Subject: FW: [Tweeters] A Very Dirty or Very Dark Flicker!
Date: Jan 9 08:49:21 2015
From: Rachel Lawson - rwlawson at q.com




I answer the email at Seattle Audubon, and, coincidentally, on Tuesday I looked online for photos of abnormally plumaged flickers, to answer a question from someone in Minnesota. I came across photos of melanistic birds very similar to the one Joan photographed.



http://birding.about.com/od/identifyingbirds/a/melanism.htm



https://www.google.com/#q=melanistic+flicker+image



Rachel Lawson

Seattle

rwlawson at q.com







From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Joan Miller
Sent: Thursday, January 8, 2015 4:29 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] A Very Dirty or Very Dark Flicker!



Tweets,

This incredibly dark Red-Shafted Flicker visited my suet today. I saw it the other day but wasn't able to photograph it then. Luckily today I happened to look out and see it today!

What the heck is going on? Has anyone ever seen such a dark Flicker? It looks like it took a bath in an oil spill. Only by the shape, size, tail, and tell-tale red moustache could I tell it was a Flicker.

I've posted photos: I hope you can them.I'm new to Flickr!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/103959334 at N02/sets/72157649786583628/

Joan Miller
West Seattle

jemskink at g mail dot com