Birdapolooza - Thursday Lab

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge – April 1st

Great Black Backed Gull 

• ·         Black back with white spots near the wing edges
• ·         White head
• ·         Yellow bill with red spot on lower mandible

King Rail

• ·         Black and white stripes on flanks
• ·         Red back and chest
• ·         Long, slender slightly curved downward bill
• ·         Short tail

Brown Pelican

• ·         Large throat pouch for fish
• ·         Grey/brown body with a lighter colored neck
• ·         Yellow on head

Blue Jay

• ·         Blue triangular shaped crest
• ·         All blue bird with white belly and white wing bars
• ·         Black stripes around eye and a black neck line

Birdapolooza - Thursday Lab

Lions Bridge

Male and female Mallard "running" away from a hybrid Mallard.

Left: American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid (Male)
Metallic green head and neck, yellow bill, but lacks white collar band. White and black tail feathers curled up.
Right: Mallard (Female)
Streaked brown and tan overall. Dark blue patch on wing. Dull orange and black bill.
 

Two Mallard hybrids seen out on the lake (the same pair from the lab trip).

Greylag Goose
Bulky body with a thick and long neck and large head and orange bill. Pink legs and feet. Grayish-brown plumage with darker head and paler belly.

Seaside Sparrow
Long, spike-like bill with thick base and thin tip. Short, pointed tail. Yellow loral patch. Dark stripe separates whitish throat and broad, pale stripe along cheek. Buffy chest with some streaking.

Osprey
Dark brown above, white below. White head with prominent dark eye stripe.

Noland Trail

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Female)
Dusky underparts. Wings black and white. White ring around eye.

Turkey Vulture

Two-toned wings: white and black underneath. Pinkish-red unfeathered head with white bill.

Birdapolooza

As of right now birdapolooza is a TIE! Both classes have 26 birds each. Keep up the great work. I can't wait to see which class ends up with the winning number!

Birdapolooza - Thursday Lab

So, since I don't have a fancy camera, the pictures are not that great, BUT here and some of the birds I have spotted that haven't been posted yet. :)

Virginia Zoo in Norfolk (Don't worry, the birds were  not on exhibit just around the area)

Canada Goose

Brownish Body
Black Neck and Face
White Cheek
Pale Chest











American Crow

Glossy Black Overall
Large Bill
Long Legs











Blue Jay

Blue Crest
Dark Black 'Necklace'
Blue Sides with White Barring
Pale Gray Underside
White Belly












Fish Crow

Similar to American Crow in Color
Smaller Bill than American
Shorter Legs than American
(Could tell the difference because this bird was calling as it landed in the tree and made the distinguished 'uh-uh' call)







On Campus

Chipping Sparrow

It was hard to get a close picture without them flying away, but you can made out about 4 birds within the grass. Noticed the red cap and line behind eye.

Rufous Crown
Dark Eye-line
Unstreaked Whitish-Gray below













http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/chipping_sparrow_2.jpg

Killdeer

Another bird that was hard to get a close shot of because they moved so fast away from me. Noticed the general shape and double lines across neck.

Light Brown/Tan Backside
White Belly
Double Breast-Band







https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRIFNQFjecDYuykFAIaCbYp0HIaRLhy_BW2-fzz6jkRjZaXTx9o5g

Harris Teeter

Mallard

So I walk out of Harris Teeter, and there I meet two Mallards just walking around the entrance.

Male:
Dark Green Head; Pale Body
Yellow Bill
White Neck Ring; Brown Front
Female:
Orange Bill With Dark Center
Brown/Black Speckled Body


Roadway in Williamsburg

Rock Pigeon

All lined up along a bridge. Noticed the overall shape, grey body, and distinct bars on the wings

Purple/Green Head
White Spot Above Bill
Bluish-gray overall
Black Bars
Pink Legs






https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQk7YAW3fExbiRgitZMMMFR1yRQ6T7-7t7zj3rP6UlR67wfKpqv

Tuesday Lab - Birdapalooza

Tuesday Lab, Casey Rollins and Jeffrey Rollins (My cousin)

Location: Amory's Wharf, Poquoson VA

3-29-2012

Camera: Kodak EasyShare DX7590

Lens: Variogon 38-380mm AF 10x

European Starling - Breeding adult; bright yellow bill, mostly black with spots wearing off to give way to green and purple breeding plumage

Great Egret - Mostly white, long yellow bill, dark feet and legs (not pictured)

There are multiple birds in this picture. Left foreground: A Laughing Gull giving his friend the boot! Black head, grey wings, reddish bill, also verified by call. Middle of picture: I'm not 100% sure, but this may be a juvenile Forster's Tern; long tail, orange feet, black around eye, grey wings. The larger gull (second bird from the top) is a Ring-billed Gull; black wing tips, white head, ring at the end of the bill. The last bird (pictured far right, top) is a Double-Crested Cormorant: entirely black plummage, black feet and legs, greyish bill, posture and tail position resembles something like the Wild Turkey or Turkey Vulture.