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Zoroark

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Posts posted by Zoroark

    New York Gull

    in Help Me Identify a North American Bird

    Posted · Edited by Zoroark

    Hopefully someone a bit more familiar with first-summer gulls can shed some light on this one. On my trip to Port Jefferson last year, I saw plenty of Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, and a handful of Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls. However, when going through my photos more meticulously, I noticed this one bird (in the upper right) that I believe may be a Lesser Black-backed Gull, but the pink legs don't help with that identification. This was taken on July 31, 2022.

    Can anyone confirm or deny?

    Great Black-backed Gull (2022-07-31).jpg

    How to become an Ebird regional reviewer?

    in General Birding Topics

    Posted

    I'd like to add an addendum: I seriously did not see this post before making the comment about the Willow Flycatcher in my previous comment. The Acadian Flycatcher was the first tricky bird I thought of that was very common in the southeast, then I looked at range maps of similar empids to pick out one that was uncommon in central Georgia to use as an example.

    I apologize to @Birds are cool if you thought I was poking fun at your query. It was genuinely a coincidence.

    How to become an Ebird regional reviewer?

    in General Birding Topics

    Posted · Edited by Zoroark

    Disclaimer: I am not a reviewer. This is just food for thought. 🙂

    Being a reviewer is a volunteer job. You'll be wading through "identified by Merlin" rarities that couldn't be more incorrect, modifying the local filters as trends change, and e-mailing the sleepyhead who attached a Northern Mockingbird photo to their Northern Shoveler report.

    Whenever birders in your community submit their rare sightings, it'll be you making the executive decision whether or not it should be approved and become a part of the permanent record. Is that blurry photo actually a Willow Flycatcher, or is it the much more common (in your county) Acadian Flycatcher? Did they actually positively identify it by sound? How about the description? @Tony Leukering shared this document on quality descriptions; it might be nearly 20 years old but it still holds true. This discussion became a bit heated that it had to be locked, and it would be you in the position to settle the debate.

    Someone submitted a personal location as a public hotspot. If it isn't obvious like a newly opened preserve (or a mistake like a location named "my home"), you may have to drive there and investigate.

    If you decide to take a vacation, the sightings won't just stop. They'll still be there, waiting for your review, when you get back. You might even start getting e-mails about why "obvious" sightings aren't getting approved.

    Are you up to the task?

    • Like 8

    BRDL

    in General Birding Topics

    Posted

    BRDL 377

    🪶🥚🪶🥚
    🐦🪶🥚🥚
    🥚🥚🐦🪶
    🐦🐦🐦🐦

    Interesting choice. I was wondering if I had mixed up the code for »Barrow's Goldeneye«, but apparently this one has two different meanings depending on banding authority.

    • Like 1

    Birdie

    in General Birding Topics

    Posted

    birdie 🦆 #257: 🟥🟥🟥🟩⬛⬛

    A very familiar bird with some tricky photos.

    9 hours ago, IKLland said:

    The third photo is kinda diagnostic. 

    My third guess was the »Black-billed Magpie« based on that marking.

    • Like 2

    2023 Year Lists

    in General Birding Topics

    Posted

    I'm ending my January at 121. I did leave the county, but I saw nothing that I didn't have back home.

    The most surprising birds that I haven't gotten yet:

    • Osprey
    • Vermilion Flycatcher
    • Green Heron
    • Bewick's Wren
    • Virginia Rail

    ...mostly because I've had many opportunities to see these birds but didn't, while others did.

    • Like 3
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