Some random birds from the past couple days for you ravenous masses.
Ever get a bird that should be easy but for whatever reason you are struggling on it? This next bird was that bird for me.
I guess it is a Savannah Sparrow but it just did not look like any I have seen before.
The first looks made it look like it had no yellow in the lores, and I know that some Savannahs will not have much yellow, but this was almost white. Also the chestnut coloring in the wing? And broad white streaks on back?
Look at that white feathering on the crown! Like the Donald of birds.
In the above pic I can see Savannah coming out.
Can you see a little yellow in the lores here?
Nom nom nom..... Dang, the streaking is so dark, and the one in the middle of breast, almost makes it into a Song. Just goes to show that a complete birder should not just focus on the few field marks in the guides, I am still learning.
In other news, I had my first 2015 picture of a Purple Sandpiper on Federal Rocks.
Purple Sandpiper
After I took this picture, he attacked a nearby tourist and managed to puncture his jugular. Once the guy bled out this Purple People Eater fed straight from the jugular. This is why I always stay on high alert next to this species.
I promise to never misdiagnose another Pine Warbler again. Does this bird have a touch of that avian pox on his feet?
Bluebirds never get old and hardly ever murder people.
I understand that Mute Swans are an "invasive species" but I hope NC does not develop an eradication plan like New York has. Mute Swans probably do murder people from time to time.
Loons are back! I think I like winter birding better than summer.
I have been scrutinizing all the Garbled Modwits but they are all garbled.
Poor Swan, life is tough..
I really gave this plover a thorough going over, but never saw his arm pits. Could it be an American Golden? Or is that bill too big?
Is this sexual dimorphism? One of these Least SPs looks bigger than the other.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets for the win!
This weekend I am going into full on Cave Swallow hunting mode. Wish me luck.
Lots of comments for the Nov 13 entry (all of them good)
ReplyDeleteI've been away and then catching up at home and work this week on projects. Finally, a chance to read my favorite blog! (I am one of the ravenous masses of which you speak).
(1) Yes, I agree, it is a Savannah Sparrow. It looks like the ones we have here in the Piedmont; they don't have much yellow and they show chestnut in the wings.
I tell novice birders in my Wake Audubon Meetup that they should bird for several years before they try to tackle Sparrow Identification. My advice to them is to put a few well-known sparrows on your list but don't worry about sparrows if they are confusing. They confuse (nearly) everyone!
(2) Love the photos of the Purple Sandpiper. The comment about his murderous side - I bet that is on the internet now and someone believes it! Disclaimers, disclaimers
(3) I have Pine Warblers breeding in my back yard in north Raleigh (I have over a dozen trees, half of them pine), and yet, I am still fooled by the variation in Pine Warbler plumage.
(4) Three comments about Mute Swan:
(A) There IS an actual case of a Mute Swan murdering a human:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/field-notes/2012/04/mute-swan-attacks-and-kills-man-chicago-pond
The man made three mistakes: no life jacket; approached a swan's nest (for research) in a kayak; had no other kayaker nearby to help him. He fell into very cold water, fully-clothed for winter, and every time he came up for air, the enraged swan attacked him and forced him under the water. People on shore watched him drown, unable to help him.
(B) Mute Swans are lovely birds, and they DO discourage Canada Goose from breeding when they hold territory, but research shows they do a lot of damage to loons and to native aquatic plants.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/muteswan/index.html
(C) They never appear on Ebird in North Carolina (see next comment)
(5) What are the shorebirds around your Marbled Godwit? I have my idea but I don't want to say. Still practicing shorebird ID. I have a trip planned to Matt NWR and OBX places Dec 11-12-13 with a couple of friends and I want to be ready for any wintering shorebirds.
(6) That Plover is a real show-stopper. If you had declared it to be an American Golden-plover, I would have believed you. The distinct crown, the oversized head, the spangled back all point to that species.
It's a shame it never showed you the telltale armpits (black is black, white is golden!) But the time of year is problematic; I think s/he should in the southeast coast of South America by now!
(7) YES! I have also noticed big variations in size among the same species in gulls, shorebirds, and herons. I sent a photo to John Gerwin of two Snowy Egrets, taken in DB Florida; one bird was so much bigger that it looked like another species! (It was a Snowy, just a honking big one. Genetic variation, Nature trying something new.)
In your shorebird photo, however, most of the size difference could be due to aggressive behavior:
The bird on the right is standing tall and has fluffed out his/her feathers to give the illusion of size, while the bird on the left is bowing (in submission?) and pressing his/her feathers in.
The real difference appears to be in the bills; I think females tend to have longer bills in that species.
(8) I so rarely see any Ruby-crowned Kinglet males sporting their "ruby" on their head. To see it in a PHOTO is WONDERFUL!
I will catch up on your new blog, http://photographicbirdlistomania.blogspot.com/ , this holiday weekend. Happy Thanksgiving! - Erla in Raleigh
Second comment about Mute Swans:
ReplyDeleteWHY does ebird hide almost of the sightings of Mute Swans in North Carolina? Try exploring the data and you will see that they don't show up in ebird data for NC other than the extreme east coast area. (Explore data - Bar charts - Pick North Carolina and entire region - Scroll to Mute Swan and click on MAP - and NO SIGHTINGS appear anywhere in the mountains, Piedmont, or most of the coastal plain of NC. They do show up in SC, VA, TN, etc.
If you go to a particular Hotspot, such as Lake Junaluska or Lake Lynn, the Mute Swan is NOT listed at all... and yet, if you click on individual checklists, you will see Mute Swan.
Let me know what you see, if you have time, and I will find out who to write to and ask about this. It's one thing to hide data of frivolous sightings (such as obvious foreign waterfowl released in a park), but another thing to hide where these invasive species are being seen.
Erla of Raleigh