Monday, January 30, 2012

Quiz #435 (2012-1-05) Solution


Click on picture(s) for a larger view.

Solution by Tony Leukering

This week's quiz bird is swimming away from us (note the bow wave and wake and that the water in front of the bird is all very calm, while behind it is disturbed) and appears to be nearly all medium gray except for the throat which appears to be light gray. The bill is short, deep, and conical. The grayness of the bird restricts the options considerably and the odd bill shape winnows the solution set even further. Anyone then noting the bird's pale eye would be left with a single option.

I took this picture of an immature Cassin's Auklet off Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Co., CA, on 1 March 2009.

One response was received some 7 hours too late to be included.

Incorrect species provided as answers:
Thick-billed Murre - 1
Rhinoceros Auklet - 1
Eared Grebe - 1

Congratulations to the 19 of 22 getting the quiz correct:
Ben Coulter
Pam Myers
Thomas Hall
Robert McNab
Tyler Bell
Patty McKelvey
Joel Such
Marcel Such
Chris Warren
Su Snyder
Aaron Brees
Logan Kahle
Christian Nunes
Nick Komar
Peter Wilkinson
Devich Farbotnik
Bill Blackburn
Chishun Kwong
Bryan Guarente

Answer: Cassin's Auklet