Dark Eyed Junco, Columbus Ohio? Eyering? (2 Viewers)

[carjug]

I saw a Dark Eyed Junco in Columbus Ohio, it had the white tail feathers and everything. I was excited because it had a different beak color than my local-yokels in the Smokys.
The darn thing had an eye ring. When I started checking field guides, I realized that none of the juncos has an eye ring. Am I out of my mind? Did I make a mistake?

 

[emupilot]

I've seen a few mutant juncos in California showing various white markings on its head including a white collar. If yours otherwise looks like a Dark-eyed Junco, it probably was one.

 

[pterelas]

hi there, in case it helps, I've seen a Dark-Eyed Junco with an eyering. S/he did have the normal colored beak though... If it's interesting, I have a bad photo posted here: http://nicolemacpherson.blogspot.com/2010/01/junco-with-eyering_08.html

Regards, Nic in Manitoba

 

[carjug]

That's my bird!!!!
Thanks, I will post up again if I see any juncos with eye rings down here in the Smoky Mountains, this is an interesting observation.o

 

[KC Foggin]

Gee guys, carjug's description made me think Blue-gray Gnatcatcher right off the bat and this photo of pterelas' kind of confirms it. For me anyway.

Here's a page from the gallery showing the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/search.php?searchid=174350

 

[Angnix]

Gee guys, carjug's description made me think Blue-gray Gnatcatcher right off the bat and this photo of pterelas' kind of confirms it. For me anyway.

Here's a page from the gallery showing the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/search.php?searchid=174350

That seems possible, what time of year was the junco seen? I used to work in the Columbus urban parks on a bird study and gnatcatchers are very common there in the summer.

 

[james holdsworth]

I think the OP has [after looking at pics of a DEJU with an eye-ring] concluded that is his bird.

Assuming the photo was recent, a BGGN in winter [or even late fall] in Ohio would be far less likely than an aberrant Junco.