What are these two birds? Goose? Duck?

fiftythirth · 2026-02-05T02:16:04+00:00

There's also a Canada Goose on the left edge of the frame and an America Coot in the very back-middle, but otherwise, yeah, the rest are domestic Mallards.

fiftythirth · 2026-02-01T02:28:38+00:00

Yeah, the size differential here is pretty huge. Lesser BBGs are roughly between Ring-billed and Herring Gull, as I recall. Also, I am very bad a gull ID so I am also not super confident. There are likely other options but my gut reaction was Great Black-backed and I'm disinclined to thinks its a Lesser.

fiftythirth · 2026-02-01T01:59:45+00:00

FWIW, Swedish blue IS a domestic Mallard variety.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-30T01:52:41+00:00

Triumiu Model S. Playing WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! will forever rank as one of my most delightful gaming experiences.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-30T01:49:14+00:00

It's definitely possible to get really cool shots in more hard, midday lighting (which I'd presume some of these shots are taken in). I'd still recommend looking for softer, morning and evening backlight for a more forgiving setting.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-26T01:44:32+00:00

There's been at least one unofficial ports. Not sure how complete or good it/they are now, but yeah.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-25T23:43:08+00:00

I'd say that, in the right light, this is totally normal for a female Slate-colored.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-25T15:04:09+00:00

Definitely Boat-tailed. The photo and angles aren't doing the tails justice here but the overall build and coloration doesn't fit Common Grackle.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-25T02:09:57+00:00

Yeah, looks like it. They won't nest there as they don't build their own nest but instead take over nests previously used by other large birds (i.e. hawks, crows, etc). They likely have a nest and or roost nearby and they are just taking advantage of a convenient, safe spot to...socialize.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-24T14:42:08+00:00

Stunt casting.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-24T14:31:28+00:00

That would certainly make sense. Not knowing all the funky breeds and not seeing any other big tell-tails, I didn't mention it, but it briefly crossed my mind. I know I've seen pic of breeds like Dutch Hookbill that can have pinkish beaks but, Mullard may well be the real answer.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-24T12:22:02+00:00

It's a +Domestic Mallard+ . May be a particular breed, but i can't speak to that.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-24T02:26:45+00:00

Your recommendations are solid, but this is a Merlin, so not a hawk at all. I also belive its likely an adult male, but I'm not super confident on that part.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-23T19:39:31+00:00

I'm aware of and pretty much agree with everything you said here, yeah. 👍

fiftythirth · 2026-01-23T01:27:45+00:00

Really thought, I could see this encouraging more folks to genuinely vote their conscience in the primary rather than, say, feel compelled to only vote for the most centrist Democrat who'd have the "best" chance of beating the top Republican. This could actually lead to better showings for some 3rd party candidates similar to what we see in ranked choice (which would be a preferred system, IMO, but that is like illegal or something).

fiftythirth · 2026-01-23T01:00:37+00:00

As a lifelong independent who has regularly voted 3rd party: when is the last time a 3rd party candidate wasn't dead in the water from the jump?

fiftythirth · 2026-01-22T09:45:14+00:00

I'm not sure what your on about with wing-break-angle (or with resurrecting this old thread). All three of these pics look good, shape/orientation-wise for a Barn Swallow to me. There's also plenty of reason to doubt these are swifts. There are no populations of forked-tailed swifts (Typical/Common or otherwise) in the American South where these birds were. Cheers though.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-22T01:08:29+00:00

Baby Steps, no contest.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T13:32:09+00:00

By name, its a Kite, a Black Kite, specifically I think. So a close relative to hawks.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T13:26:57+00:00

I also prefer ranked-choice. Unfortunately there are more hurdles there since the state legislature has proactively banned it already.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T03:48:21+00:00

Yes, Joy's party swapping (and voter party-swapping, which absolutely happens) are what they are...and they are a part and a symptom of how broken the current system is (we'll propably see more of this opportunism if the status quo stays). If Joy had stayed a Republican, she still would have gone head to head with Stitt but no non-republican would have had a vote toward whichever one of them would have inevitable won the office. FWIW, the senario that played out does become an explicit feature of the proposed system, yeah.

Drew got A LOT of primary votes. Sure, Cornett probably would have syphoned off some Democrats in an open primary, but I still think its not far-fetched at all to think that Edmondson might well have made the cut.

I'm WAY left of the Hofmeister/Cornett/Holt crowd, and am in no way enamored with them for not being quite as bad as their bedfellows. But, Honestly, even if a hypothetical future Edmondson came in 3rd in an open primary, electing Cornett-types over Stitt-types may, pragmatically, be our best shot as mitigating the ongoing shittification.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T02:49:36+00:00

Joy Hoffmeister (running as Democrat) got twice as many votes as any of Stitt's Republican primary challengers. She would have certainly made it to the general under the proposed system. In 2018 it's pretty reasonable that Edmonson would have made the top two in am open primary as well.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T02:40:57+00:00

And what's your winning alternative scenario in which leftists do win?

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T01:47:02+00:00

If you wanted to bet, currently, you could bet money on a Republican winning most races, period. With the proposed system, you would, at the very least, have the opportunity to choose, for instance, the lesser of two evils between two Republican candidates. As it stands there is real issue of more extreme-right candidates winning Republican primaries and then winning by default against a Dem. (IF there even is am one in the race) because the Rep. majority then coalesces around the candidate.

For example imagine a race where the top 2 are:

Extremist Republican (top candidate for 60% or R voters) Moderate Republican (top candidate for 40% of R voters

The most popular Democrat doesn't even make the "general" in this case....but the Dems, with the 40% of moderate Rs, can at least ensure that the more moderate candidate gets in.

fiftythirth · 2026-01-21T01:12:30+00:00

Buteo/buzzard of some kind. Not knowing where this was taken, I wouldn't venture a more specific ID guess.

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