Several ID's please, central Michigan, USA (1 Viewer)

The Lion Cub · Jul 20, 2009

Here are some odd ones I saw today. (All bad pics, sorry)

1- Female Red-winged Blackbird?
2- Great Crested Flycatchers (lifers)
3- Indigo Bunting? Can't imagine Blue Grosbeak.
4- No idea. It's not a Blue Jay, it was way too small. I got the call on video and will post a link to YouTube at some point.
5- Same bird. Sorry for the quality.

Thanks!

Blaumeise · Jul 20, 2009

You're correct on Nos.1 & 2. 3 could be an Indigo Bunting but with so much backlighting it's hard to make out any features. No idea on the other guy.

steveo · Jul 21, 2009

#2 Great crested flycatchers correct nice lifer agree with 1 &3 .4 and 5 the bib combined with the small bill then add that very long tail it seems rather odd. The audio clip will help alot with this one

AmpelisChinito · Jul 21, 2009

The last is most certainly a sparrow, based on the bill and jizz. Can't say which species, though I'd like to say Song. But the breast just isn't right. Maybe a juvenile? The call would help.
I think I'll guess Field Sparrow for now, based on the clean breast and pinkish feet.

Jim M. · Jul 21, 2009

Eastern Towhee for 4 & 5. Agree on the other ID's.

Best,
Jim

Gretchen · Jul 21, 2009

Well, I'm sure I don't know more than Jim, but it really looks like 4 and 5 are Blue Jays to me. It seems just like the black "necklace" jays have, and the tail looks right. Sometimes they don't have a crest (a juvenile or ill one). I don't know about the bill, because of the angle.... The sound should resolve the question.

Jim M. · Jul 21, 2009

Gretchen said:
Well, I'm sure I don't know more than Jim, but it really looks like 4 and 5 are Blue Jays to me. It seems just like the black "necklace" jays have, and the tail looks right. Sometimes they don't have a crest (a juvenile or ill one). I don't know about the bill, because of the angle.... The sound should resolve the question.

Hi Gretchen.

It is without a doubt an Eastern Towhee, which also has a black bib. I'm attaching a lightened version of the photo showing the rufous sides. A Blue Jay would have a much longer, thinner bill.

Best,
Jim

Gretchen · Jul 21, 2009

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the lightened photo. It does seem that the beak is really not a jay at a strange angle. I'm still confused though because it seems that this bird has a light area above the bottom of the bib, whereas all the pictures I've seen (quickly) show a solid black bib up to the beak. Do you think it's just some reflection? or is this a normal coloration?

thanks,

Gretchen

birderbf · Jul 21, 2009

Hard to say what the abnormal white area is without very great feather detail. But I agree with the Towhee diagnosis.

Wiktoria · Jul 21, 2009

Isn't it just a reflected light? An Eastern Towhee seems to have quite glossy feathers on its head and breast.

I also thought about a Blue Jay at first but the beak isn't right for it (too stount and short)

The Lion Cub · Jul 21, 2009

Thanks! I'll post the call this evening so you guys can have a listen then.

The Lion Cub · Jul 23, 2009

Here is the bird call:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2QR4z-KM78

Also can you please help ID these? Both from MI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62UBTuEG5vg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8GxC09EXU4 (Yellow Warbler?)

cavan wood · Jul 23, 2009

The Lion Cub said:
Here is the bird call:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2QR4z-KM78

Also can you please help ID these? Both from MI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62UBTuEG5vg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8GxC09EXU4 (Yellow Warbler?)

First one is the eastern towhee (drink your tea.ea.ea)
Second is common yellowthroat (witchity witchity witchity)
Third....I'm not sure, but not yellow I don't think

Scott

The Lion Cub · Jul 23, 2009

Thanks Scott, that seems correct.

birderbf · Jul 23, 2009

Last one sounds like an American Redstart.

AmpelisChinito · Jul 24, 2009

Tennessee Warbler for the last one.

The Lion Cub · Jul 24, 2009

AmpelisChinito said:
Tennessee Warbler for the last one.

Yep, that's what a YouTube user just told me. Awesome! I caught a glimpse of it so I can count it as a Lifer!

Jim M. · Jul 24, 2009

Tennessee Warbler would be quite unusual in Michigan in July. EBird has only one Michigan report for that month. It appears to be outside its normal breeding range. However, I agree the song on the video bears some resemblance to a TW.

Jim

The Lion Cub · Jul 24, 2009

Hi Jim,

The "Tenesse Warbler" footage was taken in early May.

Jim M. · Jul 24, 2009

Thanks for clarifying the date (always best to put that info in the inital post though). However, I'm not sure Nashville Warbler can be ruled out here given the audio quality. They have a variable song that does not always end in a trill, and which is is quite similar to what we hear here. Listen to samples on this site: http://macaulaylibrary.org/search.do

If this is a Tennessee, it is giving an abbreviated song (it usually has three parts, only two are heard here).

Best,
Jim

Several ID's please, central Michigan, USA (1 Viewer)

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