Birds – Starting to see some birds other than the blue jays from home.

First the Double Crested Cormorant known for those striking blue eyes. One of these days I would like to get a close up photo of this birds eye. So unique.

The Little Killdeer bird. Always fun to see in the spring time.

But very fast birds, it was very hard to get a shot of this one flying.

This photo below was from last spring, just cute as is. Two goslings.

Birds

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Cooper’s Hawk – here it is. A small hawk, but he can move. He was chasing the blue jays in and out of the trees so fast. It was hard to get a photo of it.

He would chase one and then it would escape through the trees. It would wait for one to move and at it again.

The blue jays are just as fast and can zip in and out of the tree branches as well.

I never did see the hawk catch one bird. I did see the blue jays chase it off many times. But it would come back a few days later and try again.

Nature taking its course. Oh, and when the blue jays are warning everyone around that the hawk is here. All the bird species take cover. The chickadees stay hidden until the coast is clear.

Have a great weekend.

Cooper’s Hawk

Sandra J’s Into the Light Adventures

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There are 4 species of nuthatches found in North America. They are the red-breasted nuthatch, the white-breasted nuthatch, the brown-headed nuthatch, and the pygmy nuthatch. 

While they have distinct physical features, these tree-climbing birds share habitat, food, nesting, and foraging behaviors in common.

I photographed two of them this fall here at my place.  The white breasted and the red one. 

Plus I included some more Chickadee photos. I can’t resist taking their photos when they practically come right up to me.

There Are 4 of These

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They May Be Tiny but they are fast little birds. Here’s to some of the prettiest tiny birds this fall from my backyard.

Little Birds in Slow Motion Video Link

They May Be Tiny

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5 Ds of Dodge Ball – Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge

These blue jays have the moves of the old Dodge Ball Game. Do you remember that game. I do, we played it in gym class. I don’t think they play that one anymore.

I just bought that old movie Dodge Ball, it is a classic for me.

Dodge

Duck

Dip

Dive

Dodge

5 Ds of Dodge Ball

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Heron Fishing today and this one is having some good luck. Catching big fish and eating them right away.

Before we left the small lake, heron tried again for a fish and came up empty handed. 🙂

Heron Fishing Video Link

Heron Fishing

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These Little Guys are Back – and lots of them. They are just so precious and friendly.

I made some holiday cards of this little bird. Chickadees and snow scenes go together so well. 🙂

These Little Guys are Back

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Spring Bird Family Vacations – or lets call it the bird resort here at our place. This is the baby update of these 4 birds who have nested around our place.

The Raven is here every year all year. This couple had 2 babies this year. I have been trying to get a photo of all 4 of them together, but not easy to do. The 2 babies follow mom and dad everywhere still wanting to be fed by them. I just love watching how birds take care of their families.

I had mentioned in an earlier post that the Eastern Bluebirds had 4 babies. They have all left the nest and I am really going to miss these because they eat a lot of bugs. One baby somehow landed in a bucket I had outside, I took him over by the bird house and he wondered out of the bucket and than flew off.

I hope they come back next year.

The beautiful Tree Swallows had 4 or 5 babies. It is hard to count these because they fly so fast. They have all left as well. I looked up on the internet to find out where do they go after fledging. It said they usually find a group of their own and all hang out together until they fly south for the winter.

My northern Flicker residence are still here and they had 2 babies as well. I still see them flying around as a family for now.

If I can get any new photos of the kids, I will surely share them with you.

Spring Bird Family Vacations

The Blob – did you ever see the movie, the Blob, I think it came out back in the 70’s. This first photo reminded me of that movie as these little birds are trying to run away from the foam in the water.

These little sand pipers are made for running, they are such a fast little bird running on the beach.

These feet are made for standing, knobby knees and all. The gulls don’t do a lot of running on the beach. They can stand for a long time, just watching and looking for a an opportunity to find some food.

The Blob

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Hooded Merganser – Last of the birds from the Mississippi Aquarium. I almost missed these two. The Hooded merganser you can find at many places throughout the states. Such an interesting duck, it is a fish eating duck.

This one is decked out in its breeding colors. The white areas are so bright, it really catches the eye of the females.

This one is the Speckled Mousebird.

This family was named for their soft fluffy, mousy grey-brown plumage and long, thin tails, and their mouse-like habit of scurrying around in brush as they search for food.

Due to their low-calorie, fruit-based diet, these birds go into torpor (temporary or semi-hibernation) on cold nights to conserve energy. During this time, their heart rate slows down, their body temperature decreases and they remain in a so-called “suspended animation” until it is time for them to wake up and feed again.

The only other groups of birds known to go into temporary hibernation are hummingbirds and nighthawks. These mousebirds generally roost in tight groups of 20 or more birds to prevent heat loss and also to deter nocturnal predators.

Speckled Mousebirds occur naturally in Africa – from Cameroon east through the Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and south Somalia, south through Kenya (except for the arid northern and eastern lowland areas of Kenya), eastern Africa to southern South Africa.

Hooded Merganser & MouseBird

The Red Headed Woodpecker – I am still working on getting a good photo of this bird. I only see this one when I am in Illinois. They are a fast bird and easy to spot with the bright red and white feathers.

Of course, I was walking one morning, without a camera, which I have always told myself never to do. This woodpecker landed on a tree right in front of my at eye level. I can only shake my head at how that would have been a great shot.

Normally I am pointing my camera straight up into the trees to photograph this bird. Birding is always a challenge, a fun one at that.

Have a great weekend.

The Red Headed Woodpecker

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The Ibis Group – There are a number of different birds belonging to the ibis group spread across the planet. In each place where they dwell, ibis make a lasting impression. Their distinctive decurved bill shape sets them apart from similar wading birds and makes them an instantly recognizable artistic motif.

The Ibis Group

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Pied Imperial Pigeon

The pied imperial pigeon (Ducula bicolor) is a relatively large, pied species of pigeon. It is found in forest, woodland, mangrove, plantations and scrub in Southeast Asia, ranging from Myanmar and Thailand, throughout Indonesia and east to the Philippines 

Pied Imperial Pigeon

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Bird Diving Board – the brown pelican is built for diving. From 65 feet in the air, to just diving off of a post.

Amazing birds for sure. Definitely one of my favorites when I am in south to photograph.

Have a great weekend.

Bird Diving Board

Pet Portraits

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Interesting Wing Spans markings on these brown pelicans flying overhead. I noticed the white marks under the wings which looks like their bone structure. It was more prominent in the one pelican.

When you think you have seen it all, something new pops up when watching birds.

Interesting Wing Spans

Pet Portraits

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Perfect Bird for January – The Snowy Egret, a beautiful display of flowing snow white feathers on this bird. Being there is a lot of cold and blizzard type weather moving across the states. Even down south here along the coast, the temps are cold and high winds.

Bundle up Buttercup, more cold weather coming.

Perfect Bird for January

Pet Portraits

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