird steam.
What a day !!  Isn't May wonderful?
-- --
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.

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