ML628754524

Observation details

Light morph adult. Perched on light pole in parking lot. Naked eye, looked 'blacker' than normal RTHA, thought it could be RLHA, so ran upstairs and grabbed binocs and camera. Pale head & pattern of head, face immediately told Harlan's - 'frosty' pattern, distinctive pattern/contrast: frosty finely streaked crown and nape (similar to RLHA); short thick white supercilium, around base of bill (lores etc), wrapping around under and front of eye, 'spectacles' contrasting with dark rear cheek and lower face, white 'neck spot', dark eye; almost a 'clown face'. Cold dark upperparts with some white scapular mottling. White underparts with moderate belly band (ie like borealis), little bit of short dark streaks on upper breast, connecting with dark lower face patch, framing white throat. Dark iris. Head pattern somewhat like RLHA, but subtly distinct with pale (white) front, lores, and thicker black patch of rear/lower auriculars framed by white. Face almost PRFA-like. Tail very cool - adult pattern - particularly thick white terminal band stands out, bright rufous distal half, white basal half; white basal half with 3-4 thick black bands across visible while perched. Tail bands discontinuous and wavy. Whiter (bright) tail base more prominent (dorsal view) in flight.