Autumn Blues

Another dispute

Nothing special

Top of our pear tree

I have one more but I have apparently exceeded my quota. Sometimes if I post a message with no image, it will then allow me to upload one in the following post

Let's see.....

We love them all, Dave.

Nice to see you again, Iris. And thanks.

One more

This message was edited Nov 16, 2011 10:19 PM

....

Not the best shot, but I like it because it's unusual

Great shots Dave! Such a handsome male!

Made our weekly trip to Baltimore today. The weather was lousy for pictures but two things were good. First, my mother in law's Japanese maple has shed most of its leaves, and second, one of the tufted titmice (which are normally very skittish) perched there with a sunflower seed in its beak for what seemed like 5 minutes. I got more than 50 good shots. Here is one of them.

One more, looking a little more tufted.

How sweet.

Thanks Margaret. Also got a few good shots of this finch -- or at least I take it to be a finch. Not certain which variety. ID Help please.

One more, same bird.

Love these shots where it is raining

Also these where he tries to wipe the rain off his head

xxx

All the pics are GREAT!
Love the pic where he's wiping the rain from his head

Great pictures of all.

Great pics Dave!

BTW that is a Purple Finch (male).

Love the shot of the Bluebird wiping his head.

I know there are others on this forum that are a lot more knowledgeable about bluebirds than me, so I wanted to get your opinions on a behavior. I live in SE Fort Worth, TX, we have been having a mild winter and it was about 50 degrees this morning, warming to 70 this afternoon. We have had a nesting pair of Eastern Bluebirds for a couple of years, and I saw a mature male checking ou the nestbox this morning early and he was chattering. Do you think that he is just thinking ahead? Surely, they will not start nest building until after the risk of freeze? That won't be until late March at the earliest.

Thanks, Missy

Not to worry, Missy. They are just thinking ahead. On warm days I often see my pair checking out my nest boxes; sometimes even with a few pieces of straw in their beaks, but nothing serious.
Real estate is a big consideration for them. Fewer and fewer natural cavities are available anymore so there is fierce competition for the available sites. I have seen them frantically looking for nesting sites in the Spring and even invading nest boxes occupied by other Bluebirds, driving off females already nesting there.

They seem always to be on the lookout and when they do locate a nest box, it is not at all uncommon for them to visit it regularly throughout the winter. Maybe they are reassuring themselves, maybe they are sending a message to other birds that may seem interested in that location. It is much easier to defend a nest site than to evict birds already nesting there. This is especially true with house sparrows.

This picture was taken late yesterday, before it started snowing.

Thanks for the insight! I have read that you need to have nestboxes at least 300 feet apart, but i see them at state parks that are much closer. What is your experience?

I do not monitor a trail but know and talk to many people who do. I understand that when boxes are placed that close (and are also within sight of each other) the boxes are rarely all occupied by bluebirds. Some boxes may go unoccupied or perhaps be occupied by other cavity nesters, such as tree swallows or chickadees or even (God forbid) HOSP. I have three boxes, two about 50 feet apart and within sight of each other and a third on the other side of our house. I have a single pair of bluebirds that alternate in nesting between the two that are within sight and they will not allow any other birds to nest in the unoccupied box. The box that is out of their sight has had chickadees and tree swallows nest in it.


However, I know that for whatever reason, some bluebirds are more tolerant than others. For example, one year I had a pair that allowed all their offspring from all three clutches to remain near the nest box during the entire nesting season and over the following Winter. Several juveniles from the first or second clutches even assisted in the feeding of the nestlings of the third clutch. The pair I have now is quite the opposite; chasing the juveniles away as soon as the female lays the first egg in her new nest.

I would also mention that I provide them meal worms and that the adult bluebirds also try to control the feeder, at least when it comes to other bluebirds. I also have titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, song sparrows and Carolina wrens that help keep the meal worm feeder empty and the bluebirds seem moderately tolerant of the other species.

Here is one of the Carolina wrens waiting for meal worms in the freezing rain this afternoon.

Love your photos and all the information Dave. ThankYou!

Great photo, with the branches draped in ice, and the holly berries.

Carolina wrens are a personal favorite!

I must've stood out by the holly for nearly an hour on the 25th before I finally got this shot.

Sorry, I had forgotten I already posted that last shot on the Daily pictures thread. Here;s one for you, Boston.

He and his mate were here yesterday, as was this big guy. I got about 300 shots. Here he is leaving.

Here's another frequent visitor

And this pair of flickers

I know, this was supposed to be a bluebird thread. I'll post a couple of bluebirds for these last few.

My male bluebird, for whatever reason, was really singing up a storm yesterday morning. When artists paint bluebirds that are supposedly singing, they often show their beaks wide open. Actually, they only open their beaks a tiny crack as you can see in this shot. Notice also that his throat is bulged out a little. If it matters, this is how they really look.

Here is another shot of him, taken at the same time.

Thanks for your terrific shots; you really understand the "eye of the camera."

You help those of us who are tech-limited to get up close and personal to our flying buddies, who are a joy (mosquitoes are not).

Great shots Dave!
Love the one of the Bluebird singing!

Dave, your photography is constantly amazing!

Got another lens. It arrived after dark yesterday, and like a kid at Christmas, I couldn't wait for the morning light so I could try it out. And wouldn't you know it, the sky is VERY overcast. Nonetheless, here is my first shot.

I'll be watching the sky all day, hoping for it to clear so I can see what this baby can really do. Probably switch to the Mark 4 too.

400mm f/2.8 ISO 2000 1/1000 sec, using a Canon 1DMk3.

Is that a frozen tree branch ???

In any case, it's an exquisite photo.

Well played !!!

Well, for a moment the sun came out (sorta) but the only birds that were around were the Carolina wrens. I will keep looking for the bluebirds but so far I am pleased with the lens. BTW Boston, the perch is sun bleached and in some shots it does look like it is frozen. And on some mornings it is totally white with the frost.