12 replies to this topic

[PanHanNE]

Garden County Nebraska (panhandle)
Sept 2012

Leaving those frustrating sparrows alone for a few days, so I ran out by the river for some R&R. Sparrows are frustrating because I keep trying, and getting most wrong still, but these are not "frustrating", mainly because I have no idea where to start to look. Didn't have my binoculars with me at all, so when I saw things flying, I tried zooming with my point and click. Probably not clear enough pics for positive ID's. All photos severely cropped, but nothing else.

1> There were about 10 of these, circling around together above the trees about a quarter of a mile away from the river. I originally thought it was nighthawks, until I got the picture home and put it on the computer.




2>This one was circling with a bunch of Turkey Vultures. His lack of black breast and white on the wings really stuck out while flying with them.



3>I think these are probably Double-crested Cormorants.



4> Between 7 and 10 have been flying over my house around 4pm for the last 3 days. Terrible picture, but ... Nighthawk? (I always find them sleeping on posts, not flying, so want to make sure I am really seeing what it is I think I am seeing. Terrible picture, but if I am right, the white bars on the wings should be enough to tell?



5>Bald Eagle?



6>Not a clue and probably only identifiable as a dark colored blob.

[meghann]

1. Some sort of gull?
2.Osprey
3.Agree
4.White stripes make it a nighthawk, yes.
5. I *think* so.
6.dark colored blob confirmed. Lol!

[JimBob]

One looks like a bonaparte's gull. And 5 is a bald eagle; ditto on the rest.

[meghann]

I'm going to amend #6 to bird of prey in messy molt dark blob.

[creeker]

Pretty sure I see a belly band on your blob. That, along with it's huskiness, makes me say Red-tailed Hawk.

[PanHanNE]

Thank you.

One looks like a bonaparte's gull. And 5 is a bald eagle; ditto on the rest.

Oh, I wish I had gotten a better picture then. It would be a first!

I'm going to amend #6 to bird of prey in messy molt dark blob.

Grin. Good call!

Pretty sure I see a belly band on your blob. That, along with it's huskiness, makes me say Red-tailed Hawk.

"along with it's huskiness" .... tip filed for future use. Thank you.
You must really be able to manipulate photos! I couldn't bring out any details no matter what I did. I think Red-tailed is probably right, though. There have been a LOT of them, more than normal, the last few days. I have even seen several (ones that even I could identify) each day flying over.

[psweet]

• Franklin's Gull -- a Bonaparte's would be more delicate with more sharply pointed wings and a much different wingtip pattern.
• Agree with Osprey
• Agree with DCCormorant
• Yes, looks like Common Nighthawk
• Yes, adult Bald Eagle
• Agree with Red-tailed Hawk.

[threeofhardts]

You don't need my input but I'm proud to say I correctly ID'd the Bald Eagle and the dark colored blob!!!

[PanHanNE]

• Franklin's Gull -- a Bonaparte's would be more delicate with more sharply pointed wings and a much different wingtip pattern.

Are you talking about the black on the wingtip? I was wondering if that were indicative of species for identification. Since I do not currently have any gulls definately ID'd, Franklin's would also be a first for me. If that black with the white tip makes a positive, I might consider counting this one. Otherwise, I will just have to wait until I get brave enough to start trying to learn gulls.

[psweet]

Okay -- just having black on the wingtip isn't enough for a species ID, but you do have enough detail in there to ID this gull. First, you can see the dark half-hood showing behind the eye -- that makes this one of the black-headed gulls. In that group, the only species we have with black primary tips and a mirror (white spot) on the outer primary is the Franklin's. A Laughing (unlikely where you are) would show more extensive black on the wingtip without that white mirror. A second-year Little Gull would show narrower black tips with white mirrors, but the rest of the primaries would be much darker, without the white visible just inside the black. (It's also another very unlikely species.) A Bonaparte's would show mostly white outer primaries, with no black on the leading edge and only narrow tips along the trailing edge. A Black-headed Gull (also very unlikely) would show a white outermost primary, and entirely black primaries inside of that.

[PanHanNE]

Okay -- just having black on the wingtip isn't enough for a species ID, but you do have enough detail in there to ID this gull. First, you can see the dark half-hood showing behind the eye -- that makes this one of the black-headed gulls. In that group, the only species we have with black primary tips and a mirror (white spot) on the outer primary is the Franklin's. A Laughing (unlikely where you are) would show more extensive black on the wingtip without that white mirror. A second-year Little Gull would show narrower black tips with white mirrors, but the rest of the primaries would be much darker, without the white visible just inside the black. (It's also another very unlikely species.) A Bonaparte's would show mostly white outer primaries, with no black on the leading edge and only narrow tips along the trailing edge. A Black-headed Gull (also very unlikely) would show a white outermost primary, and entirely black primaries inside of that.

Wow! I have a feeling I had better file this answer for future use. Thanks for all the details.

[psweet]

Gulls are a specialty group -- doesn't mean you can't do it, just that so many of them are so similar that it takes a fair bit of study to learn them.

[PanHanNE]

Gulls are a specialty group -- doesn't mean you can't do it, just that so many of them are so similar that it takes a fair bit of study to learn them.

Grin. That is why ANY gull would be a first for me, still. Not only will my ID skills have to improve before I feel I can successfully learn them, but my photography skills will need to vastly improve to get the detail it looks like will be necessary for most.

Once again, thank you one and all for your help and patience.