Bird Id Part 2.5

[Lava Lamp]

Maybe separated from this group...

[paulnj]

Well it is a young bird(first winter), so maybe it's horn thingy is not formed yet?

But yes, that bill looks very odd indeed!

[paulnj]

Check out those nice green legs.

JUVENILE little blue heron

[mjs1973]

Found these guys while walking the dogs this afternoon. Not nearly as nice at the one posted by Chicago, but I was able to ID them all by myself!!! Ok, I had a little help from a new field guide I picked up yesterday.

[paulnj]

Yes they are cedar waxwings, but you have an odd orange tail varient one there That is caused by eating too many berries with red/orange color ;)

[mjs1973]

Yes they are cedar waxwings, but you have an odd orange tail varient one there That is caused by eating too many berries with red/orange color ;)

I belive that is a sub species know as the Fecal Feather Waxwing.

I read in my guide book that these birds have been known become so intoxicated from eating overripe fruit that they can't fly.

My book also says that the there is debate over what the "wax" tips are for. This is what my book says: "The purpose of the 'red wax' is long-debated, but younger birds do not have it and older birds that do often choose each other as mates and produce more young than the younger pairs." So if that is ONE side of the argument, what is the other side?

[paulnj]

no crap on that tail, the berry consumption causes the orange/ red pigment in the tail feathers

I have seen robins fall over from eating aged berries. the berries ferment into wine ;)

[mdwsr]

Fantastic idea for a sticky. I hope it's okay to post two here.

I think the first is a red-tailed hawk, can anyone confirm?


I have no clue what this is:

[mjs1973]

I found this guy today while walking the dogs.

[jfelbab]

I found this guy today while walking the dogs.

A Common Flicker. I have a few hanging around my feeder.

[paulnj]

The hawk is a juvenile redtailed and the second is a dark eyed junco.

But Jim , your's is a red bellied woodpecker, what is that on the back side of the feeder ;)

[jfelbab]

The hawk is a juvenile redtailed and the second is a dark eyed junco.

But Jim , your's is a red bellied woodpecker, what is that on the back side of the feeder ;)

Right you are. I totally missed that id. Thanks for setting me straight.

The other is probably a purple finch. I have scores of finches around.

[paulnj]

They all look like house finches to me.

Purple finches have a pointy beak and DO NOT have an eye ring like most house finces do. The male house finch is very red in the head and chest, while the male purple finch is DEEP RED in the head/ chest with duller red running through most of the other parts of the body.


Here is a female purple finch, the males never get close enough to me when I have my camera ready

[jsmith75]

What type of hawk is it? Though it might be a harrier. This picture was taken in western Kentucky.

[paulnj]

It's a young Cooper's hawk.

[srobb]

What type of hawk is it? Though it might be a harrier. This picture was taken in western Kentucky.

Looks like the one I saw Friday on my way to Lexington to pick up my 2x teleconverter. Then saw a redtail swooping down, but lost him in the tree line.

[Knight]

These guys are becoming regulars , there letting me go in closer now.The Jay loves peanuts and the other loves my home made feeder .I used a fire log and drilled holes in it then packed the holes with suet .

[mjs1973]

Great idea for a easy to make feeder Knight! I haven't picked up any peanuts for my winter mix yet, but it's on my list. I saw a Downy the other day, but didn't have my camera with me.

[mjs1973]

The male didn't want to stick around for the photo shoot, so all I got was the lady of the nest.

[paulnj]

There you go. Though cardinals are fairly common, I don't have too many images of them.

[mjs1973]

I think this is my first shot of one. They are quite common, but they don't seem to like to sit in one place too long. I started adding some saflower seed to my feeders this weekend in hopes to attract some now that we have a good 4"-6" of snow on the ground.

[jfelbab]

We have a lot of Cardinals around here. I love watching the male feed the female. I get a lot of them at my tube feeder with black-oil sunflower seeds. I believe they prefer other feeder types but they make do. Here is a female at the feeder with a Goldfinch I believe. My home backs up to a natural wooded area and I get a great assortment of birds. I don't know a lot about identification yet but I'm learning, and enjoying.

[paulnj]

"I don't know a lot about identification yet but I'm learning, and enjoying."

Those words are music to my ears! ENJOYMENT of your subject matter is KEY to producing images of quality and furthering your knowledge!



you're correct! I will surely help you to ID birds better.

spring plumage birds from texas as they migrate back, try searching Alan Murphy photography. His images have dropped my jaw for YEARS!!

[jfelbab]

Those really are beautiful photos. I like the way he has diffused the background which accents the bird. I need to learn how to use PhotoShop too I guess. I hope an old dog like me can still learn a few new tricks.

I'll be taking a spin down to Cape Coral soon and I'll see what I can find to shoot down there. I appreciate your offer to help me with ID. I find watching birds is really a nice way to pass a little time and relax.

If I become a pest let me know.

Thanks for all your help.

[paulnj]

Cape coral huh ;)

Let's see.... on tuesday my GF's brother is going there to see granny. I will see if he can find a few BURROWING OWLS in her neighborhood . If so, I will get you rough addresses. They are pretty easy to locate too. Alot of the sites were they nest have a perch set up near the burrow(they live under ground) The nest along driveways and use mailboxes as a perch, they nest on street corners and use fire hydrants too.

From Cape coral I would advise you to try sanibel/ captiva(a few hurricanes have smashed those islands since I was last there though) Ding Darling(on sanibel island) was a great place for birds, but I hear it isn't as good. Isn't as good still should produce enough birds to see anyway. EAGLES, OSPREYS, WADERS, PELICANS, GATORS, RACCOONS.......