Daily Pic's_ Page 8

Thought we better start a new one.

Another greedy Grackle.

You robin is beautiful Pell.

I love those grackles. They shimmer in the yard. Great photo!

I saw this guy today. He's different than the mourning doves we have here most of the time. I'm not sure what he is.

Janet

Janet, I believe that's a Eurasian Collared-Dove.

The Tree Swallows are setting up housekeeping. I have several pairs competing for two simple little houses. They don't care for the fancy ones.

Here's one preening.

And scratching.

Very pretty!

Resin, I put the hypen in because it's in the book, page 222, Sibley FG of Western North America.

Thanks folks for IDing my dove. He's a bit bigger than the mourning doves. Love that slim necklace he's wearing. :-)

Janet

Some facts on the Eurasian Collared-Dove
http://www.birdsource.org/features/eucdov/

Collared-Dove is spelled using the hyphen, every time the name appears in the text of the above listed hyperlink ? I do not know which is correct, but using the hyphen seems to be the most common.

It (hyphens followed by a capital) is a grammatic barbarism perpetrated by Sibley & Monroe (these people: http://www.ornitaxa.com/SM/SMOrg/sm.html ) - they were good scientists, but without much grasp of English grammar and language. They bullied the AOU into following their bad grammar - if you look in older American field guides (e.g. the Robbins Golden Guide), or field guides from the rest of the world, you won't find this construction (look at e.g. American Golden Plover, for a species which is in older books). The correct grammatic style is Eurasian Collared Dove, or for a hyphenated name, then lower case, as e.g. Greater Prairie-chicken.

Resin

WOW That's very interesting. I enjoyed reading about them. From the photo, I'm not sure which one was actually there. You can't really see if the tail feathers are darker in the photo. I'll have to try and get another photo.

Just a bit ago, I was standing at the dining room table filling up the Easter baskets with goodies. I heard a THUD and looked at the window. I watched as a mourning dove flew away (a bit wobbly). I cleaned the windows recently, but it has been raining most of the day here, along with some brisk winds. Poor thing, maybe he wanted one of those colored eggs filled with jelly beans! HAHAHAHA

Janet

Resin: I know nothing about the naming of birds, but the hyphen in that particular case just makes no sense. Normally, a hyphen in the name of an animal (or anything else) is needed when an the name includes a compound adjective, such as "brown-headed" or "Flat-nose". That is, it's used between the two modifiers, but it is not needed if there's only one adjective (like 'collared'). Not sure what those Sibley & Monroe fellas were thinking. Hope they were better with birds than with grammar! LOL! (Had to toss in my 2 cents. The memory of my mother, the English teacher, compels me. ;-> )
Tigerlily : Those swallows are very pretty birds. I've never seen one before.
I have no pics today, been covering plants all afternoon 'cause of the freeze tonight. :(

Deb

Hi Deb,

Exactly! Your mother is completely right!

Fortunately, they were better at their bird classifications than with their grammar ;-)

Resin

Another pic of a Collared Dove.

Saw quite a few White-winged Doves for the first time this year.

Nice, G-pom. Doves are so lovely. The feathers look like silk.

Great photos of the doves GP. I think I saw one of the white wing doves in San Antonio.

I was telling hubby about him this afternoon. He always thought they were ring neck turtle doves. Your collared dove above seems much whiter to my eyes than what my little visitor was. But I didn't see him for long enough to "catalog" his characteristics in my mind. I didn't realize that his head was turned until I downloaded the photo. My poor bird didn't know if he was coming or going the way his little head was turned. HAHAHAHA

Deb, They are really beautiful birds. Their feathers are very downy.


Janet

Please accept my apologies for mentioning the "h" word here.


This message was edited Apr 8, 2007 6:01 AM

Quoting the Form Rules


"This forum exists to promote the enjoyment of watching and sharing picture of the birds in our environment.
Under no circumstances are members allowed to promote killing, trapping, poisoning or harming birds of any species. For that kind of discussion, you are directed to use the Garden Foes forum. Members breaking this rule will be banned from this forum on the first strike."

Now let's have fun. :)

Dave

I believe the above post has broken the rules.

Gary

Gary, and everyone else here,

I've really enjoyed this forum and have learned so much about the variety of birds from the members that post here.

My post was out of line and I apologize for it. It wasn't done intentionally. I can't remove the photo or delete the entire post.

I hope you all will forgive me.

I hope everyone has a safe and blessed Easter.

Janet

Janet,
Thank you for the Edit of your post. Lets all remember what today is, Easter Sunday. A day we should all find it in our hearts to forgive.

May all be Blessed Today.

That info about the doves was very interesting. If what Unique Treasures saw was a Collared Dove, that means they have migrated to Texas now. And yes, forgive and forget is perfect for Easter. Hope everyone at the Birdwatching Forum has a wonderful day with family and friends.

Thanks Janet. Have a sunshiny day.

Now, let's see some more birds!

Happy Easter, all!

Happy Easter Everyone!

S'OK Janet. No worries. :)

I went for a stroll this morning and took a few snaps of the geese & pond on the little farm across the road from us.
Deb

That is a nice setting to enjoy on an Easter morning!!

I went out and sat by the quince for awhile, and the little female rufous actually came and sat still Iong enough I could focus on her.

Lovely duck pond Deb, so calming.

Tigerlily your hummers must like your plants, another great shot!

I really, really, need a bigger zoom! I could have got some really good close ups of the blue tits feeding their babies. I'm not sure if some have already flown as there was three at one stage in the tree. One parent went to feed through the hole, then another came out the box. I also got a little head peeping out, it kept popping it's head in and out.

Then there was a great tit hanging around, I got a pic of it in the elderberry bush behind when I was trying to get a pic of another bird earlier. It kept sitting on the top of the box looking around, then went to the hole, spent some time looking behind itself, then stuck it's head in the hole. It came back and did the same, but flitted to the ground after a brief stop at the hole.

They do flock together but I was wondering what it was doing, they nest in late April or early May so perhaps it was waiting for the box to be vacated!

Two blue tits in this pic, I was taking these out of a high small window opener, stood on the back of a sofa.

A head peeking out

Feeding

Great Tit watching and waiting

Hmm, wonder if I dare......

OK, here goes....

Anybody in there........

Nice series of shots Wallaby. Glad you kept your footing on the sofa! :)
Deb

Eeekkkkkk!

It got tiring on the arms though Deb!

I'm off........