mikerigney Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Hi all! I only have a very bad photo, extremely cropped, so looking for a miracle here. Today there was a group of about 10 of these gull-like birds flying low over the water just to the west of San Clamente Island off the coast of San Diego. Very visible white strip running across the top of the wings with a dark beak and dark around the eyes. Thank you! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nivalis Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 unsure on this one, maybe a species of jaeger, build of the bird seems right for them at least as well as their position over the water and their apparent speed. The apparent amount of flapping does not quite line, up as well as the size of the wing and the small size of the bird, but I am just shooting in the dark on this one, wait for experts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackburnian Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 These are phalaropes. Look like Red to me, but I don’t have a ton of experience with them. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerigney Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 32 minutes ago, blackburnian said: These are phalaropes. Look like Red to me, but I don’t have a ton of experience with them. Awesome! Bill does look a little thicker, which would mean red, but super hard to tell from the photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean C Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Red Phalaropes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerigney Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 7 minutes ago, Sean C said: Red Phalaropes That's 3 votes for Red... enough to change my e-bird checklist from red/red-necked to red? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 16 minutes ago, mikerigney said: That's 3 votes for Red... You can make that four. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Leukering Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Absolutely Reds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nivalis Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 i can agree with a red after looking at them on merlin and doing a little research 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 I agree with Red Phalaropes. (That's makes 7 votes for Red now!) ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexHenry Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Tight flock of small, pale shorebirds flying low over open ocean water along the California coast in winter is almost always one of two things - Red Phalaropes or Sanderlings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerigney Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Thank you so much everyone, that is a lifer for me! I'm heading back out today, will try for better photos, but seems like it's a fluke that they fly close past the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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