Winter

Funny, I would’ve thought Northern Waterthrush judging by its apparent eye stripe, streaky breast with the hint of pale yellow in it, the way it appears to be foraging close to the water, its location.... I’m likely wrong though! Tricky ID!

Thank you. I did not realize Sanderlings were not peeps — good to know. Forgot to mention the photos were in early May 2020 and in southern Delaware on the Atlantic coast/peninsula.

What kind of tern (I think?) is up front with all the peeps? Least Tern? Also, any definitive ID on the peeps would be awesome. I’m fairly certain they’re Sanderlings but I’m not 100% sure. Apologies for the grainy stills from video on iPhone.

Thanks guys! Must’ve been the trick of the (lack of) light! 😊

Saw these two sparrows back on March 19 scurrying along tire tracks left in the sand on the beach in Fenwick Island State Park (Delaware). Unfortunately, it was a very gray, windy and cold day and I only had my iPhone for grainy/blurry pictures, per my usual luck, so some of the detail in coloring is lost. The reason I noticed the sparrows, was their very distinctive, heavy patterning especially along their outer/upper wings and back, also the head. Plus, they were large and moving super fast through the tire impressions as though it were their own personal speedway. I thought Savannah sparrows initially but I’ve seen those before and these just looked and behaved differently. I’m thinking Lark Sparrow?

Thank you for your reply, millipede! You’re right — it does sound a lot like a House Finch (with the little upward-scaling trill at the end) but it’s confusing as there’s never any of the the usual chirping and twurtling in between and, like you said, seems too organized/deliberate. I’ll try to get the binocs out tonight and see if I can see it clearly. 😄

Apologies for the lousy recording and lots of noise in the foreground. Thinking it’s a warbler and although familiar sounding, Im having trouble finding the matching song in my web searches. This little bird appears to be spending evening/nights under the roof of nearby building behind a large alarm bell which shelters him from the wind and room. During the day, I hear him singing emphatically from trees and bushes around the area. I first noticed him about a week ago but never can find him to get a pic and don’t want to scare him at night with a flash cam DEL shore song ID 03.22.20-7pm copy.m4a

Bumping this as I’m curious to know as well!

Beautiful photos (and Sandhill’s)!

You’re probably right... But I’ve a question — and please don’t think I’m trying to be rude or anything 😊 — when comparing some pictures in Nevada of American Pipits seen in December, they look so similar to the OPs picture! What am I missing? Is it the eyes? For example, here’s one of a bunch i copy/paste’d from this link https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/42670641 Also from the same site, there’s some Pipits with more rufous/reddish near the chest/shoulders as seen in the OP photo with the same yellow black-tipped bill, wing tips, eye swoosh, etc. I really hope you don’t think I’m being rude..! 😬 Just trying to figure this out as I’ve never seen a Robin this pale or gray before even in breeding plumage or immature/juvenile, but perhaps in the arid regions of the US this isn’t uncommon... OK, now I’m going to go run and hide out of embarrassment ☺️ 🥴😆

Thanks! Wish I could go back and delete my post as I feel rather silly now. 😆 (I had inadvertently turned ”Night Shift” on 🙄)

To my eyes, this looks to be an American Pipit (immature or non-breeding) and not a Robin nor Hermit Thrush... Sorry to be the naysayer here!

Agree with Red-Tailed Hawk and it appears to be of the Dark Morph (Harlan’s) race which tend to be most common in the Northwestern regions of US and Canada. 😃

Thanks guys. I’m still not sure it’s a red-tailed hawk but you’re most likely right. I’ve seen Merlins, Sharpies and Kestrels perched on wires like this before but never a RTH. My father thinks it’s either a very fat/puffed up female American Kestrel or a juvenile Sharpie...but still confused lol!

Welcome! The top bird is indeed a White-breasted Nuthatch and the bottom is a House Sparrow. 🙂