Birds.gif #1: Bird Bath

(click me to be transported to a wonderful world of .gif)

New Feature!! Sometimes the amateurnithologist encounters a bird performing some kind of charming or interesting behavior that can only be captured accurately in motion. Thus, birds.gif
This bird has been ID'd as a

Brewer's Blackbird
Berkeley, California, USA
Member of the Blackbird Family
*true bird fact*~ She is named after noted Ornithologist Thomas Mayo Brewer who also has a duck and a shrew named for him. Now that's a legacy!

Likes to pamper herself sometimes
A capable and unashamed mom
Reads light fiction books on the beach
Drinks a coffee with her female friends

Here's the full video. No sound because who really wants to hear me say "ooh, look at the birds, they're so cute" like a 7 year old girl.

Bird Portraiture Series #4 of X, Black-crowned Night-heron

Black-crowned Night-heron
San Leandro, California, USA
member of the Egret/Heron/Bittern Family
*true bird fact* ~ Will freely raise chicks that are not his/her own. It takes a village to raise a child!

As his name implies, a bit emo (a self-fulfilling prophecy)
Talks a lot about his band
Anxious
Bumps into things; not aware of his own size
Secretly self-conscious about his crest

Bird Portraiture Series #3 of X, Western Willet

Western Willet
Berkeley, California, USA
member of the Sandpiper Family
*true bird fact* ~ If you startle a Willet it will probably spread its wings and squawk at you, rather than flying away like most birds would. How brave!

Fastidious, likes to keep things in order
Something of an amateur philosopher
A picky eater; you can't take him anywhere
Patient
Can and will do jigsaw puzzles given enough time

Hey Man, Nice Bird: Endangered Bird series #1 of X, Florida Sandhill Crane

 Florida Sandhill Crane
Orlando, Florida, USA
member of the Crane Family
 *true bird fact*~ He is the oldest surviving bird species that we know of, with documented specimens going back 10 million years. Wow!
How rare is he? There are about 5000 of his particular subspecies. Current efforts to help him out are fairly successful.

Very tall, has a hard time finding pants that fit well
Known to become bumbling when around cute girls
Has a casual but passionate interest in science
Keeps strange hours
A bird you can trust

Mystery Bird Series #1 of X: Bird of Prey in the City

Hello bird fans and welcome to a new feature here on Amateurnithologist. Sometimes your intrepid bird-picture-taker just isn't up to the task of identifying a bird. On these rare occasions I will just throw the picture up there and ask you all to help determine the bird in question. This fine gentlewoman below took literally more than an hour of research to no avail. It's a bird blog mystery! Oh boy, are you ready to guess that bird? (a note to all the children and sensitive fans, pictures below feature graphic bird)

COOL BIRD
The Tenderloin, San Francisco, California, USA
Best Guess: Red-Shouldered Hawk

Smart as a whip, would go far in big business
Counter-culture, likes piercings and tattoos
Is her own harshest critic
Never cries
Moved out of home early, self made bird doing things her way