Birded my extended back yard this morning, along South Run, ~1/2-1 1/2 mi. east
of Mercer Lake. Saw 35 species in all, with Purple Finch (2), which are
uncommon here, Rusty Blackbird [8], and a singing Ovenbird (at about 6:45 AM)
being the avian highlights. The overall highlight was coming face-to-face (at
about 40 feet) with a Red Fox with its mouth full of N. Flicker as it
approached me down a trail.
Also, we had a female Piliated Woodpecker come to our feeder this morning, many
of whose primary and secondary wing feathers (nearly bi-laterally symmetric)
are tan instead of black. We had a Piliated last year with a similar coloring,
maybe the same individual.
Scott Priebe
Springfield, VA
