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November 30, 2007

Friday Feathers

The American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) is a perky yellow bird with a black patch on its forehead, black tail covering a white rump. There is a dramatic color change to this bird during winter, as the bright yellow becomes dull olive yellow.

Late summer nester, using silky down from wild thistle for its nest. Appears roller-coaster-like in flight and twitters during flight. Frequently called Wild Canary.

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November 23, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Downy Woodpecker (photo on the left) is a small woodpecker (6") with an all-white belly, black-and-white spotted wings, a black line running through its eyes and has a short bill. The Hairy Woodpecker (photo on the right) has a white belly and black wings with rows of white spots, is 9" and has a long black bill.

Often times the only way I can identify these woodpeckers is by the size of the bill, and that becomes a neat trick if I've photographed them and the bill isn't visible. Thankfully the profile images above made identification easier. :-)

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November 22, 2007

GobbleGobble!

For all those celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday...

... Happy Turkey Day! ;-)

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November 16, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Common Grackle is a large black bird with an iridescent blue-black head. It has a purple brown body, long black tail, long thin bill and bright golden eyes.

The name is derived from the Latin word graculus, meaning "to cough" for its loud raspy call. Unlike most birds, it has larger muscles for opening the mouth (rather than for closing it) and prying crevices apart to locate hidden insects.

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November 12, 2007

Halloweenie

I was so busy with my weekly feathered updates I hadn't bothered to write about Halloween and the soiree'. We last left off in a costume conundrum -- what to wear. I eventually settled on a tried-and-true (aka *yawn*) unoriginal getup but decided to go all out and attire myself as close to perfection as possible. I attended the event wearing this as my costume, along with the black hair, face makeup and Japanese Geta Slippers (actually they're thong sandals with a wood base.) Were it not for the mole on my face (covered in white makeup but still visible) and the color of my eyes, I doubt anyone could have guessed it was moi. *shrug*

Facial hiccups aside, my beautiful (watercolored birds) fan snapped and broke before I even walked in the door. The real fun started when the music began. Dancing in those sandals was tricky and more than one person asked me how I managed. My reply: carefully. Though my attire earned me a prize, next year I'll try for something a bit more comfortable. My Plan B was to wear blue hospital scrubs with cotton balls glued all over, and carry a water pistol. When asked what I'm dressed as, I'll say partly cloudy with a chance of showers. :-)

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November 9, 2007

Friday Feathers

Cut off by a pair of Turkey Vultures

So there I was, driving on a back road and puttering along in a beat-up pickup truck. It was cold outside but the sunshine and multi-hued trees made for a spectacular November afternoon. With my camera and lenses nestled in a bag next to me, I surveyed the countryside and inhaled its beauty. I planned to stop and photograph the scenery and was thinking about this when something caught my eye in front of the truck. I looked and saw what I thought were two turkeys flying almost into the hood of the truck. I jammed on the brakes to avoid hitting them and then pulled over to the side of the road. I turned off the ignition, got out of the truck and searched for the varmints, spotting them in a tree...

... they ain't no wild turkeys, thems turkey VULTURES that cut me off!

The vultures were directly above me and I quickly got back in the truck to change the lens on my camera. I've photographed these birds before, but they were always flying way up high and though I saw one up close once (they're VERY big and really ugly) I didn't have my camera with me at the time. Thankfully the zoom lens let me get a bit closer to them, but one flew off into another tree and hid itself in the branches. The other stayed put as I fired off as many shots as I could before it too took off. Damned varmints. ;-)

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November 2, 2007

Friday Feathers

Friday Feathers on Monday, thanks in part to a 28.8 connection and my present remote location.

A photographer friend recently asked me, "Why birds?" -- meaning, why do I always photograph birds. In case you're new 'round these parts, the reason isn't riveting. I simply moved from photographing deer (though I still photograph them whenever I can) to birds; one day the deer didn't show up and I was yearning for something, anything to photograph. Then a bird flew past and that was that. A new challenge was born.

I am currently spending time in the woods, surrounded by trees shedding their summer greens in favor of yellow, orange and red attire, soon to be brown and eventually naked. I've got daily visitors -- deer that sit patiently nearby waiting for a bit of corn and birds that watch for the feeders to be hung each morning. Though I've referred to this place as BF Egypt (as mentioned 'round this time last year,) it not only offers peace and quiet away from city life but also the chance to don my hiking boots and traipse around the woods with my camera. To date, each day has brought a feathered surprise of one kind or another.

I'll start with this one (photo below.) I strained my eyes one morning to see what type of bird was on the side of a tree. Just when I thought it was a bird I'd seen before, I realized it was a new one. Though too far from me to see with my own eyes, I quickly lifted the camera to my eye, zoomed in and took a shot. Distance proved a disadvantage, but the lens was powerful enough to help me make out what type of bird it was -- a Northern Flicker, the first I'd ever seen and as of this writing, it hasn't returned. Bummer. Though it's a new addition to the list of woodpeckers I've seen, I can't yet include it in my photographic collection. I'll need a better shot before I do that.

Last year the Red-bellied Woodpecker appeared on a regular basis. This year, it seems highly skittish and actively avoids the suet I put out for it. I've seen it lurking around but only in the trees and on some branches. The photo that follows shows just how close I got -- NOT. *sigh*

It's been a while since I last saw a Blue Jay 'round here, but this alarm of the forest let me know it was nearby. I keep missing it when it perches on the pumpkin outside but one of these days I hope I'll be sneaky enough to catch it.

One afternoon I was sitting outside basking in the warmth of the sun when suddenly I heard a loud *THUD* I turned around just in time to watch as a Black-capped Chickadee began the first of five consecutive tumbles, wings flailing as it attempted to right itself. After expunging some black matter from its little body mid-roll it finally stopped and lay on its side taking deep breaths. I ran to get a pair of gloves and waited to see if the bird would stand up and take off but it didn't make any attempt to move. I put the gloves on and picked up the tiny bird and it just sat there clinging to the glove while trying to shake off its rollercoaster tumbles. After 5 minutes of trying to calm it down, I thought I'd slip the glove-and-bird off my hand, put it down on the deck and go get my camera (of course.) I took 3 shots and put the camera down and put the glove back on, and a few minutes later the chickadee flew off. Yay me, Doctor Feather -- or something. :-)

Last but not least, an old friend came to visit. When I heard its unmistakable call, which sounds more like a wicked laugh than anything else, I knew I had to grab the camera and follow that sound. I spotted the Pileated Woodpecker on a nearby tree so I hurried/walked carefully, hoping the crunching of the leaves under my boots wouldn't scare it away. The woodpecker was almost statue-like in its perch, and I soon realized that a hawk must be nearby because the woodpecker was in freeze mode. When hawks are around, all birds freeze up and play statue until the hawk flies off.

I suppose I should thank that hawk for stopping by, as it provided me with ample opportunity to photograph my favorite feathered one.

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