Blue Heron and black bird c/c please

[NancyMoranG]

Ok not the greatest but ya gotta start somewhere...
I liked the lighting on this as he was eating minnows..

Blue Heron

 

[JacaRanda]

The lighting on the blackbird is really nice. Do you know what kind of blackbird it is and location?

 

[sm4him]

The lighting on the blackbird is really nice. Do you know what kind of blackbird it is and location?

It looks like a female Grackle, rather than an actual blackbird. But I don't know; depending on where it is, it could well be something I'm not familiar with. There are certainly still a LOT of birds I know nothing about!

Nice first shots, Nancy.

 

[NancyMoranG]

Nope. I should get an book. This is Cape Cod Canal, Ma. This past summer. When the Herring fry hatch, it is pandemonium down there.
Going again this summer.
Nancy

 

[JacaRanda]

The lighting on the blackbird is really nice. Do you know what kind of blackbird it is and location?

It looks like a female Grackle, rather than an actual blackbird. But I don't know; depending on where it is, it could well be something I'm not familiar with. There are certainly still a LOT of birds I know nothing about!

Nice first shots, Nancy.

Definitely in the ballpark. The lighter head than body throws me off. Maybe a juvenile with crazy hormones

Common Grackle, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 

[sm4him]

The lighting on the blackbird is really nice. Do you know what kind of blackbird it is and location?

It looks like a female Grackle, rather than an actual blackbird. But I don't know; depending on where it is, it could well be something I'm not familiar with. There are certainly still a LOT of birds I know nothing about!

Nice first shots, Nancy.

Definitely in the ballpark. The lighter head than body throws me off. Maybe a juvenile with crazy hormones

Common Grackle, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Yeah, almost certainly a juvie common grackle. I thought I'd seen some juvies that looked like that, but decided to do a little checking to be sure.
http://birds.audubon.org/birds/common-grackle--
Look at that site; they have two very similar images.

 

[sm4him]

Nope. I should get an book. This is Cape Cod Canal, Ma. This past summer. When the Herring fry hatch, it is pandemonium down there.
Going again this summer.
Nancy

I have a Sibley's and a Peterson's; I love them both.
Until you can get a book (and afterwards as well), allaboutbirds.org, that Jaca linked to above, is an EXCELLENT site to help with ID. You can look up what you think it might be, then start checking their "similar birds" images.

I use allaboutbirds extensively, but I find having actual books to really be helpful too. But then, I just love books.

 

[JacaRanda]

I use Birds of Southern California by Garrett, Dunn and Small. It has nice photos but I've heard drawings are better.

I think Nancy has discovered a Black-headed Copper Grackle. [emoji6] Wouldn't it be cool to get to name one?


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[WesternGuy]

Well, I will throw my .02¢ in here - Nancy, what I think you have in the first one is a male Common Grackle - Bronze Form as compared to the Purple Form.

I like the second one of the GBH - very nice.

WesternGuy

 

[NancyMoranG]

Thanks guys and gals. I will look into those books.
I did see the Rangers at the Canal have some on their shelves, so I will borrow 1.
N

 

[sm4him]

Well, I will throw my .02¢ in here - Nancy, what I think you have in the first one is a male Common Grackle - Bronze Form as compared to the Purple Form.

I like the second one of the GBH - very nice.

WesternGuy

Well, I just learned something new! I didn't know there *was* such a thing as a "bronze form" Common Grackle. That's interesting.

 

[JacaRanda]

Well, I will throw my .02¢ in here - Nancy, what I think you have in the first one is a male Common Grackle - Bronze Form as compared to the Purple Form.

I like the second one of the GBH - very nice.

WesternGuy

Well shoot! If I would have googled bronze instead of copper..................................Nice one Western

 

[Hunter58]

Nice shots. I'm thinking Common Grackle as well.