[Based on the ‘Puzzler I’, originally posted to the Fraser Valley Birding forums on June 1, 2013] See the Puzzlers Page for more information.

I know that many birders enjoy puzzles associated with bird identification so I thought that I might be able to salvage an otherwise botched photo attempt that I almost deleted, resurrecting it as a challenging bird identification puzzler.

So take a look at the picture below and try to answer the following questions:

Question 1: Can you find the bird in this image?

Question 2: Can you identify the bird?

The only clue that I will provide now is that this picture was taken somewhere in the province of Ontario, Canada on May 24, 2013. I believe that there is enough information for you to make a stab at an identification.

Here’s the image:

Hint

Check out a higher resolution image. Click on the picture to get to the source picture on Flickr, look for and click on the three-dot icon and select the “View all sizes” option.

Clues

(See Puzzlers Page for Instructions)

Clue #1: Guvf cvpgher jnf gnxra arne Tnanabdhr, Bagnevb.

Clue #2: Vs lbh ghearq nebhaq naq ybbxrq va gur bccbfvgr qverpgvba lbh jbhyq frr gur sbyybjvat:

Clue #3: Gur oveq vf whfg orybj naq gb gur yrsg bs gur zvqcbvag bs gur vzntr. Vf sylvat njnl sebz gur pnzren (vg jnf fbzrjurer va gur frpbaq cvpgher nern jura V syhfurq vg naq vg gbbx bss).
Clue #4: Lbh fubhyq or noyr gb frr whfg n uvag bs gur oveqf yrt/sbbg pbybhe va gur shyy vzntr.).

Clue #5: Gur yrtf/srrg ner oevtug benatr (ng gung gvzr bs lrne).

Answer

Vg jnf n Terra Ureba va shyy oerrqvat pbybhef. V vavgvnyyl syhfurq vg juvyr zbivat guebhtu gur haqretebjgu gb trg n orggre ybbx ng gur ornire cbaq (uvag: znefu oveq). Gur ureba syrj ol ng rlr yriry 40 – 50 srrg njnl jvgu vaperqvoyl benatr yrtf naq n evpu qnex znagyr – na hasbetrggnoyr naq tbetrbhf fvtug. Vg frrzrq gb frggyr qbja fb V gevrq gb dhvrgyl svaq vg ntnva ohg bayl znantrq gb syhfu vg bapr zber (gbb zhpu bs n uheel V thrff). Gung jnf jura V znqr gur svany ynfg qvgpu ‘fubg-va-gur-qnex’ rssbeg gung erfhygrq va guvf cvpgher. V jnf fhecevfrq jura V mbbzrq va naq npghnyyl sbhaq vg vapyhqvat (vs lbh fdhvag) n srj benatrl-lryybj cvkryf jurer gur yrtf jrer.