Share Your Best Photo of the Day

[heme42]

[Jodi Nielson]

[Johnd]

 

[lonestranger]

I saw this Belted Kingfisher fly down the river a bit and disappear behind some trees yesterday. As I got closer I found a small opening in the branches where I could zoom in from the cover of the trees. 

[Aidan B]

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/369882021

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/369882071

[BirdNrd]

Coot

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/370011371

[dragon49]

Sharing this pic of a Red-shouldered Hawk as my best picture of the day, and posing a question:

Is that middle talon placement normal?

 

[Seanbirds]

42 minutes ago, dragon49 said:

Sharing this pic of a Red-shouldered Hawk as my best picture of the day, and posing a question:

Is that middle talon placement normal?

 

It’s just got its leg under its feathers, with the foot poking out near the middle. The leg doesn’t actually start there.

[MizKatie]

My 22 year old son took these with my Samsung phone today. It was pouring rain, Florida, and we’ve only had 2 of them. We were shocked to see 5. Wish they were better photos but we are exited.

[Kevin]

1 hour ago, MizKatie said:

My 22 year old son took these with my Samsung phone today. It was pouring rain, Florida, and we’ve only had 2 of them. We were shocked to see 5. Wish they were better photos but we are exited.

It is always fun to see Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks!

[Quiscalus quiscula]

11 minutes ago, Kevin said:

It is always fun to see Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks!

It would be fun to see them here because they're rare!

[meghann]

2 hours ago, MizKatie said:

My 22 year old son took these with my Samsung phone today. It was pouring rain, Florida, and we’ve only had 2 of them. We were shocked to see 5. Wish they were better photos but we are exited.

 

I love that it looks like the one is wearing the ibis on its head. ?

[DLecy]

Lighting stunk though.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/370123781

[Birding Boy]

11 hours ago, DLecy said:

Lighting stunk though.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/370123781

Still an amazing photo! That gaze though...

[Jodi Nielson]

juvenile Coop

[MizKatie]

16 hours ago, meghann said:

I love that it looks like the one is wearing the ibis on its head. ?

I didn’t even notice that. Funny.

[Seanbirds]

1 hour ago, Jodi Nielson said:

juvenile Coop

This is a Buteo, probably Red-shoulered.

[BirdNrd]

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/370236501

[dragon49]

 

[IKLland]

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/370336151

How would you rate this? https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/370336211

[Jodi Nielson]

8 hours ago, Seanbirds said:

This is a Buteo, probably Red-shoulered.

Well, here's his tail, school me please.  I've only seen Cooper's around here, so...

[roadcykler]

This isn't a very good picture, but I hadn't seen one of these prior to this so I went with it anyway. 

[meghann]

1 hour ago, Jodi Nielson said:

Well, here's his tail, school me please.  I've only seen Cooper's around here, so...

The first photo, the biggest clue is eye color. Cooper's Hawks have yellow eyes as young ones, and red as adults. Brown eyes on yours means it's not an Accipiter. Also note the white striping you can see on the wing.

The second shot, the stripes are different on a young red-shouldered hawk vs an adult, but you can see the "crescent" near the end of the righthand wing in this shot. One way to identify soaring Red-shouldered is those crescents.

[Jodi Nielson]

@meghann  thanks for the schooling.  I swear I'm never gonna sort all this out...?

[meghann]

43 minutes ago, Jodi Nielson said:

@meghann  thanks for the schooling.  I swear I'm never gonna sort all this out...?

Don't worry, I've seen really seasoned birders get this wrong in the field. Toss in immature Broad-winged and Red-tailed Hawks, and it gets even more fun!