Tweeters:



I too studied the photos (what a great set by the way) and I vote for 2nd-year male Am. Redstart. I note the bird seems to be in the open of ornamental oak (Quercus) branches, which (not to mention various plumage details) seems more Am Redstart-like than a skulking Oporornis.



Seems we have had no less than 3 Am. Redstarts regionally by mid-May (May 2, Tahuyeh Mason Co; an eastside bird (Charlie Wright et al, Tumwater Canyon? May 12; and now the Queen Anne bird). They all seem early--the County Line ponds' birds in Skagit Co usually show only after June 1, and various westside vagrants seem typical for last week May and through June. Do other observers recall past Am. Redstart encounters in the first half of May?



Scott Atkinson

Lake Stevens

mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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