DAILY BIRD PICS Vol. 357

We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1141191/

With the first hints of winter chill in the air it is time to join our bird friends in preparing for winter. Before you know all the pics will be taken thru the window because it is too cold to go outside and look. That is when I am especially thankful for the abundance of birds that make their home nearby and come visit the feeders. Even if it is just juncos and finches and the bounty of cardinals that brighten up a winter's day!

Of course I have lots of woodpeckers here which I love.

Speaking of woodpeckers, this quite wonderful female Pileated has come a couple of time this week. So we know that made me very happy!! I was quite thrilled when she showed up on Thursday which was a very nice day with good light!

She was going around and checking at all the feeders and the yard! Up here on the tree closest to the window...YAY!

she looked rather funny on the platform scoping it all out!

Grabbing a bite...

I love Pileateds. I haven't seen one around here for a couple of years, but they are in the eastern part of the state. I called in a couple last week in SE OK. They look prehistoric when they fly.

Since it's cold in much of the country, I'll go back in the archives for a pic that will warm the cockles of your heart. If it doesn't, check your pulse.

This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 9:19 AM

awww...that is sweet!

A hen Rio Grande from earlier this week. Disregard that 10-pt buck standing in the way. :-)

Such a nice start with your wonderful P. woodpecker, Nan. Thank you for the new thread. Red, wow! Fantastic pic. of the Rio Grande? Isn't it a wild turkey?

It's beautiful time of year down South, the mild temp. and fall color is radiant currently. Here is a Great Blue Heron in West facing area of a rocky hill on a lake trying to catch the last sun rays of the day I think.

We've many a 'snow birds' came to make this their winter-home at this time of year. American Coots;

It's nice watching these young bird diving for fish and stay under water for longer than I can hold my breath. A juvie Common Loon? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Its sweet song is always a welcome here, and its present a pleasant sight. Our Eastern Phoebe.

Before the weekend, I was lucky to have spotted these Cedar Waxwings passing through our region on their migration route?

Last one for now. Happy birding everyone.

That bird's beak and profile say 'grebe' instead of loon, Lily. Can't see the head that well, but looks like a Pie-billed Grebe to me.

That is a hen Rio Grande Turkey with the buck. We have both Rio Grandes and Eastern Turkeys here. Rios more in open country and the Easterns in the timber. I'm located in an eco-region called the Crosstimbers. It's dense woods of Post Oak and Blackjack Oaks that separate the forests of the East from the prairie.

A group of Ring-billed Gulls, with one imm. Herring Gull from last week.

This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 10:22 AM

nanny_56 - very good start to the new thread. I'd sure like to see a Pileated Wp around here.

reddirtretiree - Disregard that 10-pt buck standing in the way - now that's hard to do.

Lily_love - oh, yeah, fall and its colors are in Ga, too. Think I may take the Harley and ride up over Pine Mountain.

Hack

Before I take the 40D and head outside, I like to share a few pics I took a little while ago.

Here's a male House Sparrow.

Hack

And a female Red-bellied Woodpecker. I saw her again today, but didn't have my camera.

Hack

Here's a Tufted Titmouse working at getting a sunflower seed out of the feeder.

Hack

Man, am I mad!!!. Someone came into my side yard and STOLE all my feeders. You know, the $20 apeice ones that Lowes and Walmart have. 8 of them, gone.

Well, I'm not gonna buy anymore. So what I did was go to Lowe's and buy 8 of these $6 tube feeders. Then, I attached a cheapy little plate (from Target store) to the bottom.

I can make three of them for about $20.

Here's one of them with a variety of birds on it - I guess it is a hit with the feathered friends.

Hack

This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 2:56 PM

Nanny, What a great start! I just LOVE those Pileated!!

Red, Sweet one of the juvy Bluebirds!

Nice ones Lily! This is such a fun time of year for your area.

Hack, I am SO sorry to hear about your feeders being stolen. That is disgusting. Nice pics.

Oh Hack, I'm so sorry. Funny that you add a tray. I try to buy bird feeders without a tray b/c I have a dove problem. In fact, I have a really beautiful feeder that I wish I could send you, but I'm sure it would cost as much to mail as to buy. You probably saw it at Lowes. It was that long lantern shaped one. It's beautiful and beautifully made. I hoped it would keep doves out but it didn't. Great pics though and good for you for not giving up.

Nanny, great start! Love those pileated shots. I haven't seen one in a while.

Great shots on the last thread too. That owl on the branch (uncropped 2nd shot) was my favorite of the owl series -- I take that back, they were all amazing. That wood duck shot was fantastic. Beautiful pics here too. Always love your waterside shots Lily.

Red-winged Blackbird have been back this week.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

2nd shot of Ruby-crowned Kinglet. I like the daisy-like weed in the background. I hope it spreads all over!

Carolina Wren looking for bugs at a feeder and probably finding some.

This pic is worse than the others, but don't care. I was very excited to see a couple of Brown Creepers for only the second time.

Nice shots Elphaba!

Hack, that is a real bummer! Birders aren't usually thieves. Do you have a neighbor that doesn't like you feeding birds? I do. He says the doves scare his wife and birds poop. No chit! :-)

Elphaba, doves prefer to feed on the ground. You might try broadcasting chicken scratch for them and maybe they will stay off the feeders some. I have a couple of Eurasian Doves that like my tray, though.

A Black-necked Stilt from yesterday.

Wow!! Nice one Red!!!

A Hooded Merganser.

Oh Hack, that really stinks that your feeders are gone. Just in case it is kids pranking you, you might want to look around in any bushes or behind sheds.

Nice shots, Red. Love those stilts!

Nasty on the theft :-((

Also check that it might not be animals - raccoons, or even bears (if you have them in the area)

Resin

So help me out here folks.....

For my canon dslr that has a 55-250mm lens attached to it, set to AV mode, what other settings would you recommend I make in this mode to shoot birds at my feeder, 15-20 ft away from my patio door?

I don't need the background, I just need the bird to pop out. Here are 2 examples of pics I took in auto mode and not happy with, hence the reason I changed to AV mode

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/aghapymou/IMG_0856.jpg?t=1290288793
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/aghapymou/IMG_0860.jpg?t=1290288874
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/aghapymou/IMG_0865.jpg?t=1290288903
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/aghapymou/IMG_0867.jpg?t=1290288992
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/aghapymou/IMG_0863.jpg?t=1290289049

Cheers

What a beautiful bird to start this thread Nanny. Thanks
This thread is starting out with a nice variety of birds.

One of the Hairy woodpecker, that frequent my feeder on a daily basis.

A couple of Mourning Dove resting.

Some Black-capped Chickadee, filling up on suet.

I can't believe someone would steal bird feeders! I had a umbrella which fit into the picnic table we used to have. And they stole it right out of the table.

Red, those shots are gorgeous! I'm dying to see a Hooded Mersanger. The Whtie-winged Doves are all over the feeders if they can cling at all even if there's food on the ground. Although I'm trying not to do that anymore. There are just too many doves. I recently hung a tray feeder under a clinging feeder. That's working pretty well. I don't fill it. I just wait for the clinging birds to spill seed into the tray. The plan was to keep less sunflower seed shell from killing the grass. Doves do a pretty good job on the grass too.

Burn, nice ones of some of my all time favorites.

Nanny...thanks for the new thread and those great shots of the Pileated. You are so lucky to have her come to your yard!
Red...really nice shots, love the Stilt and the Bob-whites from the previous thread. The buck is gorgeous too!
Lily..it's always a pleasure to view your "birds in paradise"!!
Hack...gosh I am sorry to hear about the theft of your feeders. You did a great job of improvising and the birds seem to love the new ones. I hope your feeder bandit stays away.
Elphaba...Lucky you to see so many birds. I am very envious of the Brown Creeper since I've never seen one.
Burn...I love that shot with the Dee's...and those Doves are precious!

DH and I went to Stockton Lake yesterday and spotted this cute litte Pied-billed Grebe. It was a first for me!!

This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 6:19 PM

Another first was a group of American Coots....they were very amusing!

Rose, It's odd that we aren't that far apart, yet PB Grebes and Coots are very common winter birds here.

I've found a suburban park that is a honey hole for ducks.

A Cinnamon Teal.