Join/Renew (2023 Dues)

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misc. stuff, Sep 24-26

12:03 pm

Today, 26 Sep, an early-morning visit to Jacumba turned up a getting-late and very rare stealth-migrant (or local disperser?) Black-chinned Sparrow bathing at the pond, a rare Summer Tanager, a late Hooded Oriole (for that part of the county), two continuing Harris’s Hawks, eastward dispersing Red-shouldered Hawk and White-breasted Nuthatch, and–no surprise–5 Red-breasted Nuthatches.
Yesterday, the 25th, there were still 2 Lucy’s Warblers together at the Nobel Athletic Area tipus (between library and dog run), which makes TWENTY-THREE days the two birds have been there. It is very doubtful they will winter there, and it is our belief that they are likely molt-migrants, completing their molt at this site before continuing on to points unknown. Both birds looked ratty when first found, and now one of them looks pretty clean whereas the other is still scruffy about the head.
On the 24th, there were a continuing White-winged Dove and Yellow-headed Blackbird in the TRV, and 2 continuing adult Neotropic Cormorants at the top end of Sweetwater Reservoir.
Paul Lehman, San Diego

Re: YE warbler- yes

8:25 am

Apologies – Golden -winged warbler still present.

Nancy Christensen
Ramona

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
Chinese Proverb

photo ratings in eBird

7:45 am

I would encourage everyone to review the criteria (copied below) for rating
photos in eBird and attempt a more critical review of your photos and those of
others. Put simply, many photos are being rated 4 and 5 stars when they are out-of-focus,
pixelated/low resolution, or obscured by foliage. “Good focus” is required for
a 3 star rating. The rarity of the bird should have no bearing on the rating
itself
. Very few 5 star photos are truly captured each day, but it appears to be one of the most popular ratings locally.


Justyn Stahl

North Park




Rating photos

Rate the quality of the image, not the quality of the bird or the observation. A great photo of a common, drab bird should still be 5 stars and a poor photo of a very rare or hard-to-photograph bird could still be only 1 or 2 stars. When rating, please consider the photo guidelines, as well as the following factors:

  • Sharpness: Is the primary subject in focus? Is the image blurred or grainy? 
  • Visibility of bird: How well can you see the bird? If the bird is very small, partially obstructed from view, or backlit in the photo, the rating should be lower than it would be otherwise.
  • Size of photo: Lower your rating of any photo that has a noticeably small resolution. Uploading full resolution files is always encouraged.
  • Watermarks: Lower rating by 1-4 stars depending on the size and obtrusiveness of the watermark.
  • Composite photos, back-of-camera, photos with obtrusive graphics or extreme editing: automatic 1-star for anything that is in clear violation of photo guidelines
  • Flocks: Rate flocks based on the quality of the image rather than the visibility of any individual birds. Is the flock in focus, well lit, and the overall image of high resolution?
  • Birds in-hand: Photos of in-hand birds are critical for illustrating plumages and molts, and add significant value to the standard ornithological practice of bird banding. Please rate images of in-hand birds based on photo quality. Do not intentionally down-rate images of birds in the hand because you don’t agree with the practice. In-hand photos should also be tagged as in-hand during upload.

Descriptions of star ratings for photos:

  • 5 Stars: Excellent quality. High resolution and in sharp focus. Lighting should be good and the bird at least fairly large in the frame and not significantly obscured.
  • 4 Stars: Very good quality. High resolution and in good focus, at least decent lighting, and bird reasonably large in frame. One or two of these factors may be less than ideal and prevent from achieving 5 stars.
  • 3 Stars: Decent quality. High or medium resolution with decent focus. Lighting might be less than ideal; bird might be smaller in frame or somewhat obscured. Might have several factors that prevent it from being rated higher.
  • 2 Stars: Poor quality. Could be a good image but at a noticeably low resolution, or high resolution but with significant flaws. Lighting might be severely backlit or poorly exposed. Image might be good but the bird is extremely small in the frame or mostly obscured.
  • 1 Star: Very poor quality. Very low resolution or very poor focus; bird may be very small or obscured in the frame or have extremely bad exposure. In general should only be uploaded as record shots, if still identifiable.

YE warbler- yes

7:09 am

Bird has been seen Tuesday morning at Hilleary Park near the tennis courts.

Nancy Christensen
Ramona

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
Chinese Proverb

Golden winged refound

3:14 pm

The Golden winged warbler in Poway was refound just before 3:00 p.m. and seen by all assembled birders but only quite briefly for just a couple minutes or so. And then it disappeared into very thick viney vegetation along the stream. It’s reappearance was along the stream bordering the tennis courts.

Paul Lehman and hordes, San Diego 

Golden-winged Warbler Hilleary Park Poway

1:40 pm

I had a Golden-winged Warbler at Hilleary Park in Poway about an hour ago. I lost it. Others are here now looking. Have seen it twice. Location where spotted: 32.96158,-117.04167

Lisa Ruby
Sabre Springs

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Lisa Ruby
Sabre Springs

FRNC Blackpoll Warbler

10:26 pm

Did not look at the photos i took at the south end from the road where the big Euc is until today 9/24/23 There were 3 other birds in the tree at the same time which when i did look at two while there the two were Orange-Crowned warblers but keep shooting until i left. Tonight i was able after lightening the image a lot that this jumped out.