New birdie pics :-)

The kids and I went for a walk this afternoon and I saw so many different birds...and a terrific lizard. Unfortunately the kids were too excited (squealing their delight LOL) and the lizard was too fast, so I didn't get a shot of him. Disappointed about the missed shot, but SO happy that the kids reacted so well to the lizard rather than being afraid....we went on. About 20 meters later, I sht out my arm and said "shhhhhhhhh"...the kids froze and you could see they were mesmerized by what was in front of us.

I followed him when he flew a short distance away into a tree....

Then he hopped down and met a friend for lunch....

they must've had a disagreement, because you could sense a gulf opening up between them....

she went her way.....

he went his....

Later he was seen cruising for chicks.....

he spied this pretty little thing sitting by herself a few branches away....

What a beautiful bird!! Wonderful pictures too. What is this bird? I just love the in flight picture!

but she was shy and rushed off without saying a word....

Okay, where in the world is Modi'in IL ?????????? Cause we don't see birdies like that around here!

eventually she got up her courage and poped her head out to say hello....

But by then it was too late. He had already switched his energies into the little lady looking coyly over her shoulder at him a short distance away....

but even she kept her distance...

perhaps she felt he was beneath her and thus, she snubbed him....

so, feeling dejected, he left for home...alone....

I believe this is a hoopoe (Upupa epops). Am I correct, salvia_lover?

Floridian, the first bird is a Hoopoe Upupa epops . Definitely one of the more bizarre and beautiful birds we have here. But I've seen even more bizarre....if I catch a shot of one, I'll be sure to post it :-)

earthwormlover, I'm in Israel. Israel is on one of the most extensive migration paths in the world...for more than 150 different species of birds each year. There are almost 3/4 of a million birds of prey alone which pass over Israel twice each year. This is 10 times more than pass over the other big bird watching mecca, the Bosphorus (don't ask me where that is...I'm just relaying info here ;-). The birds main corridor is the Jordan Valley, which takes them from the southern tip of Israel (Eilat at the Red Sea), up past teh Dead Sea and onward to Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) from where they begin to disperse and go on their various paths into Europe and Asia. There is one particular place here in Israel near Eilat (in the south) where millions of the smaller migratory birds set down after the long flight through Africa. It's a birdwatchers mecca and definitely a sight to be seen! :-)

We are in central Israel between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In May and June the kids and I would lay on our backs outside on the patio after they got out of preschool each day and watch and watch and watch as literally thousands and thousands of birds of the same species flew overhead. The most magnificent flocks to watch were Western Reef Heron. With those huge white bodies, long white wings with black fringe...they were so easy to spot and made such an incredibly visual display with SO MANY of them all together flying the same route. Truly humbling.

-Julie

edited for typos

This message was edited Sep 2, 2004 2:26 PM

yep raisedbedbob! You beat me to it! LOL :-)

By the way, the bird in the last 3 photos is the same bird I posted a thread about the day before yesterday. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/453970/ This time I didn't get a great shot of his head, but he sure let me see his rump today... unlike last time LOL

edited to say: I have no clue yet what the second bird is. If I figure anything out, I'll post the info.

-Julie

This message was edited Sep 2, 2004 2:23 PM

Aaaw, Julie, another very enjoyable photo story. Is that bird related to the roadrunner? Further evidence that women can be so fickle! Or, am I being sexist?

John, ROTFLMAO! Maybe I'm being Family Genus speciesist...like I even have a clue which sex any of those birds were. Not that the story couldn't have unfolded that way anyway. I mean perhaps he does go for cross-Genus species trists. And maybe he isn't gender particular either LOL.

Ha, ha, ha.

Wow beautiful bird never see this before thank for sharing the pictures here.

Julie, both the 1st bird on the ground and esp. the one in flight are wonderful! Thanks for sharing them with us.

I look forward to some overhead shots of flocks migrating.

If we're lucky, I should be able to post those in another few weeks....the migration south is from September to November. I haven't seen any huge flocks yet, but I hve no doubt I will soon :-)

-Julie

You go girl! Thats kinda Oprahish! Ughhh! Egad!

What a beautiful bird! You may not have the dragonflies, etc. in Israel - but just look at what you DO have! Gorgeous feathers on the head ~

LOL, ack! ;-)

By the way, in case anyone was losing sleep over this, the black-headed, grey bodied, yellow butted (er...ehem....rumped) bird in today's and the previous bird thread is...

drum roll please.....

Pycnonotus xanthopygos (Yellow-vented Bulbul).

edited to add link: http://www.birdguides.com/html/vidlib/species/Pycnonotus_xanthopygos.htm

You can rest easy now. Sleep well everyone. I'm off to bed....2:34 a.m. here. YAWN

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

-Julie

This message was edited Sep 2, 2004 9:46 PM

"vented," ha, ha, ha, ha &, ha!

That is an incredible looking bird. Fabulous shots.

Okay I couldn't stand it anymore. I just HAD to know what the othe bird was....the second one featured here (posted at 1:43 p.m.).

It's a Garrulus glandarius (Jay)

http://www.birdguides.com/html/vidlib/species/Garrulus_glandarius.htm

NOW I'm going to sleep LOL

-Julie

Ahhhh, Julie ... that first pic is.. WOWSERS!! ..

He is just breathtakingly awesomely beautiful !!!!!!

You know .. the birds and the trees .. do look quite familiar! The birds (that one would think are the males) most certainly resemble in our Roadrunners, in stature .. and the trees they fly into .. most definitely resemble our Mimosa trees! Just as you've said .. a wee
bit 'bizarre' .. But, geez, how entertaining they must all be to you guys ... (apparently!) .. ha

Although you are on the other side of the globe .. it's truly interesting to 'see' that there are such
distinct similarities in the plant/wild life! The lawns in the pics are so rich, green and beautifully lush ...

Your bird 'soap' was just wonderful !! Jes luv'd every second of it ..

I will be most anxiously looking forward .. to your being able to keep us abreast of the major migrations as they start and progress .. and will certainly be 'spectin' lots and lots of great pitters to be posted to boot!!

Now, of course, this will be the moments that you steal between taking care of, lovin' and tending to those lil blessings of yours! Or, naturally .. share all together, as you have been ..

Gonna be keepin' my eyes peeled here ... (heehee) - Mags

This message was edited Sep 3, 2004 7:32 AM