9 replies to this topic

[photobirder]

Saint Anthony ID 09-03-12

1- http://flic.kr/p/d5jCsh Coopers Hawk (lifer)
2- http://flic.kr/p/d5jBQS I was thinking American Gold Finch, it seemed a little big and has a white eye ring.
3- http://flic.kr/p/d5js9m Red-necked Grebe juvenile, I have seen them here before (furthest south they breed) I just wanted to make sure this is one.
4- http://flic.kr/p/d5jARd 2 Flycatchers Hammonds or Dusky?

Thanks
Adam

[guy_incognito]

1. Agree with Cooper's Hawk
2. Odd angle, but I am thinking female Western Tanager...but wait for a second opinion
3. Eared Grebe
4. Doesn't look right for Hammond's. Any other pics?

[Parula]

1. coopers
2. western tanager
3. eared grebe
not good with western empidomax

[TheBillyPilgrim]

1. Cooper's
2. Agree with Western Tanager. I was stumped until Guy suggested it, but pretty sure that's right!
3. Pass
4. Looks too long-billed for Hammond's, based on my limited experience. Not sure if it's a Dusky though. More shots would help.

[photobirder]

That is the only image I got of the Flycatchers before they flew off, thanks for the help.

[psweet]

I see awfully heavy streaking on that Accip, and quite a few pale tips on the upperpart feathers. It also seems quite broad across the rump. I don't see why this isn't a juvenile Goshawk.

[guy_incognito]

I see awfully heavy streaking on that Accip, and quite a few pale tips on the upperpart feathers. It also seems quite broad across the rump. I don't see why this isn't a juvenile Goshawk.

I honestly didn't even consider Goshawk since I have essentially no experience with them. That said, I thought they had a more prominent supercilium, and comparing to a quick google search, I don't know if the breast streaking is as heavy as most Goshawks pictured. Hopefully this should lead to some good discussion and learning points!

[psweet]

The supercilium can be awfully misleading, in my experience, although usually in the other direction. The streaking on the underside of a Gos can actually approach paler Cooper's, but that's awfully rare. What I expect to see on the underside of a Cooper's is streaking that isn't much wider than the feather shafts and looks like it was drawn in with a fine-tipped pen. Gos have blobbier streaking, like I see here, and the streaking doesn't appear to fade out by the legs the way it usually does in a Cooper's. Basically, if this is a Gos, it's on the lighter marked part of the spectrum, but nowhere near the extreme. If it's a Coop, it's very close to the heavily marked end of the spectrum.

Either way, looking deeper into this reminds me of how important seeing the bird actually fly really is. If I could get that sort of view of a moving bird, the ID would be much easier.

[photobirder]

After looking at it again #4 are Willow Flycatchers.

[photobirder]

The beak is to big for either Hammond's or Dusky, besides Willow the only other possibility would be Pacific Slope but that would be rare.