[Birdtalk] Crappy Photos

[Jason Pietrzak]

I'd suggest that the bird is a Sharpie with characteristics of both juvenile
and adult - probably a young adult this year.

The main thing that disqualifies the Merlin for me is the shape and
proportions - they don't look right for a falcon. The tail, for example,
looks too long to me. Based on your idea of size, I'd lean toward Sharpie,
although I've examined stuffed specimens of Sharpie and Cooper's and I think
the sizes vary enough that they can overlap or come really close.

Jason


On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 3:07 PM, Jim Lofthouse <jbloft at wildblue.net> wrote:

>  This bird is definitely not an adult Sharpie.  The breast pattern is
> wrong, the eye is wrong, Adult cooper does not have a line above the eye.
> Adult shaerpie has a definite barred breast and belly.  This bird is
> streaked on the breast and barred on the flanks. Adult sharpie has a red
> eye.  This bird has a yellow eye.
>
> Coopers is not even an option. Too small.
>
> It could possibly be an immature sharpie, but the back coloration is
> wrong.  Sibley shows the back colroration to be brown on the immature
> sharpie.  This bird is definitlely gray on the back.   The coloration of the
> underwing coverts is also a clue.  I think this bird looks more like the pic
> of the Merlin on page 130 Sibley's, than the picture of the juvie sharpie on
> page 112 Sibley's.
>
> Do you have Sibleys book?  Page 130 the adult prarie type female:  streaked
> breast, barred flanks, line over the eye, very definite black tipped bill,
> and in flight rufous coloration on under wing coverts.  Absence of weak
> mustache.
>
> I think this bird fits that very well.  Any other opinions?
>
> Jim
>
>
> http://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/Zion/zion.htm
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Craig Fosdick
> *To:* Jim Lofthouse
> *Sent:* Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:31 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [Birdtalk] Crappy Photos
>
> Jim-
>
> Your bird is either a Sharp-shinned Hawk or possibly a Cooper's Hawk.
> Sorry, but it's not a Merlin.
>
> Craig.
>
> On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 11:03 AM, Jim Lofthouse <jbloft at wildblue.net>wrote:
>
>>  When some rare bird comes to visit, I am likely to grab the camera and
>> take some pictures, in spite of dirty rain streaked windows, poor light and
>> the wrong lens on the camera.   These photos leave much to be desired, but
>> perhaps they serve to document the event, and hopefully capture enough
>> detail to show the field marks of the species.
>>
>> FWIW  http://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/merlin.jpg
>>
>>            http://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/merlin2.jpg
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>
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>
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