So I've looked at the pictures and I've seen that type of Junco several times before (thought not yet this year). I had always assumed they were a bright variation of the female Dark-eyed Junco. So my question is, just how frequent (or infrequent) are 'Cassiar' Juncos in MD? And are there any fairly consistent methods of telling them apart from female and immature Dark-eyed Juncos? 

Mike H.
Baltimore City 

On Dec 1, 2011, at 9:32 PM, jgbrc <> wrote:

> Great finds Russ and Rob!  This reminds me of the time my wife and I birded the Cassiar region of northern British Columbia on our way back from the Yukon.  It's great to think a little bit of that amazing land flew all the way across the continent to visit our region!
>  
> Jason Berry
> Washington, DC
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Russ Ruffing <>
> To:  
> Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 7:28 PM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] "Cassiar" Dark-eyed Junco
> 
> I had a probable Cassiar at my feeder in Woodstock, MD in early January of this year. Rob's bird is extremely similar to my bird, as can be seen here:
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/yawncelot/6438932457/in/photostream
> 
> It is listed as a "Pink-sided" in the MD/DCRC for now, but that's because I mistakenly reported it to ebird as a Pink-sided - was not familiar with the Cassiar subspecies at the time. It will be interesting to see what becomes of all the western junco reports that are pending review.
> 
> Russ Ruffing
> Woodstock, MD
> 
> 
> On 12/01/11, Robert Ostrowski<> wrote:
> I, along with Peter Osenton and David Kidwell, observed a striking Junco on
> Assateague Island last Saturday that shows signs of being of one of the
> western subspecies. Literally seconds before my camera ran out of
> batteries, I snapped off a few photos of this interesting bird, and after
> reviewing them at home, have become more and more inclined to think that it
> is of the "cismontanus" subspecies, which is putatively part of the
> Slate-colored group but differing from our typical hyemalis birds.
> 
> The status of the Cassiar in the east seems to me to be blurry at best, and
> talking with others who have knowledge of the situation, there are a
> significantly higher number of claims than documented records, especially
> "slam dunk" records. The MD/DCRC hasn't yet reviewed the vast majority of
> western Junco reports from our area, and when they do, it should prove to
> be challenging. As far as specimens, there is at least one mearnsi from
> Washington DC (10/26/1979) (found dead by Rick Blom) and a cismontanus
> (Chan Robbins) from MD.
> 
> I've posted a few photos (link below) of the bird on my Flickr site and
> would be interested to hear any comments from those who have
> studied/observed this confusing group of birds.
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/35144142@N04/sets/72157628234080209/
> 
> Rob Ostrowski
> Crofton, MD
> 
> 
> ############################
> 
> To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
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> Woodstock, MD in early January of this year. Rob's bird is extremely similar to my bird, as can be seen here:
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/yawncelot/6438932457/in/photostream
> 
> It is listed as a "Pink-sided" in the MD/DCRC for now, but that's because I mistakenly reported it to ebird as a Pink-sided - was not familiar with the Cassiar subspecies at the time. It will be interesting to see what becomes of all the western junco reports that are pending review.
> 
> Russ Ruffing
> Woodstock, MD
> 
> 
> On 12/01/11, Robert Ostrowski<> wrote:
> I, along with Peter Osenton and David Kidwell, observed a striking Junco on
> Assateague Island last Saturday that shows signs of being of one of the
> western subspecies. Literally seconds before my camera ran out of
> batteries, I snapped off a few photos of this interesting bird, and after
> reviewing them at home, have become more and more inclined to think that it
> is of the "cismontanus" subspecies, which is putatively part of the
> Slate-colored group but differing from our typical hyemalis birds.
> 
> The status of the Cassiar in the east seems to me to be blurry at best, and
> talking with others who have knowledge of the situation, there are a
> significantly higher number of claims than documented records, especially
> "slam dunk" records. The MD/DCRC hasn't yet reviewed the vast majority of
> western Junco reports from our area, and when they do, it should prove to
> be challenging. As far as specimens, there is at least one mearnsi from
> Washington DC (10/26/1979) (found dead by Rick Blom) and a cismontanus
> (Chan Robbins) from MD.
> 
> I've posted a few photos (link below) of the bird on my Flickr site and
> would be interested to hear any comments from those who have
> studied/observed this confusing group of birds.
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/35144142@N04/sets/72157628234080209/
> 
> Rob Ostrowski
> Crofton, MD
> 
> 
> ############################
> 
> To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
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> 
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> 
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