mfoster.vt

Thanks to you both

I got this distant pic (quite cropped) on a rainy day. I just can't quite get a handle on this bird. I'm leaning towards Solitary Sandpiper. There were other shorebirds around it including Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, a very distinct Solitary Sandpiper, a pectoral sandpiper and leasts. The yellowish legs and clear breast are making think Solitary, though it does not have a distinct eye-ring.

Thanks all. I had asked a couple of birders here, and they also agreed it was Red-eyed. The yellow color is what fooled me.

I saw this bird yesterday. In the field it was strikingly yellow, making me first think of a warbler on initial glance. I realized it was vireo and snapped a couple of shots. I ID'd the bird as a Philadelphia, but got a comment on FB that it is a red eyed due to the "Gray crown and eyeline markings". A Philadelphia has both of those as well, so I am still leaning towards that, but wonder what folks here think.

Taken today 7/28. Very distant birds, so pic is quite cropped and not as crisp as I would like. There were some least sandpipers in this group and one pectoral that I couldn't get a pic of but saw with the scope. This bird I think might be a semi-palmated sandpiper, but I am often wrong with shorebirds.

Thanks akiley. I knew it didn't look quite right for a Herring gull, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I saw immature Black-legged Kittiwakes at the Cape a couple years ago, but they were immature and easy to spot due to the M pattern. Didn't know what to look for in an adult.

Not sure enough about gulls to call this one. Looks like maybe a Herring gull, but I don't see a red mark on the bill. Maybe just the photo?

Duh, i knew that but had Scaup on my brain. Don't think Ive seen Ring Necked Duck reputed here, so it wasn't on my radar. Thanks for catkin that millipede.

Got these pics today here N of PEI. eBird says Lesser Scaup are rare here, but these have enough of a peaked head that has me wondering. Just seeing what the experts here think .

Thanks Akiley

Thanks Mark5. That's what I thought as well. I'm going with it.

I am in Les Iles-de-la-Madelaine (or the Magdelain Islands) north of PEI. Black Headed Gulls have been reported here recently and I saw these birds today. I thought they were terns by the size and the quick way they turned and flew. Pretty sure this is the correct ID, but want to be positive as it is a lifer if so.

Thanks Blackburniang

Thanks meghann. Just wasn't looking for them on the ocean.

More pics from the ferry. I believe these are Great cormorants due to the white throat and white patch near the armpit. Never seen them in flight, but think this might be correct. Distant cropped photos.

Thanks Akiley. Now I have to look up Kumlien's.

Got this pic today (5/14) again on the Ferry from PEI to Les-Iles-de-la-Madelaine. I think this is an Iceland gull, but could use confirmation. This seemed to be a smaller gull, but none around to compare it to.

I am on a vacation to a set of islands in the middle of the Bay of St. Lawrence north of PEI. A great birding spot and I hope to find a lot of birds, especially ducks. I was on the ferry to the islands today and got these shots. Couldn't figure out what the birds were as I was expecting sea birds but I think these actually were Long Tailed Ducks. I know that there were numerous reports of them on the marshes and ponds on the islands, but did not expect to see them out at sea. What I think are the males might be deceiving, as I see no white collar, but as they lifted higher I could clearly see that long tail, which I think is a give away. The photos were taken from a distance, (severely cropped) but I did see at least 30 of these ducks in several groups and want to report it right.

Duh. Not sure why I didn't think of that. Thanks to both of you

Got these pics today in southern VT. Pretty sure they are Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, but that eye ring looks pretty heavy and has me second guessing myself. They weren't singing for me so that didn't help.

Thanks Bird Nuts. I heard a bunch of them there, but this one was not really in the marsh and had me confused.

I saw this sparrow today in S. VT and it has me stumped. Has the white throat of a white throated sparrow, but not the yellow lores and white crown stripes. I had a better look before taking the pic, and the throat was definitely white, like a white throated sparrow. Any ideas?

Thought I replied yesterday on this, but thanks blackburnian. That yellow had me wondering.

I saw these 2 birds today in a location where I have seen greater scaup the last couple weeks. One of these birds has some yellow coloration around the bill instead of white, that just seems odd. I don't know enough about these ducks to know if that is just a color variation or not. I wouldn't guess it is another kind of duck, but I have been wrong so many times that it wouldn't surprise me. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks HamRHead. I keep looking at these DC birds and think I see a Great mixed in but it is probably just wishful thinking.