Dan P

Taken on 9-15-2022 at Bette Davis Picnic Area in Glendale CA. This was not the subject of these photos, but rather in the background. I think its a Song Sparrow, but not confident.

Taken on 9-15-2022 at Bette Davis Picnic Area in Glendale, CA. I need help with this one. The lighting is not too good. Taken at sundown from below.

That looks like a Yellow Warbler to me. ?

It's a great photo!

Is that a plastic owl for scaring off other birds?

Here is the best photo I have of the face. I didn't want to prejudice your opinion, but there was a Neotropic about 10-15 feet away from this one. If this is a NECO, it's interesting that there is no white edging on the gular patch. There were about 40 Double-crested Cormorant's on and around this island -- mostly in the trees near this one.

Taken on 8-21-2022 at Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Van Nuys, CA. What's this bird on the right?

I've never seen one with the dark patch in that position. Thanks.

You're too fast. Edited and uploaded. Thanks.

Taken on 8-21-2022 at Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys, CA. The placement of the dark patch on the face has me confused. Both photos are of the same bird.

Here is one I took at The Meadows park at Silverlake Reservoir on 9-27-2021. It wasn't a lifer for me as I had seen a female/immature in Sepulveda Basin in 2020.

You had to go to Africa to see a Pin-tailed Whydah? You could have just come to Los Angeles.

On 8-5-2022, I went to Malibu Lagoon in Malibu, CA for the first time. It was only the second time I had been to a coastal location. I got at least eight new lifers (unless I've misidentified anything): Snowy Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy Turnstone Elegant Tern, Heerman's Gull, Pelagic Cormorant and Brown Pelican.

Taken on 8-5-2022 at Malibu Lagoon, Malibu, CA. I think this is a phalarope, but what species?

Taken on 8-5-2022 at Malibu Lagoon, Malibu, CA I don't know if this might be an oiled bird, or if not, what species of cormorant it is. I think the last photo is the same bird as the first two. The last one was taken 4 hours later, but in the same small area at the far west of the lagoon, and it was the only cormorant there both times. There were many DCCOs on the island out in the middle of the main part of the lagoon.

@DLecy, thanks for the info and the ID. I understand that different camera perspectives and different postures of the bird can make the tail look longer or shorter with respect to the wings. Attached is another photo of the same bird. I think these photos clearly show that the tail is not longer than the wingtips in a perched position for this bird. So I would take it that it means not all Anna's Hummingbirds have tails longer than the wingtips when perched -- and therefore not diagnostic for Anna's.

Taken on 6-30-2022 in Glenoaks Canyon, Glendale, CA For a Calypte species, if the tail does not extend beyond the wingtips, does that mean it is a Costa's no matter what sex or age? Thanks.

Okay, thank you. I appreciate it.

Here are a couple more photos if they help. Someone else suggested Lazuli Bunting.

Taken on 6-16-2022 in Glenoaks Canyon, Glendale, CA.

I should have been able to recognize that. It just looked so goofy that I couldn't think about the features that it had. Thanks.