Dan P

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.

Taken 3-24-2021 at Antelope Buttes in Antelope Valley, CA (northern Los Angeles County). Would this be a Bell's Sparrow?

Taken 3-24-2021 at Antelope Buttes in Antelope Valley, CA (northern Los Angeles County) I'm thinking this is a Sage Thrasher (which I haven't seen before), but can't rule out a juvenile Northern Mockingbird.

This is the only Yellow Warbler that I've seen (that I know of), and its the best pic I got of it.

Your shots are looking really good with that new camera Aidan.

Taken on 3-12-2021 at Lower Scholl Canyon Park in Glendale, CA. I wanted to confirm whether this is a Red-breasted Sapsucker, since I've never seen one before.

Let me ask you this. There was a large flock of gulls out in the middle of the lake. From the photos I shot panning from one end to the other, I counted over 600 birds. As I was counting them I didn't notice anything that looked like something other than a gull -- except for one cormorant. About 10 minutes later a big portion of the flock started flying, and the 3 photos I posted are a few of the shots that I took. I don't know how to report a large flock of gulls. I've avoiding posting some of my checklists because I don't want to leave out gulls, but I don't want to mis-report them. Everyone that has been reporting this flock at this location to eBird has been reporting them as one of these two: gull sp., Larinae sp. Larus sp., Larus sp. Would one of these two be the correct way to report this flock? Thanks.

Alex, I'm not asking for IDs of individual birds in the flock. I'm just asking if you see any species other than California Gulls or Ring-billed Gulls. You can say, "No", or "a few Westerns" or "at least one Glaucous-winged" -- something like that. I'm just wondering if all that can be seen and identified are California and Ring-billed. Thanks.

Taken on 2-26-2021 at Puddingstone Lake in San Dimas (Los Angeles County), CA. Just curious, are there any other identifiable gull species in these shots besides California or Ring-Billed? The eBird reports for this location over the past 2 weeks have reported many individuals specifically as California Gulls and many as Ring-Billed Gulls. Then the large flocks of 100 to 200 have been reported either as "gull sp., Larinae sp." or as "Larus sp., Larus sp." There was only one Western Gull reported during that period, and 2 (possibly 3) Herring Gulls -- with photos. Thanks.

Thanks Alex, Hasan and Conner. Gulls are maddening.

So for the 3rd and 4th photos, are all the birds on the water and on the shore the same species, or a mix of the two species?

Taken on 2-26-2021 in the afternoon to sundown at Puddingstone Lake in San Dimas (Los Angeles County), CA I need help with gulls, please.

Jefferson, I think they are the same bird, but possibly not. The 5 shots I have before the original photo I posted were over water. Then the 3 shots in sequence. It would be odd that I would have just a single shot of a swallow in flight. Unfortunately my camera only records the time to the minute, not the second. Here are a couple shots taken in the following minute:

The sun had just set. Here are the two photos immediately following -- which are of the same bird. It looks like it has a dark chin/throat, but lighting.... And then 3 other photos that were taken of other birds before and after -- which are Violet Green. Violet-Green is a first for me.

Ha ha! You guys are right. I had the head at the wrong end. There were swallow there flying around.

Taken on 2-26-2021 at Puddingstone Lake in San Dimas (Los Angeles County), CA. This is the only photo I have of it, and I don't think I saw any other birds like it that day -- unless it's some bird carrying a stick.

Thanks all.

Taken on 3-2-2021 above the Los Angeles River near Newell Street in Elysian Valley. Is this bird identifiable?