bird watching

tags: Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, Guiraca cyanea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Adult male Indigo Bunting, Passerina (Guiraca) cyanea, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 April 2007 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/180s f/8.0 at 500.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Can you tell me how this bird's grows such spectacularly colored plumage? Blue plumage in…
tags: Black-bellied Plover, Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Black-bellied Plover, also known as the Grey Plover throughout much of Europe, Pluvialis squatarola, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 April 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/400s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This mystery bird might be a little tricky to ID, but once…
tags: Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, photographed at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 May 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. How to distinguish Clapper Rails from other, similar species: King Rail is slightly larger than Clapper Rail, prefers freshwater marshes while…
tags: Eurasian Kestrel, Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Common Kestrel, also known as the Eurasian Kestrel or just as the Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, 19 January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D300, 600 mm VR lens, with 1.4 x extender ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/800 sec. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Even though this bird is an African species that most of you have probably not…
tags: Collared Pratincole, Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Collared Pratincole, also known as the Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, photographed in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D300s, 600 mm VR lens, with 1.4 x extender ISO 400, f/8, 1/400 sec. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This African species' morphology and feeding behavior are seemingly incongruous (although wing…
tags: Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, photographed at Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo (University of Helsinki Museum of Natural History), Helsinki, Finland. [picture of the same species with its muscle and feathers] Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view] Canon SX100 IS. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. EEEK! It's another completely bare-nekkid bird for you to identify! Can you ID this bird species? (Yes, it's going to be very challenging to ID species, but…
tags: Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Immature (1st winter/second summer?) Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni, photographed somewhere along the Pacific coast of the United States [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joe Fuhrman. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer. NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This species has a special natural history character that makes them especially vulnerable to extinction. Can you tell me what that is? Heermann's…
tags: Dickcissel, Townsend's Sparrow, Townsend's Bunting, Spiza americana, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Dickcissel, occasionally (at least historically) known as Townsend's Bunting or Townsend's Sparrow, Spiza americana, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 April 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to…
tags: House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, photographed in a backyard in Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 28 March 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This species has an interesting feature that provides insight into its life history -- can you tell me what that feature is and what it reveals about this…
tags: Blue Grosbeak, Passerina caerulea, Guiraca caerulea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Female Blue Grosbeak, Passerina (Guiraca) caerulea, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] [For your reference, here's a male of the species in breeding plumage] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 27 April 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery…
tags: Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda rothschildi, photographed on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Midway Island, Hawai'i [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joe Fuhrman, March 2010. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer. NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to date.
tags: Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, 15 January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D300, ISO 400, 1/2000 sec, f/8. Exp Comp -1. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This African mystery bird is quite remarkable: if you can identify this recognizable species, then you'll also be able to tell me why this bird is so remarkable. I'm also wondering if it's possible…
tags: Razorbill, Ruokki, Alca torda, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Razorbill, known in Finland as the Ruokki, Alca torda, photographed at Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo (University of Helsinki Museum of Natural History), Helsinki, Finland. [Fully feathered specimens] Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view] Canon SX100 IS. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This mystery bird lacks all plumage hints that might give you clues as to its identity, but it is showing you plenty more hints that will guide you to your ID. 22 May…
tags: Barnacle Goose, Valkoposkihanhi, Branta leucopsis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Barnacle Goose, known in Finnish as Valkoposkihanhi, Branta leucopsis, photographed on Suomenlinna, Helsinki, Finland. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: GrrlScientist, 16 May 2010 [larger view] Canon SX100 IS. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. I photographed this lovely mystery bird a couple days ago in stunning Helsinki, Finland, can you ID the species and tell me how it got its peculiar English common name? This goose was…
tags: Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 27 April 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to date.
tags: Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, photographed Wisconsin. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Bardiac, 15 May 2010 [larger view]. Canon Eos, 70x300 zoom + 2x. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. This bird is remarkable among all its family members for one of its special features, can you tell me what that feature is? The Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, is the smallest North American species of icterid blackbird. Due to their small size and…
tags: Augur Buzzard, African Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo rufofuscus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Augur Buzzard, also known as the African Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo rufofuscus, photographed at the Ndutu Safari Lodge, at the south end of the Serengeti ecosystem, just outside Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, 15 January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D300, ISO 400, 1/250, f/6.3, +2 Exp comp. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to date.
tags: Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Bubalornis niger, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Bubalornis niger, photographed at the Ndutu Safari Lodge, at the south end of the Serengeti ecosystem, just outside Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, 15 January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D300, ISO 640, 1/640 sec, f/6.3, Exp Compenstation at -.3. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to date.
tags: Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, photographed at Sabine Woods and Sabine Pass area, Port Arthur, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 28 April 2008 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/160s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to date.
tags: Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 27 April 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery birds to date.