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Dave Case

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Posts posted by Dave Case

    Please confirm Snow Goose

    in Help Me Identify a North American Bird

    Posted · Edited by Dave Case
    spelling mistake

    I had at first thought this might be a leucistic Canada Goose since it was hanging with some, but someone else pointed out that it was a Snow Goose. That looks right to me at this point. It was not in a location where I would have expected to see a Snow Goose and it was not in a large flock so I got confused, at least that;s my excuse and I am sticking with it! :)

    Delta Ponds, Eugene OR, 4/10/2020

    9XxIwia.jpg

    Gull IDs if you please (1)

    in Help Me Identify a North American Bird

    Posted

    15 hours ago, Tony Leukering said:

    I'm not convinced of Glaucous-winged for #2. The lighting is harsh/extreme, causing overexposure below and, possibly or probably, underexposure above. I would imagine that adult Glaucous-wingeds should be getting ready to breed, thus they could very well have all-white heads by now. I agree that it's either a Western or a Glaucous-winged or something intermediate, but I think that the bird is not definitively identifiable with this single photo.

    Tony — thanks for your input. I have included the only two images I have of #2 below. I've reduced the exposure some to try and get more detail out of the over-exposed areas.

    MK5ZnIY.jpg

    ItzEKVB.jpg

    Gull IDs if you please (2)

    in Help Me Identify a North American Bird

    Posted

    Alex — I think you are correct about #4 and #5 being the same bird. I checked the timing on the two shot sequences and they were separated by only two seconds, so I probably took my finger off the shutter for a bit. Your help on this has been invaluable. I will use the following IDs —

    Glaucous-winged X Herring - 1, 4, 5, 6
    Western                                   - 2
    Glaucous-winged                  - 3

    Thanks again,
    David

    Gull IDs if you please (1)

    in Help Me Identify a North American Bird

    Posted

    Alex — Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this. I hope it eventually sinks in a bit. I tend to ID intuitively where my intuitions are shaped by my experience of observing a species in the wild. After enough experience I just start recognizing the species on sight. Some species take longer than others. Starlings used to trip me up a lot due to their varied appearance due to age and season. So far gulls have been the most resistant to my natural intuitive process. I do recognize Glaucous-winged and Ring-billed most of the time now, but the other species are not yet coming into focus. The situation with gulls is more complex than with Starlings because of all the hybridization, especially here in the PNW. Again, thank you so much for all of your help, which is especially valuable in a forum like this where others can benefit as well.

    Cackling Geese?

    in Help Me Identify a North American Bird

    Posted

    Taken 2/11/20 in Eugene, Oregon

    At first I had these pegged as Canada Geese but after looking at the photo more carefully, I am wondering if these are not Cackling Geese, at least most of them. The bird on the far left and the pair in the penultimate right position look larger and might be Canada. What say you fine bird experts?

    qOf3ohN.jpg

    Thanks for the help!

    LOL forum topic

    in Photo Sharing and Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, TexasCobra said:

    Get a grip!

    This critter has been hanging head down over the door from my kitchen to the patio every evening for the past week.  I suspect he's waiting to meet up with an edible moth.  If he makes an Acapulco style cliff dive into my margarita he will suffer immediate execution by Ariat boot heel!!!

    Well now, that gives Happy Hour a whole new meaning! 😊

     

    BTW, if you live in Texas you must live near the coast, 'cause that critter looks to be an amphibian.

    Reed in Great Egret tail?

    in Photo Sharing and Discussion

    Posted

    I believe that is breeding plumage. It normally lies on top of the wings rather than under them and bunched together as in your shot. The birds can extend them out into the air around their bodies, making a kind of airy cage around them when courting (google "great egret courtship display). Also, the date is right for breeding plumage. In your image they appear to have gotten wet and bunched together. Sometimes other birds have a rather different use for them, as you can see ...

    F6iHSYL.jpg

    • Haha 1
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