rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) (05/29/91)
HELP!! I saw a pretty bird high in a tree last night, in town (Manhattan, KS: eastern KS and suburban) and this bird ISN'T (I promise!) in the Audobon guide! It was slim, built like a cardinal, yellow underneath, dark wings, I _think_ light back, but like I said it was high up. Size: less than 8", more than 6" (I'd guess). Had black on its face but none under the chin. It had a pronounced, clear, 4-note whistled song, by which I located it at first. Ran inside for the bird book and the binoculars, and of course when I got back it was gone. The closest guess I could find for coloring was Goldfinch: but it was too slim, and I _know_ what a goldfinch looks like! Oriole doesn't have the rignt mask. Any other guesses? I'm going to coin a new Murphy's law: If you got a good look at it, you won't find it in the book; if you didn't, your binoculars won't be anywhere nearby... Ruth
drintoul@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (David A Rintoul) (05/29/91)
In article <1991May28.205914.18624@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller) writes: >HELP!! I saw a pretty bird high in a tree last night, in town >(Manhattan, KS: eastern KS and suburban) and this bird ISN'T >(I promise!) in the Audobon guide! It was slim, built like a >cardinal, yellow underneath, dark wings, I _think_ light back, >but like I said it was high up. Size: less than 8", more than >6" (I'd guess). Had black on its face but none under the chin. >It had a pronounced, clear, 4-note whistled song, by which I >located it at first. Ran inside for the bird book and the >binoculars, and of course when I got back it was gone. The >closest guess I could find for coloring was Goldfinch: but it >was too slim, and I _know_ what a goldfinch looks like! Oriole >doesn't have the rignt mask. Any other guesses? >I'm going to coin a new Murphy's law: If you got a good look >at it, you won't find it in the book; if you didn't, your binoculars >won't be anywhere nearby... > >Ruth > Ruth - here I am in Manhattan KS and you could have called me to find out what the bird is. My guess is that you saw a first-year male orchard oriole (look on p 302 of the Robbins (Golden) guide). There are plenty of them about right now (more than usual, I feel), and your description fits this bird right on the nose (er, beak). Dave Rintoul Biology - KSU Manhattan KS drintoul@matt.ksu.edu