Mush

Hello everyone! Recently there has been reports of a White-Winged Scoter at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in FLorida. These birds are very rare here, so it is neat to hear about. Today when I went, I saw 1000s of scaups, but I am not sure if what I saw was a juvenile white-winged scoter or not? It's head looks different, more sloped and squared compared to the more typical duck head that the scaups have. Additionally, it looks like you can see a bit of the white wing, but that's not really helpful as the female scaups have that too. Thoughts? Excuse the low quality photos, it was super windy and cold today, so there was t of distortion on the water.

Thanks! Bumping this because I mainly posted this for the hummers.

Is Puerto Rico still considered part of North America? hahah.. Anyways. Here are some cool hummingbirds I found on my recent trip to PR. I am somewhat confident in the IDs, but any other suggestions are appreciated. A) Green Mango B) Antillean Mango (The photos are the same bird) C). Puerto Rican Emerald (Note the forked tail): D). Green Mango (???) I'm stuck between Mango and Green-Throated Carib... but the throat looks black so I'm going with Mango. E). PR Emerald. Look how long the tail looks and how short the beak is. I think its an Emerald, but the tail doesn't appear forked. Bonus: Louisiana Waterthrush. Sorry, this one was bugging me because I thought it was a northern in the field, but look at how long the superciulum is as well as the pale throat. Thoughts? The more yellow wash indicates northern though... Thank you for your input everyone! I greatly appreciate everyone's' clarifications.

Thanks for your help guys. I am pretty confident that is a Canada Warbler based on what I saw in the field as well, its just I don't trust myself given how rare this warbler is haha. If it doesn't pour rain, I am going to go out this evening in hopes of trying to relocate it >_>;

Sorry in advance for the terrible photos, but this little warbler is really bugging me. I was kayaking today in central Florida through a creek, and I saw this Warbler in a mixed flock of a hooded warbler, 2 redstarts, a parula, a black-and-white, and a worm-eating warbler. Canada Warblers are very rare in Florida, so this would be unprecedented, but I really thought I saw a black "necklace" on this warbler, as well as a clean yellow belly with dark gray wings and back. Unfortunately, all my photos turned out awful, but in the first photo you can see a hint of its necklace. I'm assuming its probably just a magnolia, as they are expected now, but that "necklace" is bugging me! If anyone could help, it would be greatly appreciated, as a Canada Warble would be a life bird for me.

After some digging, I found this online: https://www.beautyofbirds.com/anhingas.html " At the end of the first year, their plumage rapidly turns tatty brown (referred to as "brown phase." Their full adult plumage grows in after a comprehensive prenuptial molt when they are about two years old and before their first breeding season (after their second or third winter)." Thus, this must be a "brown phase" anhinga. However, I could not find many references to this term, but it does make sense. Also water turkey.... I am guessing because they spread their wings like a turkey spreads its fail feathers? I don't understand the nickname haha.

Hello, Yesterday I saw this Anhinga in central Florida, but it looked extremely pale for an anhinga. Will any expert weigh in on whether this is partial leucism or just a weird juvenile plumage that I don't see often. Thanks!

Hello! Currently in central Florida, swallows are passing through in great numbers and swallows are everywhere. Mostly barns, but the occasional martin, cliff, or bank passes through. However, I saw a flock of these swallows extremely high in the sky (I was scoping some raptors and noticed them mixed with the kettle). They appear to be northern rough winged swallows, due to the paler throat, browner back, and more squared tail than a barn swallow. Thoughts? =

Hey! Simple one today. Westerns, Dunlins, and Semipalmated sandpipers in nonbreeding plumage...... I can never seem to get the three straight. I know semipalamated has the shortest beak, followed by westerm, then dunlin has the longest beak. However, I am torn between western and dunlin in this image. Anyone care to help and give some good tips for IDing the three species? Thanks! (This bird was seen in western Florida. It is shorebird migration currently here, lots of cool stuff).

Hello, Today I was kayaking on a lake in central Florida and after sunset these 4 night herons flew over the lake. They definitely did not sound like black-crowned night herons, and their necks appear to be a bit thinner. Sorry for the bad photos, they were taken 30 min after sunset. What do you guys think?

Hello, Today in central Florida I saw this duck very far out on a big lake. It looked way too big to be a mallard, and the body shape is a big off too. I know the photo is very low quality due to the distance, but do you guys think it is a mallard x Muscovy duck hybrid? Thanks!

Hello, I am going through some old photos from Montana taken last Summer, and I've been trying to ID all the birds I saw. As a Floridian, I am not as familiar with some of these. Let me know if I am correct! 1.Cassin's Finch Female 2.Clay-Colored Sparrow 3.Slate-Colored Fox Sparrow 4.Ruby-Crowned Kinglet? 5.Golden-Crowned Kinglet? 6.Hammond's Flycatcher or Least Flycatcher. 7.Willow Flycatcher 8.Willow Flycatcher 7.Hammond's Flycatcher? 8.Western-Wood Peewee 9.9. This is the most difficult one in my opinion. I am pretty sure it is a juvenile Yellow-Rumped (Audubon's) Warbler. Note the yellow throat, thinner beak, and insectivorous diet. Thank you for the help! Those flycatchers were tricky...

Sorry for the compressed audio. This audio was actually clipped from a much better recording focusing on a white-eyed vireo, I just noticed this song in the background when listening to the rest of the recording, so I digitally enhanced it. Thanks though, I was 75% sure this was a yellowthroat, as I saw a beautiful male when kayaking. Unrelated but I just realized today is my first anniversary since joining this site!

Hello, When kayaking in central Florida, I noticed this red-tailed hawk with an extra pale belly. I was wondering what subspecies it was. My guess is borealis, since the head is too dark to be Krider's.

Hello, Simple question. I heard this bird singing in central Florida this weekend. It was heard in when kayaking in a creek where I have seen many common yellowthroats before. I tend to get some of the Warbler songs mixed up, so I just wanted to make sure this is a common yellowthroat. Common Yellowthroat.mp3