Duck and a sparrow

[Viurre]

Yesterday, South Central PA:

1. Duck type? 

https://flic.kr/p/24C5GZ6

2. Lincoln's or Song sparrow? (sorry, bad quality, wouldn't focus)

https://flic.kr/p/T6rw1b

 

[IvoryBillHope]

1. American Wigeon

2. Looks like Song

[The Bird Nuts]

I agree with IBH.

[millipede]

4 hours ago, IvoryBillHope said:

2. Looks like Song

I'm asking this because I think, sometimes, learning from BAD photos can help you in the field as well. What can you see about that sparrow that would suggest song over lincoln's? Looks like there's some buffy color in there somewhere but hard to tell if it's in the right places. In the field I probably wouldn't have a problem with this bird but with this photo, I can't just look at it and see with certainty so easily.  🙂

[IvoryBillHope]

3 hours ago, millipede said:

I'm asking this because I think, sometimes, learning from BAD photos can help you in the field as well. What can you see about that sparrow that would suggest song over lincoln's? Looks like there's some buffy color in there somewhere but hard to tell if it's in the right places. In the field I probably wouldn't have a problem with this bird but with this photo, I can't just look at it and see with certainty so easily.  🙂

I would expect finer streaking on a Lincoln's, with a nice buffy wash on the breast rather than the colder grayish white tones seen here. 

[millipede]

I guess I just can't judge blurry pictures really well. I can't say or speculate from this picture what the streaking actually looks like... and, maybe I'm imagining it but it seems kind of buffy along the edge of the breast... that could just be blurring?
As usual, not trying to argue, just trying to see what I need to see. 🙂 

[The Bird Nuts]

The thick, dark malar stripes, the white supercilium, and the shade of brown on its back and head are different from Lincoln's.  Some Songs can have a faint buffy wash around the malars and flanks.