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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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Dec 17, 2014 - 02:36pm PT
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You who are good by-ear birdirs (LittleZ ...): Do you have a difficult time distinguishing House and Cassin's Finches?
Not usually, but all the Carpodacus engage in a fair bit of mimicry, and that's where I occasionally get into some trouble. E.g., House Finches sounding a little like siskins and the Cassin's in my neighborhood add a lot of Evening Grosbeak to their repertoire. I think all the Cardueline finches probably mimic a fair bit.
If you're interested in bird vocalizations, this blog is phenomenal. It will open up your mind and ears to all sorts of new possibilities regarding understanding bird communication: http://earbirding.com/blog/
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 17, 2014 - 03:19pm PT
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Yeah? How about Swainson's Thrush and Louisiana Waterthrush?
Thanks for that link, Will, I'm making a big effort to improve my aural skills.
But I had to chuckle about him going on about Ross' Gull and such. Dude! :-)
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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Dec 17, 2014 - 03:25pm PT
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I've seen Nathan Pieplow give presentations getting into the songs of swallows, female blackbirds, nocturnal flight calls, you name it. Next level stuff.
I'm actually trying to see if I can learn my chipmunks by vocalizations here in Tahoe (we have five). I think I'm catching on, but it's hard to know if I'm not just fooling myself. You really need to be recording this stuff to go that deep. Let's you listen later and compare and look at sonograms and all that jazz. A bit like comparing photos I guess.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Dec 18, 2014 - 09:25pm PT
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Oriental White Eyes are showing up now and they've been dueling with the sunbirds and the Taylorbirds on a micro scale...funny to watch.
Headed to China tomorrow (will spend a week around Tiger Leaping Gorge and another along the coast south of Shanghai).
Been online searching, so far haven't found any easy to download bird list from there. Anyone know of something along those lines...
A few more for last trip:
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Dec 18, 2014 - 09:50pm PT
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 18, 2014 - 10:55pm PT
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^The Kinglet rocks!
And; thanks! for the aural birding advice you two. ... It's easier nowadays to hear recordings of bird songs. I postulate that nothing takes the place of hearing a new song in the field and thinking "wtf is that?", and then tracking it down and seeing it. Maybe it's just the way my aural memory works, which seems distinct from and much worse than my visual and vocabulary memories.
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the museum
climber
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Dec 19, 2014 - 05:02pm PT
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the museum
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Dec 19, 2014 - 05:05pm PT
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the little bird looks like a transitional juvenile starling. Is that a Harris's Hawk?
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Dec 19, 2014 - 06:13pm PT
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I went looking first thing this morning for a Yellow-headed Parrot and struck out but had good birding anyway. I saw a flock of 15 Red-lored Parrots, way more than I've ever seen at one time before (eBird questioned that) and a cool Merlin.
Then in the pm I thought I'd cruise through Lake Forest and look for Turkey Vultures and maybe find the elusive Zone-tailed Hawk. I went to the area and spied a flock of TUVU to the east, maybe 12 or so. I jumped in the car and sped east a few blocks and saw 2 black birds soaring overhead. I pulled over and HOLY CRAP there it was!!!
WHEE HOOOO!!! #320
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the museum
climber
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Dec 19, 2014 - 06:23pm PT
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Mike Bolte:
Starling thank you we couldn't agree!
Rough Legged Hawk. But, usually the starlings are gone by then! Or at least the young ones.. Or the young are not that color. Nov 45N lat....
the museum
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Dec 20, 2014 - 04:04am PT
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Going through photos last night I think I did get a shot of the Franklin's Gull. #319
edit: I've been told this isn't the FRGU. I knew I didn't get in the frame. Chalk it up to looking at photos late at night while intoxicated.
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Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 20, 2014 - 07:44am PT
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Great photos everyone, you are guys are killing it.
A few from yesterday. Sorry Dave, another Bald Eagle photo.
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Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 20, 2014 - 12:34pm PT
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Nice links, thanks.
A few from today. Bushtits are so are to shoot. Little buggers.
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cyndiebransford
climber
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
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Dec 20, 2014 - 05:43pm PT
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Kenai Christmas Bird Count today. I got a section that was 17.8 miles of dirt roads, icy, and mostly dead ends. I saw seven species: White-winged Crossbills, Bohemian Waxwings, Common Raven, Bald Eagle, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, and Black-billed Magpie. Our cone crop is huge this year, so a large number of seed eaters is expected. It was about 20 degrees, partially cloudy with a slight wind from the northeast.
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10b4me
climber
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Dec 21, 2014 - 05:48pm PT
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Dec 21, 2014 - 09:12pm PT
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Nice shots above you guys, Bob love the Bushtit!....and Cyndie, Bohemian's, Wow.
I had a great day yesterday with Todd Battey up at Edward's Air Force Base birding the Paiute Ponds for an LA Cty. CBC, a closed area. I will post up some highlights soon.
I got home and was super bummed to find I had been shot down on my Franklin's Gull sighting, long pathetic story. See bad, and wrong photo above.
I got up predawn with a very optimistic plan to try for the Lewis's Woodpecker and then go back for a 6th try on the Franklin's Gull. I often fantasize about having a great day like that, it never materializes.
Predawn at Riley's and within an hour I run into Lee and Carol Bush and Cha Ching!!! 2 Lewis's Woodpeckers! WHEEHOO!
It's only 8 but we agree to meet at Woodbridge for a look for the Franklin's. We get over there and it's way too early, only 25 gulls there. By noon there should be 250 or more. I go home but am back at the lake at 11. Rick Shearer shows up and at around 12:30 there it is plucking tossed popcorn out of the air. DOUBLE WHEEE HOOO!
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john hansen
climber
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Dec 21, 2014 - 09:28pm PT
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Great photo's Dee.
I hope you get a few more birds before the year is done.
Any target birds?
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Let us know!