Well, I risk getting the response: "Hey, dummy, don't you know the XXXX when you
see it?!"

At Nisqually NWR today, I got stumped. Maybe somebody here can help me. The bird
was deep in the blackberry thickets, like a Yellowthroat would be, on the south
side of the trail from the Twin Barns east to the Farm Dike trail -- clearly a
wetlands habitat. In fact, before I saw it, I thought it was a Yellowthroat
because it made the same persistent "Tcheck" sound. I pished it up, and that's
when my trouble started:

Yellowthroat size bird. *Olive-green tail*, in striking contrast to a plain gray
back and head. Minimal wing bars - maybe just the light. Strong white eye ring,
with the suggestion of an extension to the lores. The only eye color I could see
was "dark." No eyebrow. Dark gray or black bill of the Vireo variety. Throat,
chest, and belly were light gray, with the belly transitioning to a *bright
lemon undertail*.

The bird was apparently feeding young, as it carried two or three worms at a
time. I pished it up a few times, which it responded to readily, but after I saw
the multiple worms I left it alone to take care of its babies. Although it moved
around quickly, I did get several very good looks at the tail, undertail, face
and breast. The wings I'm less certain of, re: the bars, and I really wanted to
see the eye in other light directions.

I won't bother you with the Empid <G> I'm pretty sure it was a Willow - but he
would give only the Zzzzwip! Wonderful Great Horned Owl, with bedroom eyes,
roosting right behind the mystery bird. The scuzzy immature Bald Eagle still
hanging around. Several Red-winged Blackbirds and a Crow formed a coalition to
harrass a Red-tailed Hawk into the next county. Then the Red-wings ganged up on
the Crow and chased him off.<G> Beautiful day, beautiful birds, beautiful place.

Thanks for the help,

Jerry


E-mail from: Jerry Blinn, 10-Jun-1996