Richard Larsen

I have a hawk picture taken from a long distance with telephoto, so the answer might be that it is too vague. But, my guess was the dark SW version of a Red-Tailed Hawk - another person suggested a Harris Hawk - so I am wondering if anyone has a wiser answer. Also, what I assume is a Yellow-rump Warbler, Audubon Warbler version - but, if I am wrong, am interested in wiser opinions. Thanks. Rich

Thanks to all - and I need to apologize. I stated that 5 and 6 were the same bird - and it appears I was wrong. I took picture 5 - and then a picture of a different bird not shown - and then took picture 6. I THOUGHT it was the same bird - but they were a minute apart - and clearly I was incorrect. Rich

My wife and I recently were birding in Arizona, and identified + photographed almost 100 different species - which is a lot for amateurs like us. But, as usual, identification of some eluded us, so I have attached a link to an album with 12 pictures, 5 or 6 birds for which I hope to get help. 1, 2 - The first two pictures are the same birds, taken Nov 19 at Page Springs Fish hatchery in the region between Cottonwood and Sedona. My guess is Chipping Sparrows. 3, 4 - The next two, same bird, were taken at Santa Rita Lodge feeders Madera Canyon on November 24. My guess is Anna's Hummingbird. 5, 6 - The next two, same bird, were taken at Sweetwater Wetlands at Tucson on November 26. I guessed Lincoln's Sparrow. 7, 8 - The next two, same bird, were taken at the Visitor Center at Fort Bowie National Historical Monument on November 30. I have no guess. 9, 10, 11 - The next three may be the same species, the first taken at Pack Park Tucson (Dec 6) and the next two (these 2 are the same bird) at Gilbert 'Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch' outside Phoenix (Dec 7). As above, I have no guesses. 12 - I threw in one I could ID pretty easily - a Rivoli's Hummingbird - it flashed me. I'm pretty sure I got this one right. https://photos.app.goo.gl/H5McP7wLpRoHWMPGA Any help in identifying would be appreciated. Thanks. Rich

Thanks to all - these were very helpful. Rich

This link hopefully will open to some bird ID problems I had in Southwest Colorado. Some were in ranchlands near Ridgway at around 7000', and some up above Red Mountain Pass at around 12,000'. Maybe some will embarrass me - there may be a robin, and may be a crow in the pics, just a different view. And, one is so fuzzy it might be impossible, but it has an interesting peach-colored breast. I was able to ID some Rough-winged Swallows, Violet-Green Swallows, Kestrels, Swainson's Hawks, White-tailed Ptarmigans - and some starlings - but the attached eluded me. Any comments are welcome. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ay19uwttFBdAEE6y7 Thanks. Rich

I was hiking in Colorado around 12,800' on 8/19/20, 1000' above tree line, just tundra and rocks. I almost stepped on a bird that walked away - did not fly. It was black - or dark - thin - small to mid-sized - looked like a small chicken. Slightly smaller than a robin, but much skinnier. It walked with the line of beak-thru-rear held horizontal - not upright. The lower backside was white, but I don't think this extended to the belly. The stubby tail-feather were held upright, thus making the white area obvious. My camera was not handy, so picture not available. Certainly not a White-tailed Ptarmigan - it was smaller, much skinnier - and mostly black. The only thing that came to mind was a Black Crake - except they have different overall coloration, and live at low elevation wet areas in Africa, not a likely candidate. I would believe it was a member of the rail family. Seemed bigger than a Black Rail, perhaps a Virginia Rail that got lost? Birder friends who are better than I have seized on the idea that I was hallucinating, but I was not.

The other options were extensive - her full quote was as follows - clearly she knows more than I. And, the 'females / immatures' confuse me more. But Brown-capped Rosy-finches are small and chubby. The photo looks slenderer, more like a thrush, and its bill looks longer than a finch’s. My first guesses were female or immature Townsend’s Solitaire, female or immature Varied Thrush (way out of its range – but they’re famous for wandering), or one of the pipits (Sprague’s or American). After consulting big Sibley, I’d go with American Pipit, non-breeding adult.

This is a bird I found on July 8 2014 when hiking at about 12,000', in an area above Leadville, Colorado. It appears to be a Rosy Finch from online sources. I decided breeding adult Brown-capped Rosy Finch, but I got a different opinion from a 'bird-person' more knowledgeable than I. But, she agreed we should post on whatbird, and then I lost the memory card with the bird - but card has now been found. I placed two pictures of the same bird in this album, and would appreciate any more definitive comments than my 'I think'. Here is a link to the album. If the link does not work, if you right-click and sweep you should get an option to 'open link' - https://photos.app.goo.gl/oTtg19bpEmuzdL6XA Thanks. Rich

I posted on Thursday, two days ago, and this is just the same information, with some changes. I got some good information from IvoryBillHope, and have updated the 'identified birds' to make corrections, and to remove the newly identified from the 'need help' album. And, I had a report that one of my links did not work, at least for one viewer, so I am attempting that link again. These are the birds for which I need help, after removing the ones for which I already got help. Again, some of the pictures my not be good enough for an identification, but I am hoping someone can take an educated guess. - https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZaJzMRtkuFi5aw9h6 These are the birds for which I believe I have a proper identification, just in case someone wants to look - https://photos.app.goo.gl/YwSEM8eVsn7yTSJs7 East Africa has a lot of fine birds, as many probably know. Thanks. Rich

I have placed a pair of albums on google photos, links are attached. The birds are from Kenya and Tanzania. One album is called 'identified', that one contains pictures that I (allegedly) have identified. It is just there if someone wants to browse the many birds from that area. And, of course, if there are errors, help is appreciated. If the link does not seem to be active, you can highlight it, right click, and you should get a path to the link. https://photos.app.goo.gl/YwSEM8eVsn7yTSJs7 This second one contains birds I have not IDed. There are over 40 pictures. I am hopeless with shorebirds, that is part of the problem. And, some of the photos are not good, and probably cannot be IDed. But, some are good, I just don't know the bird. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZaJzMRtkuFi5aw9h6 In either album, if you go to the small 'i', you will get a description, which is my current guess. You may also see a photo name - ignore that - some of the names were put on wrong pictures, and they are wrong, even ludicrous. Any help is appreciated. East Africa is a good birding area. My wife and I saw about 180 species, got decent pictures of over 150 between us, and we were not on a 'birding tour', per se. In our safari vehicles, and in nature walks at the lodges, we kept asking guides 'what is that', or just took pictures. The drivers / guides were generally very good on the birds, so we converted our 'animal tour' into a tour of 'animals and birds'. Rich

This small bird was taken on a 12,000' peak above Monarch Pass in south central Colorado, on or about July 29. Any help appreciated. Thanks. https://photos.app.goo.gl/LY2swn8JBbvZkMi89

While birding in Parker River Wildlife Refuge in coastal MA at the end of May, there were a number of warblers and Orioles that stumped me. I have placed them in this album. The warblers may be too indistinct, but I am especially interested in the last bird with the red 'stripe' down the front. Someone told me 'immature Orchard Oriole', but I have been unable to find a similar picture online. If you highlight the link, and then right-click, you should get an option to go to the link https://photos.app.goo.gl/t7JRdZ1cz3TtNVQy7 I have another album here that contains these unknown birds and some others that (I think) I have identified from the Parker River trip. If anyone wants to look, or look and provide corrections, they are welcome. There are a few of a Common Nighthawk, and of an American Woodcock that just came wandering along the dike, almost running into a group of photographers. At the end are some Piping Plovers mating - these were nesting in a state beach where access is restricted only from immediate nest areas. In Parker River Refuge, the entire beach is closed, I believe most of the plovers nest there. https://photos.app.goo.gl/AB3oNNHUFX4GvuZ6A

Hi, folks - thanks to all who helped with my Utah bird pictures. I have another link, this time to pictures of birds in Colorado all taken in the Silverton area at elevations between 10,000' and 13,000' - except what I called a Northern Flicker, which was well above treeline at Monarch Pass between Gunnison and Salida. I have not included the pictures of other birds I could ID, these are just the ones that have me stumped to some degree. If you leave the cursor in the filed of the picture you should see my guess, except for a sequence of three pictures (pictures 7-9) of a small bird for which I am clueless. I included the Western Tanager because I had not seen one before (since I live in Vermont), and they are such handsome birds. I thought it was some strange Oriole at first. Hopefully the link won't have the problems of the last one I used. Link to unknown Colorado birds album https://photos.app.goo.gl/QyWmVCMCn7J6YMGt8

While hiking canyons in southern Utah in late June, in the area between Capitol Reef NP and Zion NP, I photographed these birds with my little point-and-shoot. Hopefully this link will work - https://photos.app.goo.gl/uQw4Y88zEXZc5ErJ7 I took a guess at most of them, and that can be viewed by putting a cursor on the little letter 'i' toward the upper right corner. Would appreciate any corrections. And, for the little birds in Tunnel Canyon, I don't have a clue. The pictures have problems, because the canyon was so dark, but the birds were coming very close to me - I think they may have had a nest somewhere along the walls. I moved along quickly to avoid disturbing them too much. Thanks. Rich