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And there are no Nuts more deserving!

The ol razzle dazzle

Emperor Goose!

Recently I've noticed that if you type in the word "people" and search it shows audio of people!

First decent shots of a Marbled Godwit. Surprised I got it in focus considering it was walking. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/378575821

I'm stuck between 2 species right now and I can't decide

The first two are Lincoln's. The last is a Swamp.

I like Hermit Thrush here, with the reddish in its wings and no Buffy eyering or superloral.

I agree with Say's Phoebe based on coloration and bill size/shape. The bold wingbars and fleshy gape indicate that this is a juvenile bird.

Gnat-My what big eyes you have! Gnatcatcher-The better to see you with my dear. Gnat-My what a big beak you have! Gnatcatcher-The better to eat you with....my lunch!

Confirmed

Had a fun morning! I was out birding near some tall grass along a creek that runs by our yard. I was looking for sparrows, mostly, but grassland wrens too. To my surprise I found a lot of Swamp Sparrows (photo lifer and yarder!). I kept flushing Melospiza for a while and then a different-looking sparrow flushed with a couple of Swamp Sparrows. I was only able to take two bad photos before it disappeared into the grass. Upon coming back inside this was what I was saying to myself: “Now where is that weird-looking sparrow photo? Ah, here it is. *zooms in* Hey, that almost looks like… but could it be?? *looks closer still* oh it’s a goodie, OH IT’S A GOODIE!! But which one??” I made a mad dash outside to refind the sparrow and get better (identifiable) photos. After a good bit of searching I finally found it and to my surprise and elation it was a LeConte’s Sparrow!! Yarder and photo lifer!

A cooperative Yellow-crowned Night-Heron https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/379122041

Townsend’s Solitaire.

If you don’t want to learn the differences, there is an alternative Seriously though, this has been a really good incentive to learn the more subtle field marks for a bunch of species.

That was the intent! Time to learn the differences. 😉

Here is this week's quiz bird!

This really doesn’t look like a Phoebe to me. Either Pewee or a Traill’s, I think.

I think you're right on 2. I was thinking White-crowned on 1.

We have two! Their names are Ben and Sean.

House Finch. Merlin is reliable to narrow options for good pictures, but you should never make a call based exclusively on what Merlin says.

I do believe that the only loon species that ever has a yellow bill is a Yellow-billed Loon, and even in them it is never that bright.

Answer will be posted early today because I don't feel like working right now.

From Saturday but finally got around to uploading photos https://ebird.org/checklist/S95767536

Wow, thanks so much, guys! I couldn't have done it without Whatbird members past and present and Bird Nut #2. I'm just passing on what I've learned here.

I fully understand! I almost walked into two face first that had constructed their web right across the path at one area we were birding. After 3 attempts to get a bird there and finally getting a poor view of the bird we were looking for we high tailed it out of there and never returned. Most of the places we bird away from the coast even a bit have them in the summer but most don't have their webs right across the paths. Thank goodness! I understand they aren't venomous but the bite is painful and the web very strong and sticky. I do not want first hand knowledge! Here are just a few more panic inducing spiders all from birding adventures in Florida. The last photo was sooooooo cool yet sooooooooooooo very creepy to see. It had rained the day before and was foggy so every Bowl and Dollie Spider web in the area was highlighted by the conditions. I love photographing spiders from distance but truly do not like them.

Seward Gull and Black Phoebe https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/378621401 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/378620091 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/378620071

Hardly ever see them.

Thank you for your submissions!! This week's bird is a Bay-breasted Warbler!! Based on the size of the bird compared to my hand, we can tell that for a warbler, it is fairly large. The tail is short and bill narrow, ruling out Pine Warbler. That leaves us with Blackpoll or Bay-breasted Warbler and the dark feet confirm Bay-breasted. It has vague streaking on the back and a slight tinge of bay on the sides. This bird was identified as a hatch-year male based on plumage and molt. This photo was taken at Splinter Hill Bog (Baldwin County), Alabama on October 22nd. Those who guessed Bay-breasted Warbler get 3 points, those who guessed any species in Setophaga get 2 points, and anyone who guessed any species in the family Parulidae gets 1 point. 1 additional point is awarded to those who guessed hatch year and 1 additional point is awarded to those who guessed male. Here's the 10/15/21 scoreboard. _________________________________ 1. BirdingBoy - 26 points 2. Kevin - 25 points 3. BirdNrd, TheBirdNuts - 23 points 4. Connor Cochrane - 22 points 5. Kerri - 21 points 6. Aidan B, IKLland, stitch58 - 20 points 7. Avery, meghann - 18 points 8. Kansasbirdguy, PalmWarbler - 15 points 9. MichaelLong, Peromyscus - 11 points 10. Seanbirds - 9 points 11. PaulK - 7 points 12. Lonestranger, quiscalusquiscula - 6 points 13. Johnd - 5 points 14. EdHogg - 3 points _________________________________ Let me know if I missed you on the scoreboard or if I made any other errors. Thanks again for your submissions! This week's quiz will be posted shortly.

Yeah, probably around Chicago there might be a Swainson’s or Gray-cheeked still holding on, but Hermits are by far more numerous now. Assuming Chicago isn’t too different from southeast Michigan.

Our back-up system is named Maggie. She's mastered the advanced technique of putting her paw in the middle of the plate so it doesn't move around while she's licking it.

Savannah Sparrow and Cooper's Hawk

I have two good things to say about Bird forum they have people from all around the world, not just the US/Canada. The second is that the argumentative people, who I definitely don't want here, have somewhere else to go.

I agree - note the belly band and dark patagial marking.

Chipping Sparrow?

Awesome!!! Great shot as well!

In the shadows at the entrance to Green Cay in Boynton Beach FL.

Mute Swan in a canal on Sims Road (just north of Atlantic Ave) in Delray Beach FL. Family of four.

I'm jealous!

Nice Checklist, it makes me want to do some costal birding right now.....

You don't generally think of Western Bluebirds as masters of Camouflage but this one certainly is giving it shot.

Yes

You can click on ‘near threatened’ (also Least concern, endangered, etc) and it tells you the reason why. Takes a lot more than perceived local levels to downgrade/upgrade the conservation status of the species. Need to look at population trends, habitat quality/availability, range, etc. of the whole population. Which is why barn owls are considered locally endangered in Canada (very small range), even though globally they’re considered least concern (found on every continent, so it would be very hard for the whole population to crash). As for the grackles, they are still relatively numerous, but the overall population trend has been significantly negative over the last how many years suggesting that if that trend continues they eventually could be upgraded to vulnerable then all the way down the line to extinct. Seems unlikely, but look at the passenger pigeon that once numbered in the billions…. Though of course there’s a big difference between the factors currently effecting grackles and the factors that effected the pigeons, both human wise and life history wise.

Excellent! Much better than a negative number of bird sp!

No wayyy!! So awesome, congrats! What a heck of a yardbird.

That coloring on the side, and that strong streaking on the back, makes it a Bay-breasted Warbler.

That's a Double-crested Cormorant. A Pacific Loon's bill is smaller, and would never be yellow, I believe.

It may be a Female Lazuli Bunting?