Daily Bird Pics Vol. 352

OH GP, look at those colors. you must be so happy they are back!

Yes, but still only two Painted and 1 Indigo. I hope some of their friends join them soon.

GP, they're just beautiful. I've asked you this before, but I've forgotten what you told me. Please tell me again what kind of seed that is.

Wow... first visit to this thread. Impressive photos. What telephoto do you need to get such shots? And amazing array of birds. Have to go far to see these? From my house I get a pretty good variety of crows, an occasional pigeon and if i'm really lucky, a mocking bird now and then, or purple house finch. I do own a canary, but hard to photograph through the bars. Plants are far easier to photograph... stay a lot more still.

Welcome, Palmbob. There are some very talented and enthusiastic bird watchers who hang out on this forum. Any "wild" bird is welcomed; it doesn't matter how common it may be, we love to see them.

I was shown several areas of a huge wetland this afternoon. Lake Joondalup in the northern metropolitan area of Perth. I don't know the area it covers, but it's 22km around its margins. Really not a good day for photographing birds. Extremely windy and cloudy, but I'd like to share just a few.
First, an Egret with what I think is a White-faced Heron.

Another shot of the same birds

I've seen White-eyed Ducks (AKA Hardheads) before, but never in the numbers I saw this afternoon. There were easily 200 of them. I only had my 70-200mm lens (not my favourite) and the shots aren't all that good.

There are several Eurasian Coots in amongst another batch of White-eyed Ducks. I can't wait to get back out there with better lens and weather. Oh, lots and lots of snakes there as well. I only saw one - a 5' Dugite (highly venomous). It was crossing the path just three feet in front of us. You have to keep an awareness of snakes and would be very unfortunate to be bitten. They will slither off into the undergrowth to get out of your way as soon as they feel any vibration. The warmer the weather,the more active the snakes become.

Okay Elphaba, I have serious hawk envy now!

GP your beauties really help brighten up the dreary months for me.

Looks like another fabulous place for you Margaret! I am enjoying finding new places here and I can't wait until spring!

My Hairy Woodpecker....he really wishes I would put the orange suet in all the feeders! He loves that stuff, but he will eat what ever is out there...thankfully!

Lucky shot with a House Finch!

I just thought the Crow looked pretty with the leaves behind it....

last one for now.....a Cedar Waxwing I stalked trying to get a good shot!

Welcome Palmbob. what took you so long! :-D

Wow margaret! who knew Western Australia had so many swamps.

looking good, Nanny!

The cooler temps are brining more varieties to the yard here. Had a chipping sparrow a while ago and a bunch of robins at the stream, plus some Juncos.

Great shots Margaret. I really like that last one with some of the ducks in the air.

Nanny, haha "hawk envy!" My house finches have completely disappeared. I think they didn't like the hawk becoming a regular. Great capture on the waxwing with the berry and that downy is just perfect.

I just made the dogs comes inside because even though it's noon, I was sure I heard an owl. It finally occurred to me that it is probably someone's Halloween decoration. Might even be my hooting owl decoration! I was so hoping a thirsty owl would come to my pond during the day -- crazy dreams!

Great shots everyone!! Wish I had something to add but between work and the weather..it just hasn't happened lately. I will say that I went back through the forums to last year (2009) at this time...and Ive been following pretty much the same path from then. another thing I found out was that Elvis (my R-bWP) from last year did not arrive until the 2nd week of November ...I thought it was much earlier than that. Ive crammed suet into the crevis of a tree to follow last year. That's when I first saw Elvis. (crossing fingers). My Junco's should be here any day now.

Welcome Palmbob to a great forum.

Great photographers, with a wealth of avian knowledge.

Love the pix nanny, Margaret, gardenpom, Elphaba, ducbucin, adelbertcat, burn_2007 and Mrs_Ed

Hack

go elvis! hope he shows up

Odd day today. FIFTEEN Junco! that's a lot for this time of the year. Maybe no one else has feeders up yet.

Just a bluejay, trying to get its nut.

A little Chippie…

Meanwhile, the robins were gaga over the stream today.

That's where my Chipping Sparrow went!!! Did my Song Sparrow show up at your place too Mrs-Ed? ;)
Love the Crow Nanny, I didn't know the Downy loves the orange suet. I will have to try to use some oranges in my suet to see what mine does with it.
Looks like a nice place for birding Margaret, interesting so far.
Welcome to the Bird Forum Palmbob, looking forward to see what you have in your yard.
Great posting everyone!

A Bohemian Waxwing's visit, sorry the picture is so dull. It was taken on a very cloudy day. It was the first visit of the season.

The Black-capped Chickadee were in a playful mood today.

A Downy Woodpecker on the peanut feeder.

Great pics everyone!

Welcome palmbob!

Elphaba, the Buntings love Millet seed.

No, Burn I don't have your song sparrows. Had a couple of white-throated and maybe an immature white crowned (i have to look it up) though.

Great photos everyone! Welcome palmbob.

The Yellow-rumped Warblers are coming around more now here at my house.

I like the name that Nanny gave them, "Butter Butts"-it fits perfectly.

My Brewer's Blackbirds are always looking so pretty.

Got this American Goldfinch a few days ago.

Beautiful shot with the berries.

OK, so my area of the world seems relatively devoid of birds, but I did see a few a few weeks ago, that were 'cornered' in such a way that I could snap a photo of them.. .of course, at the time, I was far more interested in the surrounding plant life, so I didn't spend enough time trying to get the fantastic shots you all show here... This is one I spied while looking through the bars in the Australia section of the local zoo...

Here is a much smaller bird I caught a glimpse of while in the Andes... section

Then I whipped out my ultra telephoto (70 zoom) and shot this distant portrait of an exotic species standing in a far off pond .... 10 feet away

I managed a shot of the flock before having to persue more floral images, and got this parting... er, party shot of these peculiar creatures in their natural setting... of a concrete pond.

Took this photo of this fascinating dead stick, but then a bird got in the way at the last moment and ruined the shot... but nice colors, huh?

then, while passing by Greenland on my way to Africa (one doesn't normally think of Greenland next to AFrica, but that was the current geographical format of this land beyond), I noticed this sea bird sitting on the wind-buffeted rocks (Santa Ana winds were flaring up). I just missed a good shot of this bird attacking his prey, too... but the glass was spattered with water from all the activity of birds eating frozen piles of squid.

Sorry, that's all the bird shots I've got... glad I could contribute in some small way, though.

You did a super job Palmbob! The birds are all beautiful!

Geoff, you are so funny. Lovely stick. I guess I never realized the variations in flamingos.!