Melierax

Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I ID peeps by process of elimination. It has yellow legs - it's a LESA or PESA. It has a short all dark bill/it's small and round - must be a LESA. It has a longer pale based bill/it's chunky and larger than the other peeps - must be a PESA. There are innumerable plumage differences between them all so I stick with ID points that are pretty much always the same - bill and legs, wing extension, etc. I don't pretend to understand and know every plumage variation.

Why did you post here again?

That's what I'm confused about...

How so? The bird is behind the bird in front but still looks larger.

White-rumped Sandpipers have black legs and long primary projection...

What do Stints have to do with why the bird isn't a Pectoral? I'm also curious why you're saying it's not a pec, because it looks good for one to me. Yellow legs, chunky shape, and the photos aren't good enough to see the perfect line on the chest. In any case, I think STSA also have the same line. The shape rules out LESA, and the yellow legs narrows it down to Pec and STSA, which is basically out of range. Side note: if I considered every rare possibility when birding, I'd never ID anything to species.

Yes, the first two links are the same. Unfortunately, I think the first is indeed a Common Raven. Not sure though, it's difficult to hear. The last one sounds like a Virginia Rail to me.

Ah, gotcha. Thanks!

255. Great Gray Owl

In the listmoz link all you have to do is click on one of the entries and it goes away? I accidentally clicked on 246. Common Black Hawk.

Those legs are clearly yellow. You can even see the white stripes on the back that Tony mentioned. I do know that Pectorals have those white stripes as well. I'll yield to anyone who can identify LESA and PESA apart with these photos.

Huh, I'm not seeing Solitary at all with #4... doesn't have an eye ring and that bill is way too droopy. The long wings makes sense with #5, although I wasn't sure if you could see them very well. I didn't know much about the plumage differences, cool to know!

If it remained perfectly motionless I imagine some raptor flew over. Sunning birds at least will move their heads.

2. is another SPSA. I think 4. and 5. are probably more Leasts. Not sure on those, but I think I'm seeing yellow legs on both of them, so they can't be Baird's. Pectoral is a possibility I would presume, but the coloration and stature looks better for Least to me.

I have yet to find out what the deal is with Bobwhites here. They can be reported on eBird, and most range maps show a population north of Boise. I'm pretty sure most of them are escapees but I guess there's a wild population somewhere. I agree with Bobwhite.

Grove City. I'm about an hour away from lake Erie!

I'm at 283 currently. I've been to the California coast, the Great Salt Lake, and all over Idaho. In a couple weeks I'm leaving for Pennsylvania for the next few months so I'm hoping to get over 300. (I don't even have Blue Jay yet )

Ran across this porcupine in my backyard:

Try Olive-sided Flycatcher. They drove me nuts with this call this entire last weekend I was in their range. The pitch doesn't quite fit so it may be something else though.

73. Cassia Crossbill:

Difficult to hear but it sounds like a Carolina Wren to me.

That's probably what happened ?

Ah, I had it in mind that Canyons made it to California. ?

California Towhee! More common than House Finches, I dare say. EDIT: I suppose it could be a Canyon Towhee but that's determined by range. More specific location would help.

That's a Vesper Sparrow. Note the rusty shoulders.