The hawks were few in numbers on this Oct.14 day at the Cranberry marsh Raptor Watch, but we did have a wonderful look at a Northern Goshawk streaking through, along with 1 male Northern Harrier, 13 TVs, 14 Sharpies, 12 Red-taileds, 1 MERLIN and 1 PEREGRINE.
Over a period of 5 hours several of us kept a vigil on a sparrow-like bird that fed with a number of White-crowned, White-throated and Song Sparrows on the pathway just 5-8 m.behind our platform. Any sign of a Blue Jay sent all birds scurrying, only to return for us to examine a few moments later!! Each of 25 or more times this one bird was the last to appear on the path. So, what was it?---Dan Kaczynski, Colleen & Mike Boudreau, Jim McKnight, King Baker and I took our time, finally agreeing that it was an immature DICKCISSEL (I sketched it, and, later, Jim Fairchild took several photos). FEATURES--- brown-speckled nape, faint eye-ring, faint-yellowish eyebrow, a narrow chestnut shoulder bar, pale yellowy-white throat, distinct bib-line with faint streaking leading down through a yellow-orange breast and a brownish lateral throat stripe on each side leading right up to the bill. These are the features that struck my eyes. OF INTEREST--on Nov.11 of 2002 we had an immature Dickcissel in the alder tree beside the platform. Doug Lockrey, coordinator CMRW "Doug Lockrey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
