It's not often you catch a glimpse of a bird that you have never seen before ... although I would venture that there are those who actually don't keep track, who don't even HAVE a life list ... but I digress ...
Where I was going was ... what are the chances that you are sitting in your kitchen finishing a gourmet weeknight dinner of KFC and there! ... on your DECK ... coming RIGHT UP TO THE WINDOW ... is a bird that you KNOW you have never seen before, and you are not even sure you know what it is!?
Small, crisp, streaked, short tail ... bobbing like a stumpy little Killdeer ... long pink legs and a white eye stripe. Something about the shape kept saying "Ovenbird" to me, and I can't even remember ever seeing an Ovenbird ... at least not since I was maybe 12 on a hike in Linwood.

And no, this is not my photo ... did any of us think to grab the camera? no, I was too busy saying things like "Pink Legs" ... "White Eye Stripe" ... "Bobbing tail" so that I would remember these when he flew away.
All three of us were right up at the window, birding dad had the scope and I went for the Peterson's. Then quickly from the Peterson's to the Smithsonian searching for a discription of that tail bobbing that would confirm it for me.
and the final verdict is I AM NOT SURE!
We saw either a Louisiana Waterthrush, or a Northern Waterthrush. But I think I'm leaning Northern, although he was not as Yellow as Peterson's portrays it...
still want more? ...

Posted by sunybank at July 10, 2008 03:32 AM