riverpoet Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Hi all, Ok, now one of the top locations of this trip - South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Small area and a lot of birds! The colors on the photos can be misleading though as it was cloudy. 1) On eBird, looks like this one was identified as juvenile Spotted Sandpiper? Location: South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center 2) Common Yellowthroat? Location: South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center 3) Ok I'd normally say Mallard for these (esp. as this is our default duck in Europe), but 2 apparently much more experienced birders on eBird haven't reported any Mallards that morning, but reported Mottled Ducks or Mottled/Mallard hybrids? Location: South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center 4) Are these both Greather and Lesser Yellowlegs? Location: South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center 5) Oh my, was sure I got a lifer sparrow here, but this is just a female Red-Winged Blackbird???? Location: South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center Thanks, Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor L. Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 I can confirm yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, and the sandpiper, but nothing for the other two. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 All correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Well... a few corrections on my part. 1 I am not sure how but I totally missed the Yellowlegs. And would like to pass. 2 And I think I need to clear up number 3. I think it is just a Mallard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phalarope713 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Both birds in three look good for Mottled. The male might have a hint of Mallard genes but I’d probably just call it a Mottled. Definitely at least a Greater Yellowlegs for 4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Phalarope beat me... not that I'm an expert... 1, 4, and 5 I agree are all correct. Definitely some greater yellowlegs but I'm a little uncertain on the birds that are not greater yellowlegs.... Sometimes bird posture makes things tricky for me, especially with birds that all SORT OF look alike... HA. As for the ducks, I was going to say that I think the bill on the female looks good for a mallard but don't quote me on that... and the male duck, I definitely want to call mottled. I had to look in my guide but I knew that if this is recent, 1. a male mallard would have breeding plumage... and 2. The white on the speculum next to the blue would be thicker on a mallard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverpoet Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 41 minutes ago, millipede said: As for the ducks, I was going to say that I think the bill on the female looks good for a mallard but don't quote me on that... and the male duck, I definitely want to call mottled. I had to look in my guide but I knew that if this is recent, 1. a male mallard would have breeding plumage... and 2. The white on the speculum next to the blue would be thicker on a mallard. It's recent - 12 February 2020 🙂 #3 2 separate eBirders, seemingly much more experienced than me (as they listed 60+ species, while I will be lucky if I hit 30), who were there at the same time, both listed Mottled, and one also listed Mottled/Mallard Hybrid, but none listed just Mallard. What's more, Frequency of Mallard on that location per eBird is 2-4%, 80-100% for Mottled. #4 I see now the bird in the middle doesn't have yellow legs. That one is probably a Willet? But the one on the right looks much smaller than the one middle-top, the farthest away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birding Boy Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Another here for Mottled Duck. Pass on the shore birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 I am fine with Mottled. I am definitely not an expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Leukering Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Juvenile Spotted Sandpipers do not have spots underneath and there are no juvenile Spotted Sandpipers at this time of year. https://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/87.pdf https://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/93.pdf Mallards -- all ages, all sexes, have white or extensively white tails. This is a Mottled Duck. https://s3.amazonaws.com/is-ebird-wordpress-prod-s3/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/eBird_Muddled_Ducks.pdf Most New World sparrows have pink legs. https://cobirds.org/CFO/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/59.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 I think female Red-winged Blackbirds are the #3 'Most Asked About' bird here, right behind scaups and accipters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverpoet Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 Thanks all! Lesser Yellowlegs is a bit questionable, but based on other observations on eBird I'm confident enough to file the images with several Yellowlegs under both Greater and Lesser. Next... terns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverpoet Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 52 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said: I think female Red-winged Blackbirds are the #3 'Most Asked About' bird here, right behind scaups and accipters. No wonder! Over here in Europe I had hard time telling female Eurasian Blackbird from a House Sparrow 🙂 In some poses they just looked so ... sparrowish. And in North America you like 30+ sparrow species 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darknight Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 For number 4, you have Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, but not Willets. The central bird is just hiding its legs in the water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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