[Tweeters] What is this bird?

[jimbetz at jimbetz.com]

Hi again,

   OK - lesson learned.  When trying to ID a bird - don't use just one  
reference
source.

   Both all-about-birds and Merlin are essentially the same (exactly?) in terms
of what they include/don't include ... and, for this Pigeon Guillemot I also
made the mistake of using photos as my primary ID method.  Both of those
use the same set of photos - none of which show a Pigeon Guillemot in any
color other than black or very dark brown.  So, although I'd already
looked at the Pigeon Guillemot, I'd said to myself "the markings are the
same, but the color is wrong" when that was wrong.
   When I did a simple Google search for images of Pigeon Guillemots I
found several that were essentially identical to the picture I took and
the bird that I saw and took the picture of was easily ID'd from those
photos.  I suspect that both Merlin and all-about-birds are the same
because I think they are both from Cornell.

   ===>  Yes, it is/was a Pigeon Guillemot.  Thanks!

                     ****

   As to the cormorant - my ID from the photo was fine, but I may not have
done as good a job for the birds on the ferry pilings as opposed to
the old cannery pilings.  IOW - don't always think that some cormorants
(insert bird of your interest) in one place are the same as the ones
only a few yards away.
   I have looked at the pics I took of the 'other' cormorants and it is
inconclusive whether or not there were some Pelagics in the ones on
the pilings near the ferry (a bundle called a "bollard").  There are
some 'quite possible' pelagics in those birds.

                                                  - thanks to all ... Jimse

P.S. I'm a bit disappointed to discover that Cornell isn't including
      images as obviously important as these Pigeon Guillemot phases.