Was it a rat? A rat I saw! [palindrome]

Without diminishing his achievement in the smallest way I must say that a closer examination of yesterday's photo of the 888 7th Ave fledgling with his "rat" shows distinctly white feet on that rodent. Bruce Yolton wrote in to suggest this.

Conclusion: Yesterday's catch was a white-footed mouse [Peromyscus leucopus].

PS. Palindrome -- a sentence that reads the same backwards as forwards. My family has an obsessive interest in these. So here's another:

Straw? No, too stupid a fad. I put soot on warts!

PPS Happy Fourth. Don't forget your earplugs tonight if you want to hear warblers next spring.