Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2001 14:25:04 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Bob Hartman Subject: help please MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi - While waiting for Lily Pons to open this morning, I birded along Lily Pons and Oland Rds. Just east of Lily Pons entrance, on the snag s of LP Rd and w of the little creek, I saw an adult Red-tailed Hawk with unusual coloration: very light (creamy) head, and some brown-barred white feathers in the scapulars. Is this the time they are moulting? The mystery bird of the day was seen briefly but at close range just east of the river on LP road. It had shape, size, bill, and crest very similar to the many Sky Larks I saw in Hawaii recently, but very different color pattern. The upper parts, including the upper half of the head, were uniform brown, fairly dark, with no markings discernible. The breast and belly were off-white, with the throat somewhat darker (but still pretty light). There was no clear demarcation between the dark upper head and neck, just a gradual washout to the light throat. The only possible ID I can come up with is a young E. Phoebe. However, I've never seen an E. Phoebe with such a distinct crest, and I saw no evidence of the darker wash that should show across the breast. I would appreciate comments. Oland road was the deadest I've ever seen it - the best (and only) bird was the single pigeon on the barn. At Lily Pons itself, the only interesting birds in addition to the swallows, kingfishers, and herons/egrets were a small flock of Indigo Buntings, several singing White-eyed Vireos, and a *single* Cedar Waxwing, probably young. Bob Hartman Colesville, MD PS - The crest of the mystery bird was not continuous like a cardinal or waxwing crest, but consisted of about a half-dozen spikes. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================