Guess I shouldn't have believed my eyes. It turns out that, based on a few photos I took, a couple of better birders than I (and I agree with them) believe that the "rusty blackbird" was actually a small female Common Grackle. Carole GobertKnoxville From: cpgobert@xxxxxxxxxxx To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [TN-Bird] Rusty Blackbird Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:26:19 -0500 The plummeting temperatures and light snow brought a new bird to my yard in west Knox County, TN.... I could hardly believe my eyes when I spotted a Rusty Blackbird under the feeders this morning. The yard is full of birds including the first 3 juncoes I've had this winter, two Red-winged Blackbirds and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Carole Gobert, Knoxville, TN