Winter 07-08 Bird ID thread.

[paulnj]

first in a greathorned owl, secind is a pintail and last is a great blue heron first winter plumage.

[AgingEyes]

[snip] great blue heron first winter plumage.

So it's like a very young blue heron? Or all blue herons go through that winter plumage?

I thought it was a blue heron, too, but it doesn't look like that "ZZ top" one and with all tho rusty red feathers. It's smaller so...younger?

[paulnj]

First winter(transition to adult plumage) . The ZZTOP one was actually in BREEDING PLUMAGE.

[Mike T]

Here's a couple from last week.

[Grandpaw]

Here's a couple from last week.

I really like the second one! Jeff

[paulnj]

Mike, you have to know by now that I can ID anything .... hahaha

Hermit thrush and a very cool find on the Merlin.

[Mike T]

Mike, you have to know by now that I can ID anything .... hahaha

Hermit thrush and a very cool find on the Merlin.

I knew these would be no problem for you Paul. I took the picture of the Merlin on the 27th , I was shocked when this bird staid in the tree as I walked closer to it. It flew off twice but not far and I was able to get many shots of it. I returned to the same place on the 31st and was suprised to see the bird in the same tree, this time it wasn't so photogenic and flew off before I could get near it. I walked the area ( near the Paulins Kill ) for a few hours and never saw the bird again but did get the shot of the thrush and a few nice shots of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Mike

[paulnj]

Very cool Mike. Just about any raptor you find right now will be territorial unless we get tons of snow or some 80 degree weeks in a row.

[tufcat]

Here's another tough one.

[paulnj]

I think you are trying to pull a fast one

That appears to be the white morph of the great blue heron.

[tufcat]

I think you are trying to pull a fast one

That appears to be the white morph of the great blue heron.

I don't know about that one, Paul. I'll consult my Sibley Guide and get back to you. :frown2:

[paulnj]

your right, the slope of the bill is wrong, great egret.

[tufcat]

I think you are right. Two votes for Great Egret.

[paulnj]

I can ID songbirds by nocturnal chip notes usually and during the day by song, call note, flight pattern, wing beat, and even larger birds back lit at a mile with binoculars .....

not that I keep track, but last time I counted my life list in the lower 48 is 402 species:thumbsup:

[Jaedon]

ok I just bought a new birding guide and I have not yet looked. Going to test the power of paulnj and see if I come to the same conclusion when I look it up. The image was taken at dawn in Deltona Florida, about 30 in inland from Daytona in a scrub field right off the highway.

***Edit***

Ok at first I thought it was an Oriole of some type but the yellow eye is throwing me. All the Orioles I can find have black eyes and solid coloured chests.. This guy doesn't fit that type at all. Working my way through the song birds (he did have a lovely song) I have yet to find anything similar.

Ok I found what I hope to be a correct ID. Eastern Towhee - Florida colouration (the only ones with yellow eyes)

[paulnj]

Male eastern towhee.

[tufcat]

I don't want to make it too easy. Head shot only on this one.

[paulnj]

Sandhill crane, winter adult plumage .

[tufcat]

You are the man!

[AgingEyes]

So it took part of the duck from the bald eagle. But what is it: red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, something else?

[Jaedon]

I saw these guys on teh beach and I thought they were a type of gull. Of course I was wrong yet again... looking through the books I have tentatively ID'd them as Elegant/Royal Terns......depending on how old my books are they have different names.

[paulnj]

3 year old bald eagle

[paulnj]

They have to be elegant terns because royal terns would be larger that the laughing gulls with them

[tufcat]

???

[paulnj]

little blue heron