~Avian Photography~ Post your bird pix for 2012!

[jack]

Originally Posted by scarecrowsdrm

Some pics taken by my cousin in Central Texas. I haven't had time to look up the sparrow yet.

I like that picture of the kingbird. I haven't seen one here for years, while they used to be relatively common. The best birding experience of my life was when I was driving in error down this dirt road that turned out to be a dead end. In the yard of the last house on the road was a crow flying off from the lawn with a kingbird perched on its shoulders. Only the crow was flying, as the kingbird with closed wings was busy pounding his beak into the crow's head. It was incredible! The crow was taking a terrible beating...

[recurve]

Originally Posted by jack

I like that picture of the kingbird. I haven't seen one here for years, while they used to be relatively common. The best birding experience of my life was when I was driving in error down this dirt road that turned out to be a dead end. In the yard of the last house on the road was a crow flying off from the lawn with a kingbird perched on its shoulders. Only the crow was flying, as the kingbird with closed wings was busy pounding his beak into the crow's head. It was incredible! The crow was taking a terrible beating...

I had a similar experience except it was a Turkey vulture. Now Turkey vultures are not the brightest things in the world but this one tried to land at least half a dozen times on this snag that happened to be occupied by a pair of nesting Kingbirds. Talk about an epic pounding just like you said closed wings just hammering away at the back of it's head.

[havalotta]

Originally Posted by Sage

Attachment 31017 A week earlier, taking a break from a Fledge Watch, sitting on a rock wall along the harbor, watching the gulls along the edge of water

Boy, Oh boy, would I love to be doing that right about now only I think I'd be sitting right in it!
It's 98 degrees and I'm pulling bushes and pitching gravel.

[Bulucanagria]

Originally Posted by linrose

bulu, where did you take that photo? I saw my first green heron on Sanibel Island while visiting Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge. The number of birds in that refuge is astounding! I think Sage visits there regularly. I want to go back soon.

The photo was taken in a beaver bog on my friend's farm in central Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the NH border. Is that unusual? I didn't think it was as I got the ID from the AFGNE (Audubon Field Guide to New England). Here are the zooms I used to ID this one. I feel that it's pretty conclusive but I'll admit that I'm a sub-amateur birder at best, and am open to other suggestions.

[Sage]

Originally Posted by linrose

Oh my gosh Sage, why did you ever leave? Sanibel and Captiva are my idea of paradise!

I had no idea green herons lived so far north, do they migrate? They are some of the smallest herons, am I right?

Speaking of comical, that guy in the second photo looks so despondant. But I'm always personifying wildlife, I can't shake it!

The Green Herons do migrate, wintering in FL but going north for breeding. To me, they are comical and seen to have interesting personalities, making watching them very enjoyable.

One was about to join the other who took off rather than share the log!

So it took off in the opposite direction!

Check out your local swamps

if Great Blues are there, you may the Greens also~

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by havalotta

It's 98 degrees and I'm pulling bushes and pitching gravel.

Don't over do it...I almost did earlier this week working in the sun digging and hauling heavy rocks. I think I learned my lesson and hope you will take my advice.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Bulucanagria

The photo was taken in a beaver bog on my friend's farm in central Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the NH border. Is that unusual? I didn't think it was as I got the ID from the AFGNE (Audubon Field Guide to New England). Here are the zooms I used to ID this one. I feel that it's pretty conclusive but I'll admit that I'm a sub-amateur birder at best, and am open to other suggestions.

Lucky you...I think green herons are very cool looking.

Originally Posted by Sage

The Green Herons do migrate, wintering in FL but going north for breeding. To me, they are comical and seen to have interesting personalities, making watching them very enjoyable.

Great photos, Sage.

They really are beautiful birds...cool to know that they are comical with interesting personalities. I like the the blue herons, but I'd love to see a green heron too. I don't want to lose my frogs... But it sure would be cool to see a heron or two in our own back yard.

[Sage]

The water level at our favorite local swamp has been very low this year but we did see three Great Blues, an Egret and some Green Herons.

Lower water level can mean a higher concentration of fish in certain places and

this GBHe knows right where to fish!

Egret and turtle

[havalotta]

Pretty neat to see the two of them side by side like that Sage.
You'd think the turtle would have abandoned his post!

[havalotta]

Originally Posted by dapjwy

Don't over do it...I almost did earlier this week working in the sun digging and hauling heavy rocks. I think I learned my lesson and hope you will take my advice.

I push things to the limit same as you and who was that, that was planting like some 50,000000 plants this year, linrose? No sense to get out of the sun until you start feeling woozie. Been there, done that few times this year. I often wonder how long it would be before a neighbor finds me if I should collapse. What a way of thinking ha? About then I turn towards the home and cool down on the computer catching up.... Haven't done that in a while so you know.....I'm pushing things here. Prepping for that garden tour set me back near 2 months in what I hope to accomplish in the yard this summer.