Definitely a falcon because the tail is no longer than the wings. Definitely not a Kestrel, all the field marks are wrong. Plus, I identified it as a Merlin at Veterans 2 days ago, so I’ve got to vote that way. 😉
Tom McCabe, Boise
Daily Archives: December 23, 2021
Re: Raptor ID
Immature Merlin
MaDWhitham
Suis tes rêves aujourd’hui!
Demain n’est pas une garantie
Re: Raptor ID
Great pics! Looks like a merlin to me.
Merry Christmas everyone!
John in Cascade
Raptor ID
Took these pictures at Veterans Park two days ago. I’m thinking juvenile Merlin, seems too small for a Sharp Shinned and not quite right for Kestrel. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
Tom Soniville
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Tom Soniville
Boise. North End
R-b Sapsucker at Morris Hill
Hey there Boys and girls in ible-land.
Been studying and culling my not-so-good photos I took yesterday at Morris Hill Cem. here in Boise. Was very bothered. Then went back to the photos taken by others and posted on ebird. Then went into some research in the “Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of N.A.“, Stephen A. Shunk, 2016 (see photo on pg. 128 but esp. one on pg. 129). In other words, a lot of back-and-forthing. Be happy if anyone can correct me, but, I think maybe we’d better re-look at that called R-b sapucker, daggetti, a bit closer. The head appears to be way too much R-n sapsucker-ish in appearance. The black-and-white face continuing fadingly on the side of the head with just a hazy slash of red coming up thru and behind the eye. Even a daggetti should have more of a red head than I see in all the photos. There are a couple on ebird that show what appears to be some yellow on the upper breast. Could that indicate an imm. bird. Similar to HOFI’s where the imm. males show yellow where they will eventually have red? Just a thought or two, that as I said I earlier would be happy to be corrected about.
A Merry Happy Holidays to you all and Continued Good Birding. RL
Been studying and culling my not-so-good photos I took yesterday at Morris Hill Cem. here in Boise. Was very bothered. Then went back to the photos taken by others and posted on ebird. Then went into some research in the “Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of N.A.“, Stephen A. Shunk, 2016 (see photo on pg. 128 but esp. one on pg. 129). In other words, a lot of back-and-forthing. Be happy if anyone can correct me, but, I think maybe we’d better re-look at that called R-b sapucker, daggetti, a bit closer. The head appears to be way too much R-n sapsucker-ish in appearance. The black-and-white face continuing fadingly on the side of the head with just a hazy slash of red coming up thru and behind the eye. Even a daggetti should have more of a red head than I see in all the photos. There are a couple on ebird that show what appears to be some yellow on the upper breast. Could that indicate an imm. bird. Similar to HOFI’s where the imm. males show yellow where they will eventually have red? Just a thought or two, that as I said I earlier would be happy to be corrected about.
A Merry Happy Holidays to you all and Continued Good Birding. RL