Dan P

The Least wants to be a Western when it grows up.

Thanks Aidan. I thought I might be seeing some yellow-green color on the legs of that one. But I was expecting they were all the same species. I need to quit doing that and believe what I see. This was shot from a distance and its the only angle I have.

Taken 4-10-2021 on the Los Angeles River at Glendale Narrows Riverwalk. If these are Western Sandpipers, then that's a new one for me.

Okay Avery. I was confused. I thought you had posted a new challenge on March 27.

What is the current challenge? Blue-winged Teals or Red-winged Grackles?

That's what I was afraid of. Drab is being generous. Thanks.

Taken 3-27-2021 at Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, CA (Los Angeles County). I'm having a hard time with this bird. I hope it's not the most common passerine that I see everywhere.

Okay thanks. I will just leave my scaup identifications as Greater/Lesser Scaup -- Aythya marila/affinis and upload the photos with my eBird checklists.

Thanks. I just got my first photos of Scaups last week at two different locations, and I've been struggling with identifying whether the males are Greater or Lesser. Now that I look at the females, I believe the bird pictured here would be a Greater Scaup -- which I believe is the only photo that I have of one.

Taken 3-27-2021 at Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, CA (Los Angeles County). Is this a domestic duck or some kind of teal hybrid?

Taken 3-27-2021 at Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, CA (Los Angeles County). There was a large group of domestic geese, but a few mixed in with them that I think may be native/wild species. Since I haven't seen these species before, I want get confirmation. I believe the smaller white one is a Snow Goose, and the smaller brown one is a Greater White-fronted Goose. Thanks.

I have one more photo -- a crop of the bird in the 1st photo at 100% size.

I've photographed several Cassin's Kingbirds and a few Western Kingbirds, but never noticed any color on the crown. And the descriptions on What Bird and eBird don't mention any "hidden" color on the crown. Neither does All About Birds in regards to Cassin's, although regarding Western it mentions they will chase intruders with "flared crimson feathers they normally keep hidden under their gray crowns," but not mentioned in the ID. It's interesting that there is so little mention of this feature. But I guess that's what I get for relying on the internet. I think the photos below include just two birds (possibly a third). The bird with the orange patch on the crown is in the 1st and 2nd photos, and I believe it's head can also be seen in the 4th photo at the lower, left. The second bird (which is above and to the right in the 1st photo), I believe is also the bird seen in the 3rd and 4th photos. These photos were taken in the same sequence as I moved slightly to get a better shot of the second bird. I'm mostly interested in the one with the orange patch on the crown, if it can be identified. I forgot to say when/where these were taken: 3-27-2021 at Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area (Los Angeles County, CA)

Okay, I didn't know that a Western Kingbird could have a colored crown. But I see now that a Tropical Kingbird can have an orange crown. That might be what it is. I have some poor photos that I will upload later. The photos are not good enough for me to make an ID, but maybe some of you will be able to. Thanks Hasan.

Are there any Kingbirds in Southern California with a bright orange spot on the forehead?

When I first saw the photos of this bird I didn't think it was a NRWS because something about its form didn't look like those I was used to seeing -- I guess because it is so chunky, and I'd rather see more of a wash running down the breast than a band. But trying to identify it, I kept ending up at NRWS. Attached are a couple more photos of the bird in question -- without adjusting the exposure.

Taken 3-24-2021 at Quail Lake in northwestern Los Angeles County, CA. I'm unsure about these two swallows. The first photo I think is either a Northern Rough-winged or a Bank Swallow -- although it's probably too early for a Bank at this location. The shadows have been lightened in this photo. The other two photos are the same bird. These two photos have been upsized to 200% and the shadows lightened. I'm feeling like this is a Cliff Swallow. The two birds were photographed 17 minutes apart, and each time I think I only saw 2 or 3 birds for a few moments.

Taken 3-24-2021 at Antelope Buttes in Antelope Valley, CA (northern Los Angeles County). I'm not too sure about these three sparrows. I think all three may be Savannahs.

Thanks everyone for your comments.