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A large cuckoo, distinctive in all plumages, but usually secretive, keeping to the interior of dense trees in many habitats, even inner cities and fields. Adult males glossy black with dull lime-green bill; females and immatures blackish brown with white dots on the wings and strong streaking on head and throat. Adults have ruby-red eyes. Females lay eggs in the nests of other large birds, including crows, shrikes, and starlings. Song is a loud, persistent “ko-EL!” similar to a peacock’s call. (eBird)
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A bird that is far more frequently heard than seen. Given its size, it is remarkably capable of disappearing into a tree. This one, though, came out into the sun just as we were heading off for the day's birding adventures.
Changi Villiage, Singapore. March 2024.
Birding Singapore.
The distinctive red-brown fur and long bushy tail of the fox are a familiar sight almost everywhere in the British Isles. Foxes are intelligent, adaptable mammals, opportunistic, with unfussy palates, and they make use of a wide range of habitats, including those of towns and cities. They are social animals, living in family groups of a breeding pair, together with cubs in the spring, and sometimes other subordinate juveniles and adults. The latter are usually young born the previous year and help with the rearing of cubs, feeding, grooming and playing with them. Each group occupies a territory, which is marked with urine and scats. Dens (called ‘earths’) may be dug in banks or make use of (disused or occupied) badger setts or old rabbit burrows. In urban areas, favoured sites for dens are under buildings or sheds, and in overgrown gardens and cemeteries.
Foxes hunt and scavenge with keen senses of smell and hearing, and probably use the latter to locate earthworms, which can make up a large part of their diet.
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated.
The Red-bellied Grackle is a distinctive rare blackbird of cloud forest in the Colombian Andes. It is large, long-tailed, and heavy-billed with a bright red belly and otherwise glossy black plumage. Red-bellied Grackles moves through the forest in groups, giving a variety of calls. While it has been recorded from all three ranges of the Andes in Colombia, contemporary localities are few.
neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p...
The distinctive red-brown fur and long bushy tail of the fox are a familiar sight almost everywhere in the British Isles. Foxes are intelligent, adaptable mammals, opportunistic, with unfussy palates, and they make use of a wide range of habitats, including those of towns and cities. They are social animals, living in family groups of a breeding pair, together with cubs in the spring, and sometimes other subordinate juveniles and adults. The latter are usually young born the previous year and help with the rearing of cubs, feeding, grooming and playing with them. Each group occupies a territory, which is marked with urine and scats. Dens (called ‘earths’) may be dug in banks or make use of (disused or occupied) badger setts or old rabbit burrows. In urban areas, favoured sites for dens are under buildings or sheds, and in overgrown gardens and cemeteries.
Foxes hunt and scavenge with keen senses of smell and hearing, and probably use the latter to locate earthworms, which can make up a large part of their diet.
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated.
A distinctive metal statue of a soldier from the First World War stands on the Green by the seafront in Seaham. The 9ft 5ins tall sculpture was created by local artist Ray Lonsdale. It is entitled '1101' (after the Armistice which went into effect at 11am on November 11, 1918), but affectionately known as 'Tommy' by the local community.
Gambia tour 2020
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DISTINCTIVE, white-bodied with naked black head and neck. Decurved bill, legs and feet black. Loves tidal mudflats, mangrove fringes, where it probes for marine invertebrates in soft mud, voice is a occasional croaking call, but generally silent. Love seeing them, this one in the Kotu area.
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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND AND LEAVING A COMMENT, will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting. Enjoy the weekend, stay away from large crowds, keep them hands clean, and try not to touch your face.
God bless and keep as all...........................Tomx
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EVEN THOUGH I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23....v 4/5.
The distinctive red-brown fur and long bushy tail of the fox are a familiar sight almost everywhere in the British Isles. Foxes are intelligent, adaptable mammals, opportunistic, with unfussy palates, and they make use of a wide range of habitats, including those of towns and cities. They are social animals, living in family groups of a breeding pair, together with cubs in the spring, and sometimes other subordinate juveniles and adults. The latter are usually young born the previous year and help with the rearing of cubs, feeding, grooming and playing with them. Each group occupies a territory, which is marked with urine and scats. Dens (called ‘earths’) may be dug in banks or make use of (disused or occupied) badger setts or old rabbit burrows. In urban areas, favoured sites for dens are under buildings or sheds, and in overgrown gardens and cemeteries.
Foxes hunt and scavenge with keen senses of smell and hearing, and probably use the latter to locate earthworms, which can make up a large part of their diet.
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated.
The beautiful and highly distinctive Pin-tailed Manakin is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil, where it is not rare but the species is nonetheless highly prized by birdwatchers, especially as its unusually quiet vocalisations can render it unobtrusive, making encounters much less frequent than with other manakins that occur in the same region. The male Pin-tailed Manakin is one of the most unmistakable and prettiest of manakins, and even the female is difficult to confuse given that it shares the male’s ‘unusual’ head shape and ‘pin-tail’ central rectrices. The species prefers humid forest, woodlots and mature second growth, perhaps most frequently in valleys. Its systematic relationships have only recently been elucidated, although its uniqueness has long been recognised by taxonomists. However, some facets of the Pin-tailed Manakin’s life history, especially its breeding biology and diet, are still relatively poorly known. birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/pitman1/cur/introduction
This beautiful male was photographed at Tapiraí - São Paulo. Wishing everyone a Peaceful Thursday and for those who celebrate a Peaceful Thanksgiving!
Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!
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Small falcon with distinctive male plumage; gray head, rusty back, gray tail with broad black tip. Female is brownish above, barred on back, wings, and tail. Note rather pointed wingtips (unlike rounded wings of sparrowhawks and Shikra), and distinct dark spotting on breast. Fairly common in open and lightly wooded country, farmland, heathland; often seen over rough grassland beside roads and at airports. Perches on wires and posts, and typically hunts by hovering, at times fairly high overhead. Very similar to Lesser Kestrel. (Courtesy e.bird)
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
La Ceja, Colombia; Central Andes; 2.300 meters above sea level.
Piranga rubra -juvenile male-
(Summer tanager / Piranga abejera)
A young male in transitional plumage to adult. Young males acquiring adult plumage are patched with red and yellow.
The only completely red bird in North America, the strawberry-colored male Summer Tanager is an eye-catching sight against the green leaves of the forest canopy. The mustard-yellow female is harder to spot, though both sexes have a very distinctive chuckling call note. Fairly common during the summer, these birds migrate as far as the middle of South America each winter.
Distinctive, large white wading bird with a spatula for a bill. Adult has short crest, yellowish breast patch.
First year has paler bill, with fine black wingtips visible in flight. Sleeping birds have horizontal posture and bulging neck, vs. more vertical stance of egrets.
Found in wetlands with shallow water (including tidal flats), where feeds by sweeping its bill side-to-side for crustaceans and small fish.
May be confused with egrets when sleeping, but note stockier, more thickset overall appearance.
The distinctive orange breast of both sexes contributed to the European robin's original name of "redbreast", orange as a colour name being unknown in English until the 16th century, by which time the fruit of the same name had been introduced.
This distinctive shot used a stainless steel vessel to give the distinctive luster. Single off camera speed-light used. The rest was just luck and persistence.
Breeding males are distinctive with dark reddish-brown cap and sides, along with buffy nape. Two bold white wingbars. Females and fall birds are duller; most show at least some chestnut coloring on sides. Dullest birds are similar to Blackpoll and Pine Warblers; look for streaks on back, well-defined wingbars, and cleaner greenish-yellow head and neck. Prefers conifers during migration, but can be found in any woodland. Breeds in the boreal forest. In most of U.S. , only seen during migration. Winters in Central and South America. Listen carefully for extremely high-pitched, squeaky-wheel song, similar to a fast Black-and-white Warbler. (eBird)
Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, Ontario, Canada. May 2014.
C-FLRJ, a British Aerospace Avro 146-RJ85, on approach to runway 05 at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario. It was arriving as SMM8541 (Summit Air Ltd.) from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
This distinctive black Hellebore cultivar, 'Black Onyx' is blooming quietly in my garden. I just love Hellebores or Lenten Roses because the deer hate them & leave them entirely alone :)
A distinctive red finchlike bird found in woodlands, forest edges, shrubby areas, urban parks, and gardens. Males are mostly dark red with a cinnamon back, and a black crown with a bright red center. Females lack the crest and are mostly dark brown with a cinnamon breast and rump. Both sexes have white eyerings. The song is a series of two alternating whistles.
Ipal Ecolodge, Peru. October 2018.
The distinctive red-brown fur and long bushy tail of the fox are a familiar sight almost everywhere in the British Isles. Foxes are intelligent, adaptable mammals, opportunistic, with unfussy palates, and they make use of a wide range of habitats, including those of towns and cities. They are social animals, living in family groups of a breeding pair, together with cubs in the spring, and sometimes other subordinate juveniles and adults. The latter are usually young born the previous year and help with the rearing of cubs, feeding, grooming and playing with them. Each group occupies a territory, which is marked with urine and scats. Dens (called ‘earths’) may be dug in banks or make use of (disused or occupied) badger setts or old rabbit burrows. In urban areas, favoured sites for dens are under buildings or sheds, and in overgrown gardens and cemeteries.
Foxes hunt and scavenge with keen senses of smell and hearing, and probably use the latter to locate earthworms, which can make up a large part of their diet.
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated.
A distinctive looking bunting around 15-16 cms long and found in rocky habitats in parts of Northern, Western and Central India. The bird is rare pretty in much of South India though. They are also found in a large range across China and South Asia as per ebird.
The bird is impossible to miss since the colors are quite unique and distinctive. It prefers rocky terrain and is usually found on the slopes foraging on the ground looking for grain. The female too has a crest though it is much smaller, and the overall body color is a dull olive color.
There was a sunflower farm with millets in between and we found a pair - male and female foraging in them. Sometimes, they preferred the millet, but other times, the birds landed on the ground between the rows of sunflower plants and foraged on the ground. I wanted a shot of the bird with sunflower behind, but that wasn't meant to be.
Many thanks in advance for your likes and feedback. Much appreciated.
Taken in my back garden.
About blackbird-sized and striking black-and-white. It has a very distinctive bouncing flight and spends most of its time clinging to tree trunks and branches, often trying to hide on the side away from the observer. Its presence is often announced by its loud call or by its distinctive spring 'drumming' display. The male has a distinctive red patch on the back of the head and young birds have a red crown.
Distinctive in beauty and magnificence...the Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly !
Pushing on that trigger is like pulling magic into my very soul...Darrell.
Have a fun and creative day Dear Flickr friends !
The distinctive fruits are called samaras, 'maple keys', 'helicopters', 'whirlybirds' or 'polynoses'. These seeds occur in distinctive pairs each containing one seed enclosed in a 'nutlet' attached to a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue. I find delight in watching the seeds of maple trees fly through the sky. What thrilled me as a child still has the ability to bring a smile to my face.
A large bird around 38-40 cms long sporting a distinctive eye patch and endemic to India and Sri Lanka. The tail itself is maybe around 15-20 cms long. This is the most common of the three Malkoha species found in India. These birds belong to the large cuckoo family, but they are non-parasitic, i.e. they don't demonstrate brood parasitism. It doesn't lay its eggs in other birds nests.
The bird is easily recognizable by the pale bluish eye ring from which it derives its name. We sighted this bird foraging in the trees next to a country road while driving slowly. Luckily it didn't fly away and gave this nice shot.
The birds feed on insects, caterpillars and other small vertebrates. They have a easy to remember loud hollow call. I think the nesting season is just complete - 2 weeks ago, we sighted 3 juveniles in one tree right next to the road - all of them darted off into the tree as soon as we stopped our vehicle.
Thanks in advance for your views and / or feedback. Much appreciated.
Black tailed Godwit - Limosa Limosa
These large wading birds are a Schedule 1 species. In summer, they have bright orangey-brown chests and bellies, but in winter they're more greyish-brown.
Their most distinctive features are their long beaks and legs, and the black and white stripes on their wings. Female black-tailed godwits are bigger and heavier than the males, with a noticeably longer beak (which helps the sexes to avoid competing for food with each other).
They're very similar to bar-tailed godwits, which breed in the Arctic. Black-tailed godwits have longer legs, and bar-tailed godwits don't have striped wings. As the names suggest, the tail patterns are different, too.
Black-tailed godwits are much more likely to be found on inland wetlands than the more coastal bar-tailed godwit. They migrate in flocks to western Europe, Africa, south Asia and Australia. Although this species occurs in Ireland and Great Britain all year-round, they are not the same birds. The breeding birds depart in autumn, but are replaced in winter by the larger Icelandic race. These birds occasionally appear in the Aleutian Islands and, rarely, on the Atlantic coast of North America.
There is an estimated global population of between 634,000 and 805,000 birds and estimated range of 7,180,000 square kilometres (2,770,000 sq mi). In 2006 BirdLife International classified this species as Near Threatened due to a decline in numbers of around 25% in the previous 15 years. It is also among the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
In Europe, black-tailed godwits are only hunted in France, with the annual total killed estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 birds. This puts additional pressure on the western European population, and the European Commission has a management plan in place for the species in its member states.
In England, black-tailed godwits were formerly much prized for the table. Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682) said: "[Godwits] were accounted the daintiest dish in England and I think, for the bignesse, of the biggest price."
Population:
UK breeding:
54-57 pairs of the limosa 'Eurasian' subspecies, and 7-9 pairs of the islandica subspecies
UK wintering:
44,000 birds from the Icelandic population
UK passage:
12,400 birds
Europe:
99-140,000 pairs
The distinctive wing pattern and shape of Emesis make them instantly recognisable as a genus. Emesis mandana, in common with several other Emesis species, is quite variable in colour, ranging from dull reddish to bright orange-yellow. This butterfly is common and widespread throughout much of central and South America.
This species apparently occurs in primary and secondary forest habitats at altitudes between sea level and at least 2000m, but is most frequently encountered below 800m.
(La Ceja, Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level)
www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Amazon%20-%20Emesis%20manda...
The crossbill’s distinctive feature is its thick, powerful beak that crosses at the tips. Males have a bright red head, while females are a yellowish-green with hints of grey. Males have bright red plumage, whereas females are a yellowish-green. Common crossbills are heavy-set birds, weighing roughly twice as much as a robin.
Not to be confused with: the Scottish crossbill and parrot crossbill. These species are very difficult to tell apart by sight alone, but the Scottish crossbill is only found in northern Scotland. It is the UK’s only endemic bird species, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. The parrot crossbill is very rare in the UK, with only a handful of breeding pairs in Scotland and occasional visitors from Europe.
Common Crossbill male (Loxia curvirostra)_w_5059
Die U-Bahnstation Rödingsmarkt in Hamburg wurde am 29. Juni 1912 eröffnet. Sie ist Teil der ursprünglichen Ringlinie der Hamburger Hochbahn und zählt zu den ältesten U-Bahnstationen der Stadt. Die Station zeichnet sich durch ihre Lage oberirdisch auf einem Viadukt aus, was ihr ein besonderes architektonisches Flair verleiht. / The Rödingsmarkt subway station in Hamburg was opened on June 29, 1912. It is part of the original ring line of the Hamburg U-Bahn and is one of the city's oldest subway stations. The station is uniquely situated above ground on a viaduct, giving it a distinctive architectural charm. (Quelle: Internet)
A striking gray, yellow, and green bushshrike with a dark eye, an orange chest, and a distinctive yellow forehead and short eyebrow. The juvenile lacks an eyebrow. Singles and pairs occasionally join mixed-species flocks in thornveld and broadleaf woodland, riparian forest, and thickets. The species creeps slowly through the mid-canopy of trees, hunting insects and small vertebrates, and is often first detected by its loud ringing “what-to-tooo-dooo” song and scolding “skeeeeet” calls and clicks. The larger Gray-headed Bushshrike differs from Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike by having a more robust bill, a pale-yellow eye, and no eyebrows. (eBird)
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Another find in the archive. Heading out from Accra towards Lake Volta, we stopped along the river to see what could be seen. Well, this beautiful bushshrike was high up in a tree. The first of just two of these birds seen on the trip.
Akwamu Road, Ghana. February 2019.
Ashanti African Tours.
Spectacular and distinctive raptor of tropical lowlands, often seen perched on prominent bare snags, from which it hunts for snakes. Occurs in forest and also in open country with scattered trees. Note the creamy head and underparts with a broad black "bandit mask." Does not soar, and flies with hurried, stiff wingbeats, when rusty patches show on the wings. Named for its far-carrying laughing calls. (eBird)
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Belize. January 2011.
This vibrant photograph showcases the distinctive red and white arches of Blackfriars Bridge, one of London’s historic crossings over the River Thames. Taken from the river itself, the image provides a dynamic view underneath the bridge, revealing the elegant ironwork and structural detail. In the background, other bridges span the Thames, contributing to the layered architectural narrative of the city. The contrast of the dramatic sky with patches of sunlight and the bustling activity on the river captures the energy and charm of central London.
The adult is a large, distinctive, chestnut-and-white eagle that sits prominently on perches near rivers, lakes, and other waterbodies. The scruffy immature is dark brown and mottled with white on head. In flight the white windows in the wings and pale, dark-tipped tail make the juvenile distinctive. It catches fish with a graceful, shallow plunge to the water’s surface, but it will also eat birds, reptiles, and carrion. It tosses its head backwards while making a loud penetrating “wheeee-ah-kleeuw-kleeuw-kluuu” call; it is one of the most distinctive bird sounds of Africa.
Cooling off in the Nile river at mid-day..
Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. February 2017.
The distinctive cab of Copper Basin 502 is plainly apparent as it brings the Unit Train west through Kearny. This engine was originally built for Kennecott Copper and had a custom raised cab for operating in Kennecott's mine in Utah. Its cab height was chopped after it was sold, but it retains a different shape from the standard EMD cab.
The distinctive wing pattern and shape of Emesis make them instantly recognisable as a genus. Emesis mandana, in common with several other Emesis species, is quite variable in colour, ranging from dull reddish to bright orange-yellow. This butterfly is common and widespread throughout much of central and South America.
This species apparently occurs in primary and secondary forest habitats at altitudes between sea level and at least 2000m, but is most frequently encountered below 800m.
(La Ceja, Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level)
www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Amazon%20-%20Emesis%20manda...
A DISTINCTIVE WADER, dumpy, rounded body, rather short legs, and its incredibly long straight bill, to probe vertically down-wards in soft mud, in a manner of a sewing machine. A shy retiring bird!
Seen at Stodmarsh N R, in Kent, in the distinguished company of Steve Ashton and Little John. and what a joy to see some sun!!!
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THANK YOU for your visit, any comments are very appreciated, and find encouraging, will return the visit very shortly, if already not done so. ..............Hope you are all well, Bless you all.........................Tomx.
The White Ibis is a striking, white wading bird with a long, distinctively decurved bill. It usually nests, feeds, and flies in large conspecific flocks, and in many ways epitomizes the freshwater and coastal wetlands of the southeastern United States. Historically one of the most abundant of North American wading birds, it still maintains large regional populations with a few nesting colonies of 20,000–30,000 pairs.
This is a bird of freshwater and estuarine wetlands—typically cypress swamps, bottomland hardwood and mangrove swamps, as well as freshwater marshes.
The dependence of White Ibis on favorable feeding conditions in wetlands, the conspicuous nature of their large flocks and colonies, and their eye-catching appearance has made the species a symbol for wetland conservation and restoration, especially in Florida where ibis habitat is threatened by development, pollution, and water management. Numerous studies have investigated trends in White Ibis distribution, abundance and reproductive success, and/or ibis contaminant levels, and used this information to infer ecosystem health.
No subspecies are recognized, but the Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) of South America is closely related and is considered by some to be a conspecific color morph.
Appearance
Juvenile White Ibis have the same shaped body, legs, neck and bill and their eyes are also a sky blue but their feather colors are different. Immature White Ibis have brown, white and tan feather colors in their plumage and as they age those feathers are replaced with white, they can look piebald until that change occurs.
I found this juvenile at Lake Marian in Osceola County, Florida.
BULKY and distinctive seabird swims well, and dives frequently, and flies low over the water on whirring wing beats. Seen during the breeding season, high on rocky coast clifftops on the Island of Skokholm , calling to their mate..
Was lucky to have three glorious sunny days with my brother Bob on the Island of Skokholm off South West Wales.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISIT, and kind comments, I will try to visit your latest posting but life is very full-on at the moment. Am now fully fit again, and enjoying my camera. Keep safe and well,
God bless you .............Tomx.
Due to its distinctive and recognizable shape, the tower, also known as il Filarete, has become a symbol of Milan. The tower designed by architect Antonio Averulino in 1452 was elegant and decorated with marble inserts. Less than a century after its completion in 1521, the tower collapsed. The current building is the result of a tireless study of the available documents and iconography, by Luca Beltrami, to reconstruct the tower as faithfully as possible to the Renaissance original. The Filarete Tower was dedicated in 1905.
The 70 m high Torre Filarete is a magnificent example of military renaissance architectural style
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized, plump diving duck known for its distinctive appearance and social nature. It is widespread across the Palearctic region, where it breeds in temperate and northern areas and migrates to the south and west for winter.
Size: They are 42–49 cm (17–19 inches) in length with a wingspan of 72–82 cm (28–32 inches).
Male (Drake): Males are easily identifiable by their striking reddish-brown, or chestnut-coloured, head and neck, bright red eyes, black breast and rear, and a pale grey body with fine darker lines (vermiculations). Their bill is dark grey with a wide blue-grey band across the middle.
Female (Hen): Females have duller, darker grey-brown plumage with a browner head and dark eyes. Eclipse Plumage: After the breeding season, males moult into a duller, mottled grey-brown "eclipse" plumage, similar to the female, for camouflage while they are temporarily flightless.
Diving Duck Features: They have a stocky build, a short neck, and legs set well back on the body, which helps them to dive efficiently but makes them somewhat clumsy on land.
The distinctive concrete units of Montreal's Habitat 67, an experimental modular housing complex designed by renown architect Moshe Safdie. Conceived as his master's thesis in architecture at McGill University, Safdie was awarded the project to be built as a pavilion for Expo 67, despite his relative inexperience. In the spirit of a new openness that characterized this period, the exhibition was entitled “Man and his World” after Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s philosophical memoire. Housing was one of the main themes of Expo 67 Habitat 67 comprises over 350 prefabricated concrete boxes arranged in various combinations which was envisioned as the future for urban living.
Distinctive warbler with bold black-and-white stripes over entire body. Adult males have black throat and cheek; females and immatures have white throat and paler cheek. Creeps along branches like a nuthatch, searching for insects. Breeds in mature deciduous or mixed forests; winters in a wider variety of wooded habitats as far south as northern South America. Listen for high pitched “squeaky-wheel” song. Breeding male Blackpoll Warbler is potentially confusing, but note different behavior and face pattern. (eBird)
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Surprised to find this lovely warbler chasing bugs close to a weedy pond. She was hopping actively along the branch in pursuit of her prey. Sadly, I did not see her catch anything.
Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. August 2023.
Distinctive stocky waterbird. Adult is dark gray overall with a white bill and forehead shield. Immature has a pale breast and a duller bill that becomes brighter white with age. When walking on shore, note big feet with lobed toes. Inhabits both freshwater and brackish marshes, lakeshores, and riverways; occasionally on saltwater. Breeding pairs aggressively territorial but nonbreeding flocks can number in hundreds. Unmistakable throughout much of range, but compare with very similar Red-knobbed Coot in areas of overlap. Calls are diverse, and include various high-pitched squeaks, squawks, and shorter, more clipped notes. (eBird)
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The Australasian sub-species of the Eurasian Coot looks much like its cousins in the northern hemisphere. This adult was foraging about the village pond on a slightly overcast day.
Hobbiton Movie Set, Waikato, New Zealand. February 2024.
Roadrunner Birding Tours.
La Seyðisfjarðarkirkja, situata nella pittoresca città di Seyðisfjörður nell'East Fjords dell'Islanda, è una chiesa in legno classica con una facciata distintiva di colore blu chiaro. Costruita nel 1922, la chiesa è un punto di riferimento per i visitatori e offre viste panoramiche del fiordo e delle montagne circostanti. È anche un centro culturale, ospitando concerti e mostre d'arte.
The Seyðisfjarðarkirkja, located in the picturesque town of Seyðisfjörður in the East Fjords of Iceland, is a classic wooden church with a distinctive light blue facade. Built in 1922, the church is a landmark for visitors and offers panoramic views of the fjord and surrounding mountains. It is also a cultural center, hosting concerts and art exhibitions.
Distinctive, small social crow with contrasting, silvery-grey neck shawl and staring whitish eyes; juvenile has duller shawl and eyes. Walks confidently, and can be easy to see where not persecuted; associates readily with crows and Rooks. Flocks can number in the hundreds or thousands in the non-breeding season. Inhabits open and semi-open habitats, from towns and wooded parkland to farmland and sea cliffs; often around stone buildings and chimneys. Nests in cavities. Listen for its distinctive high-pitched “tchaw, tchaw” calls.
Striking and distinctive gooselike duck. Plumage bright ruddy overall with contrasting pale creamy head and neck; male has narrow black neck ring. Big white forewing patches striking in flight. Breeds in southeastern Europe and Central Asia, winters in South Asia. Often found around saline lakes; also reservoirs and agricultural fields. Escapees from waterfowl collections occasionally seen free-flying outside of native range. (eBird)
Hundreds of water birds were taking advantage of an ephemeral lake just outside of Merzouga, on the edge of the Erg Chebbi. According to our guide, this was the first time he had seen this lake in five years.
Lake Merzouga, Morocco. March 2019.
A distinctive looking bunting around 15-16 cms long and found in rocky habitats in parts of Northern, Western and Central India. The bird is rare pretty in much of South India though. They are also found in a large range across China and South Asia as per ebird.
The bird is impossible to miss since the colors are quite unique and distinctive. It prefers rocky terrain and is usually found on the slopes foraging on the ground looking for grain. The female too has a crest though it is much smaller, and the overall body color is a dull olive color.
There was a sunflower farm with millets in between and we found a pair - male and female foraging in them. Sometimes, they preferred the millet, but other times, the birds landed on the ground between the rows of sunflower plants and foraged on the ground. I wanted a shot of the bird with sunflower behind, but that wasn't meant to be.
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The great tit is a distinctive bird with a black head and neck, prominent white cheeks, olive upperparts and yellow underparts, with some variation amongst the numerous subspecies. It is predominantly insectivorous in the summer, but will consume a wider range of food items in the winter months, including small hibernating bats.[2] Like all tits it is a cavity nester, usually nesting in a hole in a tree. The female lays around 12 eggs and incubates them alone, although both parents raise the chicks. In most years the pair will raise two broods. The nests may be raided by woodpeckers, squirrels and weasels and infested with fleas, and adults may be hunted by sparrowhawks. The great tit has adapted well to human changes in the environment and is a common and familiar bird in urban parks and gardens. The great tit is also an important study species in ornithology.
Anhinga - the Anhinga is among the most distinctive of American birds, with long, snakelike neck, straight bill, large fanlike tail resembling that of a turkey (Meleagris gallopavo; from which the former name Water Turkey was derived), corrugations on its central rectrices, and unique swimming, flight, and behavior patterns. This truly aquatic species spends its life in water or on branches overhanging protected, usually freshwater streams and ponds. Unlike most aquatic birds, Anhingas have fully wettable plumage and dense bones, adaptations that allow them to achieve neutral buoyancy in water, facilitating a slow, stalking hunting habit while submerged in shallow aquatic vegetation, where they spear fish. The neck vertebrae are arranged to allow a strong and rapid stab. While the bird is swimming on the surface, its body is usually submerged, with only the head and snakelike neck visible, making it obvious why the term “snake bird” is often applied. The word “Anhinga” is derived from a Tupi (Brazilian) Indian name, anhingá or anhangá, for the devil bird, an evil spirit of the woods (Jobling Jobling 1991).
Picture taken at Pantanal - Mato Grosso - in black and white for a PMBT!
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