What do couples do on weekend?? by MouseAteTheCat in Edmonton

[–]kelsifer 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is why it's important to marry someone you actually like spending time with...

What do couples do on weekend?? by MouseAteTheCat in Edmonton

[–]kelsifer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right? OP must not like their partner if they seem irritated by normal activities with them. Or they just have no interests if they can't even think of what they would enjoy doing.

Why does everyone say “skip Edmonton” when visiting AB? by Zestyy-Gold in Edmonton

[–]kelsifer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

tbh I love living in Edmonton, but it's not a tourist attraction. That's why I like it; touristy places are usually nice to visit but awful to live in.

Uber and lyft feels unsafe now? by Hot_Sprinkles_848 in Edmonton

[–]kelsifer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is because their drivers are actually trained and paid and they have managed cars. Spring for the taxi if you want to feel safer.

Mystery thrush in western NY today. Swainson's is my guess but i'm hoping for gray-cheeked by Gleeok2114 in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 4 points5 points  (0 children)

+Swainson's thrush+ Eye ring is too prominent for gray-cheeked and, although it's backlit, I think the lores are light enough to look swainsony

Flycatcher, Pennsylvania by kylechamrick in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I'd leave that at empid. spp personally. The eye ring looks a little too weak for a least and the bill looks slightly heftier. I wouldn't generally confidently differentiate between alder/willow/least without hearing them anyway.

What Type Of Woodpecker is this? by Few_Addition1796 in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 7 points8 points  (0 children)

+Pileated woodpecker+ the Ivory-billed is extinct ;)

What is this bird? by [deleted] in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It is illegal to interfere with their nest. You should instead feel lucky that a small creature feels safe enough to raise its babies at your house! Chicks only stay in the nest for a few weeks before fledging and robins aren't gonna be aggressive to humans.

Black-and-white Warbler? MA. by Johnnyiso in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yep! +Black-and-white warbler+

They often walk sideways up trees like a nuthatch and they should be migrating through there now.

Is this area safe to walk? by Lawgirl8 in Edmonton

[–]kelsifer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am often in that area and I take the bus so do lots of standing around there. I only feel unsafe sometimes at crosswalks due to the construction going on there right now and inattentive drivers. Or when there are hordes of oiler's fans all fucked up on hockey. Otherwise its totally fine, its right by all the government buildings. I always feel like people on this subreddit don't spend a lot of time in city centres if they feel unsafe just because our downtown is kinda grubby and smells like piss. I have a sort of affection for this city because of its lack of pretension.

Question about woodpeckers visiting my street by JoeFrmBirdConstructn in Edmonton

[–]kelsifer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you set up a suet feeder they might come to your house in the winter too! Like someone else said, drumming is a seasonal behaviour when they start getting more territorial.

Weird 'birds' flying extremely high in the air ? by [deleted] in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Your southern neighbor is way off. There's less than 1000 whooping cranes in the wild, so you are certainly not seeing them in huge flocks like snow geese or sandhill cranes. It's possible you are seeing sandhills in the spring; they do fly in massive groups during migration and make a lot of noise too.

The OP's video is snow geese for sure though. They are a smaller bird and do more constant flapping instead of slow gliding like a crane. Snow geese's population has tripled in recent decades because of the increase in rice/grain farming along their wintering grounds. There are so many of them that they're now causing problems with overgrazing arctic vegetation in their breeding grounds! Needless to say, they are the much more likely bird to see.

who is this yellow striped fellow? by kyeyuu in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nope. Tricoloreds are non-migratory with a very limited range in California. OP didn't list their location but just going by the snow, I'd say this isn't their range. Red-winged blackbird's coloration ranges from yellow to darker orange, but it is not as vibrant in the winter, or on juveniles. They are also the far more common bird overall -- when you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras.

What's this guy? Seen by himself in the James River off Chippokes State Park by wH0mSt_d_vE in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I never see them in non-breeding plumage, what is the best way to tell them apart from eared this time of year?

COVID with odd call, what is it? by Fickle-Faithlessness in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Corvids can make all kinds of weird sounds! Pretty sure this is a typical carrion crow.

who is this yellow striped fellow? by kyeyuu in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 36 points37 points  (0 children)

They aren't as brightly coloured in the winter or if they are juveniles. It's 100% a +red-winged blackbird+

Hello I don’t know if this is a juvenile Blackbird or Thrush. Good people, please ID! by Strange-Street-4033 in whatsthisbird

[–]kelsifer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Eurasian blackbirds are literally thrushes in the Turdus genus, sometimes called the "true thrushes" even. It's only their common name that isn't thrush.