Pic of the Day – Vol. 16

This was taken at Island Park Idaho. My nephew who lives there told me what it is.

Thanks Resin!

Juv. Cardinal eating Trumpetvine blooms.

I saw a Chickadee doing the same thing yesterday.

Spot on Resin. He only let me get one quick pic of him.

Island Park is noted for it's recreation, but it has another claim to fame. Know what it is?

Resin: Nope, it's a Brown-headed Nuthatch. I should've said. It's hard to see in the pic, but the head's brown (like I said, not the greatest picture). ;-> Besides, I think Pygmy Nuthatch is only found in the western U.S. ? Here's another shot, not much better but you can see him a little better maybe.
Deb

Is this a Dickcissel (Spiza americana)? I thought it was another house sparrow until I noticed through the camera lense that it looked a little different. I don't think I have ever seen one before now. Is it a male or a female? We had 100 degree temperature today and nothing came to feed until almost sundown. I think a hawk has been hanging around the past few days also. I noticed the ones that do come to feed are jumpy and always watching the sky.

Looks like a male Dickcissel.

Great photos folks! Frank he/she is a beautiful bird. Love the coloring.

Janet

He is a beautiful bird. I don't think we've seen one on this forum yet; have we?

Nice shot Frank!

It is always a thrill to photograph a bird I have never seen or gotten a photo of before. I hope he hangs around awhile so I can get better photos. I think he was after the millet or milo.

Birds aren't the only ones who like the Fruit and Nuts mix.

What is that?

It's a Fox. About an hour after this pic was taken, my wife took a walk and about 50 yards from here spooked a Black Bear eating berries.

Oh Man! That is a beautiful animal!

Just today, Connie and I were looking over some animal furs that she's picked up here and there at thrift stores. I am wanting a new purse with a head on it. She happens to have a full length fox. Not a coat, but the length to go around your neck like the little old ladies used to wear. He's much darker than yours and needs something for eyes. Connie's neighbor is a taxidermist and is supposed to look at him tonight to see if he can come up with something for his eyes, or at least give us some suggestions. In our minds, he's already a purse! He even has little feet! HAHAHA She has several minks also to decorate a brown bag with. We may just do both. We'll be taking photos as we go along and I'll post them somewhere here on Dave's when it's finished.

Janet

Love the gray fox! I've had them go after the sunflower seeds on a large platform feeder that's attached to the top of the 4" chain link, so now I put dog food there at night.

Beautiful fox! Spooking a bear? That sounds scary!

It didn't look like a fox in the first pic - at least not to me. It looked like a cross between something and something... I do love to see fox in their native habitat. I don't like to stumble on their food caches. I found a headless rabbit half buried in my yard once. Ugh. I must have surprised the fox while he was burying the body.

It's a Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), not the generally more familiar Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). Note in particular the much shorter legs, and more thick-set body.

Resin

The red fox is what I know. Thanks for clearing that up!

Here is part of the Oriole family having breakfast.

pelletory,

I loved the picture of the goldfinch with kitty watching--quietly!!! That made me
LOL!!!!

adelbertcat,

Love the picture of that fox---too cute!!!!

Adelbertcat: Pretty fox!
Sybil: I love seeing your Orioles. We don't get them here.
This Cardinal was hiding in the ivy under the feeders this morning. He looks a little ragged. :)
Deb

We don't see too many Cardinals. Not sure why. Love them!

I think some one sprinkled too much salt on this Blackbirds tail and it dried up and blew away.

another view

Very nice pic of the Orioles sybil!!

deb & adel, like your almost crestless and tailess birds. Deb the Cardinal looks so nice in the ivy.

Me Finch, you Grosbeak, get your own #%*%# feeder.

Connie and I made the fox purse today. Here is a thread with lots of photos of it. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/759457/ Just thought you all might enjoy it.

Janet

LOL on the bird fight. My husband and I were laughing about that tonight. I had to put up an additional hummer feeder because the hummbers were getting booted off of the other one by the Orioles.

Not that the hummers won't boot each other off the new feeder!

Unique......................Great looking purse. My fox was in the back yard this evening eating Blackberries. It was late and the light was too poor to get a pic.

Thanks Adel. I'm glad you like it. I hope you are able to get more photos of your beautiful fox. I'd love to see his eyes so I will know what to look for in beads. :-)

Janet

Best I can do on the eyes.

They appear to be a dark reddish brown.

Great shots adelbert!!!!!

Thanks Adel! We'll be looking for something just like that. Great shots of a beautiful animal!

Janet

I think it was in the previous thread that I asked the question about birds finding new food by smell. I know it's not the popular opinion that they smell their way to food, but based on what I just saw, I have to pose the question again.

In the thistle feeder for the finches and chickadees (and anyone else who's interested) I switched to a mix of thistle seed and hearts of black oiled sunflower seeds.

Only the content changed, not the feeder location and the color is basically the same. I just saw a downy woodpecker chomping away at this feeder.

So, HOW DO THEY KNOW?

sybil, Is the feeder one where they can see the contents?

Yes.