mfoster.vt

Looking back at my pics and thinking about the timeline, I believe the Empid you identified as possibly yellow-bellied was a Least flycatcher. I heard the distinct calls of 2 of these birds and was thinking that was what I was seeing when I took the pic. I just didn't remember that when going through my pics and posting. Here is another shot of the same bird right before it flew. Thanks again psweet.

Thanks for the help psweet and HamRHead. You are both always so helpful in some of my ID woes. I totally missed the Bay Breasted features.

I went in search of warblers this morning at a nearby hotspot that many don't know about. Hit the jackpot and need some help with ID on these late summer birds. This is just a few that I am not sure of. There were many more. 1. Magnolia Warbler? 2. Another Magnolia? 3. Pine Warbler? 4. Another Pine warbler? 5. Canada Warbler? 6. Blackburnian? 7. Another Pine warbler? 8. Not a warbler, but female Scarlet Tanager?

Thanks akiley. I looked at some more photos of Baird's, including photos of the one seen a few days ago in the same spot and have to agree with you. Wings of this bird just do not seem long enough. I'm going with your suggestion of Semi-palmated. I did see a lot of Least there, this bird just seemed a little larger in the photos and had me confused. Thanks again for your help.

I am not a coastal dweller, so shorebirds are always a challenge to me. I got these pics today on the CT river dividing VT and NH in the souther part of these states. There had been a sighting by a few good birders of a Baird's Sandpiper, which is what drew me to the location. I think the first few pics might actually be this bird. Dark drooping bill, dark legs and slightly smaller that the Killdeer seem to point towards this ID. I am still so uncertain with shorebirds that I could use help. There had also been report of one Pectoral Sandpiper there as well. The second set of pics might be the same bird, but I am not sure. Taken a bit later after walking a ways and coming back. This location is actually a waste water treatment facility, and if I approached too close, the birds would fly off to the opposite shore, so I can't say this is the same bird. The last bird I only heard and saw in flight. Sounded like a Yellowlegs. From the length of the bill in the highly cropped pics, I think I would go with Greater Yellowlegs. Thanks so much for any help. ] The bird behind the Killdeer is the bird I think might be a Baird's Sandpiper I think this might also be the Baird's, but not sure. Taken a bit later in a different location and I did not follow the original bird. Highly cropped photos of a Yellowlegs. I'm thinking Greater.

Thanks psweet for the detailed explanation. It all makes more sense regarding beak color and eye-ring. I can also detect some faint breast streaking. Would you call this a juvie male?

Got these pics thinking the bird was a female Baltimore oriole because I had just seen 2 male Orioles in the same area. Looking at the pics I realized this is not an Oriole but I'm not sure on the ID. Has a warbler-like build, but a yellow warbler should have a darker bill (could be lighting) and I think I see an eye ring in one of the pics which isn't right for Yellow warbler. So then I think of Scarlet Tanager female, but I think that is a stretch. I don't think the bill is heavy enough for Tanager. I could use help with ID on this bird.

Thanks for the help all. It sorta had a loon look to it, but the pattern was really throwing me for a loop. I have no idea what a Guillemot looks like as a juvenile, but will go on a quest now. Interesting looking bird but I wish the photo was sharper.

Got this pic while on vacation in Maine a week ago. I thought I was just photographing another Black guillemot till I looked at the picture. Wish it was in better focus. Had I known, I would have attempted to get better pics (I was in a kayak at the time). I can't imagine this is anything but a young common loon, but the color pattern is like none I've seen before. Then again, I am not around loons all that much and am usually seeing adults or chicks when I am. Just want to confirm my impressions.

Thanks Bird Nuts, and thanks for the ID of the plant. I've seen it so much and never bothered to look for an ID, but I was going on a search for it tonight, (got some good pics of bumble bees on it) so thanks for that as well.

Got these pics today of a small bird in the middle of a marsh. It was hovering around the marsh, and landing on the marsh plants. Similar behavior to other flycatchers. Just does not seem to have that distinctive flycatcher look, but it is all I can come up with. Perhaps a Juvie. If flycatcher, it would probably be either Willow or Alder, but it never peeped, so I don't think you could differentiate. I did hear willow in a couple other areas of the marsh.

OK, thanks Akiley. Thought the bird was larger than that in the field.

Got this pic today on Monhegan Island. Only thing that makes sense to me is an immature Rose Breasted Grosbeak, but I'm all ears if I'm wrong.

Thanks Akiley. I should have considered Northern Gannet, but they looked so different from the adult, that it did not dawn on me these are Gannets. Saw a bunch of mature Gannets last year in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and had they been adult I'd have known what they were. There have been Arctic terns seen in this area, but I am also not sure how to tell them apart, especially at a distance and with details obliterated by poor photos. Maybe there is something distinctive that someone else knows about.

I went on a day trip to Monhegan island today and was hoping I might see a shearwater of some sort. I think that I did, but am quite clueless on ID of shearwaters. I think that maybe the first two birds are Manx Shearwater. The third bird I would default to common Tern, but the wings look too long and slender and the tail looks unusual. Could be just the angle I took the shots at. We were on a fast ferry, so I just clicked off shots and got what I got. Appreciate any help. 1. Above 2 pics are the same bird which may be a Manx Shearwater 2. Above 2 pics are another bird, but I think might also be a Manx Shearwater 3. Above pics are admittedly not great, and highly cropped. From the first and third pic I would go with common tern, as that is sort of the default here. That second pic has me wondering though, with the long slender wings and unusual tail spread. Not what I am used to seeing for common tern.

Thanks Akiley. I have never seen a Ruff, so that was a bit of a stretch. I was pouring through my Sibley's trying to find a shorebird with orange legs that seemed to fit. Could be some mud on the legs gave them a orange hue. Lighting also plays tricks at times as well, I know. Thanks again.

I got these pics today in Midcoast Maine. There were a bunch of Lesser Yellowlegs and Killdeer in this marsh, but this bird just doesn't seem to fit. Those orange feet have me stumped. The only thing I can come up with is a Ruff, but that would be a rare bird for here and I always question something like that. Thing is, the bill length, the orange legs and size (I think it was about the size of the yellowlegs) all seem to point to Ruff. My guess is that I'm missing something easy, but I just can't come up with it. These pics are highly cropped, and the focus was not dead sharp, so ID may be difficult. The 3rd picture may be a different bird (taken a bit later), but it seems to look the same.

Thanks Akiley

I am in Port Clyde and came in from a birding trip to a puffin colony and caught this shorebird on the way in flying over the water. My sense is it is a Spotted Sandpiper, but I'm not good at shorebirds, especially in flight. Highly cropped pics.