[mou] which is more likely...

[Laura Erickson]

Townsend's Solitaires often eat fruit in winter, so if the tree was a
mountain ash or crab apple tree, the solitaire would be the more
likely.  Solitaires are thrushes, shaped like robins though they often
sit more vertically than robins usually do.  As far as I know, this is
not an invasion year for Gray Jays, making it highly unlikely that one
would appear as far south as Hastings.  Gray Jays are plump, their
fluffiness and proportions giving the sense of a chickadee on
steroids.

I'm not on the MOU Records Committee, but if I were, I would NEVER
accept a report of any rarity based on one species being "more likely"
than another based on expected range.  An acceptable documentation of
a rare bird requires noticing head and wing markings, overall shape,
posture, behavior, and what kind of habitat it's in.  Even for my
personal list, I've never felt comfortable counting anything based on
probabilities rather than carefully seeing the important field marks.
I'd want to actually see those cool wing markings on a solitaire
before counting it--otherwise it's just a name and number rather than
a lovely and memorable close encounter.  Of course, that may be part
of why my personal list isn't nearly as long as experts who take in
field marks much more quickly than I do.  ;-)

Laura Erickson
Duluth


On Dec 19, 2007 8:15 AM, Richard Wood <rwoodphd at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> On Sunday, December 9th, I saw a grayish bird with a short black bill in a
> tree in our back yard.  This bird was robin sized, and when I went to get my
> binocs on him, he flew.
>
> I have been leaning toward calling it either a Gray Jay or a Townsend's
> Solitaire, though I'm not sure which would be more likely to be seen here in
> Hastings.  I see from this year's sightings maps, that Townsend's Solitaire
> has been seen farther north, so I am leaning town the Jay.  I know it wasn't
> the Shrike I saw yesterday, as it lacked a mask (unless it was the Lone
> Ranger off duty...).
>
> I'd like to know what everyone thinks.
>
> Good birding,
> Richard
>  Richard L. Wood, Ph. D.
> Hastings, MN
> rwoodphd at yahoo.com
>
>
>  ________________________________
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-- 
Laura Erickson
For the love, understanding, and protection of birds
www.lauraerickson.com



There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds.
There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of
nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after
the winter.

			--Rachel Carson