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I have been outside gardening in Ct - which is a very different experience than gardening in Ca! - and not shooting birds so I'm going back...way back in my archives!
I thought this was interesting in that it was taken in similar conditions and was shot with the same camera body I use now, the 1dx, and the earlier version of the 100-400 in comparison with the new 100-400 in the previous post
Hoping all are well and enjoying the spring arrivals...birds, plants, etc!
Dumetella carolinensis
it's always nice to get a shot of your two favorite animals rolled into one!
thank you so much for your visits and inspiration...
"The bright yellow or red colors visible on the undersurface of the wings are flashed at potential mates or rivals during courtship and territorial defense."
I watched this beautiful Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker female display her golden feathers for several minutes as two females and a male went through what looked like the sussing out of a potential mate.
They went on with this behavior for several minutes until overhead, a large hawk flew, and dampened everyones' spirits!
As a side note, "The yellow-shafted flicker is found in the eastern United States and the red-shafted flicker is found in the western states." You often read this fact however I have seen the Yellow shafted in California so I'm debunking that myth. Today's shot is from Connecticut.
Thank you for your visits and inspiration!
I believe this is an immature male molting into adult plumage and no matter what you think of cowbirds, the transition is pretty interesting to see
An interesting cowbird fact taken from the Cornell Lab:
"Some birds, such as the Yellow Warbler, can recognize cowbird eggs but are too small to get the eggs out of their nests. Instead, they build a new nest over the top of the old one and hope cowbirds don’t come back. Some larger species puncture or grab cowbird eggs and throw them out of the nest. But the majority of hosts don’t recognize cowbird eggs at all."
Common Grackles are beautiful to view as they make their calls and courtship displays.
This is not a current shot as I have not seen any since the fall but a reminder of who I may see this spring!
Thank you for your visits
an eastern fox squirrel going after the buckeyes
so happy to have you stopping by and sharing your views!
When I first moved here, there were Phoebes that nested in the eaves of a small shed. This little one flew to the nearest perch he could find upon leaving the security of the nest - nearby chairs on the deck.
With my long lens, I was able to keep this moment undisturbed by my presence.
European Starling in glossy winter plumage with the faded color of the meadow creating the background
Thank you for your visits and inspiration
I tend to see the towhees late in day when all that is left are shadows...my favorite towhee behavior to watch is their courtship when they seem to move together in an avian dance and relate with a lot of squealing. I've read that they may mate for life.
Many thanks to those that take the time to visit and/or comment and fav...it is sincerely appreciated!
We've had a string of beautiful fall days where the air is so soft and the sun so gently warm that it lulls you away from even thinking that a deep chill is right around the corner
...and today, when I was sitting on the porch, I found myself unable to resist this hypnotic air and sat quietly unwilling to move.
Earlier in the day, I had heard the resident crows chasing off various hawks and going about their duties as general overlord to their designated home environment as they would threaten wrongdoers with their scurrilous calls given out with righteous indignation and outrage.
But now, in the later afternoon with only the soft warmth of the sun to blanket us, three crows came to land on a larger tree nearby and seemed to let themselves fall under the spell of this moment of peace and quiet as they took to preening and caretaking of each other. In that moment, I felt that, just as I could not escape the pull of this reverie, they too, were brought under the soothing incantation of a moment only to be found in nature.
The robins show up very early in the spring. They court, raise their young and enjoy the hillside fare. The meadows are rich with lots of earthworms, insects and berries - not a bad place to come back to
A red-bellied male woodpecker enjoying one of the local highlights of his summer environment, a mulberry tree ladened with fruit
this Raptor gives the surroundings an unyielding inspection on a cold morning above the snowy meadow
I'm never a hundred percent sure of the id between the Sharpie and a Coopers but he seemed to be a young adult with eyes turning a yellow/orange on their way to red. He also has the strong appearance of the "Cooper's cap" and did seem to be more crow-sized. I did not get a good enough look at the tail formation to be sure so I'll leave it to any who might feel more definite about the id.
Thank you for visiting!
The gray catbirds usually arrive in this area in the spring. They are quick to pop in and out of the bushy overgrowth on the hillside. I will likely catch a glimpse of one usually after I have heard their interesting and easily identifiable calls. To have a moment like this is all owing to the profusion of fruit on the mulberry tree. The catbirds love love love the berries and in the morning sunlight high up in the tree, this plucky bird shows up for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Thank you for your visits!
surprisingly, the morning glory bush is still producing flowers during this transitional weather.
thank you for your visits!
taken in a buckeye glade in California where the local acorn woodpeckers made great use of these trees
..of the morning sun!
I heard their distinctive mewing this morning and knew they were close by. Not too long later, this catbird popped up on a post from the dark shadows below for a quick look-see of his surrounds.
thank you for your visits!
on the side of a hill just out from a wooded area, this fox found a meal and a half probably for kits back at a den. I was caught unawares that the fox was anywhere nearby as I was watching a spotted fawn and mom down on the meadow below. The fox must have known I was there as I snapped a few images ...and I was so relieved to be using the 5DSR which makes almost no sound - but she did not flinch at all and went on with the business of securing the squirrel in her jaws before moving along. Always a sobering moment to see a life taken in nature
Thank you for your visits and comments
Red-shouldered hawk engaged in feather maintenance
Thank you for stopping by for visits and conversation!
The wonderful coloring of the male Common Grackle adds a nice relief to the muted landscape as spring begins.
I'm still going with the "bronze" variety unless someone knows more definitively....
Thank you for your visits and inspiration!
one of the many perks of wintering in California, this golden-crowned sparrow enjoys the petals on an early blossoming plum tree before heading north in the spring migration
Thank you for your visits and inspiration!
This was a surprise two-for-the-price-of-one shot which was thrilling but not expected. I was focused with the hawk on the right when the other flew into frame. The pair spent time narrowing down the area that the first hawk had zeroed in on and proceeded to search for the prey. Ultimately they came up empty handed but watching their unified effort was pretty darn interesting! I did comb the picture looking for any sign of what had garnered their interest, but came up without a clue.
"As monogamous birds, breeding pairs typically mate for life, and only change partners if one of them dies."
Thank you for your visits and inspiration!
"...within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, interconnectedness, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization..."
That partial quote describing Chaos Theory reminds me of how I perceive the generally frenzied takeoff of the starlings and mixed flocks that I've been able to watch out in the countryside in the moments where they are alerted to danger and instantaneously flee the location and self organize.
In this instance, the explosion out of water and seemingly chaotic flight all seemed to right itself in a matter of moments and they made their way back to the pond and continued bathing.
Thanks to all that visit!
Today has been a deeply saturated day with heavy cloud cover and rain. That never stops a hawk from hunting. I believe this is a juvenile Sharpie. He fanned out his wings and rotated several times as he looked for something worth flying for.
A California Brown Pelican flying over the hills along the Pacific Coast
Thank you for taking the time to visit!
I love the description that adult male Baltimore Orioles are "flame-orange and black" as when you see them, the color is so distinctive and hard to believe!
I've certainly heard them calling but towhees do not make themselves easily seen. I found that to be the case in California with the most striking Spotted Towhee..at least in my location.
There is lots of cover here on the hill going down to a meadow and unless they come up from the ground, I only hear them. That's the real advantage in knowing bird calls. Once I hear that distinctive whistle, I know that I might have a chance to see them. That's really one of the more exciting parts to birding...when the game is afoot! ... so it is a real treat to have captured this lovely female.
Thank you for your visits!
Near and dear to my heart is the Golden-crowned sparrow. Their fall arrival in Sept and October and early spring departures signal the hard to notice seasons of the steady climate of my region of California. They were coming to our property before we ever lived there. A large flock would show up and forage off the hillside which had plenty of scrub to hide in, overgrown grasses wild rock plums and large old berry bushes...and after our arrival, a winter garden filled with insects and developing shoots! Then sometime in April-May, they would disappear, along with their most poignant call, heeding the urge to return to their breeding grounds in Alaska and Canada. I am hoping at some point to get to Canada to see their nesting grounds and reconnect with these old friends!
Here is their call if you are interested...and thank you for the visit!
I feel pretty strongly that this is a Cooper's. In profile he definitely has "hackles" and was of a fairly robust size....however, if someone with more expertise with sharpies and coops weighs in, I will always defer!
I was able to get a few shots before he spied me and departed
I appreciate all the visits, comments and inspiration you bring to my stream!