I have added observations by RedIbis, Mercutio, Tricky, Big Les, and an anonymous contributor who contacted me by PM (1). Again, I'd like to thank all contributors, especially those who have posted pictures. I have been very busy with couchsurfers for the last week (eight in as many days, most of which stayed for more than two nights!), and anyway it's been pouring down here. Tomorrow, I get a new tripod, and my teaching will really kick of, with field trips almost every day (including Saturdays), whcih ought to mean something new, at least...
As far as I can tell from the Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, these are Mallards
Anas platyrhynchos. The bill-colour is the main characteristic on which I base this. It should be bright yellow (males) or "drab olive to orange" (females).
The coloration, to my eye, fits a Bewick's Wren. Problem is, they are a western species.
I have only Sibley's book to go on, but I'd say that it's a Carolina Wren. One line of evidence is that Carolina has a white eyebrow, whereas Bewick's has a pale yellow. The tail seems too short, and lacks Bewick's white spots on the outer feathers. Maybe another American can help us out?
It seems, in the pictures of that book, as though not all species necessarily raise their tail (though the Eurasian species certainly does), but I ahve no experience with American birds, so I may be wrong. Nevertheless, it is without mistake a wren; the extremely long and thin bill, the head almost as big as the body, and the discreet plumage gives it away. There may be similar groups in tropical areas, but there is nothing similar to that up North.
Thanks on the chipping sparrow ID. I had found what I thought was the exact match, only to find it lived only west of the Mississippi. Dang. Serious learning curve on this disease.
Just wait until you start with shore birds^^. There are so many intermediates between seasonal plumages that can confuse you, and I understand it is even harder among North American species.
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(1) In the light of the recent discussion on whether or not it should be allowed to reveal content of PMs, this is an example where I think it is okay, at least to the extent I have done above. I have asked the person in question if it is okay that I write his/her name in the excel sheet, and have been given permission to do so.
I wish I had known to take more photos of birds; it would have been so easy to double (or more) my list.
