Daily Bird Pics Vol. 417

Haven't been doing much birding, so haven't had any pics to offer. I see there are still plenty of great ones here, though. Elphaba, enjoyed the vulture pics. Here is one I shot in RAW and processed with Photomatix. It works well to bring out detail in subjects like dark birds and bison. I have lots of unremarkable bison pics. I have started a Flickr photostream that features a set for birds and one for bluebirds. Check it out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/reddirtpics/

Here is the Turkey Vulture.

Cool pic Red!
Nice little ones Nanny.

Here's a Northern Harrier on the prairie trail at Sheldon Lake.

Another shot of him flying by me and almost right out of the pic frame.

This sparrow is not usually seen here, but many have moved east b/c of the drought. He's so tiny and so cute, a clay-colored sparrow. I suppose he could be a chipping sparrow, but I don't think so!

Check out the yellowish color on its back. Must have rubbed up against some pollen or something. Can you tell what's in her mouth? This was taken deep in the woods, so no feeders around.

Great photos everybody ! From the last thread - thanks for identifying my tufted titmouse, and for the comments about the mourning doves. I don't have any new pictures, but I did count 11 mourning doves in the grass last evening !

I saw a couple of Northern Harriers on a walk this a.m., but no pics. In fact, I didn't fire a shot. About all I got was needed exercise.

A Mississippi Kite. They are mostly gone now from OK.

A favourite bird of mine, probably soon to be moving south. A Chipping Sparrow that looks to be a 1st-year.

Send'em on down, chilly. I'll throw out some grain for them. I usually have them all winter. Haven't seen any yet this year. I'm kinda between birds right now, not a lot of yard birds. At least I have the bluebirds.

Some wild turkeys a couple of miles east of the house.

This message was edited Oct 14, 2011 1:38 PM

reddirtretiree,
The Chippings seem to be staying later than I have ever noticed. Even today I saw a couple hopping around on the porch. We seem to be between birds for the most part, too. A few migrants and tons of house sparrows are about it.

I have found a black bowl from something I am not quite sure what it was from, it was in the backyard, I rinsed it out and put some pebbles and a chunk of concrete for the birds to stand on. I also filled it full of cold water for the babies to drink out of. I am going to try to keep it filled and open all winter, here is a picture of it, sorry so dark but I forgot to get one when it was light. If anyone has any suggestions on how to make it better,please let me know.

here is how high it is off the ground, do you think it is high enough?

Teddy, I would suggest it being a lot higher. The birds would be particularly vulnerable to attacks by cats, especially as it's right on the corner of a building.

I'm enjoying everyone's shots. Elphaba, I love your vultures, especially the one you closed the previous thread with.

Not much from me (apart from Ospreys), except a flock of Little Black Cormorants at the river.

Love that shot of the flock of Cormorants Margaret. Geez Red, that's one of the best shots of the Wild Turkeys! Chillybean, I'm longing for those various Sparrows to return to the garden for the winter. teddy, good luck with your bird bath. Love the Mississippi Kite too Red. The Northern Harrier is one impressive looking bird too. Great detail on the Turkey Vulture! Like that program. Warfats, thanks for sharing your Steller Jay. How cute! Nan, love those 3 residential birds, the Chickadee, Titmouse and WBNH. Love, love them all.

Great Blue Heron and Great Egrets, a fine day at the dam.

...

Margaret, I watched a newly arrived Osprey at Lake Thunderbird one evening this week. He was too far away for a pic, but we got to watch him make several dives through the binocs. Cormorants haven't arrived here yet, I saw one, but soon there will be hundreds out there. Looks like some good action on the lake, lily.

A pic of a couple of Turkey Vultures and a Black Vulture. I seldom see them mixed like this.

I occasionally see the two species grouping together. Great pic. Red.

Here is a Great Egret at close up which was taken at the same time when I had a pinic at the Dam.

Very nice shots on here...trying to get caught up!

Saw the first Junco for fall 2011 this morning on our walk!

American Crow in the backyard...

I was able to get my first decent pic, not great-- decent, of a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk that has been hanging around the South Canadian River south of town for several years. She just won't let you get close. This was cropped twice. Wish I'd had time to adjust the camera and under-expose for the white color, but I knew she wasn't going to hang around. She didn't. She is something to see in the wild.

Beautiful!!!

Wow....glad you got a shot of her!!

Had intended to go over to DePauw today but it kept looking like rain so I stayed home. We did have some nice company today to watch. Have had several Blue Birds hanging around. They seem to like the bird bath in the fall. This shows 3 in the bird bath(yes...I know it needs serious cleaning!). I saw at least one more up in the trees.

A male Northern Flicker showed up...that was nice!

Trees are full of Myrtle Warblers right now....every where you look!

I got way behind again and sure missed a bunch of beautiful photos. Well done everyone.

I'm getting used to using my camera with the tripod and one hand (the other is in a cast for 6 weeks). Here's my first-for the-year Yellow-rumped (Audubon) Warbler.

Two Mockingbirds have been enjoying the berries in my garden.

Here's the other Mockingbird.

I now declare the winter feeding season open…

first Junco

And also the first brown creeper of the season

Great shots all!! A shot of a White-rumped Sandpiper. Added Greater White-fronted Goose to my list No. 212.

I thought I would try to make the bird bath a little taller, there must be a hawk or something around because I was sitting out and did not hear a single bird, but earlier I think I heard a Blue Jay, I followed the sound and I think I saw it but of course it did not sit and pose for me:) I did see a red-bellied woodpecker the other day and i was glad to see them back again, I have to clean out the bird feeder and get it back out, I hope the birds come back. They would like to have sunflower seeds, but two things prevent them from getting it, the sunflower seeds bring the squirrels, and the cost too. I may get some peanuts from the corner store and put them in there for a special treat but not all the time. I am hoping to get some different birds since I am going to try to keep the bird bath open all winter, it would be nice to see something besides SPARROWS! Wish me luck.

Congrats on the lifers Burd.
Mrs. Ed, great shots of two hard to get birds. Love the creeper.
Duc, beauties!
Red, that hawk is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.

I added 4 lifers yesterday -- Grasshopper Sparrow, Red Knot, Piping Plover and Franklin's Gull. It was awesome. Still going through my pictures, but thought I'd share this one. I get Caspian and Royal Terns mixed up, but I think this one is a Royal Tern with a shrimp in its bill.

Yep, Royal - white top of the head (rear crown stays black all year in Caspian), and underwing mostly white (blackish under primaries on Caspian)

Resin

Sorry to hear about your hand, duc. I haven't had any new migrants through the yard yet, but a big cold front is coming. May have something tomorrow. I spotted Norma again this a.m., but couldn't get close enough for a good shot.

Here is a pic of some young Red-shouldered hawks from a couple of months ago. They are in the same area as Norma. They fledged a day or two after this.

What a cute shot red!

Now that I have fresh seed in the finch feeder the Gold Finch are coming back gradually.

Thanks, Nanny. I don't have any GF's in the summer. They should be showing up soon.

A RT hawk I shot yesterday.

That's a beauty Red.
Glad your goldfinches are back Nanny. I'm worried that I have some bad seed.

Here's a study in gulls -- OK, perhaps that's a bit lofty -- here are 3 gulls! I think the big one in the back is a Herring. There were Lesser Black-backed gulls in that group, but this one has pinkish legs and a spotty tail, so I'm guessing Herring. The little one in the front is a Franklin's Gull and the one behind him is a Laughing Gull.

Here's another gull comparison a Ring-billed with a Franklin's.

Shoot, now I'm questioning my IDs again. Well, I'm sure y'all will correct me if I'm wrong. In this pic, the brownish one in the back has a Herring bi-colored bill and I think the others are Lesser Black-backed except for maybe the one with its bill tucked in its feathers. Oh and a couple of Laughing Gulls.