ML37019351

Age and sex

Unknown age, Male - X

Media notes

This photo provides a good view of the broad lobes of the facial shield, lobes that will get larger when the bird is in full adult breeding condition. The substantially broad, bright character of the lobes of the facial shield reinforce my impression that this bird is at least a second-year bird, and it may be a third-year one (i.e., headed for fully breeding-condition maturity), given the early date (late September) This photo is also interesting because here this individual's head looks substantially grayer than in the other two close-up photos of this same individual herewith. This illustrates that one must be cautious, even using photos, in making judgment about plumage color. Angle of the sun combined with the angle of regard on the bird can make huge differences. Precisely what the grayer view in this photo might mean, I cannot be sure, relative to aging the bird. This photo shows on the bird's left side of the upper mandible, near its base, a maroon-colored area. To help reduce the possibility that this is not an artifact, not simply a dirty spot on one side of the bill, I have also included a photo (see ML37019331) that shows a spot of the same size, shape, color, and position on the bird's right side of its upper mandible.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 10D

ISO

800

Focal length

50 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/2.5

Shutter speed

1/60 sec

Dimensions

3002 pixels x 2002 pixels

Original file size

1.25 MB