cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
|
|
|
Oct 19, 2012 - 03:57pm PT
|
Love the Bewick's Wren.
|
|
little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
|
|
|
Oct 19, 2012 - 04:26pm PT
|
Prezwoodz,
the wild version of Muscovy Duck, which is found in the new world tropics, is a bitchin' bird. Wild birds show no white in their plumage except for their wing patches (big in male, small in female). Their black plumage is iridescant green and purple in the right light. Most wild populations are hunted and so wild birds will fly away at close approach. They nest in large natural tree cavities. As with the Mallard, it's domesticated form is but a shadow of the real thing - a Slum Duck indeed.
|
|
stich
Trad climber
Colorado Springs, Colorado
|
|
|
Oct 19, 2012 - 05:05pm PT
|
|
|
Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Oct 19, 2012 - 05:26pm PT
|
Nice shots Mike.
Here are a few from today. A couple of Mountain Chickadees.
|
|
S.Leeper
Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
|
|
|
Oct 19, 2012 - 05:29pm PT
|
wonderful pictures!
here's a highlight from the slate article:
|
|
cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
|
|
|
Oct 21, 2012 - 08:01pm PT
|
Rare bird sighting in Alaska. We have a Sky Lark at Deep Creek near Ninilchik. I went down today and saw the bird for about an hour working the wrack line near the parking area. The bird also flew and sang while I was there. This may be the first mainland sighting in Alaska of a Sky Lark.
|
|
Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Oct 21, 2012 - 08:17pm PT
|
Cyndie...great shots.
Some from the last few days.
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Oct 21, 2012 - 08:35pm PT
|
Bob, your first chickadees are mountain chickadees--notice the eye stripe.
Black capped don't have the eye stripe. Great photos!
|
|
Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Oct 21, 2012 - 09:10pm PT
|
Thanks Steve...they are near my house...just assumed.
|
|
Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
|
|
|
Oct 21, 2012 - 09:16pm PT
|
I thought a sky lark was just a car...
:)
Is this a red phalarope or a red-neck phalarope? & Why (pseudo-experts only)
If you don't have phalaropes in your neck of the woods then don't even try!
it looked different than the other red-necked phalaropes out that day.
thanks, I'm trying to honestly figure it out.
|
|
Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 09:48am PT
|
A few from this morning walk.
|
|
Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 07:21pm PT
|
Birds...more birds.
|
|
Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 07:39pm PT
|
skylarks! Nice.
Bob, that is a great shot of the magpies.
A couple from the last few days.
|
|
dipper
climber
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 08:07pm PT
|
Nice dipper Mike, a cousin of mine.
Here are some White Pelicans near the mouth of Drake's Estero.
 Missing photo ID#269609 |
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 08:53pm PT
|
Slater,
I realize your two 'phalaropes' are purportedly the same bird but it doesn't
look that way. The easiest difference between the two is their bills. The Grey's
is much broader and 'taller' with a more rounded tip as in #2.
Your #1 looks more like a Red-necked with its much finer bill. There are
other differences the chief of which is that the Red's back feathers in
non-breeding are darker with a more pronounced whitish edge producing a more
contrasting look and overall darker. The Grey's back is more uniformly
greyish. It is rather unusual for a Grey to be seen this time of year
inshore, let alone on shore. There is a seeming population of Reds which
winter in the San Diego area rather than joining their mates off the coast
of Peru.
|
|
Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 09:05pm PT
|
Reilly,
Phalarope was changing plumages I believe...
the photo was taken during the summer. aug. 12
I've been working on this one for a while. It is the same bird. It burst out of that plant when I got closer.
The bill looks thin because the bird is moving and it is blurry, and the fine edges are not well defined, they're fuzzy, so the bill looks thinner because only the center of the bill is solid. Does that make sense? But i assure you the bird is the same. So you're suggesting a Red Phalarope?
I appreciate you weighing in!!! THANKS!
same bird before it flew into bush...
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 09:41pm PT
|
Oh, no, it is clearly a Grey with that bill - the Red's is much finer and
pointier. It looks a moulting juvenile to me which might also explain his
presence inshore. You know kids - always expect the unexpected! ;-)
You should get Shorebirds by Hayman, Marchant, and Prater.
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 09:49pm PT
|
It's easy to think of Pelicans as sea birds, but they exist in huge numbers in places a long way from the ocean. I took these shots in Saskatoon, which is pretty much in the middle of the Canadian prairies. The Saskatchewan river flows through the city, and at one point is held back by a very small dam. The pelicans hang out in the turbulent water on the downstream side of the dam. (Technically, it's a weir, not a dam, but I have no idea what the difference is).
These aren't serious birder pictures, but they're fairly sharp and will blow up nicely if you click on them. And after you've done that, and had a close look, maybe one of you real bird freaks can tell me what the weird tab is that sticks out above the bill (easily seen in the second and third of the three photos).
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 09:53pm PT
|
White Pelicans are rarely at the sea. The "weird tab" is for sighting in on
their prey. OK, it is really just a male showoff item in the breeding season.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!