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  1. L

    Empidonax flycatcher, Florida

    Thanks, guys. That chart on Empid ID looks really useful. I hadn’t seriously considered Yellow-bellied as Sibley described it as rare in FL in September, with Acadian the most likely Empid to encounter. Shouldn’t the bill look smaller in Yellow-bellied?
  2. L

    Empidonax flycatcher, Florida

    I managed to get a few photos of this flycatcher at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Florida two days ago. I don’t know whether enough detail is there to identify it specifically, but having little experience with this notoriously difficult genus, I’m going to have to rely on the expertise of others.
  3. L

    Whistling Duck ID help, please (UK, but escape bird)

    Thanks for all this, guys. I was going to say before the hybrid theories were advanced that Lesser was surely ruled out on size, the bird in question being almost as large-bodied as the Mallard it was associating with. But I agree, the BBWD x FWD hypothesis looks pretty good.
  4. L

    Whistling Duck ID help, please (UK, but escape bird)

    In flight, there was no white on the wings, which Black-bellied would show at any age I think. It looks rather like it's one of Fulvous, Wandering, or Lesser (which I hadn't considered originally), but the ID criteria seem to be elusive. Some better images at different angles would have helped...
  5. L

    Whistling Duck ID help, please (UK, but escape bird)

    I was surprised to see a Whistling Duck fly in to my local patch reservoir in Leicestershire this morning with some Grey Lag Geese. Obviously an escape bird from somewhere, but I'd still like to ID it. My first thought was Fulvous Whistling Duck, which I'd seen in Florida, but later realised I...
  6. L

    Warbler, Hawk Mountain, PA, September

    Thanks, John. Consensus is building for Cape May. Just had a look at your Flickr photos. Some great shots there. Some from Fort de Soto, FL, I see. I was there a couple of years ago too, and hope to visit again this year at end September or beginning October.
  7. L

    Warbler, Hawk Mountain, PA, September

    Thanks - it was the yellow rump that started my having second thoughts. Also possible large white 'shoulder' patch. US east coast birders will just be starting their day right now - I'd be interested to hear further opinions from them when they get going.
  8. L

    Warbler, Hawk Mountain, PA, September

    I snapped some photos of a warbler that landed in front of me at Hawk Mountain in 2023. It was identified by others there as a Pine Warbler, and trusting to their local expertise that's how I recorded it. But on recently reviewing the photos I'm thinking it might have been a Cape May Warbler...
  9. L

    Florida Birding

    Sorry, changed my mind about Royal Tern - should have looked longer and more closely. At first glance the bill looked too big for Forster's, but reddish legs - must be Forster's.
  10. L

    Florida Birding

    I agree with 1. Red-shouldered Hawk; but 2. Possibly female Yellow Warbler? and 3. Royal Tern (look at that bill!).
  11. L

    Immature gull ID, England

    I am continually baffled by immature large gulls that were all known as Herring Gulls when I was learning my birds many decades ago. This one doesn't look like a straightforward argenteus to me, but I'm having trouble placing it. Perhaps some hybrid combination? When I first saw it I thought I...
  12. L

    Hybrid Aythya, England, February 2024

    Thanks Andrew (sorry for the slow response). The consensus among others who have seen photos is also for Greater Scaup, but probably a late-developing immature drake. It's hard to come up with anything else it could be. I have some more images now, which might be useful in confirming the ID.
  13. L

    Hybrid Aythya, England, February 2024

    Anyone have any thoughts on the parentage of this unusual-looking Aythya duck? It had a Greater Scaup feel to it, but the plumage doesn't look right and the is a hint (in the rather poor images, sorry they're the best I have) of a large black tip to the bill.
  14. L

    Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull? England, December

    I've ruled out Herring Gull - definite yellow legs (though not apparent from the photo), clean white head, darker grey back than nearby Herrings. It appeared more beady-eyed in life than it does in the photo, which suggested Caspian to me. Also head did not look 'boxy' as is often the case with...
  15. L

    Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull? England, December

    At first sight this looked a good candidate for Caspian, but on looking at photos later, I'm not so sure. Perhaps it won't be possible to say definitely either way, but thoughts from others should be instructive.
  16. L

    Raptor- SW France

    Thoughts on this bird of prey?
  17. L

    Gull ID, UK

    A couple of large imm. gulls at Fairlop Water a few days ago set me wondering about their ID. I've never been able to get fully to grips with the complex interplay of age, structure, plumage and moult of what were once for me all Herring Gulls. I'd appreciate any pointers. Photos 2 and 3 are the...
  18. L

    Redstart, West Cork, Ireland

    Thanks, guys. I was starting to wonder about eastern races of Common. Black Redstart is very definitely the consensus.
  19. L

    Redstart, West Cork, Ireland

    My first impression seeing this bird yesterday was Common Redstart, but on reviewing the photos I took, I’m thinking more towards Black. The amount of white in the wing seems unusual either way. I’d be grateful for others’ opinions.
  20. L

    Large gull ID, England

    Thanks Lou. A lot to learn here. :)
  21. L

    Large gull ID, England

    Thanks Lou. I thought the other possibilities were Great Black-backed and Caspian Gull. What points towards ruling them out, would you say? I'm sorry I missed it flying off to get a photo of its tail and wings.
  22. L

    Large gull ID, England

    Thoughts on this bird? Seen at Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire/Rutland on 11 June. I didn't see it fly off, so no flight shots I'm afraid. It did have a very clean white rump, though I didn't manage to catch this in any of the images.
  23. L

    Redpoll ID, Northamptonshire, England

    I have identified this Redpoll as Lesser (A. cabaret), though it seemed to me to show some characteristics of Mealy (A. flammea), in particular the degree of white in the wing bar and strikingly white 'tramlines' on its back (just visible in what is, I'm afraid, the only photo I have). I...
  24. L

    Hello from Oregon, US

    Hi and welcome. I got my Canon SX70 in October and have been enjoying using it on my birding trips (such as they are in these lockdown days). I would be happy to share with you what I've learnt so far about how to get the best out of it. You can see some of the results at...
  25. L

    Bridge camera advice, please

    Thanks Niels. The answer is we often have good light and often have bad light, frequently oscillating between the two! I can see why the FX2500 would be better in bad light, but I'd be interested to hear your reasons for putting the FX330 top in good light. Your input much appreciated.
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