'FORUM FRIENDS, WILDLIFE-FROM-WHEREVER' (Off-season, all cams off at Loch Garten)

Unknown said:

I think your Black Phoebe is a Slate-colored Junco (must spell 'coloured' like the locals--lol!), one of the Juncos now known as Dark-eyed Junco,

I am very happy to be corrected on that, GARDENBIRDER   I know (or should know) both those birds from StarrRanch SoCal, but we haven't had a "spa" (watering-hole) cam for at least a couple of years and I keep complaining that I'm getting rusty, which I obviously am

The DE Juncos familiar to me were more brown. and I now see that they can be grey/black or brown/dark brown.

Thank you, that's another soon-to-be-forgotten lesson under my belt

Scott fixed the IR last night:

Then tipped out the bird-feeding tray from above:

Then fixed the IR somehow:

Not a soul seen after that until a Northern Cardinal flew in in the morning:

All the usual birds followed, and then Scott arrived to refill - together with his gorgeous dog:

You could see why Mourning Doves might be the most likely to fall prey to the hawks who hunt here - I often notice an oblivious one after the others have fled:

American Crow both profiles:

How about... female Downy Woodpecker?  or

Tufted Titmouse - only for a few seconds so I slomoed it:

Unknown said:

TJ, Can you confirm the ID or say 'tis wrong, please?!

Not sure why you keep asking me Ann. Never even been to the USA

However I agree it's a Dark-eyed Junco. They seem to prefer ground feeding. I think all the pheobes are insectivorous so won't be hanging around in the frozen north 

Oh dear, so sorry TJ, somehow I was under the impression that you had been birding over there. You do seem to know the birds regardless...Must have mixed you up with another person who has posted (somewhere on the forum not long after I joined!) photos from several group birding trips to the USA. I know Bob (the still-retired Bob) posts US birds but I believe he has gone with his wife, not a group trip, so it wasn't him. Now I am truly puzzled as to who it actually was...

Unknown said:

Not sure why you keep asking me

But I thought you did know your Woodpeckers, TeeJay

There was someone else here last year who did seem to be familiar with north American birds, can't think of his name.

Ohio feeders - both were attended to by Scott (with his children playing in the distance on one occasion) night and morning, only solitary rabbits took advantage overnight.

Lots and lots of birds thru the day, and I noticed the Red-bellied Woodpecker making trouble at/on the ground feeder again:

Later, it saw off a Mourning Dove and 2 Sparrows.

I think this shot would have been sharper last year:

More nastiness from the RB Woodpecker.  An e-pal who lives in Florida has already commented that she's had them nesting for 8 years in a weeping willow in her back yard and has never seen any aggression.  Well this guy/gal must be an exception ;)

Unknown said:

you may not have seen my comment on the bottom of the previous page

No, I didn't  

I'm hoping that whoever was here last year will come and check my claim of "female Downy Woodpecker" and am so anxious about it I shall repost the snap.

EDIT - Oh what a disappointment - my YouTube US birder has pronounced:

Female Hairy Woodpecker The Hairy is the size of an American Robin, while the Downy is the size of a House Sparrow. The beak on a Hairy is more chisel- or needle-like, while the beak on a Downy is small and stubby.

Before:

After:

I did this for my friend but might as well post it here: