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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Am I crazy (yes?), but could it be a darkish Lucy's Warbler? Maybe a female?
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
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So, here's another pic that was taken only a minute later than the mystery bird I just posted, but it sure looks like a different bird, but the short time gap of only 1 minute between shots is confusing for my fading memory...
Reilly - very cool Cuckoo shot, 18" pretty boid, wow.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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THAT looks like a Lucy's Warbler, no?
edit: nice caterpillar he is eating there!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Crimpie,
How can I put this delicately? No, you're not crazy, but mayby slightly deluded?
Just kidding :-) I admit the 'jizz' (yes, that is birder's slang) does
suggest a warbler as does the bill. But it is entirely too dark but digital
photos are notoriously suspect if contrast has been altered. It does appear
to have a buffy tinge to the underparts which is characteristic of Lucy's so
I fear I must give you kudos for thinking outside the box! But I'm sticking
with Bell's. The Gray should show some evidence of a wing bar methinks and
it should also so white edgeing to the tertials although I agree a worn adult
might not evince much of that.
Edit:
Dang! That is a Lucy's with the crown and looking much paler! So it is the same boid?
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Heh heh! Thanks Reilly. I learn so much on these threads - thanks for indulging my fantasies. :) Sooo, the second one is also a Bell's you think?
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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SCHWING!!!!!
He thinks it is the same bird. He said he took the photos within a minute and thought it was the same bird. (edit: since then, he's doubting his memory). But you know how birds can be. As far as contrast, BN says that those are untweaked photos in terms of contrast (and whatever else folks tweak in photoshop). I suppose the lighting was just different - bright sun v not bright sun???
edit: I also wonder if the darkness/lightness of the bird is because in one, we are looking up-feather, and the other we are looking down-feather. Thoughts?
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Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
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I'm not entirely sure what this little guy is, but I had to help two of them out of my woodshop last week. Thoughts on an ID?
Omens
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Flycatcher. I leave the rest of that ID to the experts! Cool photos. I've always lived where there are Northern Cardinals - until three years ago when I moved to Boulder. I admit to taking them for granted. Boo. I wish they were here as I miss them. So pretty!
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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As to th Bell's/Gray/Lucy debate, that's definitely a Lucy's. Vireos have a much thicker bill with a bit of a hook at the tip (á la shrikes), whereas this guy has a pair of fine-pointed tweezers on his face. Further, the rufous cap clinches it. What's interesting to me about these two photos, is that you can clearly see molt limits in the coverts and flight feathers. In other words, you can see old feathers juxtaposed with newer feathers, and the pattern and timing tells me that this is a bird that hatched last year. Desert birds are great for showing this sort of contrast in wear and fade. The fresher-looking feathers molted in late last summer, possibly over the winter (more study is needed on 1st pre-basic molt in this species), and that's typical of a second-year bird:
Older birds have enough energy and such to pull off a complete molt of all these feathers at that time of year, but the birds that are fresh out of the nest only do a portion, if any. This is typical of most songbirds. The single shorter, fresher tail feather (retrix) off to the side is atypical, and probably represents an adventitious replacement of a randomly lost feather:
Cool eh?
Edge - yours is an Eastern Phoebe
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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So cool. Thanks. Seriously, you guys rock and I learn so much!
Wow. I keep looking at what you've shown. I would not have thought to consider feather wear. Very very cool.
Willoughby, will you do a supertopo-birdfest? :) I'm in!
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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PS - Ron, I heard the Eagles and Ag. festival had a pretty good showing this year. Not so?
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Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
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Thanks, Willoughby!
I suspected a phoebe, but wasn't sure. Both birds were fluttering inside a large glass door turned window, and were very docile as I picked them up by hand and released them outside.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Cool to see so many birders on Supertopo! All those beautiful photos make me desire a good camera.
We have many Hummingbirds living in our yard, might have something to do with all the feeders Margy keeps stocked. Tons of drama between the Rufous and Annas, it is a continual aerial battleground out there.
A little crowded in the nest.
Hard to ID the females!
We went climbing in Pinnacles a couple of weeks ago and saw at least one Condor on 3 out of 4 days, awesome.
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AlasdairTurner
Trad climber
Seattle, wa
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Some one is building a nest in my yard. Actually there are several. My yard is a 50foot by 100foot lot right in the city of seattle.
Several years ago I ripped almost everything that was not native out of my yard and replaced it with natives. I also helped a couple of house sparrow nests fail, and it is all paying off this year.
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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Good stuff Alasdair. Always feels nice to share your property, and help the birds and bees make more birds and bees. Particularly cool to see a Bewick's Wren using an urban lot, esp. when they've been having so much trouble in the eastern part of the U.S.
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Karen
Trad climber
So Cal urban sprawl Hell
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Hi everyone, I have a question, there are these wild parrots in my neighborhood and every year after the fruit in my lumquat tree ripen they show up and feast on this fruit. It is quite entertaining to watch.
There seems to be about 15 of these parrots in this group. I've seen larger groups flying in other areas.
Anyway, do any of you know what type of parrots these are? and I am curious where they live during the winter. If you have any info on these type of parrots I would love to know.
Thanks!
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AlasdairTurner
Trad climber
Seattle, wa
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Bewicks are not having a problem here. They have taken over in Seattle. I dont think there is a single part of the city that you can go and not hear one calling. I had never seen one prior to three years ago and now they are everywhere.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Cherry headed conures. Escaped pets that now thrive. Get Birds of Telegraph Hill to see more. Very cute. :)
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Karen
Trad climber
So Cal urban sprawl Hell
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Thanks!
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Maysho
climber
Soda Springs, CA
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Cool thread! Hey Willoughby, thanks again for coming out yesterday.
Just got this new book announcement. David Lukas is a Sierra Naturalist Extraordinaire. Author of some other great books including the revised Sierra Nevada Natural History by UC Press.
I am sure this book is amazing.
SIERRA NEVADA BIRDS
THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE LIFE HISTORY, STATUS, AND DISTRIBUTION OF BIRDS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA
Here, in one compact volume, is a treasure trove of information that will satisfy bird experts and begin-ners alike.
Coverage of all 322 species found in the Sierra Nevada, including rare migrants Full-length accounts for 207 definitive species Geographic coverage from the foothills to the High Sierra.
This is the ultimate reference for trail, camp, or home.
Compactly designed for hiking and backpacking Provides essential information that complements any of the illustrated field guides Jam-packed with details on the life history, status, and distribution of Sierra Nevada birds
305 pages, 4.75 x 7.5 inches
$20, plus shipping and handling
($25.40 with tax and shipping)
To order or request information:
Lukas Guides
P.O. Box 231
Big Oak Flat, CA 95305
david@lukasguides.com
(415) 320-5413
http://www.lukasguides.com
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