Wordless Wednesday - Pyrrhuloxia fresh from the nest

Ageing Inca Doves

The following is all tentative and is based on a very small number of known-age birds.

Here is the HY/SY pattern of S1 in Inca Doves. Note the extremely broad dusky edge on S1 and the limited rufous center.

Note the discrete rufous center to S1 on this known ASY in March below.

All photos are from March 14, 2010, and were banded by Mark Conway of Harlingen, Texas. Thanks to Mark for allowing me to observe and assist at his site.

Wordless Wednesday - near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon

Short-tailed Hawk, adult, Chihuahua Woods Preserve, Mission Texas

In the "world's worst" category of lousy bird photos I was very happy to take, here's a few photos from Chihuahua Woods Preserve near Mission, Texas this morning (8/7). This adult Short-tailed Hawk played tag with the treetops for me and finally when I got to an open area I was able to get a couple quick shots off - though I missed better opportunities. These are heavily cropped and one is darkened very slightly as the whites were bleached out.

Wordless Wednesday - Santa Ana Flood - 8/4/2010