strange american redstart (1 Viewer)

[EcoMatt]

Hi all, I saw a strange looking female redstart today. It showed all the characteristics of redstart except for a black spot on the chest. The spot was fairly big and looked well defined. Has anyone seen this before or heard anything about it? Heres a pic(not the greatest).


PS: I'm new to photography and all my bird photos that have the sky as a background turn out like this one. Any suggestions on fixing this?

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi EcoMatt. Yes, it is always difficult shooting up and into the bright light.

I'm more inclined to think that this might be an immature male. A young male is very much like a female except with black mottling.

 

[shelley810]

That was really a black spot....I mean, you saw it at other angles, because it looks like a break in the feathers as the neck is turned while looking straight up under it.
shelley

 

[EcoMatt]

The first time I saw the bird it was obvious. Right between the two patches of yellow on the flanks was a medium sized black spot. It reminded me of the chest spot on a tree sparrow, only bigger and higher. I wish I had gotten a better picture of it. It was definetly not a break in the plumage. I saw it and went back an hour later to the same location and the bird was still there and it looked exactly the same. I suppose it was just unsual variant of the black molting of an immature male. I don't know much about molting times and such so it could just be a strange intermediate stage when most of the black molting has disapeared.