Today we have bird photos by reader Liz Strahle, who tells us that the “e” at the end of her last name is long, so it rhymes with “Bailey”. Her notes and ID’s are indented:
These were taken in the last few months in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The first herring gull was in NY and the non-leucistic red-tailed hawk was in CT. The rest were in NJ.
I believe the gull pictures are Herring Gulls but am not absolutely sure. After googling “white hawk” and then googling leucistic red-tailed hawk, I am pretty sure that the third and fourth pictures are of a leucistic red-tailed hawk. I saw him/her on different days but in the same spot.
The leucistic red-tailed hawk, the American robin, and the black vulture are new birds for me. I must have seen an American robin before, but I could not identify it without looking it up. I think I’ve mentioned before that I love turkey vultures. They are so beautiful. The black vultures are neat, too, but not the same.
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus):
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) (I think it’s leucistic.)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis):
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis):
American Robin (Turdus migratorious):
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura):
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata):
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo):
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus):
I could be wrong about the leucistic red-tailed hawk. I’m not sure.
I think you’re correct about the hawk.
Nice collection of photos. Obviously a fun time traveling. I especially like the unusual view of the Blue Jay.
I was about to say the same thing about the Blue Jay picture.
Gorgeous white hawk!
What a great feeling it must have been, encountering the hawk. And to have the kit and ability to get a photo, too.
And I’m right there with you and vultures. Overlooked, ignored, or despised for being “gross” and “ugly”, but I think they’re great and always look forward to their spring return. I’ve never seen a black vulture, I’ll have to check if they ever fly my way.
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Great photos and I think you’re correct about the hawk. The silouette is that of a red-tailed hawk. How lucky are you to have seen such a beautiful specimen!
I wonder if the turkey vulture’s coloring has evolved to make it look smaller and less threatening.
Pale red-tails are moderately common but I’ve never seen a purely white one like this. Amazing.
(I too like the fleeing Blue Jay photo.)
It is good that I am not an ornithologist. The hawk looks to me like a dove! Particularly the photo of it in flight qualifies for peace logo. Beautiful anyway.
Good photos. Here in Tennessee vultures are very common, much more than anyplace else I’ve lived. They circle my neighborhood constantly. They can be disagreeable too—if they feel threatened, they throw up on you with the nastiest substance on Earth.
I saw a turkey vulture for the first time last Summer. They are striking and impressive birds.
Overall, this a very nice collection of American birds; thanks for sharing.
Didn’t know turkey and black vultures were found in the North East of America?
I see turkey vultures in NJ and CT. I’ve only seen black vultures once in both states.
Nice photos! The gulls are juvenile Ring-billed Gulls (L. delawarensis), the other common gull in that region.
I think you might be right about the gulls. The first one was with gulls that had the red on the beak, though. That was in Poughkeepsie, NY. The other pictures of more juvenile gulls that I took in a different location actually look more like the ring-billed gulls. Those were in Seabright, NJ. They look so similar.
Nice captures, Liz. Thanks for sharing!