2013/06/25

Birds of Late

I've been remiss lately in posting - both on the topic of the teardrop (yesterday caught us up) and bird photos.

Today is all about birds.

While it is the "slow season" for birds hereabouts, there are still some to be seen and photographed.

First up is a catbird.

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While the catbird derives its name from its ability to sound like a cat in distress, it has a varied song that belies its name.

Next is a goldfinch.  Normally these guys can only be found in the bushes.  This fella presented himself against the sky for a nice shot.

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Next up is a house finch, a close relative of the goldfinch.  The red on him really pops!

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While it is tempting to see this bird as a purple finch, the purple has much more red.  We'll settle for the "house" variety.

The "hybrid little blue x tricolor" was at play in the rock pond, seeking out food.

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In the May, 27 blog titled "Peeps Galore and More" I noted a female killdeer who was sheltering her young from bad weather.  This same female, having nested in the exact same place, recently hatched her second clutch of three young.

Mom, then the offspring:

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© 2013 Emmitt Dove All Rights Reserved


I have been keeping an eye on a local Great Blue Heron rookery, and the chicks have definitely hatched.  This rookery has eight or nine nests, all of which have been productive.  This particular nest brought to mind the phrase "crowded house."  Three chicks, one adult attempting to feed them.  The overriding concern seems to be "don't push me off the nest!"

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© 2013 Emmitt Dove All Rights Reserved


A brown thrasher was sitting in the top of a pine tree today, singing his head off.  I've always known them to be very shy ground-dwellers, so this behavior was odd to me.  Still, he provided considerable photo ops!

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A cedar waxwing was also presenting himself against the clear blue sky.

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This goldfinch was particularly cute in his environment.

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While mockingbirds are relatively plentiful, they do make for nice photos.

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Finally, this Willow Flycatcher offered a couple of poses.

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© 2013 Emmitt Dove All Rights Reserved

All things considered, the past few days, while slow for bird photography, have offered a considerable variety of opportunities.

  

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