[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Tanager plumages



My first message was sent prematurely.

What I wanted to say was that yesterday I saw
a male Scarlet Tanager on the suet cage in my 
yard who was molting into non-breeding plumage
and he too looked quite splotchy.

I had a question about the molt sequence of 
Summer Tanagers.  The books I've looked at aren't
very clear about first year males.  Do first year males
initially resemble females, and then following spring
become splotchy in appearance as Kate 
describes (Sibley calls this a first spring male), 
and then late that summer molt into adult male plumage.
I wasn't sure about this and wanted to know if this is 
correct.  Guess I need to purchase a copy of Pyle.
Thanks,
Shelley Theye   





> 
> From: Kate Finlayson <katefin@yahoo.com>
> Date: 2003/08/14 Thu PM 02:53:09 EDT
> To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
> Subject: eagles, frogs and butterflies
> 
> Hey all,
> Led a hike this AM for Carrboro Recreation and Parks
> to the Eagle Platform. Awesome sightings along the way
> included a splotchety red and yellow summer tanager
> first year male, singing male indigo, a female summer
> tanager, great views of Yellow-billed Cuckoo, two
> young great blue herons splashing around and honking
> at each other, tons of Fowler's toads, and beautiful
> Green Frog with copper eyes on a log beside the vernal
> pool, red spotted purple butterflies everywhere, pearl
> crescent, silver-spotted skippers, E. Tiger
> Swallowtails,& a question mark that probiscised on all
> of us at the platform site. And oh so many
> dragonflies, but alas, I did not have my Dragonfly
> field guide with me. While on the platform, watching
> an Osprey coming straight for us, I put my binos down
> for a moment and saw a bald eagle right in front of us
> swoop in front of the Osprey. All got great close-up
> looks as the eagle flew and perched on a naked branch
> and I put the scope on her. One fellow was 85 years
> old and all were very excited to see this awesome
> sight.
> It wasn't even that hot out there. Improvements are
> being made to the trail. It should be awesome when
> they are finished.
> Kate
> 
> =====
> Kate Finlayson
> N. Chatham Co.,N.C.
> katefin@yahoo.com
> 
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
> http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
> 

Shelley Theye
N. Chatham County, NC
veery@bellsouth.net