ML78093421

Age and sex

Adult Male - X

Media notes

Tricolored Blackbird (arrow), with RWBL and BRBL, Philomath Sewage Ponds, Benton Co., OR - Dec 13, 2017

Observation details

Two males in the blackbird flock; whole flock was very skittish and didn't allow close approach. Got brief but diagnostic looks at two birds around 10:30 am; revisited the SW corner around noon and got excellent scope views of one male, albeit from some distance (it first perched in tree, then flew down and landed on the ground by the seed patch, only to duck out of sight behind the berm before I could get my camera on it): overall duller, less glossy black than male RWBL, with some pale feather edging on the back; obvious, pure white median coverts, small red shoulder patch mostly hidden when perched, but saw it well in flight - a deep, rather dark blood-red, quite unlike the brighter orangey-red of RWBL. Bill appeared somewhat more slender. Alas, I was unable to get good diagnostic photos; the best of my poor attempts is attached.

Technical information

Model

DMC-FZ200

ISO

100

Focal length

108 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/4.0

Shutter speed

1/1300 sec

Dimensions

1701 pixels x 1232 pixels

Original file size

178.48 KB