*2nd & 3rd time photographing birds* (adding to original post)

[Jen]

Thanks for the help in ID'ing them

[photorover]

i haven't seen a woodpecker like that one, but if i had to hazard a guess, perhaps some species of flicker? i believe #5 is a brown-headed cowbird. #'s 6-8 look like a chipping sparrow, or perhaps an American tree sparrow... can't really tell which.

Really, Rocky? Brown-headed cowbird?
Are both male and female like this one?
Or have I been erroneously calling cowbirds, blackbirds?

Thanks!

[AlaskaFocus]

HI Jen,

Great bird shots!!

#4 is a Red-bellied Woodpecker

Squirl nailed #5 (Brown-headed Cowbird), but it's hardly a "little sweety" in most birder's minds. At least it's a native species. The female of this species lays her eggs in the nests of other birds instead of building her own, and when the young cowbird egg hatches it often pushes the other egg and/or hatchling of the host bird out of the nest. This has been going on for eons, but this species is generally a bird of the prairies and woodland edges following Bison herds around. With us cutting down the woodlands and creating so many artificial "prairies" to such a great degree, this species has been able to expand it's range into areas where before it had little impact. It's the subject of massive control efforts in parts of it's range (like where it parasitices the nests of the endangered Kirkland's Warbler in Michigan). Probably more than you wanted to know! By the way, PR, females are more dull gray brown overall and have a more stout bill (like the males) compared to our blackbirds. But they can indeed be rather confusing!

#s 6, 7, and 8 are Chipping Sparrows. (Very close in appearance to American Tree Sparrow, but that species has rufous side patches on the chest, generally a dark spot on the center of the chest, and a two-colored bill, among other features).

Again -- great shots!

[yorkshireman]

They are way better than anything I have had Jen - well done

[Jen]

Thanks Stacy, I don't mind the details at all! I like learning new things and I always do on this forum

After hearing about cowbird I feel like I should edit my post now that I learned the details of how this little non-"sweety" --- "nest-jacks" other bird's nests and pushes their little babies right out of the nest! Nature is just so interesting....

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Thanks for the kind words George!

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[pattymac]

I'm addicted to birds too. I am constantly taking pictures of them. I'm no expert,but your#6 looks like some type of warbler.

[pattymac]

#4 is a Red Bellied Woodpecker (even though the red is on the head,not the belly)
#6 a Sparrow(Chipping) and a Tufted Titmouse

[pattymac]

#5 is a Brown-Headed Cowbird

[pattymac]

OOPS............I just looked at the pictures and didn't read the other posts until I posted. At least I was pretty on with the names of the birds...who knew! Interesting stuff and informative!

[Ptchfork]

WOW - first off, real nice shots Jen... shame the light wasn't on your side..

FIN - that seagull picute is simply amazing!!!