Daily Pics #169

I spotted this little cutie, Song Sparrow, while at the Wildlife Refuge playing in fields.



This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 2:29 PM

2nd shot of the Song Sparrow

This one was giving me the eye

Just my luck.

As I sit here typing, I am watching a Hawk (Sharpshin I think) eating what appear to be a Pigeon just outside my window on the 15th floor in downtown DC and I don't have a camera.

Saturday I saw a Hawk chasing a Dove but the Dove made an escape. The Hawk sat on a branch near the under pass but the light turned green so I could not get a shot of the Hawk. I even had my camera with me.

Oh well, I am still on my quest to get a nice Hawk shot in the wild.

Sighhhh

This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 9:53 AM

Oh Al, those song sparrow pics are fantastic. What a cute little bird.

MarilynBeth, it looks like you need a larger thistle feeder. Here's one that I got for all my Goldfinches.

Meth, those Song Sparrow photos sure are bright and cheerful.

Love every one of these photos. It sure is a pleasure to come see these beautiful birds each day.

It was too gray and dark when I caught this young Bald Eagle flying around our home, but at least I got it's photo again.

Here's that back end of the eagle which shows the change of color beginning. One of these days I'm hoping to get a brighter day for my pictures.


Sorry, I already posted these two eagle photos yesterday. I'll try to be more careful.
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This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 4:51 PM

This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 9:28 PM

This Osprey keeps passing by us too.

The young California Quail are beginning to come to our upper deck every morning for the shelled peanuts.

whoa, duck that's a lotta finchees.

Here's the American Robin

Here's the 2nd shot of the Robin

Here's a couple of pictures of the just id'd Brown Thrasher. I chased this bird in and around a patch of thicket and bushes for about 15 minutes and had to shoot thru lots of branches and between manually focusing and auto focusing I was able to get a picture in between the branches.

2nd shot of the Brown Thrasher

What a great start for the new thread Margaret...that Kingfisher is gorgeous! Thanks for the new thread...the last one sure went quickly and this one is also!

Marilyn you have such a variety of birds in your yard!

GP...always a pleasure to see your colorful birds, especially the buntings.

Met...nice variety of birds, love the Song Sparrow and the Eagle.

Duc...I think you may win the contest for most Goldfinches on a single feeder. That Quail is just beautiful.

Mrs. Ed..I found out the hard way about the batteries in cold weather, now I carry an extra one.

The Dickcissel is still around, here he is on the fence in the back yard.

This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 11:02 AM

We cross posted Met...beautiful Brown Thrasher, hard pic to get!

Here is the Dickcissel in the field.

I call this pic Tom, Dick and Harry!

In the foreground is a male White-crowned Sparrow, the center is a male Harris's Sparrow and in the background is a male Dickcissel. Not the best pic but I thought unusual.

Male Northern Cardinal.

Blue Jay.

This female Red-winged Blackbird is running with the boys...only female out of dozens of males! There is a name for girls like her! LOL!

We went to Eagle Days at Bagnell Dam...but the Eagles were a no show...only saw 2 and this one sent his calling card! Not a good picture taking venture!

A Mourning Dove sunning itself.

American Crow high in the treetop!

Last one, Dark-eyed Junco.

Red-bellied woodpecker.

House finch and goldfinch.

Great shots everyone. Congratulations on the eagle Al. And I love the song sparrow in the corn.

Here's one I just spotted and can not ID. Anyone recognize it? It's the yellow on the wings that throws me.

Dave

Another view

And another....

In flight. Sorry it is OOF.

One last sjot Rear view...

Nice photos, everyone.

Dave, is it a Pine Siskin ?

Yes, I think it is. Thanks Linth

Wow Rose, lots of pix. Sorry the dam was a bust.

Dave, I"m glad you posted that in-flight pix of the pine siskin. I recently got a Sibleys that showed the in-flight. I had no idea previously how broad that yellow in the wing was.

Resin, Resin, Resin…  "Most" people in the US read 1/3/09 as January 1. We're an egocentric bunch, eh? But you are right, spelling it out is the best route.

Finally got some takers on the suet in the bottom of the basket feeder. I was pleased as punch that it was the american goldfinch.

Jeez I only just got used to the American way of writing the date, now I still have trouble doing it the European way! :)

I have got used to how the date is written in America, but found it confusing for a start and I imagine people in other countries would too. I think resin was suggesting to write the month to save confusion, which is a good idea.

Thanks for the start Margaret, I love to see the kooka again!

Nice to see what others are getting just now, I always find the Common Grackles amusing gardenpom, nice depiction of their batman shape!

Too many to comment onbut enjoying seeing them all.

I have had the Magpie feeding on bread but went for a momentary bite to eat so missed getting a pic of it stuffing it's beak, stupid me as it was in the Oak at the front of the house so I got a pic of it there. So dull, the camera has whitened the sky.

The last two days I have had a very differently coloured Pheasant visit for food, it's been eating the oats/muesli mix as well as some bread. I had to lighten the pics a lot but they didn't turn out too bad considering I had full EV. The breast feathers are purple-black, wings etc nearly plain brown which is unusual. It looks mature by the head feather colouring.