[MDOsprey] Dickcissel Still at Lake Elkhorn In Howard County

Darius Ecker (eckerd@prodigy.net)
Tue, 14 Dec 1999 19:34:34 -0500 

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For those interested, the Dickcissel was seen Monday morning, September =
13 at 8:15 AM in a small tree embedded in a multiflora rose at the =
lakes's edge behind the Townhouses next to the dam at Lake Elkhorn.  The =
bird is still with a large group of Weaver Finches. I got to watch it at =
close range (15 feet) for five minutes, before it dropped down below the =
bank into the brambles and dissappeared. This was a tough bird for me to =
see, and I put in well over fours hours of trying before finally seeing =
it.

It was worth the wait. But I thought I could see black at the base of =
the feathers in the throat, and a fairly pronounced chestnut patch on =
the wing. The yellow on the breast was also more extensive than I was =
expecting for a female.  Could this bird be a male Dickcissel in winter =
plumage instead of a female ? Can the female show traces of black at the =
throat ?

If it didn't drown today in the rain, I'm hoping to go back and try for =
a photo.  A great bird.

Darius Ecker (eckerd@prodigy.net)

Columbia, Maryland.


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For those interested, the Dickcissel = was seen=20 Monday morning, September 13 at 8:15 AM in a small tree embedded in a = multiflora=20 rose at the lakes's edge behind the Townhouses next to the dam at Lake=20 Elkhorn.  The bird is still with a large group of Weaver = Finches. I=20 got to watch it at close range (15 feet) for five minutes, before it = dropped=20 down below the bank into the brambles and dissappeared. This was a tough bird for me to see, and I put in well = over fours=20 hours of trying before finally seeing it.
 
It was worth the wait. But I thought I = could see=20 black at the base of the feathers in the throat, and a fairly pronounced = chestnut patch on the wing. The yellow on the breast was also more=20 extensive than I was expecting for a female.  Could this bird be a = male=20 Dickcissel in winter plumage instead of a female ? Can the female show = traces of=20 black at the throat ?
 
If it didn't drown today in the rain, = I'm hoping to=20 go back and try for a photo.  A great bird.
 
Darius Ecker (eckerd@prodigy.net)
 
Columbia, Maryland.
 
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