DAILY PICS VOL 208

This tread came from
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/979427/

Think I'll start off with an Osprey.

Another shot.

This little lady Mallard came right up to us yesterday, almost too close for my camera!

Nice shots duc!! Thanks for starting the new thread!

Beautiful Mallard pic! Here is a greedy Blue Jay.

Male Cardinal pic 1.

And pic 2.

Hello all! I haven't been "in" for a while, but I'm excited to say I've seen several new birds in my back yard that I had hoped to see one day but wasn't sure I would!

We just got a new camera too, a Canon Rebel Xsi. Part of the reason we got the Canon was because we have an old telephoto lens from a previous camera that we wanted to use. So this morning I was putting the telephoto on the new camera for the first time and just taking some shots of my usual finches on the thistle feeder when guess who shows up! A Baltimore Oriole! I saw on the previous thread that several of you have some beautiful shots of them. So here's my Baltimore.

Answers to al your questions....I think

Last year they didn't care for the oranges. I put the one out one on thursday. If they showed interest I have more if not than I wasn't going to waste them!!

The squirrles very rarely bother the jelly. Occasionaly they will take some grapes. I just don't worry about it I guess.

I just put the grapes whole in the dish. For now I put about 8 in the morning and then check it later in the day to see if they need more. I leave any leftovers out overnight for the raccoons and start all over again in the morning!


Yep....jelly babies coming!!! ;)

Hmmm...was that everything??

Nanny, I just put some orange halves out there to encourage him to stick around a while. He did drink from my hummingbird feeder. I was glad that I just freshened the sugar water in it.

I didn't know they liked grapes too. I've got some I just put in the compost bin, but they weren't really too bad yet. I was just cleaning up for a party yesterday. I dug the orange out of there already :o)

Here's another. I think this must mean that our new camera is good luck since one of my most-hoped-for birds show up for the first time just as I'm trying it out for the first time with the big lens!

Here he is drinking from the hummer feeder. I Love the look of that sharp beak, and it's obviously very useful for him!

So do these guys just tend to show up in the morning, or will I likely see him any time of day? I'm just so excited to have them!

I also saw some cedar waxwings the other day, and some Indigo buntings have been hanging around! I have to get the waxies off the old camera, whose battery is dead at the moment.

I've got a photography question. My husband just came in after messing around with the telephoto outside, and he said he discovered that the UV filter we had on it from "way back when" made the photos hazy. It's very overcast today and I know from my optical background that UV light tends to scatter more, but I would think that a UV filter would help that. Any thoughts? Of course, maybe the UV filter was just dirty, lol.

Congratulations Peeper! I'm sure you'll love that camera too!

Thanks for the new thread Duc that Mallard is adorable!

I'm jealous of the Oriole shots!! Glad to see you back Peeper and congrats on the camera.

Here is a female Downy Woodpecker from this morning.

Peeper, congrats on the new camera and the Oriole. I love seeing these because I just have the Hooded and the Bullock's here. I take one flower off each of my feeders so my Orioles can eat faster which helps my hummers. The Orioles quickly learn that there's one larger hole just for them.

Nanny, thanks for the answers. I've tried the oranges for two years now and even tried standing one half up sideways-still no takers. Same with the jelly. Guess these guys are just spoiled or don't know what's good for them. Love your picture!

Rose, that's a beautiful Downy.

Here's a younger Oriole just learning how to get to the sugar water.

Okay, here's my Cedar Waxwing from a couple weeks ago.
Looking at this pic makes me wonder why I disliked our old camera so much. But this is the exception.

I call this one "Whatchoo lookin' at?"

This message was edited Apr 26, 2009 12:10 PM

I get that a lot too Peeper

and that

don't forget that

I had a new visitor today as well

here are more pics

http://picasaweb.google.com/AllisonNJ71/42609?feat=directlink

Dellrose, Excellent shot of the Downy!!! Love the detail in the eye and feathers!

Red, Nice one of your Oriole!

Peeper, Beautiful Waxwing!

Onewish, So many cute ones!

Peeper, beautiful shots! Looks like you did good with the new camera!

Ours come and go all thru the day with there being some peak periods. The mornings, like between 3 & 5 in the late afternoon. And just before dark. But like I said they come and go all day.

Spotted this Eastern Phoebe yesterday while out!

Great pics everyone! I'm not seeing as many goldfinches as I was a couple weeks ago and hummers have slowed down but I think they have something other than nectar on their minds! LOL
I have some Eastern Phoebe's too, nanny, and they built a nest on top of a light just above where my son parks his jeep. So far they don't seem to mind the activity.
I saw two babies today but by the time I climbed up in the jeep to get a pic one of them had ducked but I managed to get a pic of one of them just waiting form mom or dad to bring something to eat.

Woh! I didn't think that last pic would ever upload! It was almost too big. Hopefully this one won't take as long.
I've been hearing some Orchard orioles the last few weeks but they seem to prefer the upper part of the trees so it's been hard getting pictures. I finally got one of a female. They should start making nests before too long. Seems like I had baby O O's in May last year.

Cardinal and White-throated Sparrow. I still have a few WTS's around.

These 2 male cardinals seemed to be squaring off about something. Could it have been that female in the vicinity? ;))

Wow, everyone is really having a lot of activity.

I've been sitting outside on Hummingbird and Chickadee Watch. The chickadees are on the north side of the yard building a nest, the HB feeder on the south side of the yard. Last year April 26 was the first day I sighted one, so I've been keeping an eye on things these past few days.

anyway… landing smack dab in the middle of the yard was a Cedar Waxwing. It was there to drink in a puddle (guess it was not interested in the new water feature). soon more followed. I counted 7. and then they were gone.

Here's a threesome in the sunlight.

And here was some activity with the chickadee box.

Cool that the waxwings came by...I here them all over but not seeing them!

Love the Waxwings and the Orioles. The Orioles certainly brighten up a yard. Here is a Mourning Dove on the roof.

Great start! Awesome pics everyone!! Been a way for a few days hopefully all my pics from some new birds for me turned out and I'll have lots to show soon!!

American Goldfinch (foreground) and a Lesser Goldfinch (background)

California Quail

Steller's Jay

Wow, the new thread seems to have 'flown' real fast! Great picture everyone. I've been busy, but was glad to have seen this nuthatch. (White breasted?).

Nice shots Adelbertcat.

Been major busy and don't have the time really to respond to all the great photos but am enjoying all the postings, Thanks for sharring everyone!
Chickadee at it's nestbox, Early evening, Ambient light, ....

Oh Iris... we just hung that same bird house up a few weeks ago.... I can see the hinges are the same

What fantastic photos, everyone. Duc, well done with the Osprey shots.

hugger, in answer to your question on the previous thread, the ospreys here are having a quiet time of it. I was watching six of them soaring above the local area a week ago and have heard them each day in the trees below the lookout. Aussie is definitely one of them. I'd be able to pick her out in an osprey line-up by the sound.

I think this poor lady looks a little disappointed with her lot in life. Silver Gull on statue at Lake Herdsman this afternoon.