Trevor L. Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 Seen today on Newport Pier in Orange Co., CA. Not sure it can be narrowed down, but it’s worth a shot. https://ebird.org/checklist/S103307023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 Unidentifiable, IMO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor L. Posted February 21, 2022 Author Share Posted February 21, 2022 1 minute ago, IKLland said: Unidentifiable, IMO. I think it can be narrowed down to Brandt’s/Pelagic, but probably not beyond that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 (edited) I don't think it's a cormorant...but not sure what it would be. Doesn't look like the right colouring or bill shape to me. ETA: nice list! Edited February 21, 2022 by PaulK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 6 hours ago, PaulK said: I don't think it's a cormorant...but not sure what it would be. Doesn't look like the right colouring or bill shape to me. ETA: nice list! This was my thinking as well. But, I don't think it is identifiable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 10 hours ago, PaulK said: don't think it's a cormorant... That's because it is a Merganser. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 33 minutes ago, Kevin said: That's because it is a Merganser. That fits better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackburnian Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 This bird looks fine for a cormorant, most likely a Pelagic or Brandt’s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 Are both photos the same bird? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 It looks like a Common Loon to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 That's because it is a Merganser. I think there is too much white for a Common Merganser and the wrong head shape for a Hooded Merganser. But I could be mistaken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 It’s a Cormorant 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 Too much white for a Common Merganser? I don't think so.To much white for a Cormorant? Yes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 Too much white for a Common Merganser? I don't think so.To much white for a Cormorant? Yes. I meant to say that a Common Merganser would have more white on its back/sides than this bird. This bird seems to have a black back with a white breast like a Common Loon, IMO. I agree that it's too white for a Cormorant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackburnian Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 (edited) There’s no white at all. I don’t see anything to suggest merganser. It’s a cormorant. Edited February 21, 2022 by blackburnian 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor L. Posted February 22, 2022 Author Share Posted February 22, 2022 The only thing I was hoping to maybe get out of this was a Brandt’s Cormorant… and I got plenty today. I’m pretty sure the bird can’t be identified. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted February 23, 2022 Share Posted February 23, 2022 I read through this whole conversation and then clicked to view the bird. What kind of screens are you all looking at this on? For the comments to be all over from cormorant to loon to merganser... seems weird. Not that I have the answer... The colors are difficult to judge... looks like green on the head, unless that's just a lighting thing or something... and a definite color difference between neck and breast. Out of the suggestions so far, cormorant is one thing I cannot see here. Attached are some cropped versions of the bird. The way I'm interpreting what I'm seeing, this bird is facing the camera for the most part... breast facing us... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor L. Posted February 23, 2022 Author Share Posted February 23, 2022 13 hours ago, millipede said: I read through this whole conversation and then clicked to view the bird. What kind of screens are you all looking at this on? For the comments to be all over from cormorant to loon to merganser... seems weird. Not that I have the answer... The colors are difficult to judge... looks like green on the head, unless that's just a lighting thing or something... and a definite color difference between neck and breast. Out of the suggestions so far, cormorant is one thing I cannot see here. Attached are some cropped versions of the bird. The way I'm interpreting what I'm seeing, this bird is facing the camera for the most part... breast facing us... It isn't. The back is to the camera. I was watching it swimming away. And even then, I really don't want an ID on it anymore. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackburnian Posted February 23, 2022 Share Posted February 23, 2022 The bird is looking away. Focusing on color is a bad idea in general when it comes to bird identification, more so when the photos are bad. Focus on shape and structure. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted February 24, 2022 Share Posted February 24, 2022 @millipede's first crop looks like a loon to me, if there's anyone left who's interested. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted February 24, 2022 Share Posted February 24, 2022 It’s definetly a Cormonrant, and probably a Brandt’s (but I can’t be certain from this angle). The two pacific cormorant species have a very different structure from Double-crested or Neotropic which this bird clearly shows. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted February 24, 2022 Share Posted February 24, 2022 It’s definetly a Cormonrant, and probably a Brandt’s (but I can’t be certain from this angle). The two pacific cormorant species have a very different structure from Double-crested or Neotropic which this bird clearly shows. It clearly had white on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor L. Posted February 24, 2022 Author Share Posted February 24, 2022 53 minutes ago, Jefferson Shank said: It clearly had white on it Not necessarily. I was shooting a picture from 100+ yards in not ideal lighting on an entirely blue-gray background. The 'white' you are describing could be an artifact of the light or a reflection or something. Besides that, I already said multiple times that I do not wish for this discussion to continue because I no longer care about the ID of this bird. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Friedman Posted February 24, 2022 Share Posted February 24, 2022 2 hours ago, guptakailashh7 said: I don't think it's a cormorant...but not sure what it would be. Welcome to Whatbird! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted February 24, 2022 Share Posted February 24, 2022 2 hours ago, Trevor L. said: I already said multiple times that I do not wish for this discussion to continue because I no longer care about the ID of this bird. Is it okay for the discussion to continue without you? No offense meant here but I am curious if you really don't care about the ID or if you might be a little bothered that there are some suggestions that lean away from what you think it was... I ask this as someone that has been there and will likely be there again. I hate it when people tell me that I was wrong or, that I could not have judged size accurately, or... things like that. But, it happens... it happens that people have strong opinions... it also happens that we can be wrong sometimes. Personally, I get the frustration because... well, I like mysteries but, I like mysteries that can actually be solved. I don't like not knowing and also not having a way to ever be certain. The conversation here suggests that there's no way to be sure here. That's what I'm getting from it. Some very experienced birders with some strong and different opinions/ideas. That would make me want to walk away... but, again, no offense, just thinking out loud... if you really didn't care about the ID anymore, I would think that other people continuing the discussion wouldn't hurt anything. I have mixed feelings... part of me doesn't care at all what this bird is... part of me wants to see the discussion continue with people weighing in on what they see here. I was totally wrong about which way the bird was facing... oops. Don't take it personally if people continue to discuss. It isn't about proving you right or wrong... and maybe it's not even about helping you at this point. People just like to discuss these things... some of us like to solve mysteries and, it's painful to just give up and not even try anymore... it's a compulsion perhaps... I can see a loon like head shape in the first cropped photo... so I get why that's been suggested... the bill looks straighter in that photo but, in my opinion doesn't look thick enough to suggest loon... or at least not common loon... and, in the second cropped pic, it's very difficult to even imagine that being a loon bill... I can see cormorant or merganser being suggested there... then again, depending on the angle and other factors, what looks more like a hook to the bill might be something in the bill... food? drop of water hanging off? Sometimes birds are just far out enough, you just can't get the detail you need no matter how hard you try. And, it's frustrating. Some people seem to get along with not having solid IDs... I think some people just come up with an ID and stick with it just because they NEED an ID... and then some of us, struggle and get really frustrated not being certain... For me, this happens often... more likely to happen if I'm just trying to have a good list... or if there's ANY change it might be a new year or life bird but I'm just not sure... Talk about aggravating. ACK... I've had SO many aggravations in my just about 8 years of birding... so many times I didn't go back for a second look where I should have. SO many times... possibly walking away from something rare not realizing it til later... Anyway... I am sorry if you're frustrated with the discussion. Sometimes some of us just can't help ourselves. Sometimes I jump in a conversation with people that know their birds better than I simply because I might have noticed a detail that I am not sure was looked at... sometimes that helps the conversation... other times, not so much. Sorry for the ramble. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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