This morning while on my morning walk, I noticed a group of redwing blackbirds in the top of some ceder trees down at the swan town marina. They were pulling ceder "berries" off the limbs. Among them was a bird that I can not find in my copy of NG Birds of North America.
The bird was about the same size as the RW Blackbirds. It had the head of the blackbirds, same shape, same beak, but the black stopped at about the birds shoulders (similar to the way the yellow on a yellowheaded blackbird stops) and from there it became striped and mottled with tawney browninsh orange highlights. Something like a lapland longspurs colorings. I was looking at its side and underparts mostly, and on the underside of its tail at the tips were offwhite round to oval patches. I have literally went through my book from start to end and have not seen anything like it. The birds flew off and out over the water towards E Bay Drive.

Any ideas?

Maurie Kirschner
Olympia, WA
outdoorchickerooatyahoo.com


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