Daily Pics Vol 69

My Cactus Wren, Mr. Lonely Heart, is still looking though I didn't hear him calling till late afternoon.
Saw flock after flock of birds flying north today. Sandhill Cranes for the most part I think.

Oh wow Sandhill Cranes?? Thats so cool; their so beautiful!

Very nice pic of the Cactus Wren angele!

Please be sure to let us know when he meets Ms. Right!

This message was edited Feb 19, 2008 8:54 PM

Wow, everybody's talking about Spring. Robins, nests building, brown headed cowbirds , Starlings leaving, just don't send them here, I have plenty. Spring is definitely in the air. I'm just waiting to see tulips now.

Trois that is too cute, very generous there, with the whiskers. They'll have a comfy nest.

Love that Cactus Wren Angele! Would love to see one up close and personal!

Burn...I am so ready for spring I'm watching for migrating birds!! Saw lots and lots of geese heading north today, that is a good sign. We have Canada Geese here year round but I always used to hear the migrating ones when I went to milk in morning.

I also bought an Oriole feeder and some grape jelly yesterday and tomorrow when I go to Springfield I'm gonna get a couple of those Hummingbird feeders that have the ant moat. Also have my BB nest box up....I'm soooo ready for spring!

This is the Bald Eagle that flies over our farm on it's way to the river. You can barely see him but Resin ID for me. One of these days I will get a "real" pic!

Rose

Dr. Goldman is a very generous man.

Spring? -40 degree windchills tonight!

Yikes!!!

Trois, that is too cool!

GG, all those cardinals are beautiful!

I love that Mr. Goldman shot!!

Thanks folks. About all I have to share with you folks are some woodpeckers and mostly cardinals. I love to see them, but hope I get some new specimens soon so I can share.

GG

I know what you mean. Same birds every day.
For a few minutes today I thought my neon birds were back. I had 6 Red Wing male on the feeder at once, lots of flashing. It only lasted for a couple of minutes. Then they left.

Your Jays look well puffed sybil! I'm not sure if the bird was saying "how cold is it" or if you were asking me, lol, but it was only -2C (28F) in the day with freezing fog, no sunshine.

Great shots pelle, I love the Wren shot.

dellrose, you got a good'un there, great shot of the Chickadee!

Cute itsy Downy burn!

GrannyG, wow, the red goes so well with white!

Trois, that is so funny, great shot. Mr G is extrememly generous to let it have his whiskers, lol!

Hey Mrs_Ed, at least you got a pic of the Eagle in somebody else's YARD, lol.

Love that Cactus Wren angele, you seem to have flocks of all sorts but those!

Those I missed, thanks for braving the weather! It's only just on freezing today but the wind chill is -4C (25F) with light fog.

A bad shot through the window of one Wood Pigeon which kept chasing another off from the food I put down yesterday.

So who's next!

Another through the window of a Chaffinch, the one with a large white patch on the wing. It seems to be a very rich colour too.

Hey wallaby (& resin). This might be a stupid question, but do you have any species there that we also have here in the states? And if so, would it be a lot? I've always wondered about that. Seems you MUST have sparrows!!! ;)

Yep Mrs_Ed, got Sparrows but there are a lot less now than there used to be, it's been given Red Status.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/h/housesparrow/index.asp

Collared Doves too, can't think of anything else! (you got them from us!)

Here's a young House Sparrow that was quite near to me, didn't seem to notice.

Editing to say I was uncertain if this was a HS or a young Tree Sparrow, but it has white above the eyes. The top of it's head isn't consitently the same colour as a TS has but it didn't look grey either!

This message was edited Feb 20, 2008 2:24 PM

Cardinal

Let's work on those triceps today, boys!!

Starling

Wallaby, why the decline in this species? The seem so indestructable.

Cardinal

I have to go babysit again today so I will be behind when I get home! But know there will be lots of great pic to look at tonight!

Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco & House Finch

Nice ones nanny!

Mrs_Ed, can't say for certain why, but my guess is that not as many people keep chickens in their back yards as they used to so they don't get the same amount of food. Other reasons I would put down to people's ( and farmers) use of pesticides from the 1960's, some were very damaging and later banned. There is still pesticides used of course, more have been banned in recent years but none are good for birds (or anyone or thing else). At one point I remember birds were laying eggs which were infertile because of it. Now we have GM crops all over, they are allowed as 'experimental' with a mere 3 feet I think between crops of other types, not that we have such weak winds, or anything that would carry pollen! None of it is good for wildlife, certain butterflies are affected by it too, they need the pure species, so I think the main populations of Sparrows surviving now are those looked after by considerate people. That applies to other birds too.

Delightful pics. and birds everyone. Trois that was awesome!
Kim

This is my adopted bird, Zebra finch. His name was given by my grandaughters, 4 and 6yrs old, it's Tweet Tweet Peanut.

This message was edited Feb 20, 2008 1:30 PM

Very cute!

I don't have a picture to show (yet), but a newsflash. I had another sighting of a single redpoll today. When do you suppose they start moving along? (from Northern Illinois)

So far I can't find any info on when but I would think that just varies depending on food supply etc.

Red-bellied Woodpecker (female)

Just trying to see how this shot will come out after uploading to here.

well then, better go to Farm and Fleet right away! hee. Burn, you feeding those guys all nyger or sunflower chips???

Oh, that's a beauty, pelle!

Oh good; heres some more of her.

Usually she won't come around when I'm outside.

With a Sunflower Seed.

Eyes closed.

The Red-bellied Woodpeckers are one of my top favorites.

I'm surprised she stays long enough to let you take a picture. Mine flit right off. Not like the downys that will stay there forever. Great detail on these pics!

Thank you.

Last one.

She was really keeping an eye on me.

I was just getting ready to go back inside (it became overcast and colder) when I saw her fly into the yard so I stayed. I was on the porch and not out in the grass so maybe thats why she came in. They certainly are beautiful!

Here is a female Northern Cardinal today.

Very nice (excellent) photos of the female Red-bellied WP and the female Cardinal, pelle. Are they with your new lens ?

That Cardinal shot is excellent Pell. Such detail! I did not spend too much time out, but got some shots so I'll upload them. Here's my Red-bellied female Woodpecker.

Grackle shot #1.

Grackle shot #2.