mystery bird
grrlscientist | December 26, 2009tags: Intergrade Northern Flicker, red-shafted x yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Intergrade (red shafted x yellow shafted) Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus, photographed at the Black River Riparian Forest in Renton, Washington. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Michael C. Hamilton, 9 August 2009 [larger view].
Digiscoped using a Leica 77-mm spotting scope with a Nikon P6000 compact camera.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 25, 2009tags: birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Christmas Duck, Anas noellus, photographed in a kitchen on the 13th floor of an apartment building in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Unlike most mystery birds, this individual came with a label indicating that it originated in France. [I might identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: GrrlScientist, 25 December 2009 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Yes, I did roast this duck a little longer, after so rudely slicing into the leg like that.
Image: GrrlScientist, 25 December 2009…
grrlscientist | December 24, 2009tags: Crimson Rosella, Pennant's Rosella, Platycercus elegans, Australian King Parrot, Alisterus scapularis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Australian King Parrots, Alisterus scapularis (3 on right), and Crimson Rosellas, sometimes known as Pennant's Rosella, Platycercus elegans (13 on top, left and bottom, also one in lower right side), photographed at Lamington National Park, west of the Gold Coast, Australia. The bird at the bottom is about to jump into the center, to the discontent of the other birds. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Matthew…
grrlscientist | December 23, 2009tags: Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea (Ajaia) ajaj, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea (Ajaia) ajaj, photographed at Arthur Storey Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 22, 2009tags: Northern Pintail, Pintail, Anas acuta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Northern Pintail, also known simply as the Pintail, Anas acuta, photographed at Arthur Storey Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/350s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 21, 2009tags: Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Adult female Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, photographed at La Lanterna in Genova, Italy. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Cliff Miles, 11 December 2009 [larger view].
Canon EOS Rebel XT with a 75-300mm zoom lens.
Here's a challenging bird for you to identify courtesy of a friend, who narrowed it down to one of two species (but it doesn't "fit" either species well). He contributed four images of this bird (what I think is the best image is published here) to…
grrlscientist | December 20, 2009tags: Bronzed Cowbird, Molothrus aeneus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Bronzed Cowbird, Molothrus aeneus, photographed at Quintana, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 22 April 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/800s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 19, 2009tags: Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, Blue Morph, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Blue Morph Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, photographed at Laguna Atascosa Refuge, Harlingen, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 8 April 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/80s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
You might be interested to read an article I wrote about schemochromes and the physics of blue coloration in birds. This piece was…
grrlscientist | December 18, 2009tags: Ashy Drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Ashy Drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus, photographed at the small village of Muang Khong, near Chiang Dao Mountain, northern Thailand. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dirk S. Schmeller, November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon d90 with a Nikon lens 80-400, 1/400 s f/16 at 400mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 17, 2009tags: Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, photographed in an abandoned finch nest on the deck outside the home of one of my readers in Powder Springs, Georgia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Rebecca Checkwood, 11 December 2009 [larger view].
Sony DSC-W7, 0.025 sec (1/40) f/2.8 7.9 mm.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 16, 2009tags: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Immature Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, photographed at Vancouver Lake, Clark County, Washington. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Lyn Topinka, 13 December 2009 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
A second picture of the same individual, at rest.
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grrlscientist | December 15, 2009tags: European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Leucistic/albino European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, photographed at Station Orthinologique de l'Ile Grande, just outside of Pleumeur-Bodou/Landrellec, Bretagne, France. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: TravelGirl, spring or early summer 2006 [larger view].
Canon 5D, 100-400L.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 14, 2009tags: Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, photographed at Carpinteria Salt Marsh in Carpinteria, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: John Callender, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Can you ID this bird? Can you identify what type of animal killed it? If so, share your comments.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
There is still some disagreement as to what killed this bird. The photographer says a raptor did it; a commenter claims a…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, photographed at Whittier Narrows, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 8 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200 w/ Nikkor 300mm f/4 & TC17E.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 12, 2009tags: Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis, photographed at Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 1 November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
This lovely North American species shouldn't be too difficult for most of you to ID (maybe you can hold your enthusiasm in check for a few hours, David?)
Please name at least one field mark that supports your…
grrlscientist | December 11, 2009tags: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, photographed at Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 3 November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Can you tell me the sex as well as the species for this individual?
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 10, 2009tags: Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Female Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca, photographed at Arthur Storey Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Can you tell me the sex as well as the species for this individual?
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 9, 2009tags: Sedge Wren, Cistothorus platensis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Sedge Wren, Cistothorus platensis, photographed in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Terry Sohl, 19 September 2009 [larger view]
Canon 50D, 400 5.6L lens.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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grrlscientist | December 8, 2009tags: Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Duck, Ringneck, Aythya collaris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Ring-necked Duck, also known as the Ring-billed Duck (a more obvious name, in my opinion) or the Ringneck, Aythya collaris, photographed in San Francisco, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Pete Myers, 12 November 2009 [larger view]
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 7, 2009tags: California Thrasher, Toxostoma redivivum, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] California Thrasher, Toxostoma redivivum, photographed in San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Pete Myers, 9 October 2009 [larger view]
Nikon 300, Nikkor 80-400 ED @ 300mm, ISO 400 1/640 f10.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.