Hi All,
I am a new member, having found your website while searching for images of crows and ravens.
I took some images of a bird this morning, in Colorado, USA, and wonder if there is anyone here who could help me? It is either a Raven or a Crow. I am saying it is a Raven, but my brother is saying it's a Crow... yeaah, family dispute. Thankfully, it's not an important issue. LOL! :)
Any assistance in properly IDing this bird would be appreciated! If need be, I can upload closeups of this bird's head, too.
Thanks,
Phil
Hi Phil, I would love to help settle the brotherly dispute
, but I have enough problems telling the Australian ones apart
, sorry I'm no help . It has a huge beak
Good luck.
M-L
I to am only just learning our Aussie birds but i would say that from the size of the beak and shape of the tail it is a Common Raven.
Did it have hackles on its throat that is a dead give away? Also the Raven is much larger than the Crow.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
http://birding.about.com/od/Tricky-Bird-IDs/a/American-Crow-Or-Common-Raven.htm
here is a link for you to look at, hope that helps?
M-L
my pic of an American Crow follows; your bird seems to have a longer bill; my N America Field Guide is in Qld; I will look again on the weekend
Peter
First of all, a "thank YOU" to all responders.
I think one of the things about this particular bird, that makes it a bit tough, is I think it is a juvenile. I say this because it is small for a Raven, but it has the ragged "hackles" around it's thoat, that rawshorty mentioned and the thicker beak mentioned in the link Araminta included for me.
So... I am certain that it is a Raven. My brother is just going to have to get "over" it. Hahaha.
Thanks, again! You all are super.
Would it be appropriate for me to post shots of American birds here for you to enjoy, or would it be inappropriate?
Best Wishes,
Phil
Post away, Phil. We love seeing birds no matter where in the world they are from.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Thanks, Shorty! But, it seems as if I will have to sharpen up my game before I can post here!
Your work is REALLY supurb! Thanks for including the link... it is inspiring!
Phil
Ps. should have looked first... LOL!
Thanks, Phil. We don't ask for perfection here, this is a very freindly site with the birds being placed first not the quality of the photo.
Keep in mind this is a bird forum not a photographic forum.
Post away
ps i would not include shots taken at bird feeders.....you will get flamed by some
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Thanks for your kind words and advice... well received!
I posted a "near miss" as a first bird, but will admit that I usually throw them out! I figured that I would be as "safe" as possible because it was not intended to be a "best shot" kind of submission... LOL!
I will wait and see how that post is received and then maybe post another; starting slowly.
I want to mention that I am dumb-struck by your beautiful work! I mean it.
I have been involved in photography since the 60s and have spent much of that time making images that were only marginally as good as the gear I had at the time (which isn't saying much). I have been 'working at it' for the past five years, or so... with a Canon XTi. I have one L series IS lens (100-400), one 75-300 IS Non-L, a 18-55 "kit" lens, and a 50/1.8 Non-L lens.
I am planning on getting a 40D body in the next month or so, due to its easier functionality and heartier build quality... fingers crossed. I am a retired teacher with not many years in (22), so my pension isn't much, but a lot better than nothing....LOL!
Anyway, I appreciate your support and look forward to seeing all the super images on your flickr pages and here.
Respectfully yours,
Phil
Ps. hmmmm... Now, I wonder if my avatar picture of the Pigmy Nuthatch on a birdbath is non-appropos!?!
Phil saw you post under near misses, very nice, your comment about bird bath avatar - I think we all view bird baths as a positive thing, and pretty much all those that condemn artificial feeding have bird baths. So bring it on, let us see our overseas friends.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Hi Dale,
Thanks for the encouragement!
My wife and I are birders (you use the term twitchers?) and have feeders and water sources in our yards. We are at our vacation home at the moment, but back at our regular home, in California, our back yard is a certified "Wildlife Habitat" which has everything a bird could want or need... LOL! Disneyland for birds, I suppose, including feeders and water...
I guess I should take the plunge and put up a couple of images and see how they fare.
Thank you also for your kindness.
Phil
Birders or birdwatchers are common terms here, Phil. Twitcher is usually reserved for those birders who like to dash around the country recording as many bird species as they can by tea time or some other designated hour.
Hahahaha, Woko.
Thanks for the clarification! Then, birdwatchers is what we are... no fast running for this old man. I am recently retired and I
AM NOT running for most anything, unless my wife is yelling at me! To be clear, if she is yelling, I probably deserve it! LOL!
I am very happy to have found BiBY because it seems to be home to a whole lot of great birders who also take some incredible photographs! I am a practicing photographer of birds. My images are not nearly the caliber of yours and others, but I am trying to stretch my skills at finding and imaging which ever birds I can. It is a challenge, but since it gives my wife and I something to share, it is a good thing.
I am a techie type, building electronics (computer and other wise), so having something in common with my wife is a good thing, since she knows little about electronics! To be fair, she would be able to use a multimeter, check fuses, can troubleshoot a lot of things on her computer without me, and has good ears (which I don't). If there is a "noise" or something going on, she points it out to me, LOL!
Thanks for the welcoming post, and I look forward to seeing some great birds from "down under" and getting feedback on my images from the states.
Best,
Phil