Hi Laurie,? That’s cool, just a question on scale. Was the bird the size of a dove, crow, or larger??
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On Jan 13, 2021, at 1:49 PM, Clifford Hawley <yellowhammerCA@...> wrote:
? Hi Lori,?
That would be an amazing sighting to document. There are no records for Pileated Woodpecker in Sacramento County. The nearest records on eBird are in Shingle Springs and on Tonzi Road in Amador County.? Cliff Hawley
Sacramento, CA On Monday I was in Citrus Heights and spotted what i believe was a pileated woodpecker. It was? perched briefly a few houses away.? The lighting was bad so i couldn't see any color, just the silhouette.? The major characteristic was the crest.? It did give a few pecks to the trunk but i didn't hear it nor did i hear it's call.
Has any one seen a pileated woodpecker off antelope.
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Hi Lori,?
That would be an amazing sighting to document. There are no records for Pileated Woodpecker in Sacramento County. The nearest records on eBird are in Shingle Springs and on Tonzi Road in Amador County.? Cliff Hawley
Sacramento, CA
On Monday I was in Citrus Heights and spotted what i believe was a pileated woodpecker. It was? perched briefly a few houses away.? The lighting was bad so i couldn't see any color, just the silhouette.? The major characteristic was the crest.? It did give a few pecks to the trunk but i didn't hear it nor did i hear it's call.
Has any one seen a pileated woodpecker off antelope.
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On Monday I was in Citrus Heights and spotted what i believe was a pileated woodpecker. It was? perched briefly a few houses away.? The lighting was bad so i couldn't see any color, just the silhouette.? The major characteristic was the crest.? It did give a few pecks to the trunk but i didn't hear it nor did i hear it's call.
Has any one seen a pileated woodpecker off antelope.
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I think you're probably right, Cliff. I looked at them both on allaboutbirds.com, and the birds I saw looked darker overall than curlews, and the fields they were in seemed like they were more typical of the ibis's habitat.
Thanks to you and Subhash for your replies.
Judith
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Sounds like White-faced Ibis rather than curlews.?
Cliff Hawley
Sacramento, CA
On Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 6:37 PM Judith Poxon < jlpoxon@...> wrote:
I drove up the valley a ways today, to Pleasant Grove (just east of 99, about 30 minutes north of Sacramento). On the way to my destination, I saw several fields (mud flats, really) in which quite a few largish brown birds with downward curving bills were foraging.
I couldn't get a good look because I was driving, and there weren't any good places to pull off to get a better look, so I can't say anything about field marks. Any ideas what they were most likely to be?
Thanks.
Judith
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Sounds like White-faced Ibis rather than curlews.? Cliff Hawley
Sacramento, CA
On Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 6:37 PM Judith Poxon < jlpoxon@...> wrote:
I drove up the valley a ways today, to Pleasant Grove (just east of 99, about 30 minutes north of Sacramento). On the way to my destination, I saw several fields (mud flats, really) in which quite a few largish brown birds with downward curving bills were foraging.
I couldn't get a good look because I was driving, and there weren't any good places to pull off to get a better look, so I can't say anything about field marks. Any ideas what they were most likely to be?
Thanks.
Judith
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Possibly Long billed Curlews? Sent from Subhash’s iPhone.
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On Jan 12, 2021, at 6:37 PM, Judith Poxon < jlpoxon@...> wrote:
I drove up the valley a ways today, to Pleasant Grove (just east of 99, about 30 minutes north of Sacramento). On the way to my destination, I saw several fields (mud flats, really) in which quite a few largish brown birds with downward curving bills were foraging.
I couldn't get a good look because I was driving, and there weren't any good places to pull off to get a better look, so I can't say anything about field marks. Any ideas what they were most likely to be?
Thanks.
Judith
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I live in Orangevale and had a lot at my feeders today as well.?
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On Jan 12, 2021, at 4:37 PM, Subhash Chand via groups.io <SubhashC@...> wrote:
?
I have had more Pine Siskins on my feeders this year than ever before.? I was wondering why and this article explains it:
https://www.audubon.org/news/this-winter-marks-incredible-superflight-hungry-winter-finches
Subhash
<Siskin, Pine FOEH2021-1-9_1712.JPG> <Siskin, Pine FOEH2021-1-9_1933.JPG>
<Siskin, Pine FOEH2021-1-9_1712.JPG> <Siskin, Pine FOEH2021-1-9_1933.JPG>
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I drove up the valley a ways today, to Pleasant Grove (just east of 99, about 30 minutes north of Sacramento). On the way to my destination, I saw several fields (mud flats, really) in which quite a few largish brown birds with downward curving bills were foraging.
I couldn't get a good look because I was driving, and there weren't any good places to pull off to get a better look, so I can't say anything about field marks. Any ideas what they were most likely to be?
Thanks.
Judith
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I have had more Pine Siskins on my feeders this year than ever before.? I was wondering why and this article explains it:
https://www.audubon.org/news/this-winter-marks-incredible-superflight-hungry-winter-finches
Subhash
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Re: The common Red-tailed Hawk
very nice photos!
Bess L. Hadley
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021, 01:49:44 PM PST, Troy Edson-Smith <troyes@...> wrote:
I really enjoy these guys in our neighborhood.? Thought I'd share some images today of the same hawk in two different locations.
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Re: The common Red-tailed Hawk
WOW!! Great photos!! You can really see the detail in the plumage! Never knew there were so many different patterns and types of feathers! Thanks for sharing those, Troy! ?If you wouldn’t mind divulging, what type of lens are you using?
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On Jan 12, 2021, at 1:49 PM, Troy Edson-Smith <troyes@...> wrote:
? I really enjoy these guys in our neighborhood.? Thought I'd share some images today of the same hawk in two different locations. <DSC01451_DxO-SAI.jpg> <DSC01458_DxO-SAI.jpg> <DSC01471_DxO-SAI.jpg> Regards, Troy <DSC01451_DxO-SAI.jpg> <DSC01458_DxO-SAI.jpg> <DSC01471_DxO-SAI.jpg>
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The common Red-tailed Hawk
I really enjoy these guys in our neighborhood.? Thought I'd share some images today of the same hawk in two different locations.
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Re: Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
It is really anywhere you want. Some people have their favorite patch that they cover or just count their yard. I usually like to hit a few underbirded spots in my 5 mile radius for that patch list. Just use eBird to submit data in that window and it will contribute to the count.? Cliff Hawley
Sacramento, CA
On Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 12:10 PM Bernadette Del Chiaro < bernadette@...> wrote: This is so great! I’ve always wanted to do this but have never taken the time. (thank you, global pandemic!)?
Does anyone know if there’s a coordinated approach to this in Sacramento? Do people ever sign up to cover certain areas? Or is it really just crowd sourced data wherever and whenever during these four days??
On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:04 PM, Subhash Chand via < SubhashC@...> wrote:
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Re: Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
You can count us in! Thanks for letting us know about it, Subhash!
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On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:20 PM, Subhash Chand via groups.io <SubhashC@...> wrote:
?
It truly is a backyard count - do it where ever you like - backyard, local park, state park, national wildlife refuge.? Do it by yourself, or with friends, or family.? Do it one day or all 4, what ever works for you. Just remember to enter the data on their website -?https://www.birdcount.org/?
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernadette Del Chiaro <bernadette@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tue, Jan 12, 2021 12:10 pm
Subject: Re: [sacramento-birds] Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
This is so great! I’ve always wanted to do this but have never taken the time. (thank you, global pandemic!)?
Does anyone know if there’s a coordinated approach to this in Sacramento? Do people ever sign up to cover certain areas? Or is it really just crowd sourced data wherever and whenever during these four days??
On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:04 PM, Subhash Chand via < SubhashC@...> wrote:
|
Re: Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:20 PM, Subhash Chand via < SubhashC@...> wrote:
It truly is a backyard count - do it where ever you like - backyard, local park, state park, national wildlife refuge.? Do it by yourself, or with friends, or family.? Do it one day or all 4, what ever works for you. Just remember to enter the data on their website -??
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernadette Del Chiaro < bernadette@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tue, Jan 12, 2021 12:10 pm
Subject: Re: [sacramento-birds] Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
This is so great! I’ve always wanted to do this but have never taken the time. (thank you, global pandemic!)?
Does anyone know if there’s a coordinated approach to this in Sacramento? Do people ever sign up to cover certain areas? Or is it really just crowd sourced data wherever and whenever during these four days??
On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:04 PM, Subhash Chand via < SubhashC@...> wrote:
|
Re: Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
It truly is a backyard count - do it where ever you like - backyard, local park, state park, national wildlife refuge.? Do it by yourself, or with friends, or family.? Do it one day or all 4, what ever works for you. Just remember to enter the data on their website -?https://www.birdcount.org/?
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernadette Del Chiaro <bernadette@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tue, Jan 12, 2021 12:10 pm
Subject: Re: [sacramento-birds] Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
This is so great! I’ve always wanted to do this but have never taken the time. (thank you, global pandemic!)?
Does anyone know if there’s a coordinated approach to this in Sacramento? Do people ever sign up to cover certain areas? Or is it really just crowd sourced data wherever and whenever during these four days??
On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:04 PM, Subhash Chand via < SubhashC@...> wrote:
|
Re: Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
This is so great! I’ve always wanted to do this but have never taken the time. (thank you, global pandemic!)?
Does anyone know if there’s a coordinated approach to this in Sacramento? Do people ever sign up to cover certain areas? Or is it really just crowd sourced data wherever and whenever during these four days??
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jan 12, 2021, at 12:04 PM, Subhash Chand via < SubhashC@...> wrote:
|
Coming up! Great Backyard Bird Count
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Thanks, Sarah – you’ve got me convinced!
Many thanks to all for your input!
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Di, I could not have said it any better than Cliff regarding color, structure and behavior. These are definitely Bushtits.?
While Mountain Bluebirds can be found in the greater Sacramento area in winter, they are actually very uncommon at Cosumnes River Preserve. Two were seen on a fence line in 2018 but the only other reports on eBird were in 1995 and 1991. So for 20 to show up it would be very unusual.
Regardless, the structure of the bird is wrong. For one thing, the length of the wings on the bushtit are much shorter than the wings vs tail of a mountain bluebird.?
Merlin probably couldn’t ID because the color didn’t match the structure. I would trust Cliff, an experienced birder, over Merlin any day. I have tested Merlin on several occasions, and while it is a good resource, it has sometimes been wrong or unhelpful regarding common birds.
I always recommend using several resources when trying to identify an unfamiliar bird: apps are good, but so are books like Sibley, National Geographic, photos, and of course the advice of an experienced birder.
I would never discourage returning to form your own opinions about the birds, and definitely continuing to observe birds regularly to get used to their behaviors and structure. For me, when I was first learning, I found that it was easy to get caught up in plumage markers when structure and behavior were just as important. This is especially because our perception can be influenced by light, distance, and any number of other factors.
I hope this is helpful! I am always learning myself, and it is such a good idea to ask for advice on this forum!
My best,
Sarah Newton-Scott Sacramento, CA
Thanks, Cliff! It’s just so weird that Merlin did not identify the bird when it looks exactly like one of the photos on their site of a mountain bluebird! Audubon said mountain bluebirds are very common in this area in the winter but as you say, you do have to take into account their behavior as well as their appearance- being in a flock and foraging upside down like that. We will just have to go out and get a better look at them in the daylight and see if they still look sky blue! Thanks to all for your input!
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Clifford Hawley
Troy Edson-Smith
