bo nelson

Nobody likes this bird for a Least Flycatcher?

OK, now I know this photo looks a lot like the one I posted yesterday but I think this one is a Hooded Oriole. Sorry, I couldn't get a better angle or lighting on this bird or its buddy. 30 miles south of Tucson, AZ. Thanks, bo

Yeah, Western Wood-Pewee!

Howdy, I saw this bird today in Tucson, AZ and got poor photos due to lighting. This seems to me a weird, juvie Western Tanager but maybe I'm missing something. Maybe just the pose makes it seem like the wrong shape. Wing bars, coloration and beak seem right though. Thanks, bo

This guy Wilson did a great thing, when I made up a new warbler he put an easy to ID on it's head! Nice one.

This is my first swing at submitting a bird sound. Maybe not even a bird. I recorded this sound twice with Merlin's Sound feature but Merlin struck out. I downloaded the waveform, used WavPad app to isolate one of the buzzy sounds. I was leaning toward a Spotty Towhee but have never heard this from them before. Didn't see one either. Maybe it's a bug? BuzzyReno12AUG23.wav This was in Reno on Aug 12. I couldn't find a bird over there but on the other side of at least two neighbor fences full of apple trees and other fully leafy trees. Birds hide from me all the time in those. Also would be interested in the 'proper' method of trying to submit a sound file. Thanks, bo

Thanks

I'm liking this bird as a Red Phalarope but worried. I took this photo today about 5 miles off Bodega Bay, CA. I was salmon fishing so I didn't pay much attention to getting a good photo. There were four of these guys out there at least.

NEVER MIND! It turns out he got photos mixed up and this was in fact taken in France! Nice ID and I'll never submit another bird for another person. So sorry.

Huh. Never expected this to be a bird from off the continent. This photo was taken this morning in his backyard in Costa Mesa, California which is really just part of Los Angeles.

My buddy sent me the photo below and I can't find a good match for this bird. Merlin gives me things that aren't close. I'm traveling with no books, trying online. Stumped. Thanks

If anyone wants to beat their head against this wall, more power to you. I've given up on trying to ID this bird. It's in Tucson, AZ but isn't supposed to be. I have more photos but they look very much like this one. All on the water.

Agreed on Mourning Dove. In Tucson we've still got them everywhere.

Yesterday I got stranded in Emeryville, CA after a biz meeting by rush hour traffic so I wandered down to the Emeryville Marina to wait it out. I was walking around and noticed a couple of smaller gulls soaring around with the usual suspects. I went back to the car, snatched up my camera and got only a couple of half way decent photos. Late afternoon low angle sun gave me some problems. I'm worried my desire to turn this into an Iceland Gull is clouding my ID. Thanks

I use a harness for my binocs and a sling for my camera. The harness for my main binocs came from Cabelas, I'm not too sure there are huge differences. My back up pair of Bushnell's have a harness from them. The sling was a little tougher to solve as it seems like there are many options. I bought an inexpensive one to try out and ended up liking it. The only concern is the clip to the camera, some reports of them failing but mine have not and I test/inspect regularly. I bought a second version of this sling to try out running two sling rather than a harness and a sling but stayed with that plan. Here's a link to the ones I ordered from Amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07GXJFRZZ?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-ypp-rep_ypp_rep_k1_1_12&crid=2RNB8DD3KUQ6M&sprefix=camera+sling

I'm liking Western Kingbird also. I get lots of practice in Tucson!

I've been using this quite a bit to help learn bird songs. It gets most of them but as posted above, misses some, not all birds are in there and has given me a few that I don't think were correct. But most it's identified and I've tracked down have been on the money. Mostly used in southern AZ. But I did have an American Robin in my backyard in Reno, NV yapping up a storm with some odd song I've never hear and Merlin had no idea what it was though the recording was very loud and clear. So I'm guessing some of the species claimed to be covered in Merlin aren't fully covered. I had to see the Robin's mouth moving to believe it was an American Robin, I grew up with them.

I'm headed to Costa Rica in early Oct, Covid Gods willing, and while it is mostly a fishing trip we are going to spend 2-3 days chasing birds. We fish on the east coast and generally spend a half a day cruising the lagoons looking for wildlife. Does anyone have a recommendation on a book or field guide? The Garrigues version seems to be the most highly rated on Amazon but thought I'd ask here. Thanks, bo

I spotted this one today in Costa Mesa, CA, actually there were two. Sadly the photos more from the side were nice photos of leaves with a blurry bird. Did have wing bars, legs were definitely blue-ish and bit of an eye ring. Other than that pretty bland. Was definitely leaning toward Hutton's Vireo but worried about the skinny bill in the "from below" shot. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Ah, right, wing tips, sorry. But are they too dark for a Glaucous-winged Gull?

I photographed this spooky bird on the coast at Discovery Park near Seattle. I was all Glaucous-winged when I took the photo. Looking at the photo the darker tail makes me concerned it's Western. Still leaning to the former but wanted to see what the experts thought. Thanks

Gracias.

I saw this bird today in Madera Canyon, AZ (south of Tucson) and tried to get better photos than this. I have more photos but all just as bad and similar angle. Two other birders and I were leaning Song Sparrow at the time but now I'm wondering about Lincoln's. Good luck and thanks.

I saw this bird on the upper east coast of Costa Rica in October of 2019. This is the best I can muster up out of two iPhone photos. I'm leaning toward Collared Plover but if I was very sure I wouldn't be posting this! ? Thanks,

Today I was about 80 miles south of San Antonio freezing my behind off in the wind and rain trying to find a Spotted Rail. I'd seen an Eastern Bluebird earlier and while in my car I just pointed my camera at what I thought was the same bird in a little different area. Upon reviewing the photos this looks like a Mountain Bluebird to me. But, I've been wrong before..........