Favoritos de srdsmkes

Melanistic Song Sparrow. Singing male, ID'ed as Song Sparrow by song, and similar face pattern (visible in photo though muted due to melanism). The bird was also associating with a standard-issue SOSP, possibly a mate.

Perhaps a slightly leucistic Dark-eyed Junco, with white feathers around its eyes. If so, this is the third leucistic Dark-eyed Junco I've seen, each with a different arrangement of feathers around its eyes.

Adult light morph Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk - tail is mottled, bird is very cold toned, upper parts darker than a Krider’s. Patagials are also very dark and the back of the head is streaked. It is the most lightly marked, cleanest below, Harlan's that I have ever encountered.

Melanistic juvenile (likely male based on size relative to the Great-tailed Grackle it was feeding upon). Verified by William Clark, and Lance and Jill Morrow. First observed by M. Silvas with me, and I shouted "melanistic Cooper's Hawk, OMG" as I identified the bird preliminarily, before submitting it to experts for review.
N31.070728 W-97.369269
JPK-2925

Experts - What is going on here? This male American Kestrel sure did seem to have the hots for this female Merlin. He kept trying to get close to her and even brought her a few treats (insects?) from the grass beneath the fence. She accepted the treats but didn't seem thrilled with the attention. However, when he flew off, she followed him...