MOLTING HORNED GREBE, POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK, LEAMINGTON, ON

   During molting from winter white-throated nonbreeding plumage to summer dark-throated breeding plumage of the Horned Grebe it can look very similar to the winter Eared Grebe.  This occurs around this time of year in March and April.  We can ID this grebe as a Horned Grebe by the white tip on its bill; the Eared Grebe does not have the white tip.

   You can see the following taking place in the molting process:

• A patch of red has extended from the red eye to the bill.
• The cheek has turned from white to dark; eventually it will turn black
• The area behind the eye to the back of the head has turned from white to rufous; eventually it will turn yellowish orange.
• The neck is starting to turn rufous.

SUNRISE AT POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK, LEAMINGTON, ON

VIEWS OF COVE LAKE STATE PARK, CARYVILLE, TN

MALE MALLARDS, COVE LAKE STATE PARK, CARYVILLE, TN

AMERICAN ROBIN, COVE LAKES STATE PARK, CARYVILLE, TN

CAROLINA CHICKADEE, COVE LAKE STATE PARK, CARYVILLE, TN

   We can ID this chickadee as a Carolina Chickadee, rather than the very similar Black-capped Chickadee by a combination of its location, size and other characteristics: 

• Location: The Carolina Chickadee occurs in southeast U.S. and the Black-capped Chickadee in northern U.S. and much of Canada.  There is a narrow band from northern New Jersey to Kansas where they overlap.  Cove Lakes State Park is in Southeastern U.S. and is south of this overlap band.  Thus, the location would tend to indicate this bird is a Carolina Chickadee.
• Size: When we sighted the chickadee we estimated its size to be 4"+-.  The Carolina Chickadee (4.75") is smaller than the Black-capped Chickadee (5.25").  Thus our estimated size is more in line with the size of a Carolina Chickadee.
• The cheek patch of a Carolina Chickakee is grayish (as in thr photo), while the cheek patch of a Black-capped Chickadee is white and more extensive.  Again the cheek patch in the photo favors being that of a Carolina Chickadee.
• The Carolina Chickadee appears grayish with not alot of white, as in the photo, rather than the more whitish and brighter with cleaner flanks of the Black-capped Chickadee.

   None of the above factors by itself would prove this chickadee is a Carolina Chickadee, but the combination of all these factors and the overall impression of the bird  we feel does.

   The Carolina Chickadee is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 279.

FEMALE BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, ACKERMAN PARK, SARASOTA, FL

   We can ID this bird as a female Brown-headed Cowbird as follows:

• Dull brownish-grey with darker wings and tail and pale throat.
• Stout, conical and pointed finch-like bill.
• Black eyes and legs.
• Faint pale eyestripe.
• Color of bill is dark and sometimes bluish.
• Short tail.