11 replies to this topic

[Carolina]

Someday I will take decent photos of birds against the sky. This is not that photo. Photo had to be majorly adjusted.

Taken late in the afternoon April 30th on Harbor Island near Hunting Island State park in SC. This was a pretty large dove.

Eurasian Collared-Dove, correct?

[Sparky the Cuttlefish]

Confirmed.

[Pat B.]

Yes. Other than the black collar, note that it is larger & plumper than a Mourning Dove; also greyish, while the MODO is brownish. Eurasian has a wide squared-off tail as opposed to the Mourning's pointy tail. Makes an odd raspy squawk rather than a nice coo. (Is it obvious that I have a yard full of these guys?)

[Sparky the Cuttlefish]

Makes an odd raspy squawk rather than a nice coo.

Haha, I was watching Birds Brittania on the BBC and one of the narrators (Tim Birkhead? I forget) described Collared Doves as sounding like bored football (*cough* soccer, that is) fans going "un-i-ted, un-i-ted". I'm afraid I have a weird fondness for the doves now.

Of course, that fondness will probably disappear as soon as I see them in North America. Bleh.

[Carolina]

Yes. Other than the black collar, note that it is larger & plumper than a Mourning Dove; also greyish, while the MODO is brownish. Eurasian has a wide squared-off tail as opposed to the Mourning's pointy tail. Makes an odd raspy squawk rather than a nice coo. (Is it obvious that I have a yard full of these guys?)

This a lifer for me or at least the first time that I have actually noticed one. It was noticeably bigger than the other doves which is what caught my attention. This was way up on a wire so did not get to really observe well. Haven't had one visit my yard yet but I have plenty of Mourning Doves coming to call.

Thanks for all the details to look for because I want to get a better shot sometime in the future.

[Carolina]

Haha, I was watching Birds Brittania on the BBC and one of the narrators (Tim Birkhead? I forget) described Collared Doves as sounding like bored football (*cough* soccer, that is) fans going "un-i-ted, un-i-ted". I'm afraid I have a weird fondness for the doves now.

Of course, that fondness will probably disappear as soon as I see them in North America. Bleh.

Now I know "un-i-ted, un-i-ted" will stick in head when I listen for them. It is strange little details like that that I tend to remember. LOL!

Thanks for that little tidbit & the confirmation too.

[FarAwayEyes]

Beautiful bird. Once you figure out how to take a clear photo against a white sky please let me know I have been trying for years. LOL! Great bird !

[dklucius]

another quick tell for me is that the mourning doves have dark almost black spots on lower back and wing area and the eurasian doves have just dark tail feathers.

[Carolina]

Once you figure out how to take a clear photo against a white sky please let me know I have been trying for years. LOL!

Considering the gorgeous shots that you take if you can't manage it then I don't hold out much hope me ever accomplishing it.

You take some really beautiful shots.

[FarAwayEyes]

Considering the gorgeous shots that you take if you can't manage it then I don't hold out much hope me ever accomplishing it.

You take some really beautiful shots.

You're to kind. The truth is I keep trying but I just end up with silhouette's or I have to modify them extensively to even get a ID shot. The funny thing is I will probably keep trying. LOL !

[FarAwayEyes]

beaufortbirder, a little trick I use is in Lightroom. There is a toggle that measures black. If you take a lot of black out of it you can get ID photos like this one. See how white the sky is behind it. This one started really dark and lessening the black brought out the color. Hope this helps a little.

[Carolina]

You're to kind. The truth is I keep trying but I just end up with silhouette's or I have to modify them extensively to even get a ID shot. The funny thing is I will probably keep trying. LOL !

It is not being kind if it is the truth. I will keep trying too...no doubt. Will take 10 or more shots of the same black silhouette of a bird in hopes that magic will happen & one of them will turn out decent.

beaufortbirder, a little trick I use is in Lightroom. There is a toggle that measures black. If you take a lot of black out of it you can get ID photos like this one. See how white the sky is behind it. This one started really dark and lessening the black brought out the color. Hope this helps a little.

Yes. It does. I will check it out. The best advice/recommendations that I have received when it comes to photography has come from these threads. Am way better than when I started because of it too.