Daily Bird Pics Vol. 385

Ditto for this Caracara

This will be my last one although really it should have been the first one. This vulture landed in the tree above me while I was looking for the grassquit.

Wow great pics guys!

Susan, congratulations on the Common Redpoll! Great to see so many of your Goldfinch back.

Elphaba, Very nice shots! Congrats on the Grasquit! Be sure to add to the Bird Files along with your other pics. Love the Cranes and Caracara! Beautiful shot of the Black Vulture!

Awesome on the redpoll, Susan. Maybe there's hope for me still. When I had them a couple years back, I think they were gone by now.

Ditto to what Pelle said, Elphy! Love the yellow markings on that Grasquit.

First Grackle of the Season…from this morning

American Tree Sparrow from the other day.

Same bird on top of a different feeder.

My hubby saw the male Pileated Woodpecker in OUR tree again, I think he is getting braver, also my hubby saw a different woodpecker, it has no red on it and it was on the upside down feeder. I saw it the other day but when I got the camera and went out of course, it was gone, don't you wish sometimes they would just stop when you wanted to take a picture, it would make it a lot easier!

Had a starling show up this winter at the bird bath! That's the first one I've seen around our feeders. I haven't seen him since and I hope he's gone. I don't want them around the feeders.

Bird count says that starlings are the most populous bird in the US. Drat, they certainly don't belong here. robins next. Yea!

SusanLouise,
Those are Common House Crows. They splash too and push half of the water out! They are quite intelligent birds.

The attached picture is of a white-cheeked barbet. They start making their calls in this season.

Can't believe y'all are excited to see grackles and starlings! That's OK. I had my first big sign of spring yesterday -- a rat on one of the bird feeders! Spring is definitely here -- stuff is starting to bloom -- the mulberry trees have fruit. Migrating birds are going to show up any day now!

Mrs. Ed, love the tree sparrow. Would love to see one of those.

Dinu, love seeing your birds and Margarets.

Have to apologize for leaving an "s" out of grassquit (fixed it later). If I'm going to post an unusual bird, I should be more careful!

Here's another Whooping Crane shot. I didn't crop it b/c not a really clear pic and b/c I like how he looks cow-sized! Which he kind of was!

Whoaa! Our thread is getting so exciting with many interesting birds!

I absolutely love those Cranes!

They sure are something (Cranes).

Elph, for some reason grackles here are (knock wood), well-behaved at the feeders. Mostly I see them foraging on the ground. I HAVE seen them interested in sparrow nests though… so I worry about that.


Glad you liked the tree sparrow. Here is another one of the same bird. I just love that little brown spot they have.

Those tree sparrows are sweet!

I remember when my Chickadee's were fledging last year and the Grackles sat on the fence waiting for them to come out and grab them. Of course I made them go away fast. They are a big worry in that way.
I am still having hundreds of Grackles here; I took down one of the seed feeders and have to adjust the weight limit on the Squirrel Buster feeders so they can't sit there and eat all day.

Bad Grackle!!

I saw one carrying off a garter snake!

The Red-winged Blackbirds have driven off everything but the White-winged Doves and few house sparrows. Really bummed about it b/c I had so many pretty house finches. Here's a pic of one that may be eating half of a newly emerged dragonfly. That bums me out too.

That brown spot is really cute!

Well, I almost cried when I realized that my neighbor was cutting down her mulberry tree. Went over and begged her not to but she said that there was so much rotting fruit on the ground that her daughter couldn't play in the yard. That means I won't have any tanagers, grosbeaks, orioles, or waxwings this year. My mulberry trees aren't big enough yet. I couldn't stand the sound of the chain saw, so I left. Just got back. She didn't just cut down the mulberry. She cut down every tree in her backyard. I now have a view of her ugly house. She probably wants the grass to grow. Stupid woman! My only consolation is that her electric bill is going to triple this summer --- ha!

Elphy sorry about your neighbor cutting down trees. But I couldn't help but LOL with you on your closing remark. I planted a Mulberry tree in my backyard too, only short coming of that was. It wasn't the fruiting kind! I so wished I'd planted one. Mine is ornamental, it's grafted to a weeping form. Birds perch on but has not fruits. Bahummbug!!! Whoaaa! Is that a Housefinch? umm, I saw one similar to yours and thought I have had an 'unknown lifer' to the back yard feeder. It's very fast though I tried to catch a pix but failed.

It's a red-winged blackbird -- either a juvi or a female. I can't tell the difference. The GBBC put one of my blackbird pics in the gallery. I just labeled it red-winged blackbirds. They added "immature" or "juvenile" in front of it (can't remember which). I thought they were females!

I just recently learned that seeds feeders provide 'fast food' for our birds. Insects are their 'fine dining'. Whoa... they aren't kidding! Even my Goldfinch will perch here for an extended time looking for bugs instead of coming to the feeder.

Thank Elphy for the clarification. I've several birds nesting in the yard. I've seen lone male Cowbird scoping out their nest. I really want to learn how to identy the female and watch out for her intrusion.

Tried this shot with my camera, hope when you look at it you can enlarge it, can anyone tell me what it is? I know, but just want to see if anyone else can see it good enough? This one was singing to its mate in the yard across the street.

Can you add fruiting shrubs to your garden to attract birds?

Elphaba,

I'm not excited at all about having a starling by my feeders! I hope it doesn't return, because I'm sure it will be bringing friends and relatives along! I would much rather be seeing your cranes outside my window. Beautiful birds!

Long shot in poor light of a Spotted Towhee.

Calif. Quail.........Saw my first Hummer of the season...it wont sit still long enough for an ID...either a female Rufous, or Anna's

Grackles can be greedy, but skilled hunters. Remember this pic of mine from a couple of years ago? The unfortunate anole moved a little too far from some shrubbery and became lunch for this hungry Grackle.

Poor anole!

Hi adel, Sweet Quail!

...and Adel, congrats on your first sighting of hummers. I'm eagerly waiting for mine. I have to admit. I perchased purchased and planted some more annual that "may" attract hummer for the garden.

This message was edited Mar 8, 2011 9:00 PM

Susan Louis, congratulation on the Redpoll.
Elphaba, congratulation on the Yellow-faced Grassquit, Would I love to see one of those, and your Whopping Crane.
Great work everyone.

The Goldfinches are starting to make a come back.

Carolina Wren this morning. I didn't see that she got herself a meal of some sort 'til I enlarged her pix on the pc.

Pine Sisken

Some Redpolls a few days ago.

Aww, Burn, those Redpolls are so cute, I want one, please.

Black-capped Chickadee.

Well Lily I have plenty to share, take your pick, lol. Looks like your Wren has got himself a juicy one, lovely catch.

A Downy Woodpecker approaching a feeder.

Nice pics you all! Warm but dark and rainy here...tho have a break in the rain right now so took the dog and me for a walk! lol

Teddy that is a Red-bellied Woodpecker in your photo.

Just love that quail Adel...hey that rhymes!!

And am very jealous of burns sisken & redpolls!!

Been rainy here too, didn't have any chances to take pictures, I guess the birds decided to stay in their dry nests. Oh well, there will be other days. Good pictures all.

Bohemian Waxwing

Bohemian Waxwing showing it's colors.