"Found
a.m. January 3rd on Castle Cove Road, top of Dry Fork. Was stuck to the
headlamp of a truck, so could have been hit anywhere along Dry Fork Road or even
in town. Was soft, not frozen, and freshly killed.
About 5" long, dark grey, creamy breast, very
distinctive approx. 1.5" single yellow band across midwing as well as mid tail.
Dark beak, dark eyes. I did not notice a white eye ring, which the books
indicate. Otherwise, the bird matched the books' descriptions to a tee
(for a juvenile redstart). I had never before seen one, so had to key it
out.
At first sight, I passed it, presuming it
was a goldfinch. (same general size, shape, and what I would have expected
it to be for the area I was in). I went back, unable to ignore the bright
yellow patches on tail and wings.
There is no question in my mind
that it was a redstart. I identified it with both specimen
and bird book (National Geographic) in hand."
I know redstarts
show up occasionally during summer or migration, but I didn't think it had been
reported in the winter months in Utah before - has it?
Kathy
Paulin