Summer Bird ID Thread

[Lava Lamp]

rose breasted grosbeak and a eastern towhee...... both are males

So we watched a little of the national spelling bee championship on ABC last night. The words were ridiculous -- mostly Greek, Hebrew, French or German terms for obscure things from the last century or medical terminology. Anyway, along comes "towhee," as one of the words, and described as an eastern bird identified by its sound.

The kid got it right. He might have been a bird nerd...

[paulnj]

That would be an EASTERN Towhee . Towhees can be found in EVERY state some time of year ;)

[mjs1973]

Here are some shots of a some Dickcissel's I found yesterday. This is a new species for me and I think it's a new one for the ID threads too.

[mjs1973]

She looks mad!

[mjs1973]

I have no clue what this is. I'm guessing it's a warbler of some kind but need some help.

[paulnj]

Not only did you add some Dickcissels to the list, but this is a SEDGE wren, which is also a great bird! I have only see 1 of each ever and no images.

[mjs1973]

Thanks for the ID on the sedge wren Paul. I'll get out my books and see what else I can learn about them. I watched this one for quite a while. I think it was calling back and forth with it's mate. I did see another one a little further down the trail too.

At first I thought the dickcissels were medowlarks. Pretty neat looking birds.

[paulnj]

Now, try to get a leconte's sparrow ;) they live in that same habitat ;) I have never seen one of them, but all Ammodramus genus sparrows I have seen are squatty flatheaded low flying birds and look as if they will fall from the sky in flight(very weak wing beats). They look and act just like a sedge wren too(very secretive)

As for Dickcissel, I have only seen one in fall migration for a brief moment, they are not that cool looking in fall ;)

[CapturedMem]

Beautiful shots!

[Knight]

Think this is another Broad-winged Hawk

[paulnj]

About 6 weeks ago I found one as it swooped down and grabbed a snake and flew off. We watched it in the scope as it are a ringnecked snake. I wanted images, but Couldn't have gotten close if I tried.

[mjs1973]

About 6 weeks ago I found one as it swooped down and grabbed a snake and flew off. We watched it in the scope as it are a ringnecked snake. I wanted images, but Couldn't have gotten close if I tried.

Sounds like the perfect opportunity for a digiscoping set up.

[mjs1973]

Some Ruby Throated Hummers from this weekend. I haven't had any luck getting any at my feeder, and I broke it yesterday while cleaning it out.

[Knight]

Look at all the Hummers , humm come to think of it i havent seen my 2 little visitors these last few days Good Captures mjs 1973

[paulnj]

OMG!!! That is the most rubythroated hummingbirds I have ever seen at a feeder! Where was this taken if you don't have any at home?

[mjs1973]

I shot these hummers at my GF's dads house. They live about an hour NW of where I live here in the driftless area of WI. They are out in the the middle of BFE with open fields, timber, and farmland. Lots of diversity for lots of birds. I could have stayed there for hours just watching the birds. Nancy (GF's dads wife) said they had about 60 hummers at one time last year. Most eventually left, but they had 7 or 8 stay all summer. I'm guessing there were at least 10 or 12 the day I shot these. Kinda hard to count since they are so quick. Nancy said they they have tapped on her windows in the past when the feeders run dry. She has had them come into the house when she left the door open too. Scared the crap out of her.

She also said they have a great big woodpecker down in the woods, but nobody has seen it. They see the big holes it's drilled in the trees tho. A piliated I'm guessing. I don't think I have ever seen one, so I may have to make a day of looking for it one of these weekends.

[terryger]

beautiful hummer shots and a breed we don't have. love the flock too.

most i can get is 5 and they seldom share

[mjs1973]

A couple of Sandhill Cranes.

[paulnj]

Nice shot there!

[jorgemonkey]

Here is a couple. I try to get photos of different birds (Like a beautiful Egret that was there today), but they always seem to fly away when I pull up the camera!

[Mike T]

This bird drove me crazy trying to find it in this pine tree, it was singing away but I just couldn't spot it. It wasn't until I was taking pictures of a yellow-throated vireo that landed in the same tree that I finally saw it.
Mike

[Mike T]

Another bird from today. I put one of these on one of the other bird ID threads but it wasn't quite the same as this one ( same family ).
Mike

[paulnj]

Nice shots!

These are canada goose, domestic mallard and a rock pidgeon.

[paulnj]

That northern parula is pretty nice Mike.

This is a great image of a black billed cuckoo! I have seen many of them , but don't believe I have ever gotten an image.I think I have about 5 images of the YB though? Cuckoos are very tough to get close to!

[Mike T]

That northern parula is pretty nice Mike.

This is a great image of a black billed cuckoo! I have seen many of them , but don't believe I have ever gotten an image.I think I have about 5 images of the YB though? Cuckoos are very tough to get close to!

This is the first black billed , the yellow I posted last year was the first and only one I've seen of them. This bird was on the ground or in a low bush ( I didn't see it ) and I came along and it flew into this tree not far from me. I was trying to find where the path I was walking near Watergate came out onto Old Mine Road. It is just past the power lines cut where I've had some good luck at so I was looking for a short cut to get there. The cuckoo picture is full frame, the parula is cropped.
Mike