Layce
A Carolina chickadee perches on the branch of a plant in winter. Take note of the black cap and throat, along with the bright white cheeks. RANDY MITCHELL | SOUTHWEST CHRONICLE
A tufted titmouse clings to a branch on a snowy day. Take note of the amber coloring on its flanks, black eyes and beak. Also note the black forehead and gray crest, which is down because the bird was not alarmed. RANDY MITCHELL | SOUTHWEST CHRONICLE
Doodle, Leo, Olive and Pansy. LISA CARROLL
A male redhead swims along in a lake. Note the steeply sloped forehead and bluish-gray bill. That is a sure way to distinguish a redhead from a canvasback. RANDY MITCHELL | SOUTHWEST CHRONICLE
Marcus
Male and female northern pintails walk along in shallow water and skim for food. Take note of the males’ chocolate brown heads and long tails. Females are mottled with various shades of brown. RANDY MITCHELL | SOUTHWEST CHRONICLE
Randy Mitchell | Southwest Chronicle Above, A male great-tailed grackle perches on a sign. Notice the elongated tail and iridescent purple and black coloring.
A male gadwall floats along in a lake. Take note of the overall brown coloring, black bill and black rump patch. PHOTO BY RANDY MITCHELL
A common loon floats along the surface of an Oklahoma lake in winter. This shot really shows the winter plumage of these birds. The back is gray in color, and the neck, which is black in summer, is dark gray with a white throat. The beak is also drabber in the winter. Also, take note of the red eyes of this bird. The red coloring is even more brilliant in the summer. PHOTO BY RANDY MITCHELL
