Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: Napper on November 07, 2006, 11:32:51 PM

Title: rfi bird I.d
Post by: Napper on November 07, 2006, 11:32:51 PM
This has been bugging me since I took the shots almost a month ago. Unfortunately the evening sky was really grey..

Oringinally I though it was a hawk of sort. Then after looking at the pics I became more confused.. long fairly broad tail, broad wings "four fingers at tips"

long thin beak (dove like and round head)... legs not visible in flight..  Is it a shore bird? I don't think it is a Rock dove. I don't know.. It looks like a different type bird from each angle..........(you can zoom in on the pics) not great quality..  just need closure......

Am I losing it.??.. napper  look here.... http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/album10 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/album10)

 :lol:  :?
Title:
Post by: Walter Sobchak on November 08, 2006, 10:35:49 AM
Looks like a Crow.
Title:
Post by: Brian Bailey on November 08, 2006, 12:44:25 PM
I'll second the crow.

It appears that the bird is not just a silhouette, it really is black.

BB
Title: Definitely crow
Post by: Al Johnston on November 08, 2006, 12:56:47 PM
I'll go with Walter and Brian which makes it unanimous. Crow it is.  Al
Title: A crow?
Post by: Napper on November 08, 2006, 06:55:12 PM
For a while I though crow and then decided against it..maybe I should eat some... (beak shape/length,  sleak/slim body on the bird made me think otherwise)

3 votes for crow takes it....I guess..

 :lol: Napper :lol:
Title:
Post by: David Shilman on November 09, 2006, 05:34:26 PM
OK, PLEASE don't take this the wrong way.  It's just a thought...a conversation starter.

Photography is a great hobby, and it takes a great eye to take a good picture.  Could it be that the more one looks through a camera, the less one sees (of an event in progress)?  Do you think that had you gotten your bins on the bird, you would have ID'd it?

Just askin'.

David
Title:
Post by: Kin Lau on November 09, 2006, 06:39:20 PM
Hi David,

The answer is "it depends"  :roll:

I've been out at the Cranberry Marsh hawkwatch many times, and there are many good birders out there. On one particular day, several hawks were called as "Red-Tailed" and actually hovered right over us for a while. No one was "sure" about it, even tho there were several pairs of eyes on those birds for a good while.

I took a few shots with my camera anyways. After getting home and doing a quick contrast adjustment, the translucent crescents were clearly visible - Juv Red-shouldered Hawks.

At other times, I know I'll get a better look with the bin's than the camera, so I'll reach for the bin's instead. Especially so if it's a little bird in the bush. Bin's are also better when there are several birds in the same field of view.

So I guess my point is, sometimes it's easier to identify certain field marks from a photo, especially if you only have a fleeting glance, or you don't have enough time to check the field guide.

A lot of this will also have to depend on your skills as a birder as well. Many of the good birders I've met don't even need bins to id the bird. For the novice birders, pictures help _alot_.
Title: good question & good answer
Post by: Napper on November 10, 2006, 07:44:01 PM
I guess I should have explained myself. If I recall I wasn't really birding at the time. I was either fooling around out in my front yard with my camera or just getting home, when this "Crow" flew over at quite an altitude. I happened to snap a few shots as it flew on thinking I will look at the images later.

 I usually can spot and Identify most common birds(not all) without bino's. Now, if something interesting is about I will grab the bino's (if they are not packed away) first  and then the Camera to be sure of what I saw..  I on some occasions get half decent shots but most times it is good enough for an I.d. and I am happy with that.  I generally don't sit around for hours waiting for the perfect shot, cause it's not gonna happen.

As for "Crows" I see them daily, 30 yards away. The miss I.D.  it was a snafu on my part....  

 :oops:     Napper         :oops: