chipperatl

I let Lightroom do the work for me, by date. I have specific collections for eBird exports, INaturalist and blog photos. I have keywords set up for species, but stink at keeping it updated.

Yes, but I know there was a reason for the 0. Read it somewhere. 😄 Not much different from posting photos here and getting the ID. For the most part I think I know most of the birds I had to get help on. Even though my life list is 339, I could look at it and say "Northern Goshawk, I didn't ID in the field. I snapped pics and had to get help from there." A few birds in San Diego were pointed out to me by the Tour Guides. It is a humbling hobby. But back to the eBird data. The bird was there, and to me the important thing is identifying the correct bird and recording it.

The zero for rare species is more specific to stakeout birds, as a way to let others know not seen. I can’t even count how many arm chair birds I’ve found from looking at photos. I saw the flock of gulls...and that Iceland was in it.

Pretty sure the Merlin started sucking out part of my soul with that look.

Were they mobbing it? I've seen crows mob a COHA, and the COHA would chase after them.

is this ice it is landing on? Great shots of a hard to capture bird.

Emails are available via ABA site and Sibley’s site. Trust me I was surprised they answered.

@Birding Boy, looks like the Smew has a band on left leg. https://ebird.org/checklist/S78965857

I’ve had 3 or 4 in the past 3 winters. One I was close to submitting to MBRC, as it has significant white tail feathers also. INaturalist has confirmations on it, but I reached out to Ted Floyd and David Sibley and they said no dice.

Yep, I have one with very clear "White-winged" like tips hanging around. It doesn't look bigger than the others, but they are the most white I've seen on the Slate-coloreds around here. It also has buffy wash mixed in with the grey on the flanks. I'm assuming a first year bird hanging on to a little brown still. Odd transition I've not seen before.

They both have definitive grey hoods.

I report that as an abieticola. Not the perfect specimen.