DAILY PICS VOL. 24

Pelle has asked me to kick off the next volume of our Daily Birds chronicle, so here we go! This new thread is a continuation from this one: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/778168/

Last Saturday I was helping in a plant survey of Dutson Downs, here in Victoria, Australia. As we drove in to the first site, we came on a flock of White-browed Woodswallows (Artamus superciliosus), hawking for insect and landing now and then on the barbed wire fence between the bush and a paddock. I got the driver to stop and I took a couple of pictures, but I was the wrong side of the car and good not get very close. An hour or two later we came back the same way and I was now on the right side to photograph from the car. We edged fairly close and I managed this picture of a male White-browed Wood-swallow. These lovely birds are not common in my area. We usually only see the Dusky wood-swallow (Artamus cyanopterus), so I was very pleased at this, my first chance to photograph White-browed Woodswallows in the wild.
Despite the name, these are not closely related to swallows, but like swallow, they hawk for insects on the wing, although unlike swallows, they frequently perch between short feeding flights. Here is the White-browed Wood-swallow

This message was edited Oct 14, 2007 10:41 PM

The previous weekend, I attended a Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists Club spring campout at Nowa Nowa in Eastern Victoria. Most of my efforts were devoted to looking at plants, but I did get a few bird moments. During one walk, we must have stopped to look at a plant very near a Spotted Pardalote's nest (Pardalotus punctatus), because a little male pardalote stayed incredibly close to us. They usually nest in a sandy bank.
Here is the best picture I managed of the male Spotted Pardalote:

One of our members discovered a nesting pair of Azure Kingfishers (Alcedo azurea) in a sandy bank on the far side of the narrow inlet of Lake Tyers that passed by our camping site. I spent an afternoon sitting and watching the Kingfishers, contuinually bringing little fish to their offspring. They flew in and landed on a horizontal branch that rested just in front of their nest site, giving us an excellent view of them, before they dived into the nest tunnel. When they emerged they always (without fail) took a quick dip in the lake, before flying off to forage for more fish for their offspring.
The nest was rather a long way off for photography, but I did get one picture of the bird perched just before entering its nest:

I had moved down onto a spit of sand below the bank, to get closer to the nest, and the kingfisher came downstream and landed on my side of the water in a tangle of branches. Still not close enough for a portrait, but I dod manage one picture that shows the bird a little bit better, although partly obscured by the branches:

seeing me looking away from the nest, my friends came down to join me on the spit, but when I stood up, I discovered I was sitting on 4 feet from a Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) nest on the ground. That meant we had to abandon this vantage point to let the lapwings back to their nest, but I took a quick picture first. Here is the Masked Lapwing's nest with 4 eggs:


This message was edited Oct 14, 2007 10:31 PM

driving home on the Monday, I was on the last leg from Morwell to Churchill (my home town), when I spotted some Cattle Egrets in a paddock. We often see cattle egrets around here, but mostly in the winter as they don't nest in this area and I have previously only seen them in winter plumage. Today most birds had their lovely golden plume as they neared full breeding plumage, so although they were a bit far out in the paddock, I took a couple of pictures. Here then to end my introduction to the new thread are a group of Cattle Egrets:

Nice thread start.

Fantastic Thread Start!!!

Thanks so much Kennedy!

Now I need to go back and read what you wrote. Pelle :-)

Marvelous kennedy! Thanks. I really enjoy seeing birds from other lands.

Red-breasted Sapsucker

I got lucky today. I'd watched what I was sure was a wp (because it was often clinging) but it was acting more like a flycatcher. It alternated betwen 2 tall trees, much to high and distant for images. After a time I saw one land in an old apple tree in the lower field. I put down my tools and grabbed the camera. It was very kind to let me get close enough for a few nice shots. Here's the best one.

This message was edited Oct 14, 2007 10:17 PM

Good show Tiger.

Wow !!

What a great thread start and a wonderful Sapsucker pic to boot!

Great job tiger! He's a a beauty!

And once again, for all you Pileated fans - me - one doing what Ps do best...

The next few are just sweet.

Chickadee

Jays

Yes, peanuts. I put up the peanut feeder late in the summer. Within a day the Pileated found it and has been making regular visits ever since. I just love those big guys! :)

Very very nice sybil!!

That must have been a very interesting trip Kennedy!

Unfortunately I have to make do with my immediate surroundings, but that's not too bad. Pelle has got me on the daily lookout for birds! LOL!

Never tire of seeing those WPs, nice Jays too Sybil!

I had, without success, gone across the road to take a peek across the paddock with horses. Crossing back across the road I saw 'my' Pheasant on the road further up, not at all in a hurry. As I lined him up a car came along, I could see the driver plainly in the pic and he didn't look happy, probably thought I would get him on camera if he hit the Pheasant. He did slow, the Pheasant took no notice, walked back a little while the car passed unawares, then walked back and through the gap into a field.

I made my way up and it was just a few feet ahead amongst nettles, it walked out and slowly became aware something was amiss, didn't know which way to go! He started running up the field and went at a gallop into the hedge, but I got some good pics first!

Back view, and it does have lovely pink-purple feathers! Blue near the rump end too.

He went sideways before turning and running, spotted me I think!

I don't think I have ever seen a Pheasant with such lovely and vibrant colours.

This is the first shot, on the road, I cut most of the car off with the face and number plate.

Beautiful pics Wallaby!!

They are such gorgeous bird w/ all those colors!

Thats ashame!!! :-)

Seen today: a family of sandhill cranes at the Welaka National Fish Hatchery in FL. Also watched an immature Bald Eagle fishing in the hatchery ponds.

The Great Egrets followed the employee who was hand feeding the fish. The birds gobbled down any spilled fish food pellets, that they could find. I had to chuckle, an egret with any pride at all, would be catching the fish, not eating the fish food.

This message was edited Oct 15, 2007 6:31 PM

Very nice bsharf!!

I've definitely seen the Sandhill Cranes while in Fla.

Are they the ones that grab baby ducks off the water?

Thanks!

Great photos, everyone ..... Great to see a photo of the Ring-necked Pheasant. Growing up in Pennsylvania in the 50's they were everywhere. Now they have basically disappeared except for the few stockings done during hunting season. I haven't seen one in years.

I am anxiously awaiting the waterfowl to arrive in large numbers from the north. A few species have already arrived.

LOL, Very nice pic Linth!!!

Trumpeter Swans bread in Southcentral Alaska, where they are becoming fairly common, in recent years. Tundra Swans usually over fly the
Anchorage area. But, for the last five days, 4 adult and 3 juvenile Tundra Swans have been feeding among the Trumpeter Swans at Potters Marsh on the south side of town. This is the best close up of a Tundra Swan I have been able to get so far. They are a lot more skiddish than the Trumpeters, and don't let photographers get very close. The distinguishing feature of the Tundra Swan is the yellow spot in front of the eye.

For comparison, this is a Trumpeter Swan I photographed this afternoon at Potters Marsh. Note the area in front of the eye is black on the Trumpeter Swan.

linthicum - very funny!

In this picture the two Swans facing right are Trumpeters. The four Swans facing left are Tundra Swans, three adults and one cygnet. The cygnets of both species are gray with pink bills. The only way I know this is a Tundra Swan cygnet, is because this is one of three which always stayed close to the Tundra Swans. The yellow spot in front of the eye can be difficult to see, depending on the light. I actually lost track of the Tundra Swans, among a dozen or more Trumpeters, while I was setting the tripod up.

My gosh, you all have been busy today!! They are all fantastic!!

We have a few (very few) introduced Trumpeter Swans here in Maryland. Unfortunately, the turtles kill most of the cygnets. Here is a photo of a Trumpeter Swan family with one remaining cygnet. It did not survive either. The Tundra Swans will be arriving here shortly in large numbers. And, of course, we have the resident Mute Swans.

Nice photos, Gary ..... do the Swans have any predators in Alaska ?

Wonderful pics guys!!!!

Gary thanks for showing us the difference between the two swans; love the juvenile w/ the pink bill.

Linth, wonderful pic; love the cygnet!