These are Rosy-finches not blackbirds. Looks like Black Rosy-finch. Note that those are not epaulets but wingbars. Also “fat-headed and stubby billed. Rosy’s move down out of the high country above timberline in large flocks like this in the winter.
Zeke Watkins
208-731-1471
Instagram : @idahobirder
Not all those who wander are lost – J.R.R. Tolkien
Without the animals, Man would die of a great loneliness of the Spirit – Chief Seattle
An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only great curiosity but great fulfillment – Sir David Attenborough
I just opened the images up on my 27 inch iMac and expanded zoomed in even closer. It appears to me that I can see the epaulets or Red-winged Blackbirds.
On Jan 8, 2021, at 7:07 PM, Louisa Evers <elouisa603@…> wrote:
Looks like at least some of them are red-winged blackbirds. Could be a mixed flock of several species of blackbirds. In the second photo, I think I’m seeing the red epaulets on some of the birds.
On Fri, Jan 8, 2021 at 18:48 M Gregory <alanclarkg@…> wrote:
Anyone have an idea of what species these birds are? I photographed the flock over sage flats a mile or so from Old Highway 30 in Elmore County this afternoon. When I think of songbirds flocking in winter, I think of House Sparrows. No human activity in this area. Just sagebrush
Alan in Mountain Home
—
Alan C Gregory Lt. Col., USAF, Ret. Mountain Home, ID Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association, life member Member, North American Butterfly Association
Ken Miracle chukar28@… 208-570-2780 “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
Looks like at least some of them are red-winged blackbirds. Could be a mixed flock of several species of blackbirds. In the second photo, I think I’m seeing the red epaulets on some of the birds.
Anyone have an idea of what species these birds are? I photographed the flock over sage flats a mile or so from Old Highway 30 in Elmore County this afternoon. When I think of songbirds flocking in winter, I think of House Sparrows. No human activity in this area. Just sagebrush
Alan in Mountain Home
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Alan C Gregory Lt. Col., USAF, Ret. Mountain Home, ID Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association, life member Member, North American Butterfly Association
Hope you all are fine; we are doing a short study how COVID-19 has changed birding. Please help us and answer a few questions, that take some minutes. You can also forward the link to others.
The study is in several languages and we would be happy for your participation. The study is hosted by the University of Tübingen, and run by a team of people, also being birders. Stay healthy and good birding, Christoph
I have found the Crossley ID Guide for Raptors to be a great resource. The format is too big to be considered a field guide, but I like to compare photos taken in the field with the photos in the book.
I’ve attached a poorly scanned image from the spread on Bald Eagles in flight — adult, subadult, and immature.
Thanks to all of you for the education. I had no idea there was such a thing as wing pits. I wondered about the smaller raptor being a red tail, but it seemed too white underneath. I may just go back to small, medium and large for classifying raptors.
I never even looked at the hawk … your correct … dark pataglia and there is actually a belly band all that point to a Red-tailed Hawk.
On Jan 6, 2021, at 5:33 PM, Dave & Brenda Pace <dbpace@q.com> wrote:
Tom,
Some very knowledgeable raptor ID people shared with me many years ago that if there is any white in the birds wing pits it is an immature Bald Eagle. Immature goldens can have white out on their wings but never in their wing pits. In your second photo with the smaller raptor coming in inline and behind the eagle you can see the white wing pits very well.
On a side note the other bird looks more like a Red-Tail to me than a harrier with the dark leading edges on his wings and the belly band.
Seems like the white wing pits cue isn’t well known so I thought I would share what I had learned.
Subject:Re: [IBLE] Great gray owl is still at Montour
Thanks to some kind guidance from an IBLEer, we were able to see the Great Gray yesterday. It was a great treat. If you are out that way, don’t miss all the other raptors in the area. We saw a Kestrel, a Sharp-Shinned hawk, multiple Red Tails, at least one Harrier, and what I believe is an immature Golden Eagle. A Harrier and the eagle were involved in some aerial jousting. I would appreciate any feedback on whether this is a Golden or a Bald. We also saw an adult Bald between Sweet and Ola.
Combine that with great weather and some kind people and was a wonderful day.
Ken Miracle chukar28@… 208-570-2780 “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
— Tom Soniville Boise. North End
Ken Miracle chukar28@… 208-570-2780 “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
Some very knowledgeable raptor ID people shared with me many years ago that
if there is any white in the birds wing pits it is an immature Bald Eagle.
Immature goldens can have white out on their wings but never in their wing
pits. In your second photo with the smaller raptor coming in inline and
behind the eagle you can see the white wing pits very well.
On a side note the other bird looks more like a Red-Tail to me than a
harrier with the dark leading edges on his wings and the belly band.
Seems like the white wing pits cue isn’t well known so I thought I would
share what I had learned.
Dave Pace
Idaho Falls, ID
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
