Friday, January 14, 2011

Mystery Bird ID Quiz #8 Details

Friday, January 14, 2011
10 comments

As promised, here are a few more details on the Mystery Bird Quiz #8 bird. This image was taken in early August in Pawnee Grasslands in Colorado.

So I believe we can rule out male northern cardinal as a potential answer. It's also probably not an eastern wood warbler. Or an anhinga.

Here is shot of the habitat where I took the image. What a day that was. Out in the great wide open, nothing but land, sky, clouds, birds, a few pronghorn antelope, some distant cattle, and a windmill here and there. What a lark!

Staring at this scene, I found myself singing that Jackson Browne song:

When we come to the place where the road and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide.


Maybe it's being an Iowa-born native that allows me to feel so relaxed and happy in the big-sky places...

Good luck with your guessing, birdheads!

10 comments:

On January 14, 2011 at 7:44 AM Janet Creamer Martin said...

I am guessing a juvenile Brewer's Sparrow.

On January 14, 2011 at 9:31 AM Donnette said...

Not too good on Sparrows, but my guess is a female or winter Lark Bunting.

On January 14, 2011 at 10:35 AM Julie Zickefoose said...

I guess I'm disqualified from guessing by having participated in an obsessive chase for this species all through w. ND and eastern MT. So its tiniest feature is burned into my brain. As is its song!

On January 14, 2011 at 11:04 AM Anonymous said...

Great Book, Bill. I'm an author of sports instructional books and I love your color pictures. You printed in China and I would like to know the contact information of the printing company and any contact persons you used so I may get color printing done as well. Please reply to me at vics@netzero.com My name is Vic LeMire and I thank you in advance.

On January 14, 2011 at 11:55 AM Janet Creamer Martin said...

How about Baird's Sparrow?

On January 14, 2011 at 3:45 PM Unknown said...

Based on Julie's comment, I'm gonna guess McCown's Longspur. I am a long day's drive from this area, and have been there briefly looking, unsuccessfully for them, but I know they are found there in good numbers.

On January 14, 2011 at 4:20 PM Teresa Michelsen said...

Juvenile skylark. Just a guess :)

On January 14, 2011 at 4:44 PM Anonymous said...

female Lark Bunting

On January 15, 2011 at 8:45 PM Hallie said...

Juvenile Sage Sparrow?

On January 16, 2011 at 1:28 PM Laura Dornan said...

Are you making this easy by giving us a clue? I am thinking a juvenile Lark Sparrow


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