The challenge

  

 

Sometimes, this is the best look we get at a bird.  The challenge is to identify all the birds we can, often from incomplete information.  The white eye ring, small size, and long tail make this look like a blue-gray gnatcatcher.

 

Sure enough, when we get a better look, that's what it is.

 

 

The little green dot in the reeds across the pond.  It's pretty far away, even with high magnification.

 

That's a green kingfisher.

 

This cool guy in the tree.

 

It's a monk parakeet, who ends up giving us a great view.