Lesliemorris

Yesterday - Sept 20 - how do you tell the difference between a young Cali and a first year Thayers (Iceland) gull?

Is this a young Thayers (Iceland) Gull or a young Western Gull? Or maybe neither?

At first I thought this was a black-chinned female. Wing tips appear to extend beyond base of tail. Thank you for your input!

Does this image help??? Also, how about the one just in front of it, it looks a little different than the other ring-billed. Dark Eye...

Me too!

Several different gulls have been seen amongst the gazillion ring-biled gulls. I have pulled out images and cropped best as I could (some are blurry - sorry) birds that look to maybe NOT be ring-billed. Can you all help a novice gull ID person out?? You may even see something in the background I missed! 1. Gull in Back of image - has kinda funky ring around eye. 2. Larger Gull in Middle - sorry it was way out.... 3. Ring Billed? 4. In Flight, seems small for ring-billed 5. Unsure of all 4 - 3 lined up and one to the right 6. Both Ring-billed? One in front looks slightly different. 7. One in back? 8. I think this is the one that was in flight by the pelican. Thank you!

Is this a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull? A verified adult was nearby.

THANK YOU! I agree after looking up bank swallow.

Bank Swallow makes sense when I looked up other images. I have not seen them yet, only Barn Swallows... I did not see a forked tail so I thought maybe swift.

Are these swifts? Vaux's? White Throated? I was not paying attention (was photographing other birds in flight) or I would have gotten clearer images.

This one has me stumped. Was near a obvious Lazuli Bunting but looks odd for juvenile, perhaps the malformed beak has me off. Merlin picked up a Blue Grosbeak but this bird has white wing bars. Today: Sandy Point, Boise Idaho.

With all that blue, would you assume Audubon's or Myrtle or just keep generic?

With so much blue on the Yellow-rumped Warbler, which makes perfect sense, do you think it is Audubon's or Myrtle?

Thats what I thought, which is why I was surprised that Merlin did not list it as an option, I do understand its not 100% - I should trust myself for often!

Thats what I originally thought but Merlin keeps saying otherwise... I DO understand that it is not 100% accurate!

Can you help me confirm these images taken yesterday 8/7/2022 at the Intermountain Bird Observatory at Lucky Peak in Idaho? I think I have a Cassin's Vireo (Flight Image) Female Lazuli Bunting - on branch, fairly clear image - bird is banded Juvenile Mountain Bluebird.... it is giving me the fits. Merlin said Western (rare for here) but will not pull up Mountain Bluebird which is infrequent here but not rare. It has to be Mountain...right? MacGillivray's Warbler - hiding behind branches - really was hoping for better image as it is a lifer for me. Either a Virginia or Nashville Warbler - fairly clear image horizontal on twig - Merlin is giving me both on this bird. Lastly, Red Crossbill (three images of same bird, confused as Merlin says it is, but the bill does not appear "crossed" I originally thought is was a Grosbeak and did not spend enough time with it for better images... my bad as it is a lifer if it is! Images are labeled with my guess if you can see them! Thank you!

Oh goodness, forgot that! Castle Rock State Park, Idaho. Two days ago!

I photographed this flycatcher on the nest and nearby and Merlin is giving me for the Cordilleran Flycatcher for the nest image and Western Wood-pewee for the two perched images. I am pretty sure they are all of the same bird. Any help? I am "pretty sure" its the same bird. I was watching it go back to the water then to the nest.

Can any one confirm Dusky Flycatcher or tell me which flycatcher? City of Rocks, Idaho.

Thank you DLecy, very interesting information!

I spent quite some time trying to photograph every red-winged and Tri- colored Blackbirds in three colony areas in an area known to have Confirmed Tri-Colored Blackbirds. The males are pretty easy, the females not -so easy. I know some that were easily recognized as Red-Winged Female but these are on the fence? Any help? Also, is there such a thing as a bi-colored? Several of the males displayed ONLY bright red and no yellow or white that I could see even after watching them for a while. Can any of these be confirmed at Tri-colored?

I found another long shot angle of that hawk, it looks more like a Rough-legged now?

Merlin ID is giving me Rough-legged Hawk for this very, very tight crop. I also photographed a Ferruginous Hawk that was easy to ID. Does anyone think this could be a Rough-legged Hawk? Lower Latrobe Road high portion of road in the open area. Sacramento County, CA

Surprised to see this guy. Lesser or Greater, I don't see to many so cannot tell. Lesser would be the most commonly seen.

Yes, I have other images of the right most bird confirming Thayer's. Just wondering about the other!