gobucks

Hi all - struggling with a raptor ID seen adjacent to a park in Scottsdale AZ. I have it down (hopefully) to Coopers or Short shinned, and leaning Coopers given general distribution around here. Does that check out?

Blue Jay obviously makes the most sense in terms of distribution - lots of them around here. I think of them as having more of a flared tail and less secretive? but I think the answer for me is that this will remain a mystery!

Interesting - there’s some yellow on the belly maybe, so that’d make sense. But I’ve never seen a great crested with a white and black tail?

Yeah, it was the tail length relative to body that made me think cuckoo isn’t totally unreasonable. Also, size is a tricky thing to assess up in a tree but it was, imo, larger than the mockingbirds and robins hanging around the area.

Hi all - I saw this bird in a forested park near the Potomac River in Northern Virginia. Could only get this iffy shot - it was being pretty secretive. Merlin photo ID suggests Yellow Billed Cuckoo, which would be unusual enough that I don't want to list it on that basis alone. Is that possible? are there other obvious IDs I'm missing? Thanks!

Hi all - This is an absolute long shot since I wasn’t able to get clear audio, but when out for a hike in Acadia NP, we heard a pretty odd call - a series of maybe 5 pretty mournful notes (almost like a dove’s coo?) and then a series of what sounded like 5ish slow woodpecker knocks. I thought they were distinct birds, but we heard them in that sequence twice. The sound stopped our whole group short as sounding noticeably unique. Has anyone heard that combo? Any guesses what we might’ve heard?

Hi guys - Trying to ID this little guy who was hanging out in a bush on top of Cadillac Mtn. in coastal Maine (1500 feet so not too high). Photo ID hasn't given me great results - I'm sure it's something obvious but can't quite place it. Thanks!

Hi all - Any guesses on this duck(?) floating in a protected saltwater bay in Maine (Bar Harbor)? Thanks!

Hi all - saw this Junco in Flagstaff, AZ. Pretty sure it’s in the Junco family - I’m between grey-headed and red-backed. Am I on track?

Hi all, have (another) duck question. I'm reviewing photos and noticed this, which appears to be a blue headed male mallard. Is this a variation I just haven't seen? A trick of the light? An ID I'm missing? Taken in northern VA.

Seems the most likely - I think the white patches on the wing check out as well. We do have a good number of them in the area. Thanks!

Hi all, I got blurry pictures of what looked like a duck in Northern VA that I'm having trouble ID'ing. The white on the wings is throwing me off. Wood duck maybe?

Spotted this odd looking pair in Marco Island, FL. The right looks like a female mottled to me, but the left is odd - is it a hybrid? Maybe Mallard x Mottled? Or is it just an odd look for a Mottled that I'm not recognizing?

Interesting! Wasn't thinking gull at all - thanks!

Hi all, this is my first post on here, so hopefully following all the rules! A video of the bird is attached; I have no photos other than screengrabs from the video. It flew out from trees (coastal forest) skimming pretty low over the water, and then flew off - I didn't see where it went. I saw this bird on Mount Desert Island, Maine last week - this is a protected cove, but saltwater (Mount Desert Narrows). There are some Bald Eagles in the area, so maybe a juvenile? Another that comes to mind is maybe a female Common Eider? Any guesses would be much appreciated - thanks! IMG_0691.mov