[In Flight]

[Ruddy Ducks ??]

Taken 1-3-2020 at Hansen Dam, Los Angeles, CA.

Aside from the Northern Shovelers in the foregound of the first photo, are all the others Ruddy Ducks?

 

[Gnatcatcher ??]

Taken 1-3-2021 at Hansen Dam, Los Angeles, CA.

I think this is a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, but want to make sure its not a California Gnatcatcher.

[First bird of 2021]

My first bird of 2021 was a feral Rock Pigeon.

I have 40 species so far, with an additional 11 that I haven't identified yet (including 4 ducks and 3 gulls).

[First bird of 2021]

My first bird of 2021 was a feral Rock Pigeon.

I have 40 species so far, with an additional 11 that I haven't identified yet (including 4 ducks and 3 gulls).

[Head-On Bird Shots]

[Some Duck]

Thanks you guys.  Blue-winged Teal is another new one for me.  As far as I know.

I'm not very good with female ducks.  They're all Mallards to me.

[Some Duck]

Northern Pintail is another first for me.

Also, I had this bird in a shot from 13 minutes earlier.  I may have overlooked it thinking it was a female Mallard.

Is this also a Northern Pintail?

[Some Kind of Bird]

30 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said:

I agree, but I don't know how to rule out Golden-crowned.

On eBird bar charts, the only Kinglet observed in this area is Ruby-crowned.

Thanks all.

[Some Duck]

Taken 12-25-2020 in the afternoon on the Los Angeles River at Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys, CA.

What is the duck in the foreground?

[Some Kind of Bird]

Taken on 01-01-2021 at Los Angeles River, north of Sunnynook Foot Bridge, Atwater Village, CA.

Any thoughts?

[Fun with Sparrows]

1 hour ago, DLecy said:

Good bird for sure this time of year. Did you post to eBird? Could still be a count week for the local CBC.

I just posted that one Vesper Sparrow to eBird.  I had created an eBird account a few weeks ago and posted one short checklist as a test.  So this is my second posting.  Thanks.

[Fun with Sparrows]

7 minutes ago, Dan P said:

The eBird bar charts for this area shows a low frequency of observations throughout the fall, but no observations after the 2nd week of December.

Actually, I found a more precise location on eBird charts:  Los Angeles River - Sepulveda Basin

It shows a low frequency of Vesper Sparrows in Sept/Oct, and the last week of Feb.  No observations in Nov/Dec/Jan.

This bird was photographed on the bank of Haskell Creek, right at the confluence with the Los Angeles River.

[Fun with Sparrows]

The eBird bar charts for this area shows a low frequency of observations throughout the fall, but no observations after the 2nd week of December.

[Fun with Sparrows]

Thanks everyone.  My first Vesper!

[Fun with Sparrows]

Here is another shot of #10 -- the Vesper?

[Fun with Sparrows]

10 minutes ago, Birding Boy said:

Any other shots of #11? I think it is a Song Sparrow, but its tough to tell. Not many other options though.

Only one other frame of #11, but it is essentially identical.  I realized I needed to go to manual focus to get through the twigs, but by the time I did, the bird took off.

[Fun with Sparrows]

Taken 12-25-2020 in the afternoon near Haskell Creek in the Sepulveda Basin, Van Nuys, CA.

I hardly ever get sparrows at my house -- only an occasional White-crowned.  And the places I normally go, if I see any its only two or three.  But on Christmas day I found where all the sparrows hang out.  I may have seen 50 to 100.

Of the attached photos, I believe they are all Savannah, except for the 3rd one a Song, and the last one (no. 11) I have no idea.  But some of those that I've identified as Savannah may actually be Song.

Comments please.

 

[Two Birds]

Taken 12-25-2020 afternoon near Haskell Creek at Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, Van Nuys, CA.

The first one seems kind of like a Yellow-rumped Warbler, but I don't think so.

The second one seems like a California Towhee, but I'm not sure.  It's quite dark.

[Christmas Raptors]

Wow!  I hit the jackpot.  Besides those 3 species, I also photographed a Red-Tailed Hawk and American Kestrel on the same day/place.  First time I had been to that spot -- about a half a mile away from the lake where I usually go.  And that's my first Sharpie identified, although I think I may have an old photo of one.

Thanks Tony.  I appreciate it.

[Christmas Raptors]

Taken 12-25-2020 near Haskell Creek at Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, Van Nuys, CA.

I've got a few raptors to identify.  One or more of these photos may be the same bird that was identified as a Cooper's Hawk a couple days ago.  However, that photo and each of these were separated by time and distance.

[What Duck ?]

OK, thanks MIchael and Aidan.  It really looks a lot different than that other other one from yesterday.  But I see it.

[What Duck ?]

Ha!  I was afraid you were going to say that.  My second Gadwall -- assuming it holds up.

I suppose this is a male and the other a female.  But its plumage looks so different from any of the Gadwall photos I've looked at.

Thanks.

[What Duck ?]

Taken 12-25-2020 in the afternoon on the Los Angeles River at Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Van Nuys, CA.

I don't know what this duck is.

For size comparison, the last photo includes an American Coot and the two Green-winged Teals (foreground) that were identified earlier.

[Gadwalls ??]

Thanks Michael and Avery.  That's my first Gadwall.