Daily Bird Pics - Vol. #409

Moving right along .... slowly. I have been absent from the scene for nearly three months. My DW has made significant progress following replacement knee surgery. She can now use my tripod as a cane ! We both thank you for the well wishes back in May. Birding activity has slowed to a crawl as can be witnessed by the last thread which has lasted nearly 2 weeks. During my absence, I did get out on occasional weekends with some success but the heat here in the mid-Atlantic has taken its toll on birding. It's supposed to be 100 degrees again tomorrow. Many nice photos have been posted along the way and here is a link to the previous thread.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1196980/

I will start the new thread with one of my favorite summertime birds, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Even if I don't see one, I still enjoy hearing them on occasion. They are fairly elusive and rather challenging to photograph.

I keep hoping to see a Black-billed Cuckoo but they are rarer than the Yellow-billed in our region. Here is another photo of the same Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

One more of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo ....

Here is a male Orchard Oriole .....

Another image of a male Orchard Oriole a little farther away ......

This is a first-year Orchard Oriole. One can identify it by the dark patch on its throat.

This is a photo of the only Baltimore Oriole that I have seen this year ......

An Eastern Kingbird ......

Another image of the Eastern Kingbird .......

One more of the Eastern Kingbird eating a dragonfly.

Same image, cropped a little tighter.

That's all for now. I'll be back possibly later tonight with some more photos.

Awesome! That kingbird with the dragonfly is fabulous! What does the cuckoo have in its bill? Love those cuckoo shots!

Yes, one fantastic opening with all the great shots, Linth. Welcome back glad to hear your DW can begin using your tripod for a cane post op. lol. Love all the pics. Thank you.

Totally awesome shots linth!! The first 2 are on my wish list to see and the king bird is one of my favorites. I think the are such handsome birds! Your photos of them are quite stunning!!

This is the bad one I got today of a Eastern Kingbird. I was driving into town on my way to the store, so I was stopping a snapping shots of what I saw on the way there and back home.

This message was edited Jul 28, 2011 8:49 PM

Barn Swallows...this is really bad!

Mocking Bird!

Turkey Vulture in the road....very dirty windshield...sorry!

Song Sparrow....forgot to change the setting...eeek!

Thank you all. Nice photos, nanny.

Here is an Eastern Phoebe .....

Another photo of the Eastern Phoebe .....

A House Wren that took up residence under my deck in a novelty bird house ......

While photographing the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, this Carolina Wren stopped by to get his picture taken, also .......

A Gray Catbird munching on a wild berry .......

A second photo of the Gray Catbird ......

Beautiful shots Linth! Absolutely love the Cuckoo and Kingbird! Their all wonderful. Thanks so much for starting the new thread!

Nanny, I like that Turkey Vulture!

Heard a loud birdcall this afternoon which I couldn't ID. If birds were going to call, I wish they would come where i could see them. Did see a catbird later on but that wasn't the call. Hard to work with plants & try & keep up with birds at the same time.

Oh I know what ya mean iris!! lol

While out yesterday morning I also stopped and walked the People Pathway that runs along the farm fields.

Lots of birds were still working on catching breakfast!

I think this is one of the flycatchers...

Loads of Song Sparrows of course!

Female Blue Bird...looking so sweet!

fledgling Blue Bird .....

and Dad was there too!

Linth, so nice to have you back. Glad to hear your DW has made a lot of recovery progress. You have some awesome shots of your birds.
Nanny, what a nice mix of birds you got. Nice productive ride and walk on the path.

A newly fledged Robin, landed in my flower box.

Here he is again, after he flew from my flower box to the tree.

A Pine Sisken entering the cage feeder.

A newly fledged Grackle, still with a few fuzz on it's head.

An acrobat Yellow Warbler, checking for bugs in the tree. ;)

Very nice shots burn! Love the expression you caught on the Warbler!

Nice shots, burn. I haven't seen a Yellow Warbler yet this year.

This is a male Eastern Towhee photographed at the Patuxent Research Refuge .....

And, another male Eastern Towhee image. I seldom see a female which I consider odd.