Michele, Chances are it's an aberrant Black-capped Chickadee. See http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/brown-headed%20chickadee.htm for an example of a bird we saw back in 2004.
The cap color is only one of several differences between Boreal and Black-capped chickadees. Boreal has a gray, not white, cheek and nape. The sides and flanks are rather dark brown. It has no white in the wings and tail. Look for those things when you see the bird again. Best, Kevin From: bounce-123270698-3493...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-123270698-3493...@list.cornell.edu> On Behalf Of Michele Emerick Brown Sent: Friday, January 25, 2019 11:29 AM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Pale chickadee Hello All, I've been seeing what can best be described as a pale Black-capped Chickadee at my feeders this winter. The cap is pale brownish grey. It looks like a Black-capped Chickadee in every other way. It is very shy, so I've had no luck getting a photo. Could this be a Boreal Chickadee? I'm on BUFFALO Hill in Caroline, but this seems a bit south for its range. Thanks, Michele -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
