Yardbirds 2021

[ElinL]

Last summer we had a throwdown on the birds in our backyard – appropriate because of the lock-down situation that confined most of us. The participation was good – a lot of gorgeous bird images were posted in the thread as well as the following threads with the same name.

I suggest that we start with a new thread where we left it last year.

A darling starling posing on my neighbours balcony rail:

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Looks like it’s enjoying the sun. Loving those colours on the Starling Elin 🙂

[Patrick]

Nice capture it looks like it might have just had a bird bath with it’s expression i also love the colours in these birds , i will need to see what is hanging about my yard 🙂

This one was from January but i will see what i can spy tomorrow

[Tersha]

Lovely starling Elin, the colours are sparkling in the sunshine!
Good idea for another Yardbird Throwdown, I’ll have to get my long lens out. 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Nice shot Elin. I like the high key look in contrast to the starling. Glad to see this throwdown back in action. 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely starling Elin, the colours are sparkling in the sunshine!
Good idea for another Yardbird Throwdown, I’ll have to get my long lens out. 🙂

[ElinL]

Thanks Diane – look forward to see the result !

[Rob Eyers]

Good idea to start another Elin.

This is one of our pool guests that has overstayed it’s welcome. Getting tired of vacuuming the pool. 🙂

 

[Patrick]

Very nice Rob

Great shot , great light and i love that patch of blue , all these colours work a treat together from the bird to the fence slots even the seating 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Nicely done Rob. Like Patrick said. Great light and color palette.

[ElinL]

Lovely photo – I like them – they always seem to be wearing a cheerful expression, – but I would definitely not want to have them in my swimming pool.

[Dave Watkins]

Eurasian collared dove. Arrived in Oregon in the late 1980’s.

[ElinL]

Nice shot Dave – its my favourite dove – small, peaceful and very romantic in courtship.

[Patrick]

Nice shot Dave , the red eye with catchlight on it is striking  .. lovely

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Elin and Patrick. I liked that red eye as well.

[Tobie]

A pest in some areas, beautifil regrdless, Elin.

[ElinL]

Thanks Tobie – agree –  you have a problem if they build a nest in your vents…..

[Tobie]

A pest in some areas, beautiful regardless, Elin.

[ElinL]

There have been a lot of ravens in the neighbourhood this winter.

[Patrick]

Gorgeous and very intelligent birds , nice shot Elin , i have a few here but mostly i see hooded crows and magpies in the yard , going to take the camera while visiting my sister today so will try for some small stuff like Tits and robins in her yard 🙂

Thought i posted this one from January above but it’s not showing 

We had a snow shower today April 10th Just glad it has gone again 🙂

 

[Dave Watkins]

Nice shot Patrick. Fantastic background.

[Patrick]

Thanks so much Dave

[ElinL]

Great shot – fine composition – the bird is so sharp against the soft background, works so well in B&W.

[Patrick]

Thanking you Elin , i have always been drawn to black and white photos that have been shot in the snow it helps create a lovely mood i think.

[Dave Watkins]

For some reason my replies to Elin move to the bottom. Anyway, I’ve always thought that ravens make great photographic subjects. I like the framing the tree provides here.

[Tersha]

Love the raven Elin, you’ve caught a good inquisitive look. I used to see a lot of ravens where I lived some years ago, but I haven’t seen one up close for a long time now.

[Dave Watkins]

Brown-headed Cowbird. After playing with this one in post for quite sometime I went with a darker image to add a bit of atmosphere.

[ElinL]

Beautiful image Dave – the light is as good as can be !

[Patrick]

Fully agree with Elin on this light it is lovely , Once again Dave gorgeous work mate.

[Dave Watkins]

Thank you Elin and Patrick. 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely bird Dave, I like your processing, it works really well!

[Randall Hammer]

Nice shot, Dave! Love all of the colors.

[Patrick]

Starling about to take off .. Shot today

 

[Patrick]

Blue TIT nesting in the my sisters neighbors Roof Space

I’m just popping out ..

[ElinL]

Lovely little bird, very nice capture.

[Patrick]

Thanks very much Elin.

[Tersha]

Rook, today, in the back garden …

[Patrick]

Love its pose , great capture tersha , another highly intelligent bird right there 🙂

[ElinL]

Great shot. His beak looks as if he has been digging deep. Funny birds –  never seen them here – they come here only as vagrants.

[Patrick]

Interesting info Elin , I always thought they were widespread across Europe sometimes i spot them in the garden but don’t hang about too long.

[Dave Watkins]

Male Rufous.

[Patrick]

Very nice capture Dave i love how you can still make out details on the wings at such fast wingbeats , i have only ever seen these birds in photographs and this is another sweet one mate.

[ElinL]

Very nice catch David, they are such sweet birds.

[Dave Watkins]

Thank you both for your comments. Carol and I enjoy watching these as they zip around the yard. 🙂

[Patrick]

I liked this pigeons shape almost mimics the shape of the apex of the roof

[Patrick]

Another Starling

[Patrick]

Male house sparrow 

[ElinL]

Wow you are really shooting birds Patrick –  all lovely but the house sparrow is a stunner !

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin , it is surprising how many birds you can find by standing more or less in the same spot , some days i have walked miles and seen plenty but got nothing to show other than sore feet at least in the yard you can easily reach for the kettle and make a brew if it is going slow 🙂

[beth]

fantastic shot

[ElinL]

So true Patrick. I went for a walk in a woodland area on Saturday, the air was filled with song but the only birds I managed to shoot were sitting very high up.

[Patrick]

Nice light you had as well Elin sometimes just listening to them in full song like this little one is in your shot can make a blank day not so bad , there is always the next day lol.

[Patrick]

Tricky to ID some pigeons and Doves but i think this is a Rock Dove in my garden yesterday.

Robin

Female House Sparrow

[Dave Watkins]

Some really nice bird photos Patrick. Interesting how some of “your” birds look like “our” birds and some do not. The Rock Dove looks just like the ones around here. But the Robin looks completely different.

[Patrick]

Yeah i heard a few people say that about the robin i think your one is taller , they are hard as nails when it comes to defending their territory i seen one trying to chase a squirrel away but the squirrel just ignored it and got the nuts it was after lol

Thanks very much mate 🙂

[ElinL]

Very lovely shots – identifying birds can be very tricky, esp if the plumage is dependent on  hormonal status.

[Patrick]

Very good point Elin , i struggle Being able to ID things like song thrush and mistle thrush and fair few others in the field i need to look them up afterwards and even then it’s tricky lol.

[Dave Watkins]

Hidden among the blossoms. What I believe to be a female Brewers Blackbird in our pear tree.

[Patrick]

That is a nice bird Dave not seen one before this is a first , i love the blossoms as well they go well with each other 🙂

[ElinL]

This looks very nice Dave – its real spring you have there, not like ours all gray and windy 🙂 Brightens my day !

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Patrick. Thanks Elin. Most blossoms on our pear tree that we’ve seen. From a distance the bird was hidden very well.

[Dave Watkins]

Lots of B’s. B&W Brewers Black Bird in Bamboo.

[Patrick]

Really nice composition Dave , you caught it in a lovely pose as well it flows nicely with the bamboo leaf shape 🙂

[ElinL]

Wow – looks great in BNW – great composition !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

I love this composition and the way you have post processed it Dave 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks for your comments Patrick, Elin and Dahlia. 🙂

[ElinL]

Redwing – the most common bird around where I live

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful Elin. Looks like it turned back to pose for you 🙂

[Patrick]

Lovely bird and photo Elin , can even spot the dash of the red  ..nice share 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Nice work Elin. Soft background highlights the bird very well.

[Federico Alegria]

Ner had the patience for doing images like these, but I do enjoy watching them! Thanks for sharing your images!

[ElinL]

Thanks Dahlia, Dave and Patrick. Federico, patience has nothing to do with it – if you like bird watching shooting birds becomes a natural part of it.

[Dave Watkins]

Black-capped Chickadee hanging out in the yard.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! I love how you have composed this image Dave 🙂

[ElinL]

Agree with Dahlia – you and the bird….

[Patrick]

Lovely shot mate , it looks like our Coal tit very very similar markings.

[Dave Watkins]

Oops! Somehow have missed your comments here. Thank you Dahlia, Elin and Patrick. 🙂

[Robert Apple]

This guy has been spending a lot of time in our pasture lately.

[Patrick]

I love these birds well captured Robert , i wish we had them here  🙂

[ElinL]

That is a royal visit Robert, hope your dog is safe !

[Robert Apple]

The finches are just starting to return.

[Patrick]

Another stunner mate gorgeous colours on it and sweet catchlight on its eye 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful bird and love its colour Robert 🙂

[ElinL]

Lovely birds Robert – great catch !

[Patrick]

Chaffinch (male) 

[ElinL]

Wow, this is a beauty ! I am waiting for the horned grebes to appear so that I can compete with such a display of colours.

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin , i just spotted a little goldfinch picking seeds that fell from the feeder onto the grass hope a few more turn up when i don’t have my hands clasping to a mug of hot chocolate ..Enjoy your Sunday 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Wow. Love that blue color. Nice one Patrick.

[Patrick]

Thanks very much Dave , A Male and Female have made my yard a fav spot to get a quick snack , the female does not hold the same colours as the male they are very much toned down Brown/Cream , still lovely none the less 🙂

[Patrick]

A few more from Friday , when ever i mow my grassed areas the birds just love looking to see what they can find in the shorter stuff

Blackbird , it seems to have a condition called Leucism  abnormal white or pale plumage due to a lack of melanin pigment caused by a genetic mutation

Robin

Robin

Starling Enjoying a clean up

[ElinL]

Lovely shots all of them – your bath shots are priceless. There are blackbird albinos – must be a strange sight.

[Patrick]

I have seen a few white one in photos but never in the flesh , strange stuff indeed.

Thank you Elin 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great images Patrick. Love each one of them 🙂

[Patrick]

Thanks a million Dahlia 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Had to smile when I saw the startled look on the b&w Robin. 🙂 Beautiful feather detail too.

[Patrick]

Thank you Dave , it has a that , What’s That What’s it for look on its face 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Our yard in a bottle. And a hummingbird.

[Patrick]

Love it mate sweet capture 🙂

[ElinL]

Nice catch David. Took a lot of hummingbird photos in Trinidad a few years ago – not always easy to get sharp – they are so small and move so quickly.

[Dave Watkins]

Two more missed comments from four days ago. They say the mind is the first thing to go. 🙂 Thanks for commenting Patrick and Elin.

[ElinL]

Determined…

[Patrick]

They sure can be , is that a piece of ice hanging down from the guttering  if so that is also determined as well fighting back against the sun 🙂 i seen a starling near my feeder doing an impression of one of Dave’s Humming Birds it was comical.

[Dave Watkins]

Fun with filters.

[ElinL]

Radial filter in PS ? The result is absolutely stunning !

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Elin. 🙂 Radial blur filter in ON1 Photo RAW. Also “Big Softy” vignette filter, added a little magenta with a color filter and a bit of dodging to lighten the birds face.

[Patrick]

Love the creativity with filters mate i also love the composition the birds head position really shows this little birds marking beautifully 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Thanks Patrick. Glad you like it. 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful effect Dave 🙂

[Dave Watkins]

Thank you Dahlia. 🙂

[ElinL]

Today it is the first day of summer, according to the old Nordic calendar. The day is celebrated as a national holiday with childrens parade etc, even though the weather is more often than not freezing and snowing. It is a tradition for people to wish each other “happy summer”.  Today it is relatively warm but raining cats and dogs and the starlings are busy drying feathers. A few grebes have arrived at the lake but are quiet and taking it easy. This morning I saw a eurasian wigeon – a migrant rarely seen here in the SW of the country.

 

Starling

Eurasian wigeon

[Patrick]

Happy summer Elin 🙂

Two lovely bird photos to start the summer season , love the colours on the wigeon , that starling looks lively and lovely framing on it 🙂

My plan today is a visit to a local river , our weather today is very bright sunny day and hope to spot a dipper or little wren along the river bank hopefully the wooded areas can soften the harsh light a touch .. Have a lovely day whatever your doing and thanks for posting 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick – wish you a lovely day in the sun and happy shooting !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the minimal composition with the Starling Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you very much Dahlia 🙂

[Daniel Krueger]

Spring in Minnesota has finally arrived!!!

A Starling at the Feeder.

 

[Patrick]

Hi Daniel  great to have you join in with the Yardbirds thread and nice shooting mate , lovely colours on this starling you captured and nice clean background gives nice concentration on the birds features , Thanks for sharing ..keep em coming 🙂

[ElinL]

Lovely shot Daniel – nice and sharp – caught the rainbow shade of its breast very well.

[Patrick]

I shot this image while at the river so not in my Yard although i do have a few of these hooded crows that visit daily , this bird was a bit far away for my liking but the river not working out too many people about and i could not settle when it gets busy, I was not going home empty handed 🙂 .

[ElinL]

Perfect is the enemy of good –   you were close enough to get more than a decent shot of a clever fella –  ravens, crows, magpies –  love them.

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin , very wise words – Perfect is the enemy of good – the last 3 days has been a bit like that for me , i plan and the plan falls apart , normally i don’t plan i just grab the gear and go and it turns out a lot less stressful 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

This crow looks peculiar. Interesting to see how many types of crows there are. Beautiful mood in the image Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you very much Dahlia 🙂

[Patrick]

[ElinL]

Splendid shots – love the starling with sharp focus on the fly….easy to see how that ended…

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the starling photo more Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Thanks very much Dahlia .. me also 🙂

[ElinL]

Time for grebe-wars

[Patrick]

Oh lovely shot , it could well be the 100 meters breast stroke 🙂 , lovely warmth in this shot Elin 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lol…such a cute photo Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick and Dahlia. They are the cutest of birds but probably some of the most territorial waterfowls there are, apart from swans

The weed dance

[Patrick]

Great capture and to see Elin , i watch a guy on YT called mike lane and it was just yesterday i was learning a little about this display , thanks for posting 🙂

Mike Lane

https://youtu.be/sBzBXuvnv9Q

 

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! They made me laugh 😀

[Patrick]

female chaffinch

 

[ElinL]

A beauty with a perfect pose ! Stunning.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love this Patrick and the light is beautiful 🙂

[Patrick]

Sorry i just seen your comment Dahlia , thank you very much 🙂

[Robert Apple]

MINE !!!!!!!!!

My Property borders the Road

[ElinL]

Lol Robert, what a catch – for you and the eagle ! Not exactly a place for a quiet dinner.

[Patrick]

Lol i nearly spat my tea out what a beauty , this image really shows the scale of these eagles lovely capture Robert , one of those could carry me away while i am taking a photo of a starling 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lol, that’s a great catch Robert 🙂

[ElinL]

Evening bath. Horned (slavonian) grebe

[ElinL]

Just one more

[Patrick]

Really beautiful birds Elin and nice shooting , love the golden light on the face in photo two a lot 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick 🙂

[Finnur A P F]

love is in the air. Beautiful

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Such peculiar birds with great character. Beautiful photo Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia, yes grebes are entertaining and very interesting from a behavioural point of view. Maybe I will write a post about them later when the chicks are out of the eggs 🙂

[Patrick]

Sounds good to me 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! That sounds interesting Elin 🙂

[Tersha]

So many amazing shots! I haven’t had time to look at this thread properly, I need to go through it again. 🙂
Woodpecker, today …

[Patrick]

Lovely shots Tersha , i have yet to see one for myself  in the wild i hear them and know a couple of spots people have photographed them but i have not been lucky enough so far.

There is a few kingfishers on a local river and again all i have seen is a flash of blue zooming past , i have been picking up tips on getting a shot of them i just need to get the time to put my plan to work.

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, I’d only seen Woodpeckers a couple of times before I lived where I am now. Here, they are in the garden almost every day, and have been for the last few years or so. I think the one in the photo is a chick.
I’e only ever caught the flash of a kingfisher, too. My partner often sees them when he’s fishing. Be good if you’re plan works out, and you get a shot! 🙂

[Patrick]

Lol my plans always mess up , i have found a few spots/perches along a local river that the resident kingfishers visit .. a long wait on them using the right one seems like what is required and a lot of Luck 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful images Diane. Love them! 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[ElinL]

Lovely shots of lovely birds Diane.

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin!

[ElinL]

Early morning chat

[Patrick]

Good one Elin lovely light and those eyes are gorgeous 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great photo Elin 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely Elin, the eyes are amazing!

[ElinL]

Thanks Patrick, Dahlia and Diane. Their eyes are remarkable Diane – make them look like small devils when they are in attack mode.

[Tersha]

In the garden this morning …
female bullfinch…

male bullfinch

they were busy eating dandelion seeds!

[Patrick]

Very nice shots Tersha , lovely bird with its colorful markings i have yet to see one in my garden 🙂

[ElinL]

Lovely photos – lovely birds – thanks for sharing Diane. Our spring is so late this year, wonderful to see the green colours in your garden.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love these images Diane. The birds are cute 🙂

[ElinL]

Tufted ducks

[Patrick]

This superb shooting Elin really lovely work , gorgeous light and smashing detail on the birds  .. awesome stuff you have me itching to go out today 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great photo Elin. You caught them perfectly at the right time 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you  so much Patrick 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia 🙂

[Patrick]

I Really need to make some backgrounds something i can change out at will

[ElinL]

Aw – that is a beauty ! Awesome shot Patrick !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great shot and beautiful bird Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Hi Dahlia thanks so much 🙂

[ElinL]

Waiting for her partner

[Patrick]

Just beautiful Elin , it has such a gorgeous bronze coloring and warmth from the light .. So Good 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Gorgeous light and can see her eyes just above the water 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

 

Indian Spotted Eagle – Captured from my apartment balcony.

I hope this can be posted here because the balcony is like my backyard and we have a few birds around here 🙂

 

[Patrick]

Such a beautiful Bird , lovely shooting Dahlia i would love to have such birds flying in my skies , Great capture and nice share 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Patrick 🙂

[ElinL]

Great shot of this majestic bird Dahlia – the light on its beak make it perfect ! I must admit that I have expanded the definition of my “backyard” quite considerably….. I suspect that Patrick is equally guilty in that respect ! Speaking of India – I sincerely hope that you stay safe and healthy <3

[Patrick]

Hi Elin , to follow the thread tittle all the birds i posted were shot from my Own backyard or my sisters backyard except 1 which was the crow while at the river 🙂

Fully agree with Elin ..Stay safe 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Patrick 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Elin 🙂

[Randall Hammer]

Nice shot, Dahlia. I love seeing these raptors soaring.

[Patrick]

These two are planning on a raid at my bird table ..they would eat you out of house and home 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lol Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

They would lol 🙂

[ElinL]

Lol 🙂  However, the world would be poorer without them

[Patrick]

So very true Elin , i love them really 🙂

[Rob Eyers]

You have no idea how big these birds are until one flies by your window and lands in your pool. It turned into a game as I tried to get it to leave before fouling (excuse the pun) the water. Run here, swim there, back and forth for 10 minutes or so before it tired of the plot. My neighbours must have had a good chuckle. My nephew calls these Canadian Cobra Chickens.

[Patrick]

That bird is made for that pool they look rather good together , gorgeous shot and bird and your right they are fairly large.

[ElinL]

Lol 🙂 First the duck and then this giant – makes one wonder what comes next – a Northern Gannet ? There must be some feature of your pool, apart from the water, that they find attractive. Great shot 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow Rob. I love the colour contrast 🙂

[ElinL]

Gotcha !

[Patrick]

Brilliant shot , like a ninja 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great catch Elin. I love those red fiery kind of eyes 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick and Dahlia – agree – they look strange – and they behave differently from any other birds I know  – just wait till you see the chicks 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Look forward to them Elin 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Ring-necked parakeet

[Patrick]

Such Beautiful green and stunning eyes , love it Dahlia love the out of focus BG as well 🙂

I was just doing some little bits of video with the starlings getting a bath in my yard they are so funny.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Patrick. It is great to watch birds and animals doing their thing 🙂

[ElinL]

Lovely photo – beautiful bird – those guys are so clever and entertaining – I would really like to see them in the wild.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Elin 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely bird Dahlia, love the shades of green and brown.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Diane 🙂

[Patrick]

Little Blue tit at one of my feeders

[ElinL]

Aw- this is cuteness overload ! Great shot Patrick.

[Patrick]

Agreed Elin lovely little things , they are so fast in and out in a split second lol

[Dahlia Ambrose]

So cute Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you Dahlia 🙂

[Tersha]

Sweet shot Patrick, well. caught with the seed in his beak!

[Patrick]

Thanks a lot Tersha 🙂

[JasenkaG]

Kind of 😀

[ElinL]

Fantastic shot Jasenka – really gave me a laugh !

[Patrick]

Lovely capture Jasenka 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

That’s a lovely photo Jasenka 🙂

[Tersha]

Cool shot Jasenka, made me smile! 🙂

[Patrick]

Please forgive me as this is not a Yard bird , I got my bird but not the shot i want ( I’ll be back for that one ) i used up a whole weeks worth of fieldcraft to find the area it was using once i found a perch with what looked like bird dropping on the lower branches i sat it out , when it arrived it went to the branch in the image which was not the perch .. Crafty 🙂

Not a comp winner but it was my first kingfisher and felt well happy with my efforts Composition was hampered with the close branches behind the bird  … ISO 2000 – 1/100 – 600mm -Handheld.

[ElinL]

Well done Patrick – a lovely portrait !  I support the extension of the concept – there are no birds in my yard anymore probably because of the new cats in the neighbourhood. Now I take my camera to two small lakes nearby, and what a fun that is.

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin , your just right we have to go to the spots the creatures live i only have a small front and back gardens so nearly always need to travel if i want variety, my bike has been a god send on many occasions just wish it was electric powered 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lovely photo Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you so much 🙂

[Tersha]

Wow, you got your kingfisher! Lovely shot Patrick.

[Patrick]

Lol i did indeed thank you Tersha , now that the trees are beginning to leaf up i might need to place a perch were there is better light and hope one lands on it , it gets really dark under the tree canopy.

[Tobie]

Nice shot mate! We only have one KF with black beak in South Africa: the Half-collared Kingfisher. All kingfishers are beautiful and this one is no exception!

[ElinL]

Early morning drama

 

[Patrick]

Someone must have forgot to get coffee lol , lovely capture Elin , we have light rain here today and i need to dig a veg patch out for one of my sisters i might take the camera as well because once the soil in turned the birds will be down to see if they can find an easy meal might be a chance of an image or 3 lol

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! That bird behind the duck looks awesome Elin 🙂

[Tersha]

Wonderful catch Elin!

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick, Dahlia and Diane – look forward to you pics Patrick, – love the ones where you can se them drag the worms (poor worms) out of the earth….

[Tersha]

Song thrush ….. singing!
He sits at the top of the tree every day and sings his heart out!

[Patrick]

Lovely capture and in full on song , gorgeous birds they are 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, they really are very special!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! So beautiful Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[ElinL]

What a beauty Diane – can almost hear him singing.

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, do you get them with you?
Perhaps I should video it, so you can hear the song?

[ElinL]

We dont have them here so yes thank you, I would love to hear it 🙂

[Patrick]

Magpie with more than its fair share i might need to buy more fat balls for the yard next time 🙂

[ElinL]

Great shot Patrick – very nice in bnw –  funny birds – clever and mischievous. Miss them from my years in Bergen.

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin ,  Bergen would that be the same as here , one of the most beautiful places i ever seen 🙂

https://youtu.be/RreM1SWoXdk?t=1823

[ElinL]

Yes 🙂

[Patrick]

The river that runs along the rail line looks like a gorgeous salmon river the landscape is fairytale stuff 🙂

[Tersha]

Cool shot Patrick! Along with the rooks and jackdaws they are very greedy!

[Patrick]

Thank you Tersha , i like all 3 types they sure are really clever , i also like the Jays but every time i see one i never have a camera 🙂

[Tersha]

Marsh tit …

[Patrick]

Lovely shot , i just had to read about this little bird , they have bigger brains that coal tit and store the seeds they collect from feeders for a rainy day 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, your description of it storing food reminds me of nuthatches. A couple of years back I used to watch a nuthatch take nuts from the feeder, and then hide them in the moss on a hanging basket!

[ElinL]

Wonderful shot – lovely bird on a rainy day. He certainly got him self a big bite – maybe he is about to fly away with it to do as you suggested Patrick 😉

[Patrick]

Could very well be Elin 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love this photo of a beautiful bird Diane. The rain adds to the mood 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia, we’re having a lot of rain just now!

[ElinL]

A big and very lively bite…..it took a long time to swallow..

[Patrick]

Great images i love seeing behavioral shots like this , i am not great on getting my birds id correct but just wanted to ask is this an Arctic tern ?

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick – yes it is arctic tern. The most graceful flyer of all birds, fiercely aggressive this time of the year. Never have I or my camera been shat so much on as by terns in springtime. I am with you on behavioural shots.

[Patrick]

🙂 Thank you Elin

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lovely photos Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia.

[Tersha]

These are great Elin!

[ElinL]

Thank you Diane.

[Tobie]

Nice one! It’s actually amazing how big fish these guys can gulp down.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Openbill Stork

[Patrick]

Lovely capture Dahlia , a really beautiful bird 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Patrick. I love them too 🙂

[ElinL]

Wow Dahlia – that is a fantastic photo. The contrast between the bird and the buildings take it to another level. This is a huge bird – do they nest on chimneys like the European storks ?

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Elin. These storks are small compared to the other storks we have around here like the adjutant storks, painted stork, wooly neck stork, black necked stork, etc. I have seen them nesting on tall trees, usually on the top most branches 🙂

[Tersha]

Love it Dahlia, as Elin already said, the buildings in the background really add to the feel of the shot!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Diane 🙂

[ElinL]

Black-tailed godwit

[Patrick]

Gorgeous shot Elin , lovely light showing its beautiful shape and feather pattern 🙂

[Tersha]

Stunning shot Elin, love the light and clarity.

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick and Diane.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the light and stunning details Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you so much Dahlia

[Tersha]

Another rook …. looking!

[ElinL]

One can only wonder what he is up to lol – wonderful shot – what a character !

[Tersha]

Hi Elin, he’s one of many that sit in the trees waiting for the garden to be empty of people so they can swoop down and eat all the food!

[Patrick]

Nice capture Tersha  , comical antics 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! I love how he looks through the leaves. Great shot Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you so much Dahlia, I love it too and wish it was mine but it isn´t – it is Diane´s pic.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lol….sorry Elin. I don’t know why I wrote your name instead of Diane’s 😀

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great shot Diane. Sorry about the previous comment where I mentioned Elin’s name 🙂

[Tersha]

No worries Dahlia! 🙂 Thanks for the comment.

[beth]

these are from my local wildlife refuge.

a turning tern.

https://flic.kr/p/2kUkRb6

 

sand pipers in flight

https://flic.kr/p/2kTiTXa

[ElinL]

Great shots Beth.  The tern is absolutely wonderful ! I have never seen any of our terns do turns like that – I have been watching them for years.

[beth]

thanks elin.  it was diving in the water and popping out a few feet away from where it entered.   that’s why this is a little bit out of focus.  the next frame is in focus, but the water droplets lost the heart shaped pattern.  as the tern came out of the water it would level itself and turn around to discard the water droplets.  it was hard to see the turning movement while i watched because it was pretty quick.  but luckily the camera caught it.

[Patrick]

Yeah agree both lovely photos Beth , loving the tern with the water spraying motion 🙂

[beth]

thanks patrick

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love both the photos Beth. The light is so beautiful 🙂

[beth]

thanks dahlia

[Tersha]

Great shots, both of them Beth, but the turning tern is special!

[beth]

thanks tersha

[Tobie]

Lovely shots Beth, specially the 1st one – love the heart shape of the water drops!

[Tersha]

In the garden today … fledgling Robin …. cuteness overload!

[Patrick]

So so beautiful 🙂 lovely capture Tersha and great to see them at this stage in life.

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, I’d never seen one before!

[beth]

very nice!

[Tersha]

Thanks Beth!

[ElinL]

So sweet ! Lovely capture – hope your neighbour keeps the cat indoors now.

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, I haven’t seen the cat much lately, so fingers crossed! 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Sweet photo of the bird Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[Tersha]

Dinner time!

[Patrick]

Lovely capture , they got to be the best worm finders i ever did see always with a mouth full 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, I saw one getting a snail from it’s shell today, I didn’t know they did that1

[ElinL]

Love those worm-photos. It is difficult to understand how they can sense where the worms are under a thick mat of grass.  Admirable ability.

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, my partner saw one jumping up and down on the spot to get worms!

[ElinL]

Ah thats how they do it – clever !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! Interesting to know how they get the worms. Thank you for sharing Diane 🙂

[ElinL]

Gimme a bite

[Patrick]

Nicely captured Elin , the redpoll i still not got any shots yet lol ..nice share 🙂

[ElinL]

Thanks Patrick – your camera dont stand a chance unless you bribe them lol

[Patrick]

haha so its gonna cost me 🙂

[Tersha]

Sweet shot Elin! We get redpolls here too, though I haven’t seen any this year.
But, I’ve found a shot from a few years back …

[Patrick]

Lovely lovely shot Tersha , they are so beautifully marked and i just love that red above the eye awesome share thank you.

You Two Show off’s lol .. only kidding of course 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love it Diane 🙂

[ElinL]

Beautiful shot Diane – they are  so sweet – but fast moving – difficult to catch as well as this.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful shot Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia

[Dahlia Ambrose]

House Sparrow

[Tersha]

Sweet shot Dahlia!

[Patrick]

Gorgeous photo Dahlia 🙂

[ElinL]

Love it – looks as if he is planning something……

[Tersha]

Siskins …

[ElinL]

Beautiful shot – they are really lovely birds.

[Patrick]

Lovely shot Tersha , they have such a tough beak for a little bird .. my yard has gone very quiet over the last few days in fact the last few days i have hardly heard any bird song .. I have a feeling the the adults are teaching the youngsters the necessities of survival right now added to that there is an abundance of food at this time of year.

[ElinL]

I sincerely hope that the silence is not caused by a visitors like this. Caught him skulking in the garden last night – love cats but this guy should definitely be kept indoors at this time of the year.

[Patrick]

Spot on Elin , i do have a cat that has caused problems last year which belongs to one of my neighbor’s , i placed my feeding station in such a way the birds will spot it before it can get close to them but you are right the cats can be a worry.

[ElinL]

Fetching dinner for the kids. White wagtail.

https://flic.kr/p/2m3qjS5

[Patrick]

Such a gorgeous bird Elin , lovely image as well 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Gorgeous bird and photo Elin 🙂

[Finnur A P F]

Lovely

[ElinL]

Takk Finnur 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Open bill storks.

Removed a few power cables

[Patrick]

Beautiful shot Dahlia , love how you framed them in this image .. Gorgeous markings on them , thanks for posting 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Patrick 🙂

[ElinL]

Wonderful shot Dahlia – magnificent birds ! Must be fun to watch their aerobatics !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you so much Elin. Yes, love watching them and they make me happy 🙂

[Tobie]

Well caught in mid-flight!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Tobie 🙂

[Patrick]

[ElinL]

Wow ! Wonderful portrait Patrick. Love the heart- shaped  profile above the beak.

[Patrick]

Thank you very much Elin , i have acquired visits from a few racing pigeons , they belong to a local pigeon fancier across the way from my house , i have seed out and on view and they sneak a freebie and a drink while they are out exercising they then fly back to the owners loft .. there is one with a marble white head i must try capture its lovely looking 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great image Patrick. Love the bird’s stare and details 🙂

[Patrick]

Hi thank you very much Dahlia 🙂

[ElinL]

Just returned from a lunch of soil and grass with mom and dad…

[Patrick]

Lovely capture Elin , the mum and dad have a handful there 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick. Last year they had only one surviver after the summer – lets hope that their luck will be better this year !

[Patrick]

Fingers crossed for them 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

So sweet and beautiful photo Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Looking for dinner

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the minimal frame Elin 🙂

[Patrick]

Nice frame indeed , i like it 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia and Patrick 🙂

[Tersha]

Love this Elin, very minimalist!
After a week without broadband, it’s really good to be able to get back and comment again.

[ElinL]

Thank you Diane. Those down- periods makes one wonder how life was possible before internet ….

[Tersha]

You’re right Elin, I once lived in the middle of nowhere, with no electricity, running water and proper road. That was before mobile phones and a computer would have been impossible! Don’t think I could do it now! 🙂

[Patrick]

[ElinL]

Very nice pic of a beautiful dove Patrick – lovely soft, matching colours.

[Patrick]

Thank you Elin , i have a pair that visit now and again and when i came home yesterday i spotted a a bird roughly the size of one of the doves laying dead in my garden when i went to look it was a young gull that must have only left the nest recently .. lots of plucked feathers on the grass so it could have been a sparrow hawk or kestrel that done the damage

[ElinL]

The world is cruel…. hope your doves are safe !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful portrait of the dove Patrick. Love it 🙂

[Tersha]

Nice portrait Patrick.

[Patrick]

Hi Tersha thank you 🙂

[ElinL]

European golden plover trying to distract me from her/his nest.

[Patrick]

Gorgeous frame Elin and such a beautiful bird ..Nice going and share 🙂

I was trying to get a few plover shots just after sunrise on Sunday morning not sure if they are any good yet as they are still to be transferred to Pc .. probably all blurry and under exposed they can sure move fast about the sand lol.

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick – look forward to see your shots. This one moved suitably slowly to keep my attention as it walked away from the nest – it asks for a re-visit.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love this Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Dahlia – thank you 🙂

I always get a duplicate error message when I post replies to you, so I have to rephrase them in order to get them accepted. Never get them when posting such replies to other   Lightstalkers – I just wonder why it is so…

[Tersha]

Beautiful Elin! Has to be seen large, and then the detail and the colours really stand out against the lovely bokeh background!

[ElinL]

Thank you Diane 🙂

[Patrick]

Ringed plover

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful bird and lovely photo Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you very much Dahlia , the scene looked much darker at the time so focus was a bit of an issue and i was still trying to wake up lol

[Randall Hammer]

Nice shot Patrick! What a pretty bird.

[Patrick]

They are a lovely little bird thank you mate , they can move so fast across the sand and suddenly disappear behind some washed up seaweed and they blend in so well with it it can be fun finding them again 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely shot Patrick, such a cute little bird. Nice focus and detail.

[Patrick]

Thank you so much Tersha 🙂

[ElinL]

Lovely photo Patrick. We have a lot of them here – such a sweet bird.

[Patrick]

Thank you very much Elin , i don’t get to the coast very often i wish i did because the variety of birds is amazing , i got about 40 shots of a cuckoo perched on a wooden post and every shot got binned i was shooting through a glass window and it killed the detail and focus .. live and learn lol

[Tersha]

For some unknown reason, this thrush was sitting on the windowsill this morning, so I grabbed a quick shot with my phone …

[Patrick]

Nicely captured Tersha , i looks like a young one probably still finding its wings and confidence 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, you’re probably right, there are a couple about on the lawn.

[ElinL]

Lovely Diane – impressive how sharp it is through window glass. Love the reflections at the bottom.

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Such a sweet shot Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia.

[Randall Hammer]

[Randall Hammer]

[ElinL]

Majestic looking bird Randall – which kind is it ?

[Randall Hammer]

This is a Mississippi Kite. We have them all around our neighborhood. It’s a smaller hawk. This one likes my neighbor’s tree. They are very aerobatic and fun to watch.

[Tersha]

I’ve ever seen one of these before Randall, we have Red Kites here.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful bird Randall 🙂

[Tersha]

Juvenile woodpecker …

then shooed away by an adult…

[ElinL]

Gorgeous shots Diane, such beautiful birds – love the patches of crimson in the nape and at the base of the tail.

[Patrick]

Love these birds very nice captures tersha 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful Diane 🙂

[ElinL]

Shelduck ducklings

[Patrick]

Lovely they are beautiful 🙂

[Erik Fransman]

ElinL, it looks like the bird is sitting in front of Click´s Pyramid, before the perpective correction.

I like the matching colors of the bird and the rusting Fence. (didn´t you have enough time during the lockdown to de-rust and paint? (Just kidding!) )

[ElinL]

Soft passenger

[Dahlia Ambrose]

That’s a sweet and cute photo Elin. Love it 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia…..

[Patrick]

Gorgeous image Elin 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Bee-eater

[ElinL]

Fantastic image Dahlia – the movement of the leaves create a great background to the bird. Lovely colours.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Elin 🙂

[Patrick]

Just seeing this now beautiful photo Dahlia , i also love the movement on the tree 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Patrick 🙂

[ElinL]

Common loon

[Patrick]

Another beauty of an image Elin , i love the feather pattern on these birds 😉

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick – they are amazing creatures.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful Elin. I too love the patterns on its body 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you 🙂

[Tersha]

Looking lost …..
This little robin chick came into the conservatory today

[ElinL]

So sweet – did it manage to find its parents again ?

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, I think it did find its parents again …. I put it by the hedge where I’d seen it before (kept an eye out for cats!), and it soon disappeared. 🙂

[Patrick]

Very beautiful Tersha , even at this age they have gorgeous colors , lovely shot 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, I think it’s colours are gorgeous too!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Sweet and cute Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[Patrick]

A Little Wren caught my attention with its loud machine gun type sounds , for a little bird they can make some noise 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Sweet and cute little bird Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

They are Dahlia , thanks for looking 🙂

[ElinL]

Such a lovely photo Patrick – cutest of birds – thanks for posting 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you very much Elin , i heard this little one on my way out of the stables and just had to get a snap 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely Patrick, such sweet little birds!
I just saw this today, just as I was about to post a photo of a wren too!

[Patrick]

Thank you Tersha , i love how they hold the tail proud like this 🙂

[Tersha]

This little wren chick flew into the house, my partner picked it up, I took a quick shot on my phone, we put it outside and it flew away! I’ve never seen a wren that close before!

[Patrick]

That is gorgeous Tersha such lovely little creatures , nice going 🙂

[ElinL]

Adorable creature – and think of it – a few weeks ago it was only an egg….

[Dahlia Ambrose]

So adorable Diane 🙂

[ElinL]

The horned grebe is a very territorial bird, which poses a problem to the peaceful mother ducks innocently swimming on the lake with their flock of ducklings. Of course they should know because the grebes have had their very well defined territories for several weeks now, but obviously they tend to forget. The grebe attacks are terrifying and split the families with the risk of the ducklings not finding their mothers again…..

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great shot Elin. Hope the duckling is back with its mother 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia 🙂 Hopefully, there are so many of them and they all look alike – most likely he found a mother and a flock to follow.

[Patrick]

It can be a risky time of year that is for sure , love the shot Elin great clarity on the little one as well 😉

[ElinL]

Thanks Patrick 🙂

[Tersha]

Sparrows eating dock seeds…

[Patrick]

Lovely shot Tersha 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Sweet photo Diane 🙂

[ElinL]

Darling birds – lovely !

[Patrick]

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lovely photo Patrick. Looks like his eyes are fixed on something serious! 🙂

[Patrick]

Hi Dahlia thank you very much , It was very annoyed at the squirrel raiding all the nuts laying on the grass it even got the last one near the water bath lol

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lol 😀

[ElinL]

Great shot ! He looks as if he is considering to do something about it……

[Patrick]

lol he has five young ones and they are keeping the parents busy , they live in a tree just outside my yard 🙂

Thank you Elin 🙂

[Tersha]

Cool photo Patrick, rooks are very photogenic!

[ElinL]

Home delivery

Arctic tern

[Patrick]

Excellent capture Elin it looks so fragile poor little thing 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful photo Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick and Dahlia.

[Tersha]

Beautiful capture Elin!

[ElinL]

Thanks Diane.

[Patrick]

During a coffee break out my window 

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! This is a great shot Patrick. The rain adds to an awesome mood and story 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you so much Dahlia 🙂 , needed a rest from painting the fumes just got too much lol

[ElinL]

Beautiful photo Patrick, the rain gives it special atmosphere. What kind of bird is it ?

[Patrick]

Thanks very much Elin this is a Common chaffinch a male 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely sharp shot Patrick, love the rain, too!

[Patrick]

Thank you Tersha , a little goldfinch arrived 5 mins later 🙂

[ElinL]

Lovely image Patrick – a great catch.

[Patrick]

Thanking you Elin 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! Sweet bird and love all those colours Patrick 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you so much Dahlia 🙂

[Rob Eyers]

Not exactly my back yard…lets just say my neck of the woods…

[Patrick]

A Beauty Rob , lovely composition mate .. incredibly beautiful birds 🙂

[Tersha]

Great shot Rob, I love the red eyes!

[ElinL]

Lovely shot. Great to catch it on its nest. Will you have the chance to follow up the hatching ?

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love this photo Rob. Beautiful bird 🙂

[ElinL]

Here, the cliffs are more colourful than the birds.

[Patrick]

Loving this one you filled the frame for sure Elin great photo again 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you very much Patrick 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love this photo Elin. Great colours on the rocks and I love the light that highlights the birds 🙂

[ElinL]

Dahlia – thank you 🙂

[Tersha]

Great photo Elin! It looks as if it’s high up, did you climb?

[ElinL]

Thank you Diane. The cliffs are coastal – so you walk on land until it ends  so to speak. I´ll post an image with a bigger perspective when I am back in town 🙂

[Mistyisle]

When I saw the title to this challenge, Erin, I immediately thought of the Yardbirds, a high-profile UK band who in the past had Eric Clapton as a member.  So, very quickly, I learned differently.  I love your little chappie and his surround- very nice capture.

[Mistyisle]

Every day  I try to remember to put out sugar water on our deck for the Tuis who come looking for it.  Most days I remember.   The sugar water is a great substitute for the nectar that they get from the flowers.  We never tire of seeing them every day.  They are very territorial, so quickly chase off other Tuis who come to feed – if our one sees them.  You will see the white bundle of white hair that they all have at the front of their necks.

[ElinL]

Love your Tuis Jim – beautiful birds. They look as if they have a streak of mischief in them – is that right ? ( By the way Jim – it has been years now – it is Elin – not Erin 😉 )

[Mistyisle]

Ah, yes, Elin – sorry about that, must have been a “Senior moment”!  Had noticed my error not long after the time that I could not edit, so meant to say something in a later post.  Mischief ?, I guess so,  a couple of times when I have been putting out their sugar water our regular Tui has swooped in just above my head to tell me that he was inpatient and to hurry.

Thanks for your comment too, Patrick.  They only exist here in New Zealand/Aotearoa.

[Patrick]

Lovely Birds Jim first time i seen them or heard of them the have a lovely color to them , nice share mate 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely birds Jim, it’s amazing how quickly birds get used to regular feeding!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Never heard of these birds Jim. Great story and lovely photo 🙂

[Mistyisle]

Here is our other favourite visitor, it is a Kereru (Maori word, the English version is Wood Pigeon, much more boring name!).  I always say Kereru now.  We love, what unfortunately are, the less frequent visits of this chap.  He (she?) perches on our stand, attached to the glass balustrade.  He ruffles his feathers up from his neck (impressive), then he does a number of hops, usually three, but sometimes more.  Quite often he will then move our bell attached to the stand (but without any clapper) with his tail.  What this ritual is about, we do not know.  Perhaps it is the equivalent of me going to Iyengar Yoga?   Still, it is a great spectacle! Magic!!

[ElinL]

Wonderful photo and story Jim, thanks for sharing 🙂 . Beautiful bird with a lovely sounding name. Seems like you have almost domesticated him.

Your birds in NZ are something special like everything else, no wonder that your country is on top of many peoples bucket list.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful bird Jim. Looks similar to the Green Imperial Pigeon in India that have just the green wings and tail 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely bird Jim, and photo. Interesting little ritual that you described!

[Mistyisle]

Domesticated,  far from it, Elin!  It would be nice, but they are so positively independent.  It is our privilege and joy to be a small part in their existence.  We are the ones blessed.

[Tersha]

Jay …

[Patrick]

Gorgeous Tersha love it 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick!

[ElinL]

Beautiful bird – lovely shot ! Our small ones are disappearing rapidly – probably preparing for the long flight to the Southern Hemisphere.

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, we have 2 that come to the bird feeders in the garden, they are beautiful to see.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful bird Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[ElinL]

Whimbrel on guard

[Patrick]

Lovely shot and pose Elin , is this one part of the curlew family it looks fairly big as well

[ElinL]

Thank you Patrick, yes it belongs to the curlews and is fairly big. They are gathering now, preparing for the long flight to West Africa.

[Patrick]

Wow such a long trip they have good luck to them and thanks for the info 🙂

NORWEGIAN-BORN EAGLE chicks have been released into the wild in parts of Munster as part of a programme to re-introduce white-tailed eagles to Ireland 21 chicks were released into the wild at four sites over the weekend – on the Shannon Estuary, Lough Derg, Waterford and Killarney National Park .. hope a couple make home near me over time 🙂

[ElinL]

Sounds like a very interesting experiment – hopefully a success. Majestic to look at, – a certain distance is preferable. They attack anyone coming too close to their nest. We once rode just past one we didn´t know about and a parent went after us. The horses were not happy. Grateful that I had a helmet on.

[Tersha]

Wonderful Elin, great composition with a perfect pose.

[ElinL]

Thank you Diane – sometimes they do as we wish 😉

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful photo Elin. Love its pose 🙂

[ElinL]

Thank you Dahlia….

[Tersha]

nuthatch …

[Patrick]

Nice capture Tersha , they don’t hang about long for me in and out in a flash 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, they’re around most every day, and they’re really interesting to watch.

[ElinL]

What a sweet photo – lovely little bird !

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, I like these birds a lot!

[David Chesterfield]

We have a couple of blue-winged kookaburras hanging around at the moment!

 

[Patrick]

Lovely photos David and lovely details on them nice share mate 🙂

[ElinL]

Lucky you David – beautiful birds – well caught !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Gorgeous birds and beautiful photos David 🙂

[Tersha]

Lovely birds David, great details.

[Tersha]

Siskins eating the seeds on a pond plant …

[Patrick]

Sweet shot Tersha gorgeous birds , i don’t remember ever seeing any for myself  in my area , the coloring on the mid section on the wings look so much like goldfinch , the feathers at the back of the head look like sparrow and the underside chest is like a song thrush pattern amazing what nature creates 🙂

[ElinL]

Beautiful image – the combo of  lovely birds and bright flowers is perfect. Love it !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Sweet birds and photo Diane 🙂

[Patrick]

A little whitethroat , not my own yard but the yard at the place i was staying  a few months ago i forgot about it 🙂 Singing and feeding on passing bugs , open in a new window for a better look

[Tersha]

Very nice, don’t think I’ve seen one of these!

[Patrick]

A first for me also 🙂 thanks very much Tersha

[ElinL]

A lovely little chap – very nice Patrick.

[Tersha]

Oi!

I’m going ….

[Patrick]

These are awesome a real moment you caught here lovely to see and good work 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick, the birdbath is really popular at the moment!

[Patrick]

🙂 i seen a big plump pigeon sitting in my one today and it looked like it was never going to leave lol.

[Tersha]

Most birds go in our bird bath, but I’ve not seen a pigeon in it! 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lol…great photos Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[ElinL]

Lol – great shots  – love these kind of interactions 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, lucky I had the camera set up!

[ElinL]

This redwing was too busy singing his heart out to enjoy the offering of food flying all around him. Maybe he had just eaten his fill of worms as suggested by the look of his beak.

[Patrick]

Haha brilliant capture Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Muchos gracias Patrick 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love it Elin 🙂

[ElinL]

Thanks Dahlia 🙂

[Tersha]

Great catch Elin, he’s certainly too busy singing to catch flies! 🙂

[ElinL]

Thanks Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Bluetit on loosestrife …

[Patrick]

Excellent shot lovely composition Tersha 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Patrick!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Brilliant photo and beautiful bird Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[ElinL]

Agree with Dahlia – brilliant photo – lovely bird and beautiful composition with vibrant colours against dark background. Audubon quality !

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin, that’s quite a compliment! 🙂

[ElinL]

Well deserved…

[Tersha]

My turn!

[ElinL]

Wonderful ! So sweet and funny 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Elin!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

That’s a cute shot Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

White-throated kingfisher

[Tersha]

Thats a very unusual kingfisher, lovely shot!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Diane. These are the most common kingfishers seen in the urban areas of India 🙂

[Patrick]

First time seeing one Dahlia lovely capture and share 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Patrick 🙂

[ElinL]

Beautiful bird – lovely image !

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Elin 🙂

[Anonymous]

Must be some yard! Nicely done.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you Steve 🙂

[Anonymous]

I am soooo depressed….Just leave me alone.

 

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Such a cute expression. The bird does look a bit sad. Beautiful photo Steve 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

@elax we could have one throwdown for this year too Elin! Would be interesting 🙂

[ElinL]

Yes ! Brilliant ! The ravens and the oystercatchers have already begun courting each other 🙂

Will you or shall I ?

[Dahlia Ambrose]

That’s awesome! I’ll be happy if you can do it Elin. Thank you very much 🙂

@elax

[Author]

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