4 replies to this topic

[PanHanNE]

Garden County Nebrasaka (panhandle)
Sept 2012



1> A tern? Probably not enough detail to ID? (I sorta had it narrowed down between two, with my guesses... Caspian, or more probable, Least Tern, based on the black head and the pattern of black on the wing tip, with the tipping of the scales to Least because I think I see white across the front of the face)



2>Warbler (2 views, same bird) Probably Orange-crowned?

[psweet]

For the first bird, you're not quite in the right group. The wingtip pattern and tail shape aren't right for any of the terns, and the bill's not quite pointed enough. The dark half hood and the white between the gray and the black on the wings should be enough to id it, and the gray center of the tail is distinctive for this species.

The warbler is indeed an Orange-crowned.

[The Sego Sago Kid]

Hmm can I guess? Franklin's gull?

[PanHanNE]

Thank you again, psweet. I do tend to remember my lesson's slightly better when I have to do some digging and look things up myself, rather than to just be given the answers (especially when it is a repeat, in less than a month... teachers (speaking of you, here) have so much more patience than I do... you never even said "Hey, dummy, you posted one just like this less than two weeks ago... can't you remember anything?".

When this group flew over, I said to myself "Gulls". There were about 5 different groups, and some looked a lot different, (dark in color, but not ducks), but I cant get pictures of birds in flight fast enough to actually see ANYTHING on, normally (today, I think I took about 40 pictures of birds in flight, and only in two of them can you tell there were actually birds in the picture, not just smears)

I am not quite sure how I went from "Gulls" by the river, to "Terns" when I got home, but I do believe that this bird is probably another Franklin's Gull, based on your tips.

Hmm can I guess? Franklin's gull?

You did post your answer before I came back to respond to psweet, but it looks as if we both came up with the same answer.

[psweet]

Good call -- now send a few of them over here, I hardly ever get to see those guys .