Category Archives: Identification

Streak-backed Oriole at CVCA

Posted on November 18, 2013 by David Vander Pluym

It’s been a busy past couple months with doing vegetation surveys for GBBO as well as trying to get in as much birding as possible (along with the usual ebird and documenting rarities seen that results from such birding), that I … Continue reading →

Posted in AZFO, eBird, Identification, La Paz County, Species Profiles, Vagrants | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Looning and Grebeing in the LCRV: part 1

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Lauren Harter

I’ll just come right out and say it: Lake Havasu is the best place in Arizona to see loons and grebes. Four-loon and six-grebe days are possibilities on Lake Havasu. Loon numbers well into double-digits are not unexpected, and grebe … Continue reading →

Posted in Identification, LCRV, Species Profiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sage Sparrow

Posted on August 14, 2013 by David Vander Pluym

By now I am sure that most everyone has heard about the split of Sage Sparrow into (at present) two species: Bell’s Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli) and Sagebrush Sparrow (A. nevadensis), two names I think are appropriate or at least I … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding Locations, Havasu NWR, High desert, Identification, Imperial County, La Paz County, LCRV, Mohave County, San Bernardino County, Species Profiles, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Photo Study: Two Second-Cycle California Gulls

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Lauren Harter

Phainopepla Fables has been on the back-burner lately as field work has kept us busy, and we’ve spent the past month or so catching up. We hope to update the blog more regularly now as we should have a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Identification, Lake Havasu, LCRV, Mohave County, Molt, Species Profiles | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Is Nutting’s Flycatcher actually two species?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by David Vander Pluym

Lauren Harter and I have been very busy with work lately and haven’t had the time to update the blog as much as we like (but we do have some interesting stuff that we will hopefully finish and post soon!). … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Williams, Identification, Species Profiles | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Species Profile: Franklin’s Gull

Posted on March 23, 2013 by David Vander Pluym

The Franklin’s Gull is an attractive member of one of my favorite groups. It is also always one of the highlights of spring waterbird migration in the LCRV. With a black hood and a pink blush to the chest even … Continue reading →

Posted in Identification, Lake Havasu, LCRV, Migration, Molt, Species Profiles | Tagged , | 1 Comment

An interesting Ferruginous Hawk

Posted on February 27, 2013 by David Vander Pluym

Ferrugunios Hawk, the “Regal Eagle,” a magnificent bird and a species I never see often enough. Though the light morph birds are beautiful, I am always amazed at the beauty of intermediate/dark morph birds. The rufous tones to the dark … Continue reading →

Posted in Identification, La Paz County, LCRV | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Perception of Rare and the LCRV

Posted on February 15, 2013 by David Vander Pluym

Each of us has our own perception of what birds we consider rare and think of when someone says we saw a rare bird. Some would consider species with low world populations such as Whooping Crane as the only rare … Continue reading →

Posted in Identification, LCRV, Migration, Techniques, Vagrants | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

ANOTHER Lesser Black-backed Gull

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Lauren Harter

November 30th, after a lovely day rediscovering the now-returned Nutting’s Flycatcher, hiking in the Bill Williams, and finding my La Paz County Winter Wren, I thought I had used up all my birding karma for a little while.  Still, when … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Williams, Identification, La Paz County, LCRV, Mohave County, Vagrants | Leave a comment

The Nutting’s Flycatcher is back!

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Lauren Harter

Just after 8:00 this morning, after about 15 minutes of birding, I was walking down the road at Mosquito Flats in Bill Williams River NWR, planning out my post to the listserv about the continued absence of the Nutting’s Flycatcher.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Williams, Identification, La Paz County, LCRV, Sound Recordings, Vagrants | 3 Comments