Subject: wayward Bunting?
Date: Dec 12 18:15:07 2003
From: Marie Agun - magun at pacifier.com


I live in SW Washington, Columbia River Gorge area. The house sits at 960 feet. For the last 2 days, I have had a strange bird visit my feeders. At first I thought it was an albino House Finch (since it seems to be traveling with a flock of House FInch's). But one closer inspection, this little bird would appear to be a way-ward MacKay's Bunting, winter phase. About 6 inches, white with tannish shoulders and black primary flight feathers.

Has anyone ever seen a MacKay's Bunting this far south, or is it something else?

Marie
magun at pacifier.com