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Possible Dove in Los Angles? (1 Viewer)

R

Rosemarie DiMatteo

Member
Hi Jane, I'm pretty new at this. I see lots of mourning doves, but the other day I saw an enormous (almost gull sized, but smaller head) gray bird, light colored beak but black at curved tip, right on the balcony. I live in Los Angeles, so I'm thinking it might be a sea bird. I just can't find a picture anywhere that it resembles. At first I thought it was the Mother of All Mourning Doves. Quite a mystery!
 
Many thanks! But this bird was entirely gray, no other markings except that strange half white half black beak with a curved tip. I'm saving up for a camera! So far, I've only seen it once.
 
kite?

Rosemarie DiMatteo said:
Hi Jane, I'm pretty new at this. I see lots of mourning doves, but the other day I saw an enormous (almost gull sized, but smaller head) gray bird, light colored beak but black at curved tip, right on the balcony. I live in Los Angeles, so I'm thinking it might be a sea bird. I just can't find a picture anywhere that it resembles. At first I thought it was the Mother of All Mourning Doves. Quite a mystery!
Click to expand...

What about a kite species? maybe white tailed.
 
This is close, but head and beak are too large. Today I had the thrill of seeing my first totally-new-to-me bird right outside the window. Vivid black and white head and body stripes, and lark-sized. I think it might be a black and white warbler, but I'm still hunting for the perfect picture. I've never felt so excited about seeing a bird before, though. This was the BEST!
 
With the toxic algae problem occuring from time to time (though out of season right now). Sea birds have been known to drop out of the sky and land somewhere odd.
 
Anyone noticing songbirds with tumors?

Gentoo said:
LA is very very far south for Fulmars on the west coast, especially this early. I'm going with the White-Tailed Kite possibility

http://www.petalumawetlandspark.org/Pictures/kite107ccr.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for the splendid kite photos. If I had seen one, I just might have fainted! But now I have a more serious question...

I keep seeing the little guys--finches and sparrows--with growths or tumors around their ankles. At first I thought they might be ticks, but a young house finch died here the other day and I discovered that they were indeed tumors. This is truly sad and disconcerting, to say the least! I'm wondering if other birders are noticing this, or if Los Angeles is just becoming too toxic. :-C
 
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