Bombycilla cedrorum
Appearance:
- Silky, brown head with short crest
- Black mask, outlined in white
- Black chin
- Brown tapering to gray on back
- Yellow belly
- White undertail
- Short, square tail , gray-black with yellow tip
- Plain gray wings with waxy red spots (not always visible)
As I drove up the hill to Mt Tolmie, I noticed this bird perched in a tree at the edge of the road. Having only seen pictures of these birds in the past, I was struck at how beautiful it was. The contrasting black 'bandit mask', warm brown crested head and yellow belly made an attractive combination, especially with the sun shining down on it through the branches. After allowing me to take my fill of photos, the bird flew off in a flash of yellow to join another of its type further down the hill.
Who was that masked man (or should I say bird) anyway?
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