Help Me Identify a Bird

How can I attract more birds?

nono0606 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:31:00 GMT

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what I could do to make more birds come to my feeding station. I have had my feeders up all year I usually get siskins and Goldfinches in the summer but in the last few months I have been getting little visitors to my feeders. Anyway here is a picture of my feeding station.

Birds En Masse

Bluesteel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:11:17 GMT

These were taken along 529 a little west of Houston, TX close to Brookshire, TX a couple of weeks ago. What are the birds you always see along the telphone poles and wires this time of year?

I know I may be asking a lot on this next one, but I also ran across a field of black birds in the same area and wondered if they were the same kind or something different? I was in a hurry and didn't have the time to get closer and get a better shot. I know there are some ibis in the back, but all of the black birds in the foreground took off at once and flew in tandem and then settled back down a little further away. It was really cool to watch and I wished I had more time and could've gotten closer.

Indiana Ducks

Jello5700 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:44:02 GMT

Take today in central Indiana.

Ring-necked Ducks??

Gadwall?

Thanks!

What bird?

EHull9584 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:34:30 GMT

I am writing a paper for Biology and have to identify this bird. All I have come up with is the clay colored sparrow but they are not found in northeast Indiana. Any help is appreciated. This is the only picture I have of the bird.

Bird location-Fort Wayne, IN

Time of day- morning

Time of year-Late summer (August)

THANK YOU!

Are there species of Blue Jay that are much larger than usual?

paulsiu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:27:38 GMT

I get Blue Jays every once in a while. They are generally a little bit bigger than mourning doves. Last week, what appears to be a hawk landed on the tree, but when I examined it closely, it clearly had the marking of a blue jay (crest and the distinctly marking), though it was more dark gray than blue. In any case this guy was over twice the size of the blue jay that come to visit my patio. I try to snap a picture but it flew away before I could.

Ironically, a couple of days later, I thought it had return, so I went out to see if I can bribe it with some peanut. It turned out to be a red tail hawk this time. He definitely didn't want peanuts.

Was this some mega-large specifies of Jay or was this guy some sort of mutant? I can imagine that it is not a Jay since the contrasting color scheme is rather distinctive.

Paul

San Francisco Bay bird confirmations and questions

JAC6 — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:57:14 GMT

Although I'm still struggling with birds on the land, it seemed a shame to not even try the many birds on the shores, marshes, muflats, etc. in and around the San Francisco Bay. So the past two weekends, I went to the water to see what I could find.

All of these initial pictures are from the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, some from the East Bay and some from the South Bay. I am going to include ones that I'm very confident about because I have learned that my confidence is often misplaced. Apologies in advance for the obvious requests and thanks in advance for pointing out any errors and answering some questions.

Here's the Don Edwards bird list:

http://www.fws.gov/DESFBAY/pdf/SF%20Bay%20birdlist-final.pdf

I'm pretty sure about this one: Black-Necked Stilt.

Do Junco get muscle out by sparrows?

paulsiu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:33:34 GMT

A few weeks ago, I started getting flocks of birds that were slate color with a white bottom. I have never previously seen these guy before. It turns out to they were slate color junco's. I tried to get them to eat at the feeders, but they seemed to ignore anything not on the ground. I start sprinkling some thistle seeds on the ground which attract them. I switch to millet, which they like too.

However, in the past couple of days, I haven't seen any, just one or two that come alone. Instead, I get giant flocks of sparrows. Do sparrow muscle out Junco at feeders? Is there food that Junco likes that sparrows do not, I get enough of the brown guys. I was joking a month ago that I have not seen a sparrow since I moved out of the city, they must have heard me

Paul

MacGillivrays

fishman — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:35:04 GMT

Thanks to Ryan's recent posting and the coincidence of being in Boston to see one of our grandson's I got to spend over an hour observing and taking photos of this unique bird for this locale. There were a variety of other birds in the area including orange-crowned warbler, possibly a hermit thrush, sparrows, red tail et al...

Could I have some assistance with this sparrow?

Thanks

help for the color challenged

Matt — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:22:42 GMT

The bird was caught in Indiana at the end of September.

Red Breasted French Bird

RDK — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:15:46 GMT

Hi Folks....I'm and American living in southern France. I realize that this is a North American birding site, but I'm hoping you can help me identify a red-breasted bird my wife photographed last week (Nov 12, 2009) in the foothills of the Alps just inland from Nice on the Mediterranean coast.

I guess I'm dense as I cannot figure out how to paste into or attach a photo to this note so I have created a gallery called RDK (RDK's Birds) with the photo.

Any help identifying this bird would be appreciated. The locals want to call it a "rouge gorge" which is the name I usually associate with robins.

Also any tips on how to insert photos would be helpful for my next posting.

Thanks....RDK

Are Mourning Dove generally tough?

paulsiu — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:18:37 GMT

Hi,

I always seen Mourning Dove as gentle creatures. They generally don't boot other birds out of the feeders. One odd bit I notice is that they are fairly hard to intimidate or scare. Usually at the feeder, the flock will eat and then suddenly fly away into the bushes. Most of the time, this appears to be false alarm (hawks do come, but are rare). Usually the Mourning Doves are the only birds left eating. When the blue jays comes screaming at the birds, the mourning dove just stand their ground and ignore the blue jays when most of the birds have run away.

Is this true with most mourning doves?

Paul

Orange-crowned confirmation?

ryser915 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:44:00 GMT

After watching the McGillivray's Warbler that's been hanging around the area since Tuesday, I went back in to find some Orange-crowned warblers that have been driving me crazy all week. I finally saw one (I think), but never got a long enough look to confirm an ID, and this was the only photo I could muster (a MASSIVE crop - hence the quality). Can this be confirmed as an orange-crowned?

Thanks!

-Ryan

Correct Photo

fishman — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:38:31 GMT

Might help if I attached the right photos...

Young Townsend's Warbler?

greypaper — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:19:54 GMT

Seen in Doyle Park, Santa Rosa, California today.

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing?

Curlybird — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:22:42 GMT

Is this an immature CW? Looks different from the rest so I'm guessing it is?

2 Ducks with Coots

cajuntennis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:53:44 GMT

Photo taken 2/09, crawfish/rice field, southwest gulf coast Louisiana. Mixed in with the coots are 2 ducks, which appear to be Fulvous Whistling-Ducks. I have another photo with these ducks in flight, & will post to possibly assist with ID.

Ducks and Coots

katbirdwatch — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:16:56 GMT

Taken November 13 at Sand Lake Park, Iowa City, Iowa. There was a huge flock of American Coots here, all very far away. When I got home and downloaded my photos, I found these ducks. Are they identifiable? Thanks for any help.

Red Crossbill?

Liam — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:49:55 GMT

is this a Red Crossbill? It was in Augusta, GA

Mourning Dove

katbirdwatch — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:21:52 GMT

Young Mourning Dove? Taken on my deck in late September in eastern Iowa. Thanks.

Warblers or Sparrows? What kind?

CLBSPT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:58:57 GMT

Photographed 11/06, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY. Help!

Mystery white bird spotted in Montpelier, VT every spring

nuthatch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:42:37 GMT

The white bird shown in the attached three photos has mystified the state officeworkers for several years now. Can anyone help us to identify it? Snow bunting?

Orange-crowned warbler?

cajuntennis — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:36:39 GMT

Photo taken 2/09 gulf coast Louisiana, thicket near waterway. Thought this was an orange-crowned warbler when I took the picture. Since I've now found this wonderful forum I can get a confirmation or another opinion. Weigh in please!

Hawk IDs...

KrankyBirdBoy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:06:18 GMT

I think both are red-tails, but not sure...I was kinda far, so not the best shots. Thanks in advance.

Coopers Hawk behavior

hawk — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:59:00 GMT

There is an adult Coopers hawk that is walking around on my neighbors yard and continuously "calling" out. I have never seen this before. Is this normal, or should I report an injured bird? I don't want to try to make him fly if he is injured, so I haven't tried to get too close.

Hooded Merganser

Photgog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:51:41 GMT

OK OK OK This bird is not suppose to be here... just green dots in Sibley's... BUT

Taken Nov 18, 09 SE of Phoenix....

Hooded Merganser is my call...

Confirmations???

Fraser