American Redstart (Immature)

It's hard enough to identify some adult birds in the first place. It gets a lot harder when you mix in the immature ones, which haven't developed their adult colors yet. We studied this bird - and a multitude of photo angles of it - for awhile before settling on identifying it as an immature American Redstart. I think the yellow blotches and the tail "design" are the identifying features.

A few days ago, I posted a photo of the adult version. It is quite a contrast.


(Click to enlarge the photos)

American Redstart

This little American Redstart was a surprise and a challenge at the Magic Hedge. We were just standing around gazing at the area by the dead tree in the Hedge when I saw a flash of red. There wasn't enough red to be a Cardinal but too much to be a Redwing Blackbird (which had been the only birds with red that we'd seen).

When it did show itself, it jumped around a bit - apparently it is quite the "flitty" bird. But, it did end up sitting - maybe it was tired from migrating - enough for a picture and identification. I think we were lucky to catch it when we did since we haven't seen one since at the Hedge or anywhere else.