PalmWarbler Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 Just now, Kerri said: We are direct messaging Liam with our guess this week. yes I forgot 🙄 see my edited post 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floraphile Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 On 9/12/2021 at 5:42 AM, Clip said: Okay my life list is over million then too. Add in 10s of thousands of Cackling Geese in the winter in Colorado and probably as many Ring-billed Gulls...One trip to Quivira NWR in Kansas boom another few thousand birds. Over a thousand Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds.... 1 BILLION Laughing Gulls! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 1 hour ago, Kevin said: One person got the correct id, you could be that person! I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted September 15 Author Share Posted September 15 Just a heads up - I will be posting the answer and putting up next week's quiz bird on Thursday instead of Friday, since I'll be out doing field work in Camp County on Friday and Saturday. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 8 hours ago, floraphile said: 1 BILLION Laughing Gulls! Indeed! here in Florida Laughing gulls rule. When I lived in Colorado it was Ring-billed Gulls. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 7 hours ago, Clip said: Indeed! here in Florida Laughing gulls rule. Same on the Texas coast! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 I think it more southern regions like Florida and Texas, there are more Laughing Gulls simply because they are one of the only gulls there that will stay year round. Here it's definitely ringers when you go down to the river. I once spent like five minutes counting all the ring-billed gulls on the buoys, and I got up to 143! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestranger Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 On 9/10/2021 at 5:18 PM, Liam said: Here's the next quiz bird!! Bringing the bird of discussion back into view. I'm speculating that this has to be a fairly short tailed bird since we can't see the tail protruding beyond the branches. For that reason alone I have taken mockingbird off my list of possibilities. I still don't know what my final GUESS will be tomorrow but I have one less option on my list. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 1 minute ago, lonestranger said: Bringing the bird of discussion back into view. I'm speculating that this has to be a fairly short tailed bird since we can't see the tail protruding beyond the branches. For that reason alone I have taken mockingbird off my list of possibilities. I still don't know what my final GUESS will be tomorrow but I have one less option on my list. Yes, I was also thinking about the tail length, good point. However, if it's a very young bird it may not have grown in tail feathers yet, just another point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 37 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: I think it more southern regions like Florida and Texas, there are more Laughing Gulls simply because they are one of the only gulls there that will stay year round. Here it's definitely ringers when you go down to the river. I once spent like five minutes counting all the ring-billed gulls on the buoys, and I got up to 143! There are places in Colorado like Aurora Reservoir where in the winter there are 1000s of Ring-billed Gulls. Nearby Cherry Creek State Park has them by the 100s. Aurora is the bigger draw because it is deeper and doesn't freeze over as much. Both are located not far from a Dump where the gulls go to feed every morning in waves and return to the reservoir when they are full or evening comes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted September 15 Share Posted September 15 53 minutes ago, Clip said: There are places in Colorado like Aurora Reservoir where in the winter there are 1000s of Ring-billed Gulls. Nearby Cherry Creek State Park has them by the 100s. Aurora is the bigger draw because it is deeper and doesn't freeze over as much. Both are located not far from a Dump where the gulls go to feed every morning in waves and return to the reservoir when they are full or evening comes. I've often seen them flying high over the river, or at their favorite 'roosting place' at Lock 7. I once had them as a flyover over my yard as well, and occasionally at parking lots. I haven't really seen them at the dump, though, but I'm sure they're hiding there somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestranger Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 Okay, I made up my mind and I'm ready to direct message @Liam with my guess. I won't reveal my choice but I will say that my decision was based on my original feeling of being familiar with this species, and the hints dropped by Liam, and the discussion of others. If I was to offer a hint without revealing my guess, I would suggest looking at the bill and not the gape. Don't forget that the deadline has been pushed forward to today, so get your guesses, or revised guesses DM'd to @Liam before time runs out. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 1 minute ago, lonestranger said: I won't reveal my choice but I will say that my decision was based on my original feeling of being familiar with this species, and the hints dropped by Liam Same! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted September 16 Author Share Posted September 16 Thank you for your submissions!! The correct answer for this week's quiz is juvenile Golden-cheeked Warbler!! This photo was taken at Fort Hood, Texas on May 7th. This week's quiz was particularly challenging because the age of the bird lends no hint to the species due to the dissimilarity in plumage! Plus, the bill is disproportionally large due to the young age of the bird. The long insectivorous bill, body shape, and wingbars suggest warbler. Looking at the habitat, the bird is perched in an juniper, which is a huge clue. The Golden-cheeked Warbler is very closely dependent on old-growth Ashe Juniper, requiring stands aged 30+ years. When ashe juniper reaches this age, the bark on the trunk begins to peel and the peeling bark is the main constituent of the nest. This species feeds on arthropods in the Ashe Juniper, but prefers to forage on Spanish, Live, and Post Oak, or Texas Ash. Thus, a mix of juniper and deciduous trees is ideal. Here's daddy feeding the whipper-snapper! Those who guessed Golden-cheeked Warbler get 3 points, those who guessed any species in the genus Setophaga get 2 points, and anyone who guessed any species in the family Parulidae gets 1 point. Anyone who guessed juvenile Golden-cheeked Warbler gets an additional point. Sex cannot be determined. Here's the 9/16/21 scoreboard. _________________________________ 1. AidanB, BirdingBoy, ConnorCochorane, IKLland, TheBirdNuts - 6 points 2. Kevin, Lonestranger, Quiscalusquiscula - 5 points 3. BirdNrd - 4 points 4. Kerri - 3 points 5. Avery, meghann - 2 points 6. BlueJay, Clip, Kansasbirdguy - 0 points _________________________________ Thanks again for your submissions! This week's quiz will be posted shortly. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted September 16 Author Share Posted September 16 Here's this week's quiz bird! Please DM me using the same message thread as the last quiz bird. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghann Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 Can I get 1/4 of a point for at least guessing a yellow, black, and white bird? 😁 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 @Liam do you give an extra point for subspecies if applicable? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted September 16 Author Share Posted September 16 3 minutes ago, Seanbirds said: @Liam do you give an extra point for subspecies if applicable? Yes! Like age and sex, it can be an important factor to consider when identifying certain birds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted September 16 Author Share Posted September 16 7 minutes ago, meghann said: Can I get 1/4 of a point for at least guessing a yellow, black, and white bird? 😁 Yes, but when I calculate the score, the 0.25 of a point automatically rounds down. 😛 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghann Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 4 minutes ago, Liam said: Yes, but when I calculate the score, the 0.25 of a point automatically rounds down. 😛 But I'LL know it's there. And so will everyone else that reads this! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 17 minutes ago, meghann said: Can I get 1/4 of a point for at least guessing a yellow, black, and white bird? 😁 It's got pink and brown too. 😉 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 I didn't know Golden-cheeked Warblers were so dependent on Juniper! Oh well, you learn something new every day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 2 hours ago, Liam said: Thank you for your submissions!! The correct answer for this week's quiz is juvenile Golden-cheeked Warbler!! This photo was taken at Fort Hood, Texas on May 7th. This week's quiz was particularly challenging because the age of the bird lends no hint to the species due to the dissimilarity in plumage! Plus, the bill is disproportionally large due to the young age of the bird. The long insectivorous bill, body shape, and wingbars suggest warbler. Looking at the habitat, the bird is perched in an juniper, which is a huge clue. The Golden-cheeked Warbler is very closely dependent on old-growth Ashe Juniper, requiring stands aged 30+ years. When ashe juniper reaches this age, the bark on the trunk begins to peel and the peeling bark is the main constituent of the nest. This species feeds on arthropods in the Ashe Juniper, but prefers to forage on Spanish, Live, and Post Oak, or Texas Ash. Thus, a mix of juniper and deciduous trees is ideal. Here's daddy feeding the whipper-snapper! Those who guessed Golden-cheeked Warbler get 3 points, those who guessed any species in the genus Setophaga get 2 points, and anyone who guessed any species in the family Parulidae gets 1 point. Anyone who guessed juvenile Golden-cheeked Warbler gets an additional point. Sex cannot be determined. Here's the 9/16/21 scoreboard. _________________________________ 1. AidanB, BirdingBoy, ConnorCochorane, IKLland, TheBirdNuts - 6 points 2. Kevin, Lonestranger, Quiscalusquiscula - 5 points 3. BirdNrd - 4 points 4. Kerri - 3 points 5. Avery, meghann - 2 points 6. BlueJay, Clip, Kansasbirdguy - 0 points _________________________________ Thanks again for your submissions! This week's quiz will be posted shortly. I think I had a large advantage over everyone else, because I knew what the tree was! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestranger Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 (edited) Well I was wrong about being familiar with the bird in quiz #2, and I know nothing about which birds eat which bugs, or which trees support which bugs, so I couldn't take advantage of the specific diet hint. I ended up guessing Yellow-rumped Warbler which seemed to match up when I looked at photos of fledglings, and they can be quite colourful too which seemed to match the part of Liam's of hint that I focused on. Good challenging photo @Liam 👍 Edited September 16 by lonestranger 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 2 hours ago, Kevin said: I think I had a large advantage over everyone else, because I knew what the tree was! I knew what the tree was, too, but I didn't know of any birds that relied on them for food! 😐 I went with Pine Warbler. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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