adrian

Perhaps not so often during the breeding season (though they still do soar), but I very often see Cooper's Hawks soaring, most often during migration and winter. I'd say 90% or more of my Cooper's Hawk sightings are soaring birds.

I like Hairy Woodpecker for this bird. Bill looks better for Hairy than for Downy. There do appear to be one or two faint spots in the white outer tail feathers, but I think these look more like dirt or something than the barring in Downy Woodpecker's tail feathers, which should be more extensive (though the backlit nature of the photo does make it hard to tell exactly what we're seeing). The black stripe from crown to nape is unbroken, which is better for Hairy Woodpecker. All that said, I'm not 100% sure and would personally leave this bird at Downy/Hairy Woodpecker without more photos.

Yes, juvenile Cooper's Hawk. The second shot shows well how the outer tail feathers are shorter than the central ones (to distinguish from Sharp-shinned Hawk). Long tail marks it as an Accipiter, as does the overall shape. Large head also a mark against Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Nickerson Beach Park, Nassau County, Long Island, New York. June 4, 2019 Not sure if this is a first summer Common Tern or Roseate Tern. Help and explanation would be much appreciated.

I agree with Orchard Oriole and Eastern Kingbird, plus a juvenile Cave Swallow with the kingbird.

Thanks!

Palo Verde National Park, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, March 19, 2019 Having trouble distinguishing between immature Gray-headed Kite, Collared Forest-Falcon, and maybe Bicolored Hawk on this bird. For what it's worth there was an adult Gray-headed Kite in the same area.

Definitely Common Pauraque.

Palo Verde National Park dry forest, March 18, 2019 I know the shots are bad but seems like might be possible to work with. I'm seeing a fairly short bill, dark throat and upper breast, white belly, solid green upperparts. I considered Canivet's Emerald, Blue-throated Goldentail, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and Mangrove Hummingbird. Seems like those would be my only options here. Thoughts?

Thanks for your input. I thought Tropical Pewee in the field but wasn't totally convinced. I thought the lores did not look pale, the main thing that threw me off I suppose. I was quite confident it wasn't either Eastern or Western Wood-Pewee due to the less elongate shape and shorter primaries. I considered that it might be an Empidonax, and indeed someone on another forum suggested White-throated Flycatcher, but in the field I considered Empid and decided it just didn't fit with that genus (no eyering, a bit too elongate/not so round, etc.). I'm going to go with Tropical Pewee. Thanks again.

Thanks.

Near Pocosol Biological Station, Alajuela, Costa Rica, March 16, 2019 Looks to me like Tropical Pewee, but I'd like to hear others' thoughts. Attached Thumbnails

This is a Red-shouldered Hawk. The rufous breast and underwing linings, black and white barred tail, black and white patterned wing, and pale crescent near the wingtips are good marks for this species.

March 14, 2019 at Pocosol Biological Station on the Caribbean slope of the Bosque Eterno de los Niños. Is this a Variable Seedeater or Thick-billed Seed-Finch?

Nope, that's an immature Bald Eagle. Notice the distribution of white feathers on the body. While immature Golden Eagles (not adults) show white in the base of the tail and in the base of the primaries (outer flight feathers) from below, they never show white in the axillaries (armpit). Immature Bald Eagles, on the other hand, typically show extensive white in the axillaries (as does your bird) but not in the regions where Golden Eagles do. Also, the white coming in on the head indicates that this is a Bald Eagle, probably an older immature bird closer to adulthood. Finally, the structure is indicative of Bald Eagle: the head and bill are considerably larger than on Golden Eagle.