mills0000

I would tentatively agree with hybrid SNGO x ROGO. The bill seems like a smaller version of a SNGO bill, not small and stubby like a ROGO bill. The head shape is also less rounded than I would expect for ROGO. I think it's a little hard to say with the grin patch, as it seems pretty slight. This website does a good job of comparing the two and also includes hybrids. https://biology.eku.edu/kos/goose_id.htm

My guess would be red-shouldered, but I'm not that sure.

I would argue they aren't completely useless, just a minor piece of information to compliment an ID. For example, both lesser and greater scaup can have greenish iridescence (the visibility of which is often variable depending on the lighting..) making it an unreliable field mark, but only lesser scaup have purplish iridescence (in my understanding).

The main thing is the white patches on the ends of the wings, which are visible on both birds. Black vultures have entirely black wings except for the white patches. Turkey vultures have black on the front parts of their wings, but the back parts are lighter. Note that the patches on black vultures are actually white, and on turkey vultures they are just lighter if that makes sense. Black vultures also have a different shape with different wing beats, as well as a shorter tail. I don't have a ton of experience with them but I've always found their shape and wing beats to be slightly bat-like. As for the birds at hand, it's difficult to make an ID based on the information you have of their flight. I might say waxwings have a slightly more erratic flight on average than cowbirds, but I don't feel confident putting that out there as strong evidence.

I could be convinced of cedar waxwing but it's difficult to say. Do you remember the flight style of these birds? Were the wing beats extremely fast, or were they slower with a undulating flight. I will add as a side note, it seems that your picture labeled turkey vultures from the 28th of February is actually showing black vultures.

Yeah. I can't speak to coloration, it just seems like wing shape, head shape, and the short tail also fit cowbirds and that was my first thought.

These don't look like waxwings to me, they look like blackbirds. Based on head/bill shape I would say maybe brown-headed cowbirds.

Yes

So is the plover a juvenile black-bellied? Just seems really tan.

Merlin for me as well.

Definitely looks like a buteo to me, first thought was Rough-legged, but in these pictures the head seems very dark. I could be convinced of either Red-tailed or Rough-legged.

Seems like it is not a Bonaparte's, especially given that I have been corrected in the past for trying to list a similar looking gull as a Bonaparte's. Did a quick google image search and the amount of black on the head plus the eye ring look to be a perfect match for Franklin's.

Can someone explain to me why the middle tern in pic 2 is not a Gull-billed? Thanks.