Can you ID this bird?

DoctorIt

With the advent of photography as my new favorite hobby came the bird feeder and the field guide... Makes me feel like a real old man, but I've been cataloging our visitors:

http://doctorit.smugmug.com/gallery/80828

Just the other day I snapped a new one:



Pretty horrible shot, can't really make out too many details of the bird, but I really couldn't find a match for him/her in my book (Audobon Guide for Eastern birds). I couldn't find a blackbird with such a brown head in there. Again, the shot is bad, but this bird definitely has a distinctly brown head and black everwhere else. Not too big either, smaller than a blue jay, bigger than a titmouse (common visitors at our feeder).

Any experts out there?

lynnma

DoctorIt wrote:

With the advent of photography as my new favorite hobby came the bird feeder and the field guide... Makes me feel like a real old man, but I've been cataloging our visitors:

http://doctorit.smugmug.com/gallery/80828

Just the other day I snapped a new one:



Pretty horrible shot, can't really make out too many details of the bird, but I really couldn't find a match for him/her in my book (Audobon Guide for Eastern birds). I couldn't find a blackbird with such a brown head in there. Again, the shot is bad, but this bird definitely has a distinctly brown head and black everwhere else. Not too big either, smaller than a blue jay, bigger than a titmouse (common visitors at our feeder).

Any experts out there?

I'm sure there are experts out there who will know but It looks a bit like a cow bird to me...

Seamaiden

Looks like a cowbird to me, too. Of course, I'm most familiar with my western birds. Over on reefs.org we have a fellow, John Brandt, who REALLY knows his IDs! The man is amazing with his ability to identify verts and inverts from all walks, flies, and swims of life!

DoctorIt

Seamaiden wrote:

Looks like a cowbird to me, too. Of course, I'm most familiar with my western birds. Over on reefs.org we have a fellow, John Brandt, who REALLY knows his IDs! The man is amazing with his ability to identify verts and inverts from all walks, flies, and swims of life!

western birds? That was a typo right... i'm on the east coast.

But anyway, ladies, yes, I think you're right. I looked it up on audobon.com and seems like a good match.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

Seamaiden

Doc, you see my location? I've visited the east coast once ever in my life. I know my western birds, cuzza them's what I sees, but! There are lots of birds that are found across the nation, and it seems the cowbird can be dubbed "ubiquitous".

dugmar

DoctorIt wrote:

With the advent of photography as my new favorite hobby came the bird feeder and the field guide... Makes me feel like a real old man, but I've been cataloging our visitors:

Naah... Ornothology was a very popular class at my College. People took it for a blow off class only to find out it was a great class.

Doug

DoctorIt

Seamaiden wrote:

Doc, you see my location? I've visited the east coast once ever in my life. I know my western birds, cuzza them's what I sees, but! There are lots of birds that are found across the nation, and it seems the cowbird can be dubbed "ubiquitous".

I read too fast, I was replying to: "I don't know my western birds" which I thought was kinda weird seeing as how you're in Cali. Duh.

Seamaiden

Hee!! I am SO glad I'm not the only one who does that!