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Friday, April 3, 2009

What is that bird?

It's gray and cloudy and windy out. The sunshine that was promised didn't appear. Instead we have a very damp, windy gray. I stepped outside to get a better look at one lone cedar waxwing on the holly but he was deep in the leaves and I got no images. There was also no chatter or signs of any friends nearby. And then these funky little birds caught my eye. Flying together, hopping from branch to branch together, doing this funny little side-stepping jig on the limbs.A bit of a spring fling? But I don't know what they are.

It makes me laugh sometimes. I think, how can I have lived this long and not know every bird in my backyard? But then, there are a lot of them out there and some just pass through. It's fun trying, anyway. There is always something to surprise you.

Someone out there knows just what these love birds are with no problem. But I've been through Peterson's and Sibley's, looking for this slightly-bigger-than-a-robin size bird, gross beak type bill, gray body with a tiny bit of mauve in the feathers, and that white bib under the chin and I'm coming up empty.
Could they be female cowbirds? But why are they dancing together?
I know this guy below. He thinks its grumpy gray today, too.
Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #32 at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

6 comments:

  1. Well, I'm no help. It looks like a female Cowbird, Vickie, but the white throat is throwing me off! I looked through my Stokes' guide and gave up.

    I hope the sun shines for you soon. We have had our share of clouds lately, too.

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  2. I think they're female Cowbirds dancing for the boys!

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  3. Hey, Bird Girl. I think you're right.

    Mary, that white throat was throwing me off, too. And the fact that they're both females. The field guides don't show the white bib, refers to it as 'whitish'. Besides that, I was searching for a brown head on one of them.

    Lynne, I think you're exactly right!

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  4. Hey Vickie,
    They look like female cow birds to me.
    They sure are strutting their stuff. :)

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  5. Hey, Toni. I'm kind of amazed that I've never seen a female cowbird before! Funny birds, at least in the dance, department.

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  6. ...I've never seen them dance like that...very cool behavior. Maybe they just laid their eggs in some other bird's nest and are celebrating!

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