tags: mystery bird, identify this bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz, streaming video
A reader asked me to ask you to identify these [Mystery Birds], filmed in Wasilla, Alaska, USA, on 4 July 2009. Hint: Turn the sound off while viewing this video to prevent stimulating your gag reflex.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Given the location and date, and the white visible in the wings at one point, I'd have to go with White-winged Scoter. A Guillemot should show noticeable white in the folded wing, even in this quality video. Loons shouldn't show white wing patches at all, and Eiders would all have to be females. I suppose Eared or Horned Grebe would be possibilities, but these birds seem too substantial for that.
Given the frequency of the movement of the mouth, the frequency of the foot moving in and out, the level of unintelligible noise, and those unique eye lenses, it can can only be the Opus Palinosis Wasillatis.
Very rare and often heard but seldom seen. Reputed to have starling like qualities.
Very good shot of this rara avis. Is that the coast of Russia in the background?
Pesky posting procedure strikes again.
sorry about the comment situation, you guys. i removed the duplicate comments, but alas, i am not capable of fixing the code problem itself. unfortunately, this issue also affects me. i have been unable to post a comment to my own blog for the past 36 hours! so let's see if this one manages to somehow appear here ...
About 7:30 minutes into the second clip I see two Horned Grebes. One dives, has no evident tail and a grebe shape. Seem too small to be Red-necked Grebes.