Thanks Duc, it's truly a beautiful time of year where the season renew. Here is the mentioned Whitecrowned Sparrow, who's a little timid I think.
Hah, Rose. I'm going miss that Oriole something fierce when she leaves me behind to return to the Northern States.
Ehphaba, that's a beautiful Cooper's. Also a great shot of the red-winged female.
Lily, another great one with the buds and sparrow!
Love the raptor shots! I grew up in MD and Blackwater is one of my very favorite places to go!!
Wild Rose...congrats on your bluebird pair. They are such wonderful birds and so devoted to each other. What a nice, sparkling new box you gave them.....no wonder they were quick to nab it!
Mrs. Ed....sweet song sparrow! One of my favorite birds.
Wow, Elphaba....what a beautiful shot of that hawk!
I was working in the yard today with the break in the weather and therefore not taking pictures (can't do both....nothing would get done) but I did get "His Highness" eye-balling me in the kitchen this afternoon after I came inside. He was very noisy today and definitely NOT liking me working near his suet. LOL
Wow, great shot of 'His highness' sacarvenous. Elphaba, love that Cooper's Hawk too. I hope someone has chosen this 'Hot peppers' as a cozy home. I'm reluctant getting too close for a look since I afraid I may frighten the residents inside? But I believe there are straws and stuffs in there. Thanks Duc. I've noticed mine (sparrow) has a prominent white marking on its neck, where as I don't see one in yours. Difference in genders, perhaps?
editted for spelling error.
This message was edited Mar 18, 2010 8:19 PM
We have finally been having some absolutely gorgeous spring weather here! YAY!!!!
Hubby and I went for a walk behind our complex today.... an old rail trail through lots of woods, with a little creek. Being a fairly new "birdwatcher", I have been listening to different bird sounds through a website called eNature. We could hear a Great Horned Owl, but I could never spot it in the trees. Then... I heard a call I knew I had heard on-line before! Could it be??? YES! I think you all call them "lifers". Well, this is definitely one of my lifers! I was so excited I did the happy dance right there in the woods!
Pileated Woodpecker
Congrats on your 'lifer', Va_Wild_Rose, he is a proud-looking papa of 'em all. lol. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for one around here. Maybe they don't venture this far South.
Well, I did it again, stayed off DG for a little while and got covered up with tons of quality photos.
VA_Wild_Rose - nice start to the new thread. That eagle landing is fantastic. And Jessie and "Buttercup" made a nice pic. And congrats on your Lifer - nice Pileated Woodpecker.
gazergirl - congrats on the new BB nesting box. Mine is up, but nothing is happening so far. Did you do anything to attract the BB, other than the nesting box.
Mrs_Ed - sharp pic of the song sparrow - none here, yet.
Lily_love - I like your Baltimore Oriole. What did you have in the suet cage?
ducbucln - I think its cool that your local electric company took the time to put up those Osprey nesting platforms. That was a cool pic. And, if I saw a Bewick's Wren, I'd think Carolina Wren.
nanny_56 - I have never seen a Red-belly WP feeding on the ground - nice pic, though of the girl.
Elphaba - sharp pic of a Cooper's Hawk trying to get breakfast at one of your feeders. I only seen the same thing happen a couple of times, but I've never had my camera at the time. And that female red-winged blackbird is nice, about all I see are males.
sacarvounis - your pic of the male Red-bellied WP is really good. And mine are noisy too, I often hear 'em before I see 'em.
Hack
This message was edited Mar 18, 2010 11:01 PM
At this time, all I have to add to the great photos in this thread is this one of a female Red-bellied Woodpecker eating the rest on my homemade peanut butter suet out of my homemade feeder log.
My peanut butter suet is a hit, I'm always having to re-stuff the holes I drilled in the log. Actually, I made 5 logs and all of them run dry at about the same time. Other birds I've seen at my logs are Pine Warblers, Chickadees, House Sparrows, Downy Woodpeckers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.
Hack
DH says that the red bellied wp are calling in the woods. Wish they would come here so I can see them. Out of suet, white brested nuthatch was the last customer which I saw. Have to get more packs when we stop haveing Dr.s appointment & fighting the water left by our last storm.
Nice Woodpeckers. Really jealous about the Pileated.
I'm still hearing but not seeing the Chipping Sparrows in the area. Also heard a Barred Owl again last night. i might have to go snooping the neighbor's yard today to see if I can find it.
Especially enjoyed the close-ups of the birds of prey! While cutting cross country in a local nature park yesterday, I was surrounded by a flock of Cedar Waxwings. One of my favorite birds.
Another shot.
I love the Cedar Waxwings too, red. This Mockingbird is singing like crazy this morning.
Congrats on the Pileated Wild Rose!!
I have been able to get some yard work done with the beautiful weather we have been having this week. SO nice to have the sound of all the birds singing while I am out there! Guess the cold weather is back starting tomorrow though.
I love watching birds watch...what???
Grackles are the best! What are they looking for?? lol
Nice GP & red! I haven't seen any CW's yet.
If you have 2 Grackles, they always do this...
I would hate to have to do this to see my food!
But she sure is a pretty Cardinal.
Nanny, it's probably part of a courtship display called "sky-pointing" where the males in particular (I have seen female Australian Magpies sky-point in response) thrust their heads backwards with the bill pointed skywards. I noticed a Grackle on Granny Grunts video sky-pointing within her feeder. Spring is in the air.
ahhhh....I have always wondered why they do that. Thanks!
This message was edited Mar 19, 2010 10:26 AM
Nanny....funny pic of the grackles. I have always noticed them (and other birds) doing this too and imagined that they were having "syntax error" moments or alternatively having deep thoughts such as whether they should fly over to some other yard instead....but breeding behavior make so much more sense! LOL
Sacarvounis, wonderful shot of "His Highness".
Lily, love your birdhouse!!
Wild Rose, congrats on your new lifer!! You sure got a great photo of the Pileated!!
Hack, glad your birds love the logs. I just love watching the birds on mine.
Red, awesome photo of the waxwing! Cute mocker too!
Nanny, thanks for my grackle "eye candy", just love your beauties! My blackbirds are always doing that too. Margaret, thanks for the answer. Now that I think of it, my birds are beginning to fluff out their wings to show off. Ms. Cardinal is adorable. Love the first pose.
Speaking of spring, my Tree Swallows are patiently waiting for the House Sparrows to finish up their nesting.
Boy, they sure do have the arguments with each other.
These were through the window so they're pretty dark.
Last one.
The mating rituals of these birds isn't too far from other male species? Fluffing out their chests and flexing their muscles kind-a thing? LOL.
Oh Duc, I just love that serries of the Swallows, just like two kids testing out their vocal ability. How adorable a behavior!
Hack it's the same commercial suet from HomeDepot. Love your log feeder.
Speaking of fluffing feather to impress one's potential mate? Here is my Brown Thrasher strutting its stuffs.
....
As it was basking in the sunshine, preening....
Something caught its peripheral vision his head turned;
At this critical moment, I realized, I need a monopod for my camera. lol. The bird saw its mate and flew over to join her on the next tree over. Sorry for the blurry pic.
Great job Lily! Love that thrasher all fluffed up. Isn't it fun just to watch the birds grooming up for their mates?
Thanks Duc, the little lady played hard to catch. lol, in a swift move, she then flew off. Left the beau standing there not knowing what to do next. ROFL
Poor little guy. Maybe he's expected to bring her flowers and candy. LOL
Maybe ... :-)
I'm so happy to see my cute little Eastern Phoebee is back. First I heard her call, then I saw her flitting about. Couldn't decide Phoebe or Peewee, until i noticed her tail flipping. I hope to follow her new family this year. Last year I witnessed the first fledgings from the time parent birds buildt their nest until they they offsprings fledged. It sure was an enjoyable event.
That's a good pheobe shot. They're hard to get. Really nice pics everyone. Love the pileated and the swallows and the waxwings!
I'm so bummed. I had a nature pic opportunity extraordinaire, and I blew it. Beautiful snakes mating with the sun behind me. Perfect right? Wrong, I had something smudged on the bottom of my lense.
This guy looks OK though. The Golden Crowned Night Herons are back and nesting.
Another pair.
Elphaba, terrific shot of the Night Herons! By far, this thread is one of the most exciting thread for the deversified varieties we've shown so far. Here comes my best shot of the day. The Bald Eagle!
Another view:
DH claimed to hear red bellied wp in the woods--come up here, guys. Do have to get more suet cakes.
Awesome shots Elphaba!
The Mourning Doves are always in pairs right now.
Those Tree Swallows are a hoot. Some of those need to go to captioning.
