Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: winz on March 24, 2015, 07:42:06 AM

Title: Southern California Birds
Post by: winz on March 24, 2015, 07:42:06 AM

Need some help with these from So. Cal. earlier this month

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7587/16915492715_5ccc3ddc07_z.jpg)

(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8697/16708156007_b345dd3416_z.jpg)

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7637/16728067190_960c34fd8e_z.jpg)

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7638/16728065940_3951378bbd_z.jpg)

(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/16889567926_afe03e24fa_z.jpg)


Thanks for your help.

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: thouc on March 24, 2015, 10:34:51 AM

1. Looks like Dowitchers, not sure what kind.
2. Female Lesser Goldfinch, I think.
3. Common Sandpiper, I think.
4. Another Dowitcher?
5. Cooper's/Sharp-shinned Hawk, I lean towards Sharp-shinned

/Thomas

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: winz on March 24, 2015, 11:48:30 AM

Quote from: "thouc"

1. Looks like Dowitchers, not sure what kind.
2. Female Lesser Goldfinch, I think.
3. Common Sandpiper, I think.
4. Another Dowitcher?
5. Cooper's/Sharp-shinned Hawk, I lean towards Sharp-shinned

/Thomas

Thanks Thomas.  I checked ebird and mainly Long-billed Dowitchers were reported in the San Jaoquin Wildlife Sanctuary.  The bird in the second picture had a large insect in it's bill, so I didn't think of Lesser Goldfinch.  Common Sandpiper is very rare for So Cal, maybe a Spotted Sandpiper?  Number 5 looks like a Sharp-shinned, I didn't get a photo of the full tail, which would have given us a better chance of identifying.

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: winz on March 24, 2015, 01:13:09 PM

I just posted the Sandpiper on Whatbird and got reply back that it is Spotted Sandpiper - non breeding plumage.

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: thouc on March 24, 2015, 03:26:33 PM

Yeah, Spotted Sandpiper of course, mind slip by me. The Common is not so common.

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: Henrique Pacheco on March 24, 2015, 04:44:46 PM

It's a sharp shinned hawk.

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: winz on March 24, 2015, 07:17:17 PM

Quote from: "Henrique Pacheco"

It's a sharp shinned hawk.

Thanks Henrique.  What feature or features point to Sharp-shinned rather than Cooper's?  I believe this is an adult bird, with the orange red eyes and darker head, am I correct?

Title: Re: Southern California Birds
Post by: Henrique Pacheco on March 25, 2015, 07:49:38 AM

Yes. An adult. I like to look at the head mostly. Flat topped head, smaller eye proportions, and lack of pale nape which coopers has. It also has more of a hooded appearance vs a coopers which should have a more capped appearance.