FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] An unusual sighting...

["IE Ries" <FEATHERCHASER@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As some of you might know, I'm in a townhouse community which doesn't have back 
yards, but communal thoroughfares.  Imagine my surprise when I looked out the 
back window this morning to see, of all things...an overbird!  The little 
beauty was spotted walking in the thick bushes which crowd up against the fence 
separating the community from the yard of a single-family dwelling.  There's a 
little green strip that runs along the fencelines up and down that direction, 
and I use that area to shovel and rake discarded seed from my birdfeeding 
stations.  The birds and squirrels forage back there, and I've seen lots of 
finches, a towhee now and then, and cardinals.  But the ovenbird was a complete 
surprise!  I can barely get my binoculars on one out in the woods, they're so 
had to locate as it is...and here was one, in suburbia, winding its way through 
the bushes and clumps of grass, picking at bits of this and that.
The other surprise I had was a brown thrasher who visits my feeding station 
every so often.  The other day it was sitting in one of the potted plants I 
have outdoors while the weather is nice.  It seemed to have gotten 'comfy there 
and was relaxing.  But I noticed something that I'd seen already a few days 
ago, and I'm wondering if anyone can comment on this.  The thasher seemed to 
have little bald cheeks, right behind its beak.  It was as thought that area of 
its face was a little swollen, and I could see the pink flesh on both sides of 
its face; today when I saw the bird, it seemed fluffed up as it walked through 
my neighbor's fenced in yard area.  Is it possible this bird is ill?

Irene in Southside


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