FALL 2012 bird ID thread

[Mike T]

shot this one up at Lackawaxen on Thursday, think I know what it is just looking for a second opinion these juveniles throw me off at times.

[f86sabjf]

i'm thinking turkey vulture.
The main wing pattern matches my book perfectly but the tail doesnt with that black band going all the way across. Also i think your onto something my book says juveniles have greyish black head. While the adults have a more reddish head. One of my wifes favorite birds . She loves to watch them soar

[Mike T]

seeing the bird in flight I knew it was not a vulture. A new bird for me so I wanted to make sure it was what I thought it was.Sent the photo to two birders I know that confirmed my ID , Golden Eagle.

[f86sabjf]

Good to know we both learned something today

[mjs1973]

Is this a female house sparrow?

[f86sabjf]

I'll throw this one in the mix .

How about a female purple finch?? the photos i have look like there almost identical except for the color of the beak

[wfooshee]

I wanted to offer an answer for my bird in post #20. It's not a sandpiper at all, but a Sanderling. Black legs and beak, all-white underside. It's the all-white that kept screwing me up as to which sandpiper, because I don't see any sandpipers that are all-white underneath, esp. the throat.

[billy320]

Coopers Hawk ?

[wfooshee]

Just doing a Google image search on that, it looks like it could be a Cooper's Hawk. Dark wings, top of head dark. OTOH, I am no one's final authority.

My own question:

[f86sabjf]

I'm thinking song sparrow

[Dan143]

neatly captured! I don't know many species of birds. But surely love looking at them and hearing them sing.

^-^

[OldClicker]

I agree with female house sparrow. - Terry