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grrlscientist | June 8, 2010tags: Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba, photographed in Monterey, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 May 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This bird of the north Pacific Ocean has very distinctive feet, but is very similar to a close relative: can you identify both species and tell me how to distinguish…
grrlscientist | June 7, 2010tags: Short-tailed Albatross, Steller's Albatross, Phoebastria albatrus, Diomedea albatrus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Short-tailed Albatross, also known as Steller's Albatross, Phoebastria (Diomedea) albatrus photographed on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge -- one of the most remote coral atolls on earth -- a US territory in the north Pacific Ocean [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joe Fuhrman. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer.
NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification…
grrlscientist | June 6, 2010tags: Dickinson's Kestrel, White-rumped Kestrel, Falco dickinsoni, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] A pair of Dickinson's Kestrels, also known as White-rumped Kestrels, Falco dickinsoni, photographed in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 8 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300s, 600 mm VR lens with 1.4 x extender ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/400 sec.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
White-rumped Kestrel's closest relatives are the Grey Kestrel and Banded Kestrel, and the…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2010tags: Slate-Colored Boubou, Boubou Shrike, Laniarius funebris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Slate-Colored Boubou, also known as the Boubou Shrike, Laniarius funebris, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 19 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300, 200-400 VR lens at 400 mm ISO 640, f/4.5. 1/320 sec.
This lovely bird is a member of a taxonomic family that does not occur in North America -- can you identify it anyway?
Please name at least one field mark that supports your…
grrlscientist | June 4, 2010tags: Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, photographed at East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana.
Image: Charlie Riedel, 3 June 2010 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Here's what this bird would look like without its lovely coating of oil:
Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, photographed at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, Texas.
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 April 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.…
grrlscientist | June 3, 2010tags: Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, Cyanocorax luxuosus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Green Jay, Cyanocorax (yncas) luxuosus, photographed at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Harlingen, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 30 March 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Because most mystery birders are on vacation right now, I am sharing another knock-your-socks-off-gorgeous…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2010tags: Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, Guiraca cyanea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Adult male Indigo Bunting, Passerina (Guiraca) cyanea, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 April 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/180s f/8.0 at 500.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Can you tell me how this bird's grows such spectacularly colored plumage?
Blue plumage in…
grrlscientist | June 1, 2010tags: Black-bellied Plover, Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Black-bellied Plover, also known as the Grey Plover throughout much of Europe, Pluvialis squatarola, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 April 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/400s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This mystery bird might be a little tricky to ID, but once…
grrlscientist | May 31, 2010tags: Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, photographed at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 May 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
How to distinguish Clapper Rails from other, similar species:
King Rail is slightly larger than Clapper Rail, prefers freshwater marshes while…
grrlscientist | May 30, 2010tags: Eurasian Kestrel, Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Common Kestrel, also known as the Eurasian Kestrel or just as the Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 19 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300, 600 mm VR lens, with 1.4 x extender ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/800 sec.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Even though this bird is an African species that most of you have probably not…
grrlscientist | May 29, 2010tags: Collared Pratincole, Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Collared Pratincole, also known as the Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, photographed in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300s, 600 mm VR lens, with 1.4 x extender ISO 400, f/8, 1/400 sec.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This African species' morphology and feeding behavior are seemingly incongruous (although wing…
grrlscientist | May 28, 2010tags: Kurjenpolvi, flowers, travel, gardening, Helsingin yliopisto, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, image of the day, photography
Kurjenpolvi.
A red-and-white geranium photographed at Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki) in Helsinki, Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 28, 2010tags: Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, photographed at Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo (University of Helsinki Museum of Natural History), Helsinki, Finland. [picture of the same species with its muscle and feathers]
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
EEEK! It's another completely bare-nekkid bird for you to identify! Can you ID this bird species? (Yes, it's going to be very challenging to ID species, but…
grrlscientist | May 27, 2010tags: travel, culture, Suomenlinna, Helsinki, Finland, cities, photography
Helsinki Mereltä Nähtynä.
Photographed from the ferry as it returned to Helsinki from Suomenlinna in Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 20 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 27, 2010tags: Puna-keltaisia kukkia, flowers, travel, gardening, Helsingin yliopisto, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, image of the day, photography
Puna-keltaisia kukkia.
A red-and-yellow Evening Primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa, photographed at Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki) in Helsinki, Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 27, 2010tags: Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Immature (1st winter/second summer?) Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni, photographed somewhere along the Pacific coast of the United States [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joe Fuhrman. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer.
NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This species has a special natural history character that makes them especially vulnerable to extinction. Can you tell me what that is?
Heermann's…
grrlscientist | May 26, 2010tags: Katusoittaja, busker, travel, culture, Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland, image of the day, photography
Katusoittaja
Photographed in the Kamppi neighborhood of Helsinki, Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 26, 2010tags: Dickcissel, Townsend's Sparrow, Townsend's Bunting, Spiza americana, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Dickcissel, occasionally (at least historically) known as Townsend's Bunting or Townsend's Sparrow, Spiza americana, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 April 2010 [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.
Review all mystery birds to…
grrlscientist | May 25, 2010tags: House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, photographed in a backyard in Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 28 March 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This species has an interesting feature that provides insight into its life history -- can you tell me what that feature is and what it reveals about this…
grrlscientist | May 24, 2010tags: flowers, Purppura Päivänkakkaraa, travel, Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, image of the day, photography
Vaaleanpunainen Päivänkakkara.
Photographed in the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
Here's a silly thing that you might enjoy. When naming this image, I used Google translate to check my Finnish because, well, we all know why. Anyway, I found something weird (you can check this for yourself if you are so ambitious):
English
Finnish…