Daily Bird Pics Vol. 355

Yea, I guess trying to get rid of the sparrows is a losing battle like you said, plus I would not know where to release them where they would not fly right back to the feeder. I can't understand how you guys get such great pics, maybe you can give me a few tips, I sure don't want to sit out there freezing to get pics, but unfortunatly I guess that is what I am going to have to do. Any ideas will be welcome, I had thought of getting one of those cameras that click and shoot, the cheap ones that don't require a battery, leave it on my desk and grab it everytime I go outside. I was not meaning to harm the sparrows, I love wildlife too much to harm anything, but there sure seem to be a lot of them. I just remember that they were here before me, so I am the intruder not them.

Hey KC, you can check out the sticky at the top of the bird watching forum and find some good information about photographing birds. It is tough to do unless you can get physically close, in my opinion. So you either have to have a really big lens or bring them close to you. I am TERRIBLE at photographing in the field because I don't have the reach via lens, nor do I have patience. this is something I may try to work on. lol
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/805666/

Then the next thing is your camera choice. We have an ongoing discussion about that on this running thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1080645/

Lots of cameras out there now that are adding longer zooms, which will certainly help, But most of all, don't get so obsessed with photographing birds that you forget to enjoy them.

Wow, I hadn't ever visited that first thread Mrs. Ed. That's some great info.

KC, I have an inexpensive point and shoot camera that I don't fully know how to use. My advice for people without expensive equipment or actual know-how who want to take a point and shoot into the wilderness: 1) plan the outing in the early morning or late afternoon and walk the trail so the sun is at your back 2) be sneaky and 3) for me, 1 in 10 pics is going to be OK, so I recommend taking hundreds of pictures!

Otherwise, Mrs. Ed is spot on. Put a feeder or bird bath right by your window, clean your window and sit inside and take amazing close-up photos!

Here are some Ibis that I took last week. They were actually flying so fast that by the time I snapped, I no longer had the sun at my back which is why the sky looks dirty. With software, I can change the sky color to blue but then I lose the late afternoon glow on the Ibis that I kind of like, so I left the dirty sky.

You all did a wonderful job, lots of lovely shots. WR, I love the gorgeous head shot of the Owls.

I'm anxious to see, if some of the winter birds will show up this year.
Pelle,did you get to see the Evening Grosbeak, that was spotted in your area?

I see a lot of Chickadees in the yard.

I have 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches coming to the feeder.

The Goldfinches show up, when the light is too bright, and they don't stick around.

We have a couple of white breasted nuthatches that visit every day, the chickadees do too. Sadly the gold finches lost their summer color, but I have noticed their tails have a pretty design on them too, we have a separate feeder for them, and they are not as camera shy as some of the others. We also have 2 downy woodpeckers and they LOVE the suet cakes, I think I might have a picture of the downy if I can find it. He might let me take a picture of him if I am sneaky.

Hummingbird spotted today.

Female and male Red-Bellied Woodpeckers.

Male Cardinal.

Dave...beautful shot of your BB with the red!

Congrats again Elphaba!!

Congrats to you too Burd!!

Kc, are your feeders close to windows? A lot of us have our feeders located so we can photograph thru the windows. I take the majority of mine that way. But I do have places I can walk to look for birds. What type of area are you in....town, city, rural???

I use a point & shoot with lots of zoom. But most of all it takes lots & lots of practice!! lol

AND we also have a thread were we share our BAD shots too!

This Downy Woodpecker...taken thru the window.


This message was edited Nov 14, 2010 8:04 PM

Wow, so many variety to enjoy. American Coots are abundant here this time of year:

Another view;

Oh I have a coot shot to match yours Lily! lol

This message was edited Nov 14, 2010 10:00 PM

I am lagging way behind but I got #121 ID'd tonight.

I took this photo on Thursday. Thought it might be a different duck, but then I talked myself out of posting on the ID forum. However, it kept nagging at me. So tonight when I looked at it again I did put it on the ID thread....and I got me a Green-winged Teal!

SO......if in doubt always post!!

hey gardenpom, that is not fair, I want ours to come back so bad!!! We can't put our feeders on the window, our windows are not strong enough to put too much weight on them. But into the winter we have to put plastic on the big picture window so it is kind of hard to take a picture through plastic. I planted about 3 or 4 Rose of Sharon bushes just sleeping through the winter so they can be big and beautiful and bloom so the Hummingbirds will be happy, we also put out a feeder too. At least I hope they will bloom. I did everything I could to make them grow. We will find out in the late summer This is one reason I am anxiously awaiting spring, I love these little birds..

Nan, aren't the A.C.s fun to watch? Congrats on the Greenwinged Teal. Hi kc8, I miss those little friends down this way too. Our nectar- making machine is off for the season-- so to speak. I too am looking forward to spring.

Yup...I get a hoot out of watching the coots!! LOL

Those water chickens are playful. I enjoy these Mallards too when they visit. I also have a juvenile Common Loon 'fishing' nearby...can't seem to find its pix to share.

Feeder is full of tufted titmice, chickadees & w-b nuthatches so far.

That is what we have with the sparrows, my female flicker finally let my husband see her today, she has been here more often since it got colder. We had a male Cardinal on our tree out front, the winter birds are finally arriving. The squirrels have been hiding every seed and peanut that they don't eat, the one this morning was running all over the place digging and burying everything. The nuthatch has been here more often and so has the tufted titmouse, and of course the chickadees too.

Wow, from Mass. to Ohio down to Alabama, those Nuthache, Tufted Timouse, and Chickadees are residentials for the season? I've some of those at the feeders, venturing out I have seen white crowned Sparrows too.

The Chickadees are regulars here, the tufted titmouse is a rare visitor but I thin he is residential too. Here is a picture of a baby Chickadee that me, my husband, and a neighbor saved this last spring, we found a basket, lined it with soft, dried grass and hung it up, momma came and fed it and it got strong enough to go with her, I think it might be one of the two that we have around here all the time, here he on the edge of the basket waiting for mom to bring him dinner.

Had about 50 Mourning Doves on broadcast grain this a.m.

An Eastern Phoebe in the Live Oak out back.

Goldfinches and a House Finch.

hey reddirtretiree, how do you keep the squirrels out of that feed? It looks like they could just jump in there? I guess maybe a simple feeder like that would be better than something expensive. But the kind of wind we have here would tear up that feeder in no time. And the snow would cover it up. But hey if it works for you, that is all there is to it. I have a camera that looks out the front, and it is amazing how many sparrows try to get on the feeder at the same time, they fight and push each other off the feeder and it is a interesting sight. I may have my husband move the camera a little closer to the feeder so I can tell what kind of birds I have. Right now I can see the birds but I can't tell what kind they are.

Here is a picture of our little downy, my husband oiled the front door, so he didn't hear me come out. I got this picture, enjoy. I am learning!

Fantastic photos everyone!

I've been taking pictures of the Red-breasted Nuthatches for three days now. I have never seen them here before and there's at least three of them.

This one likes to stand on its tip-toes. I have another photo where it even stands on a branch the same way.

A cute House Finch.

A White-crowned Sparrow.

kc, your little chickadee is so cute!

I would not be happy to see 50 doves at my house!!

Stunning photos duc! The WC sparrow shot with the berries really pops! I had hoped the RBN would stick around here but they seem to have moved on.

Had a Cooper's Hawk stop in early yesterday morning...so it was in the shadows.

It did fly down to the ground in the sunlight...just on the wrong side of the fence. Somedays I just cant win! lol

Blue Bird & House Finch at the bird bath....

Our female Northern Flicker by for a drink too Sunday morning!

Even had a Robin!!

Great shots everyone!

kc8tbg, Wonderful job saving the chickadee!

Wonderful shots everyone...I sure am enjoying getting caught up!! Hope to have some pics to share soon.