2013 and beyond

It's pretty simple: the most birds seen or heard from one's yard during 2013 will be the "winner". Want in? O.k....then do it despite that.

2013 promises to be a lot less mean but still a carbon-free birding competition, even if slightly less exciting than a MEGA x EPIC hybrid.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Getting Hoarier in Puttville







Posted by at

32 comments:

  1. Swamp KatFebruary 6, 2012 at 11:27 AM

    So when are you going to post the good photos?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Owl RanchFebruary 6, 2012 at 12:57 PM

    when he has a good Hoary Redpoll....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Caleb PutnamFebruary 6, 2012 at 1:20 PM

    why the defensiveness from the north?

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Owl RanchFebruary 6, 2012 at 2:02 PM

    because we know better....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Caleb PutnamFebruary 6, 2012 at 2:33 PM

    exactly: you know you're going down and want it to be by one less

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sean FitzgeraldFebruary 6, 2012 at 3:11 PM

      It may stem from the fact that SIPU was never really good at something while growing up, but I think the best smack talkers usually know when to stop talking and start doing...

      And yes I know what your response will be to this SIPU - all I can say is wait until late-May when the UP kitty and RIBR put it in fifth gear (not sure if you'll get the manual transmission reference either but thought the men on here would appreciate it).

      Delete
  6. The Owl RanchFebruary 6, 2012 at 3:10 PM

    oh we know we're going down, but that's just because we actually have lives that don't keep us sitting at home all day long..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sean FitzgeraldFebruary 7, 2012 at 9:30 AM

    FYI Caleb has received support for HORE from 2 impartial WI birders whose opinions I respect. I really don't think a female CORE can have that unstreaked of undertail covs. I'll begrudgingly get on board with a hell of a yard tick.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Caleb PutnamFebruary 7, 2012 at 11:56 AM

    For the record these pics have been uploaded into Flickr so you can blow them up better: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9772474
    Keep the opinions coming! For Skye and Joe, there is no confusion about the undertail covert pattern the bird had: it had only 1, very thin, streak on one of the longest undertail coverts, and no other visible streaks. Is this really in range for a female CORE?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Swamp KatFebruary 7, 2012 at 3:24 PM

    Sean, we were just about to make you a honorary Yooper but you blew it with your last comment.

    CAPU, b
    efore you get too hot with this redpoll you need to consider this from some experts I trust. If you have any question please do not hesitate to contact either Skye or myself to further assistance. Alp, please let me know if you need to borrow a mist-net;

    …….. some redpolls of intermediate appearance are best left unidentified: to record a “redpoll sp.” is to acknowledge honestly a limit of field identification. Taking notes on such birds, photographing them, and discussing them with others is a superb way to move the conversation forward on redpoll identification. Redpolls, like young jaegers, show enough variation in plumage that no single feature or even small set of features has been considered reliable for producing an accurate identification in the field…….Many of the features associated with one species or the other require qualification, and indeed even some of the more reliable features that permit many individuals to be identified to species should not be applied in an absolute sense……. Beginning students of redpoll identification will profit from prolonged field study and from extensive photographic documentation of the birds they observe. Plumage tones and contrasts can appear to vary because of lighting (and photographic exposure and manipulation) … but many of the age/sex labels applied to redpolls in the field must be considered educated guesswork, especially when birds are not examined in the hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Owl RanchFebruary 7, 2012 at 3:28 PM

      What he said....

      Delete
    2. Sean FitzgeraldFebruary 7, 2012 at 3:45 PM

      Ha - as long as I'm not considered a "FIB" I'll sleep ok at night. I'm moving north for a reason guys (how many 6 mile moves will it take for me to reach the tension zone?)! Can't wait to score a freakin CORE for the yard down here in dixieland.

      Delete
  10. Caleb PutnamFebruary 7, 2012 at 4:36 PM

    All right boyz, let's get the inevitable discussion started: I'll volley first.

    My bird is an acceptable exilipes HORE for the following reasons, in order of most important to least important:

    1) The undertail coverts have only 1 streak, and it is very thin (between Pyle's D and E in figure 345 (P. 678)). Since the bird is not an adult male (no red below), if a CORE, it would have more streaking here, and wider streaking on the longest undertail cov (Pyle gives at its thinnest a C in figure 345, for ad. female and imm. male CORE). Pyle doesn't give a minimum # of streaks for the palest non male CORE, but I will posit that it is far more than 1 (please provide pics of any CORE with only 1 undertail cov streak if you disagree)

    2) Very small red cap/poll, with wide white area between cap and bill

    3) Very frosty overall appearance, especially in the nape, crown, mantle, & scapulars. This stood out naked eye in the field (ie. I always could tell whether the bird was with the others on the ground with a quick glance), and it held true at all angles.

    4) large nasal tufts, esp. visible here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27846187@N07/6836133281/in/photostream ). Whether this causes the bill to look smaller or the bill actually is smaller, the effect is the same: the bird's forehead looks like that of a sperm whale compared to the COREs it was with, and the bird appears small-billed in the shots I have which are taken at perfect side profile.

    5) Streaking on the flanks is within range for non adult male exilipes. See Fig 7 in the recent NAB article by Adam and others here http://aba.org/nab/v65n2redpolls.pdf . My bird has less than that bird, and that one is a pretty easy exilipes if you ask me (and the authors).

    6) I am not saying that there aren't birds which need to be let go, I am arguing that a non-adult male with such limited (and thin) streaking on the undertail covs, small poll, frosty appearance, and traits enumerated above, is not one of these.

    Let the fun begin...

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Owl RanchFebruary 7, 2012 at 6:35 PM

    Oh... it's "your list", you can do what'cha want with it

    ReplyDelete
  12. Caleb PutnamFebruary 7, 2012 at 6:54 PM

    C'mon Haas, I know you have an opinion, and I want to hear it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Swamp KatFebruary 8, 2012 at 8:35 AM

    Skye's opinion is he LOVES having you in this position.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The Owl RanchFebruary 8, 2012 at 9:14 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sean FitzgeraldFebruary 8, 2012 at 9:35 AM

    I'm eagerly awaiting the yoopers refutation of CAPU's ID points!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Swamp KatFebruary 8, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    Sorry Fitzs, that isn't going to happen....

    The JOKAs on you!

    Getting warmer?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Swamp KatFebruary 8, 2012 at 12:14 PM

      Got cha, got cha

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxarN-c-Z6U

      Delete
  17. Caleb PutnamFebruary 8, 2012 at 12:29 PM

    Nice, Kat. You've got us all under your thumb.

    Now that Haastage realizes we all realize he also thinks we're under his thumb, I think it's time for him to give it up and climb about the HORE train. Give it to me, Skyler.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Owl RanchFebruary 8, 2012 at 12:46 PM

    I got your refutation right here!

    The bird was not observed with optics- can we be sure the undertail coverts were not more heavily marked? The photos are suggestive of this, but not conclusive. The argument would be better supported with additional visual observations, but without close observation with optics, assertions of covert streaking may not be reliable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Owl RanchFebruary 8, 2012 at 12:55 PM

      clarification-
      this sentence should read

      The photos are NOT suggestive of this, but STILL not conclusive.

      Delete
  19. Caleb PutnamFebruary 8, 2012 at 1:35 PM

    The bird was observed through my 300mm with 1.4 converter for 10-15 minutes, but not binoculars/scope (which were in my car and not retrievable without flushing the birds). I saw the bird underneath from above, on the ground at all angles, and took selective pics. But the undertail coverts never appeared more heavily streaked than they do in the few photos I got of it. Side view, behind view, etc. All I have talked to agree with you that this needs to be corroborated in person, that the photos alone are no enough. But I have no doubt about the undertail covert pattern based on my 10-15 minutes study of it in person.

    Anything else?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Swamp KatFebruary 8, 2012 at 2:17 PM

    Drink the Kool-aide bro, drink the Kool-aid.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Caleb PutnamFebruary 8, 2012 at 2:55 PM

    Wait, doesn't the "Koolaid" reject, not accept?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Caleb PutnamFebruary 8, 2012 at 4:13 PM

    OK, I don't care anymore. Pulled the trigger.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Caleb PutnamFebruary 8, 2012 at 4:17 PM

    I'd also like it to be recognized that I now have detected 1 left fielder (NSWO) and that RECR and HORE weren't even entered on my left fielder list! So, they are in the same category as Black-throated Gray Warbler and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron for me. Somebody better start keeping up with me- but who?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sean FitzgeraldFebruary 8, 2012 at 6:11 PM

    I saw a chunky looking bird go over 2.0 the other day. It probably was a goose - but I think I can get on board with YCNH now that I think about how weird it was holding its neck...

    ReplyDelete
  25. Caleb PutnamFebruary 8, 2012 at 9:09 PM

    That'll be one of the more solid birds ON your yardlist, SEFI. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Swamp KatFebruary 9, 2012 at 6:15 AM

    Silly, drink the Kool-aide was for Skye. You've already guzzled enough for everyone.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)