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Yesterday

Ran into this while birding in the Sierra Nevadas today!!!!! Amazing bird that I have always wanted to see!!!

Yesterday: Purple Finch(got a decent audio recording too which I’ll add tomorrow) Canyon Wren:

The tail is too short, the wings are too long (reaching halfway down the tail), the belly looks barred rather than streaked, and there's a heavy moustache. In general, accipiters should look lanky, especially because of the long tail.

Puffin

Leaning Red-shouldered. A juvenile/immature Broad-winged should have a thicker sub-terminal tail band plus the five primary tips versus four, not sure why the translucent crescent is absent - haze maybe. Although not sure how to completely discount Red-tailed from these photos.

The leaves provided a nice frame-within-the-frame for this Ovenbird. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/585307621

Finally defeated my nemesis: #385 Anhinga! https://ebird.org/checklist/S141828038

I learned about the Gray Kingbird diet today: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/585306081

First time (birding or otherwise) on the Guy Fleming trail overlooking Torrey Pines State Beach and Los Penasquitos lagoon in San Diego: Ran across this handsome specimen: Who was staying very still to avoid being eaten by this falcon perched on a Torrey Pinecone: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/585672331

Definitely a Seaside Sparrow. Check the second photo on Merlin, its quite dark and streaky. I bet we could figure out the exact subspecies.

Young tree swallow

Give me a boost... https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/584879591

Yesterday

birdie 🦉 #393: 🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ https://birdiegame.net/

A very familiar bird. birdie 🦅 #393: 🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ https://birdiegame.net/

birdie 🦃 #393: 🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ https://birdiegame.net/

birdie 🦅 #393: 🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ https://birdiegame.net/

Pretty slow birding but got a few fun birds https://ebird.org/checklist/S141785308

Most likely eventually, it’s impressive that they haven’t been already. They’re incredibly different.

Hi all! So in a couple of weeks, I'll be embarking on a road trip to the Northeast to pick up my sister - visiting with family on the way in Upstate NY, briefly. I'll be traveling with a yet undetermined number of non-birding family, who are thankfully somewhat tolerant of my shenanigans. I'm hoping for an at least a morning and maybe an evening of birding around the east coast, probably around Essex County, Massachusetts (in the Newburyport vicinity). I've never birded the east coast before (well, except for Florida a couple years back), but I only have a few realistic lifers. For target birds, Seaside and Saltmarsh Sparrows are pretty high on my list of want to see birds. I know Saltmarsh should be fairly easy, however Seaside is the one that may require some searching. It looks like Parker River NWR is the best spot for these awesome little sparrows - if anyone has any suggestions or criticisms, please let me know! If anyone knows where to go within the refuge to that would be great, since I'll be running with limited time. Roseate Tern would be great! I think I should be able to pull that at Parker NWR. Same with the Eastern subspecies of Willet, which would be a lifer. American Oystercatcher would be amazing as well, but eBird isn't looking too hopeful. The remaining targets are possible but not as likely - pelagic birds I might see from the coast such as Wilson's Storm-Petral, and Great, Manx, and Cory's Shearwaters. I'll be doing more studying on eBird before the trip of course, but if anyone is familiar with any of these places, and has any tips or tricks, thanks in advance for any advice! And of course, I'd appreciate suggestions for stops along the way as well. Here's a screenshot of roughly where I'll be headed:

We were birding at the San Dieguito Lagoon in San Diego and the trail runs under a bridge where (many) cliff swallows are nesting. I somehow managed to capture this remarkable event... Two juveniles sitting in a nest, waiting for an approaching adult to feed them. As an adult approached, another juvenile flew in sideways from left frame and knocked the adult out of the way. The juvenile then approached the juveniles in the nest, and one of the little guys in the nest chomped on the head of the approaching juvenile. Probably just instinct, but funny to imagine that they were just angry at the other kid for diverting the adult.

Yeah, they’re chip notes. 😜

Not much time for birding lately so I've been trying out macro photography around the yard. Got some cheap extension tubes for my kit lens which I'm starting to figure out. First try at a focus stack (handheld, 4 images) that turned out

Common Rosefinch in Alaska! https://ebird.org/ak/checklist/S141761318?view=photos Eurasian Hobby in Alaska!!!! https://ebird.org/checklist/S141757191?view=photos Dark-sided Flycatcher in Alaska! https://ebird.org/checklist/S141757025?view=photos

birdie 🦃 #393: 🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ Neat birds to watch » hunt «.

By "cat call" I mean when someone whistles to get the attention of someone they think is attractive. Sometimes it has an extra note at the end. If I can go for a walk in the wetlands I will try to record. So far they are too far away to record and my whistling skills are not worth recording! LOL!

https://www.birdpop.org/docs/pubs/Pyle_2020_Molt_Age_and_ID_of_MABO_and_NABO.pdf

1. Juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird 2. House Wren 3. Juvenile Common Grackle

This is back from May, but I only got the last of my photos uploaded last week. https://ebird.org/tripreport/131112

I woke up too late to get the Lifer Roseate Tern I was after. That bird (marked as rare for the county) had been hanging around the pier for a few days. A friend of mine got one earlier in the A.M. https://ebird.org/checklist/S141817539 Normal stuff for the boardwalk this time of year and this time of day: https://ebird.org/checklist/S141832112

Both correct

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/585602931

Maybe a young Masked Boobie? Sea of Cortez off the East Cape yesterday.

Looking at my Seabirds book I don’t think that shows the rose/pink base of bill that Nazca should have.

Looks good for Willow, considering range as well, but if it was not heard still probably best left as Alder/Willow ("Traill's Flycatcher").

Yes, all Song Sparrows.

Black Oystercatcher

Jealousy meter at '11'!

American River Pkwy--William B Pond 6/15/23 Yellow-billed Magpie (picca nuttalli) Sacramento, CA Was quite the bird of the day https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?userId=USER1499726&taxonCode=yebmag https://ebird.org/checklist/S141628731

Tall, quiet guy, with long graying beard and I think I had on black hat that day. I had the grace of a baby giraffe on ice while walking on the deck. 😄

Rarities on my N.C. Pelagic Red-billed Tropicbird White-tailed Tropicbird Roseate Tern Trindade Petrel

Day 3 was another calm day as we started. I found out that the first day we went out, only one other boat went out. Today we were followed by a parade of fishing boats heading out. A good sign the seas were somewhat calm. We were warned that the wind was expected to pick up out there on the Gulf Stream, and we could have some fun coming back in. This turned out to be true as I ended up thouroghly soaked by the time we got back to the dock. I was trying to keep a sick guy at least not wet though, so there was that. It wasn't long into our ride when Kate Sutherland turned to tell some of us some ID information and she looks up and yells "Tropicbird!!!!". We had the most unbelievable looks at a White-tailed Tropicbird, complete with the long streaming tail feathers. This bird was unbelievably cooperative as it circled back to the boat at least 4 times. Kate even clapped at the bird, thanking it for the great views. It got so close it was tought to get in the frame, even at 100mm zoomed out. Needless to say a Lifer, and for me the highlight bird of this trip. This was a bucket list bird for me. Truly one of the greatest birding memories I'll have. Yes it looked right into my Soul. Shortly after one of the leaders, Liam, yells out "Trindade Petrel!!!!". My second look at this ABA Code 3 bird!! (I just caught that my rare birds for this trip were not confirmed yet so didn't initially show up in "My Media" on eBird). Trindade Petrel from Day 1 Trindade Petrel from Day 3 Day 2 actually had 3 lifers as we had 3 diferent Roseate Terns show up Sorry for the digression on the above Day 1 and Day 2 birds. Wilson's, Leach's and Band-rumped Petrels showed excellent as well as Black-capped Petrel; Cory's (with 1 Scopoli's), Great, Audubon and a single Sooty Shearwater. Band-rumped Storm-Petrel Leach's Storm-Petrel Black-capped Petrel Wilson's Storm-Petrel As the day winded-down out on the Gulf Stream we were treated to an adult Pomarine Jaeger giving great looks. Sort of an added "lifer" bonus for me having only seen the juveniles on Day 1. As I was talking with another birder how I really hoped to see 1 of the other 2 Jaegers I didn't have, this lady next to me says "What's that?!?". I look over and at that very moment Kate yells out "Long-tailed Jaeger". My 17th lifer of the trip, with still another week in N.C.!! Unfortunately this allergy/cold would kick up on the drive back to Wilmington and basically cut all my birding short for the rest of the trip. I was able to attend the family outings I was going down there for, but definitely not as enjoyable as it could have been. I was hoping to get back out for the Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern and a Loggerhead Shrike seen at the airport. All in all though, this still was the most fun days I have had birding. I thought about nothing but birds, and not falling overboard, while out on the water. It was almost meditative out on the water. Lifer Long-tailed Jaeger.

June 1st didn't look good. Heavy winds and a thick fog blanketed the marina. We all gathered up at the dock, and the crew was getting all prepared to head out. As we stood there a couple of guys walked up to the boat, and hopped on board. One of them stood out to me immediately...Steve "freaking" Howell was going to be one of the guides on the boat!! Later I would find out that Bob Flood was also on the boat, another prominent author of Seabird books. As we got the safety spiel from the Captain, Brian Patteson, he talked about how rough the seas were. He said "If you aren't sure about being out in rough water, this isn't the day to find out". I think at least 2 people decided to not risk it. He punctuated this by letting us all know "You all suck!". At least the day was starting with some humor. We headed out and, well it was quite choppy. I was thankful for my Bonine and pressure bracelet. Several people ended up sick, including one of the guides, before the end of the day. Thus begins Day 1 of the best biding days of my life. I say this despite having more lifers on other trips. The motion of the ocean, the amazing blue color and just being away from the craziness of life magnified how amazing it is to do a pelagice birding trip. It didn't take long before I got a brief glimpse of Lifers Wilson's Storm-Petrel, and a Sooty Shearwater. The Sooty was somewhat of a nemesis since I missed one reported on a whale-watching tour in San Diego years ago. Once out to the gulf stream it didn't take long before lifers started getting ticked off. The Wilson's Storm-Petrels came within feet of the boat. Great Shearwaters (Lifer) showed up in good numbers. I got my first glimpses of Lifer Leach's Storm-Petrel and Band-rumped Storm-Petrel. Very quick looks to try and figure out how to pick them out from the Wilson's. This would take multiple days and viewings to really be able to pick out on my own. Cory's Shearwaters, both borealis and the European split Scopoli's Shearwaters, gave excellent views. This allowed me to easily see the differences in the whites of the primary and slightly smaller shape and head. Black-capped Petrel (Lifer) also gave some great looks as they passed by. An initially identified Audubon's Shearwater, was quickly changed to ID as a Manx Shearwater (lifer). Audubon's did eventually make an appearance to add to the Lifer total for me. About 1/2 way through the day one of the guides screams out "Trindade Petrel!!!!!!". I was able to get very quick looks of it as it flew past the stern of the boat, and were able to watch it on the bow in the distance as it flew off. I knew this bird was a possibility, but I didn't count on it. I was thankful for the guides, as I likely would have dismissed it as a Sooty Shearwater, having not really gotten comortable distinguishing these families of birds. As we headed back in the Captain said it was going to be very wet and anyone with a camera should be inside. So I headed in, not wanting to mess with trying to pack it up. I am so glad I did, as we were on our way in we hear "Skua!!!!" yelled out. The boat immediately stops and we all try to pile out...emphasis on "try". The captain had to get on the speaker and another person had to literlly tap on someone who stopped in the doorway of the cabin blocking others from getting outside to look at it. Luckily it wheeled around for a bit, and were able to get good looks at another lifer South Polar Skua. Unmistakeable bird that even at 500 feet away you could ID with the naked eye. I ended up with 11 lifers on this first day. I honestly only thought I would get a total of 12 lifers during these pelagics, and I still had 2 more days. Sooty Shearwater Great Shearwater Wilson's Storm-Petrel Manx Shearwater Cory's Shearwaters (Scopoli's followed by borealis) Black-capped Petrel

Henslow's Sparrow!!! More photos to come soon, hopefully. And maybe in a week or so I can get some video of these adorable little fellas. ML583716581 Henslow's Sparrow Macaulay Library

Yeah, I get that. Here’s what I think: (lol I just noticed the location is called “Ivory Billed Woodpecker” that’s kinda funny to me not sure why. No I’m not laughing at them, nor do I mean be rude or anything like that in this post) I personally don’t think they would know what an IBWO looks like, enough so to immediately ID two flying slowly or perched(they don’t say) birds, and yet not know about PIWOs. It’s like someone living in a bear heavy state seeing a bear in full view chilling or something and calling it Bigfoot. But that could still happen so I’m going to list other red flags(at least to me). Swearing: Yeah I know it’s not uncommon(sadly) but at least in my experiences people seem to swear more when they want to be believed/convince someone. Could be just excitement or something though. “It’s a pair”: Seems innocent, right? Yeah maybe, but… think about, what’s better than seeing an IBWO? Seeing a possibly breeding pair. Seems kinda sus to me. Overly suspicious? A classic excuse, I didn’t get a picture, which I lament now.: Two people see a pair of code 6 birds and no one takes or suggests a photo? Seems odd to me, especially since the vehicle was stopped(or at least going very slow). Bigfoot? It’s a viable excuse, heck if I saw a hairy man I’d be in shock for a bit. But a likely extinct woodpecker? I don’t know about you but I’d be fumbling for a camera. (Also I feel like this would naturally be where some swearing happens but instead they sound pretty chill.) Ok ok, I’ll be the first to say this post looks/is dumb. I mean I’m going way too deep into this right? Maybe, but I’m merely explaining a lot of the reasons why I think it’s baloney sandwich. I’m not trying to win an argument or say I’m smart or anything like that. Just an overly long explanation.

Yes, It calls our garbage truck a Great Horned Owl and my husband's throat-clearing a Great Blue Heron. 😄

Since you can't post two photos in best or favorite of a species topic I had to post my favorite here again. Pretty sure it is already in here once. Love this photo. I was just at the same park yesterday and while we saw a few cardinals none seem to be attacking car mirrors or windows. It is early in the breeding season though and if this guy doesn't find a mate this season he may resort to attacking all the perceived competition again.