Tweets,

Today at 3:00 PM I was out and about hitting open houses as comps for the
one I'm preparing to sell when I spotted a bird that just caught my eye.
The bird is a crow - but it has a bright yellow beak. This is not a jay, a
nutcracker, a grackle, or a magpie (or a mynah) - it is a crow. It was with
7 other American Crows exhibiting totally normal behavior. The bill isn't
painted, and the color was not something in the crows beak. I had 25' views
with 10X42 bino's. I am stumped - is this some weird genetic variance? An
escapee? I can't find anything like it in any of my guidebooks.

The bird was at the corner of Newcastle Golf Course Rd and SE 136th (also
know as Thomas Rouse Rd.) near the site of the old town of Newcastle. The
bird and others in the flock were perched in a mixed maple/alder grove on
the north side of Newcastle Coal Creek Road and flew down to the roadside
ditch to forage on fast food remains and a 'possum carcass. I'll keep
watching for it in the neighborhood, but thoughts on possible ID's would be
appreciated.

Cheers and good birding!

Rob Conway
Newcastle, WA

robin_birder at hotmail.com