"I ahve to say you ladies are REALLY good, maybe we should skip to the first fall warblers???? " Ladies, we are in trouble. Check your Peterson guide on confusing fall warblers to bone up for the challenge! Actually the guide is pretty good by putting them in sub-sections by field marks and color. You can then proceed by process of elimination until you get down to the correct bird. Then check the Cornell's site for other photographs for further positive ID markers. Local variations and light in the photos make if tougher too but if you find most of key ID points it is probably that bird. According to my SMAS group the Blue Jay is considered partially leucistic, not albino, and is exhibiting other feather abnormalities related to genetics. In another communication, Arlene Ripley commented that she has seen many albino birds but none have exhibited the fur-like structures of this Jay's feathers. I did some of my own research on fur-like feathers and every site pointed to something called proto-feathers which were exhibited by some early dinosaurs before true feathers emerged. It's exciting to imagine this bird may be exhibiting an ancient genetic throwback to prehistoric times which upholds the common belief that birds evolved from dinosaurs as they first took flight. There has been a call to ask everyone on the local site if there is a scientic name for this feather anomaly and this call comes from a man that works for the Smithsonian Institute and really knows birds. So far, no reponse, so the local bird community here may be stumped. There was sentiment regarding hope the bird survives. Jean, has this bird been a regular at your feeder for any length of time in which one could make the assumption it has survived nature with this variance? Arlene suggested the photo be posted on websites dedicated to leucistic and albino birds and see if more information could be obtained from readers. PapaSmurf is a rare Blue Jay indeed. CT

I am with those that find it reliable- depending on species. In my mind I've always separated Polemonium into two classes, those that flower enthusiastically, seed abundantly, and are short lived (pretty much bloom themselves to death it seems, though likely fall into the short lived perennial category). My P. viscosum 'Blue Whirl' is like that. Then you have your longer lived ones (least they have been for me). I've had P. caeruleum 'Brise d' Anjou' for six or more years and reptens 'Touch of Class' for going on three now. I believe both of those last cultivars are sterile. The first gets mildew sometimes, but has always come thru it. PS. and before someone jumps on me saying I don't count since I live in "the temperate PNW".... the side of WA I live on is quite different from say Seattle- over here it is semi arid and snowy/cold in the winter. :-) CMK

My hunch tends to be it's newer. Or else newly refinished and a new seat done. I love ladderback chairs and have an old one I got at auction. The wood shows wear at the base of each leg and the top of the front two legs. Also the tops of the front legs of mine have very small slits in the wood. Kind of like spokes in a wheel from the center of the leg outward. I couldn't sand that part out if I wanted to, it's small but runs too deep to sand. That part could be from storage in extreme temps or something, but it doesn't bother me, I like the character. Looking past the finish to the wood itself, does yours have any signs of age/wear/use that we can't see in the photo?

After contacting two experts, it turns out these chairs are probably oak, and most likely made in High Wycombe (or thereabouts) in the 1890s. Definitely part of the arts and crafts movement, which is why their design incorporates some Georgian-style elements. Hope that helps anyone with similar chairs!