hbvol50 Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Today in Middle TN does the bit of white on the wing of the bird on the far left mean it's a male? Bobolink for ID by hbvol50, on Flickr Also eBird flags bobolinksas rare for date and location. Are these guys early migrants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmilingBirder Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 That white wing patch puzzles me, but it could be wind exposing the underside of the feathers. Also, any chance these are dickcissels? I've only seen one in my life, but maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbvol50 Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 When I first saw these birds from a distance dickcissel was my impression but after looking a photos they are bobolinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee_ keeper Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 The bit of white might be a stray or loosening or molting down feather or a touch of leucism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbvol50 Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 4 hours ago, Bee_ keeper said: The bit of white might be a stray or loosening or molting down feather or a touch of leucism. Thanks. I thought about down feathers after I posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee_ keeper Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 On 9/6/2018 at 3:32 PM, hbvol50 said: Today in Middle TN Also eBird flags bobolinksas rare for date and location. Are these guys early migrants? Incidentally, I was looking at eBird for these guys and it looks like most of the sightings for Aug-Sept are still more up north. But there is actually sort of a funnel shape to the range map, with most of the southerly sightings occurring along the coast. They're beautiful birds. I saw my first this last spring, a bunch of males in full breeding plumage staking out their territory. Unmistakable in that plumage. I don't think I'd be able to call one in the field right now unless I was expecting to see them! They are definitely not common on Long Island, not even in migration, showing up here and there along the coasts. There's one local state park here that I know of that is restoring grasslands, hoping to coax more of them. They've had quite a few sightings the last month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psweet Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 You'd probably have to have the bird in hand to say for sure, but that white patch definitely could be retained male breeding feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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