The last Daily Pics thread was getting a bit full, so I have started this new one. The last thread is here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1092704/ and is full of great stories and photos.
I would like to start this thread off with a couple of photos of a bird that I have a love / hate relationship with, the common grackle. :O)
This one has some serious attitude.
And this one is showing off the reason I admire these birds - even though they do clean out my feeders in minutes.
They are really smart. They will go next door and steal some kibble from the neighbor's dog bowl and then come over to my house and soak it in my bird bath before eating it.
Wonderful shots of the Grackle's Patti!
Thanks for starting the new thread!!
From the last thread:
Burd, Beautiful shots of all your birds!
These threads are fast and furious nowadays. My one offering today is Woodpecker on a stick.
Pelle, on the last thread, your Grackle is beautiful and the closeup of the Robin is gorgeous!
GP, great timing on daddy feeding the young one.
Lily, cute new birdbath and the finches are looking like they really enjoyed it.
Burd, your grosbeak is still pretty, even headless. The oriole is a beauty. Love your singing Wren Crosby-LOL. You are so lucky the flickers will soon be providing great pictures of the little ones. Beautiful shots of the dove and grackle. Glad your hummer is there too-wow, so many birds for you-and us-to enjoy.
Patti, thanks for the new thread. Grackles may be cruel to other birds, but I think they're just beautiful and your photos really show them off nicely.
GP, your wp on a stick is absolutely wonderful.
Here's one of my many Turkey Vultures.
This pair of Western Grebes were really entertaining me with their mating dance on top of the water, but unfortunately they were too far away to get clear photos.
I caught this Bullock's Oriole making a nest at the park the other day. Unfortunately it was close to the water and he was using old fishing line. I do hope the babies won't get caught in it.
Thank you Patti for the new thread, and like GP stated, "this thread is fast and furious nowadays". GP I absolutely love that Redbellied Woodpecker the offering of the day. By any chance that's my Mizzy? she has gone missing the last day or two. lol.
Duc it must be so much fun to watch the Grebes doing their mating dance. oOOH OH! Mizzy just arrived at the feeder, so GP please scratch what I said above. lol.
Ewwww! I hate that to think the little chicks of the Bullocks may get tangled in the nest, Duc. The Vultures! I saw both Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures at one spot last week or so. I was surprised that they congergate together for a feed. Nice pics.
Here is the culprit that bumped my Mizzy away from the feeder when he's around; presenting Lord Byron the Redheaded Woodpecker.
Burd...your shots on the last one were great....now where are MY grobeaks??? LOL
Lily...I am really getting jealous of Lord Byron!! I need a Red-headed here.
How bout a little red, white & blue....Cardinal & Blue Jay!
Half puffed Grackle!
Patti, I understand the love/hate relationship when comes to beautiful Grackles with 'Tude'. LOL, I can appreciate their intelligence. Rarely I see them come to the feeder. But this was an isolated experience, and the RH woodpecker also warned them that they're not welcomed here. lol.
and last, a little Goldfinch in the backyard tree.
Tehehehe, Nan, we cross posted. Tell you what. I'd trade you Lord Byron for a Gold Finch--the very one that you posted. lol. I don't know where all mine have gone to? I've nijer seeds stored in the basement -- just for them--for goodness sake! LOL.
LOL!!!
Our goldfinch do that...we still have them but not as many right now.
Patti, Thanks for the new thread. I have the same love/hate relationship with the Grackles. They're beautiful birds, but they're costing me a pretty penny on feed.
GP,nice shot of the Red-bellied on a stick. Wonder if they're as good as a hotdog or marshmallow on a stick?!? ;)
Duc good one of the Vulture, and so sorry about those fishing line for the nest. I'd be very worried for the babies too.
Lord Byron is still very handsome Lily.
A pretty Goldfinch hanging out.
Nanny nice to see the Cardinal and Blue Jay together. Pretty little goldfinch with all the leaves. And great capture on the Grackle puffing up.
A Robin in the birch tree.
Well I said, I was going to get a pic of the Tree Swallow, but didn't say it was gonna be all that great.
A female Brown-headed Cowbird.
LOL GP, "Woodpecker on a Stick", Sounds like some sort of appetizer! Nice shot.
Duc, Love your shot of the Turkey Vulture. You caught the underside of his wings nicely! Oh the Western Grebes I just adore!
Lily, I really like Lord Byron! Speaking of the Vultures. The Black Vultures will follow the Turkey Vultures around because the TV's can actually smell carrion!
Glad you don't have many Grackle around.
Nanny, Nice shots of the puffy Grackle, Blue Jay and Goldfinch!
Burn, Thats not bad of the Tree Swallow. Good ones of the Cowbird, Robin and sweet little Goldfinch!
It's always more fun to take pics of grackles in someone else's yard!
Took a drive out in the flats today, pretty dry. If we get a rain, will be full of birds, but not much there today. Did get a pic of Snowy Egrets, a Little Blue Heron, a Lesser Yellowlegs and a Blackbird all in one shot.
A cooperative Eastern Meadowlark.
Whoops!
Another view of the meadowlark singing.
Very nice shots Red!
I love seeing multiple types of birds in 1 shot.
Great pics of the Meadowlark!
Wow! What a busy thread. I can't keep up.
GP, I love your woodpecker on a stick. Sooooo funny :O)
Duc, The detail you managed to capture on the turkey vulture is amazing! And the background is awesome too. Were you above the bird? The grebes are so delicate compared to the Pied-billed ones we see around here. Lovely birds. I hope the oriole chicks do okay.
Lily, Is that Woodpecker carving out a nest? What a cool photo op that would be. I need a RH woodpecker to keep my grackles in line. LOL!
Nan, I like the patriotic birds and that's a great shot showing all the great colors on a grackle! The goldfinch is a beauty. Mine are all gone. They only winter here.
Burn, Lovely shot of the goldfinch! The background is so beautiful. That Robin is really giving you a stare. Great to see you were able to capture the swallow. I don't know how you did it. They move so fast.
Red, Loved the shorebird shot. It was a sort of Where's Waldo for me. It took me a while to spot the Lesser Yellowlegs. :O) Your Meadowlark shots are just beautiful!
Patti
Patti, it was working on peanut! So to speak, lol. What happened was most birds that favor peanuts, e.g. Titmouse, Nuthatch Woodpeckers ect. will pick out the peanuts then fly to various spots nearby and 'works' on the nuts. Occassionally I see them swallow the peanut as it (whole), but only when they're really hungry.
In this pix you can see the peanut in Lord Byron's beak. Two shots later from the post of him above.
Red, some fantastic shots of the shorebirds! Both DH and I teamed up to find your Lesser Yellowleg as well. I especially like the singing Meadowlark.
Pelle, thanks for the Vultures info. Interesting that TV can smell from such a distance.
Wonderful shots, everyone. LOL at the woodpecker on a stick GP.
Duc, fishing line for nesting material is dreadful. Is there any way you could deconstruct the nest? Here's a link and a screen capture from the same article.
http://www.coastkeepers.org.au/marine-debris.htm
Great pictures of the Grackles. And the Meadowlark - I've never seen one. Today I also had a first, a Rose Breasted Grosbeak! Definitely a migratory bird for my area, which made me think about the oil spill in the Gulf. It could really be an extreme disaster. One scenario is that the pipe in which the oil is leaking out of degrades, and disintegrates, resulting in an unrestricted oil blow out in the Gulf of maybe 50,000 gallons (instead of the current 5,000) a day, which could go on for 2-3 months. The impact would be on migratory birds, nesting birds, fish and shellfish. The potential consequences are mind-boggling.
Visiting the Texas Coast in Calhoun County today:
Here's a Painted Bunting I saw in the Magic Ridge Bird Sanctuary.
Visiting the Texas Coast in Calhoun County today:
Here's a Tri-colored Heron I saw in the Magic Ridge Bird Sanctuary.
Congratulations gazer! They are such a handsome little bird!
Missy, Wonderful shots. Nice to see the Painted Bunting but I love the Tricolored Heron! Thanks for sharing them with us!
Catbird enjoying suet!
A pair of Blue-winged Teal taken in the 10-mile flats east of Norman. It's an low flat area near the South Canadian River that holds lots of birds when water is there.
How about a bug pic. You decide if it's a nature pic or bug porn. I had some rose bushes that were covered with aphids so rather than spray them I purchased and released 2,000 Ladybugs. Checked on them yesterday and most of the aphids are gone and it looks like I'm going to have lots of Ladybugs.
Looks as though the Mr. and Mrs. House Finch are having a discussion. He is considering her suggestion!
The Finch family still in deep conversation--in this shot, she is considering his suggestion!
Daisy Duck takes a break from eating while sitting in the food dish. She is a great Grackle deterrent!
Hi GG, Great shots! Nice that you have a Catbird coming in for suet. Cute pics of the House Finch having a conversation. Daisy is so pretty! Is a duck what I need to keep the Grackles away?
Red, Wonderful shot of your Ladybugs! I love the Blue-winged Teal!
Great photos everyone,1st photo op mr bluebird,not nesting in this house ,but they are nesting in another box,much to my surprize.dH spotted our ever elusive pileated woodpecker this morn.hoping to get a photo soon,I spotted a baltimoe oriole this morning too,feeders are out...waiting..
