Thursday, May 17, 2012

Spring is for the Birds

Everywhere I look these days, there are lovely little birds just begging to be photographed. So how could I deny them? Come bird-watching with me.


robin singing
Everyone says that Robins are the first true sign of spring. This one just kept on singing so beautifully as I approached with my camera.




rwbb
Many of us believe that it's the Red-winged Blackbird which signals spring. This one enjoyed the warmth of the bright sun in the clear blue sky.




rwbb takeoff
A different day and a different blackbird, presumably. This one decided to leave his perch just as I snapped a shot.




ruby-crowned kinglet
On a day when we saw dozens of newly-emerged butterflies, my eye followed the movement of one which I thought was rather large. I lost sight of it when it flew into the bushes. Just as I shrugged it off, Frank noticed that it was not one of the many butterflies but a tiny bird, instead. It eventually made its way into enough of a clearing to get a good shot. This little guy is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. If you look really closely, you can see the tiny patch of red at the back of his head.




grackle beauty
The Common Grackle with its intense yellow-eyed stare is truly a beautiful bird. In shady areas they appear to be mostly black. But shine a little sunlight on them, and you see several shades of blue, purple and bronze.




eastern kingbird
Another lovely bird is the Eastern Kingbird. I spotted this one while walking around the field near Frank's place.





baltimore oriole
That same weekend, there were a number of Baltimore Orioles around the area. Their brilliant orange feathers sure do cause them to stand out against most any background.




feathers
Closer to home, I found these feathers among a pile of dozens more. I don't doubt that a bird's life came to an abrupt end at the claws, mouth or talons of some other creature. By the colouring, we figured it was probably a Mourning Dove.




mouring lovie doves
But I know for sure that it wasn't one of the doves in this loving couple.

Thanks for bird watching with me. I'll have more photos in a few days.

62 comments:

Stewart M said...

What a great set of pictures - glad to become your 601st follower!

Stewart M - Australia

ZielonaMila said...

Fantastic collection of photographs, beautiful birds. I am greeting

Anvilcloud said...

A great collection. Very well done.

Steve Gravano said...

You would make Audubon proud! Your bird photography is fantastic. That Grackle portrait is my favorite, they are such a regal looking bird.

June said...

Such great photos of birds I have here, too.
My Eastern Kingbird has taken up his annual post on top of the sun dial, the orioles are noshing on the oranges, there's a robin nesting in the arborvitae right outside my front door.
Life is good!

Laura said...

beautiful photos I love the doves at the end.

Daryl said...

that little robin wasnt singing .. he was warning the neighbors .. get your feathers fluffed Hilary's here!

Hilary said...

I love bird watching.......they are awesome little creatures.
we have a mourning dove nesting on the porch.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

my goodness H., such beauty, and there are those mourning doves!

Shammickite said...

The mourning doves always seem a bit dopey to me, no wonder they get eaten. Nice to see the robins back, they do signal spring.

DJan said...

I love your bird pictures, especially those brilliant orioles. We don't have such bright colored birds around here, well other than my male goldfinch, who are bright yellow!

Unknown said...

Love the birdies, and just ADORE that loving couple of doves that you captured! That's a keeper, for sure. I believe I might frame that for the bedroom. :-)

Sueann said...

What beautiful photos Hilary. Your close ups are always so fantastic. Love the Orioles!!
Hugs
SueAnn

TexWisGirl said...

gorgeous portraits, every one. the kinglets are so tiny! great job catching that one!

Leah J. Utas said...

Beautiful. Excellent pic of the Mourning Doves.

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

There goes my photographer's envy again. These are all wonderful. I especially liked the red-winged blackbird posing so regally against the blue sky. The last one, of the mourning doves, is a pose I've never seen before. Charming.

Anonymous said...

Grackle's have totally spooky eyes. Sorta creeps me out a little bit. :-)

ellen abbott said...

These are just beautiful. I love watching and listening to the birds here. Your pictures are so clear and crisp it's like I'm looking at the real thing.

Anyes said...

Bird watching with you is such a treat Hilary :-)

L. D. said...

Your shots of the birds are wonderful. I like the flight shot. That is cool.

Brian Miller said...

awwww those doves are just amazing...so warm...and the red winged black birds as well, i wish we had those around here...so cool...

LadyFi said...

What a fabulous set of shots. That last one just melts the heart!

Merisi said...

Such beautiful birds in your area, I am smitten! :-)

Unknown said...

That Baltimore Oriole is amazing. What size lens did you use?

Scott Law said...

Really well done. I try and try and try to get good sharp photos of different birds like these and really struggle. Great job!

Out on the prairie said...

Fantastic shots Hillary, I follow them everywhere.

messymimi said...

Wow, i like bird watching with you. No mosquitoes to slap in the swamp heat, and i can look for as long as i want.:)

Frank Baron said...

Great bunch of birdie shots, Hil. Bravo! :)

Rosaria Williams said...

I'm learning new bird species by visiting you today! The doves, are they always in this pose?

Sarah Anne said...

Love these, especially the last one of the doves. That's a priceless capture.

~JarieLyn~ said...

Amazing shots Hilary. I really like the Baltimore Oreo and the lovey dovey doves. :)

Suldog said...

Somewhat funny bird-watching story. I grew up in the city, more or less, which meant that the most abundant birds were pigeons, sparrows, and, on a rainy day, sea gulls. There was occasionally a robin or two, but that was about the extent of avian life in the smallish backyards of Boston's Dorchester section.

I had never actually seen mourning doves in person until we moved to Watertown, outside of Boston proper, some 18 years ago. I had never even seen photos of them, for that matter. I had, however, long ago, while reading about pigeons, seen a photograph of a Passenger Pigeon, the extinct bird that was last seen in the 1930's.

Well, I saw a mourning dove land in our backyard in Watertown and, for just an instant, I thought I had "discovered" a Passenger Pigeon.

http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2003/213/7729540_1059860962.jpg

I was disabused of that notion when about six or seven more of them landed in the next minute, at which point the logical
part of my brain (admittedly, undersized) took over and told me, "Jim, if there are these many of them, it's probable somebody else would have reported the findings to the Audubon Society."

Ruth Hiebert said...

Thanks for the bird watching. It was most enjoyable.

Country Girl said...

Oh, Hilary! I love your birds. Especially love that couple at the end, both with their pretty blue eyes closed ~ gorgeous.

Red said...

Awesome bird shots. for me the first bird of spring is the crow. I'd go birding with you any day. You seem to find everything!

Gail Dixon said...

My, you have such variety!! I am a tad green looking at all these colorful creatures. Around here robins definitely are the first to emerge, signaling spring. And they're not shy, either. Your photo of the red-winged blackbird is one of the best I've seen. That red on their wings can be difficult to capture. These are all spectacular. Again, color me green. :)

beth said...

oh those doves just melted my heart......

Tammie Lee said...

such a wonderful post
loved all your bird photographs
the last photo is so wonderful
you might want to share it again for Valentine's day....

Shrinky said...

I thought I loved the third one down most, until I saw this final one - ahhhhhhhhhhhh, melts the heart, doesn't it? Sigh.

Betty Manousos said...

yet another brilliant series of bird photos, hilary!
simply gorgeous!

i like bird watching with you!

xo

Nadezda said...

I loved this Blackbird, with red epaulettes on shoulders. We haven't these birds here.

Pearl said...

I never tire of the birdies. Always think of my grandma when I see them, as she loved the birdies, too.

:-)

Pearl

Linda said...

All are fantastic shots. The mourning doves in the last pic are my favorites. They are so sweet!

photowannabe said...

Oh Hilary, that last photo is definitely a prize winner. The perfect Valentines Day shot.
Love them all. I wish we had the Orioles around here. they have amazing color.

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful, beautiful are the birds that you have the camera, thanks Hilary, for superb photos.

yaya said...

Birds are so much fun to watch! I love the last shot..so sweet! I think my fav would have to be the Baltimore Oriole...beautiful color!

Dianne said...

they must know you're going to make them look good because they sure do pose for you

I love the singer

and the motionless doves, as bright as live ones ;)

betty-NZ said...

Amazing how you are in the right place at the right time!

Barbara said...

All great captures, but that last one steals my heart. So sweet!

SandyCarlson said...

Each of these is a masterpiece. I think those birds felt your respect! Those sweethearts in the last image made my day!

Gillian Olson said...

Very happy to jion you for a bit of bird watching; that grackle and the baltimore oriole are amazing.

Elizabeth Grimes said...

I always love your bird photos. Such pretty creatures and I love to see their detail up close.

Tabor said...

Stunning as your 52 commenters have shown!

Rita said...

Love birds so this post was really fantastic; great shots.
Rita

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

Lovely as always, Hilary. Thank you for sharing such fabulous shots! :)

Friko said...

All your birds look so different from ours even those who have the same name. I reckon it's the long journey they have from me to you. :)

Anonymous said...

The Common Grackle is my favourite, what a stunningly looking bird. I enjoyed bird-watching with you enormously! :-)

Barb said...

Bird bonanza at your place! You got such vivid portraits.

Hilary said...

Thanks so much, everyone. You never fail to make me smile with your very kind words. Thanks always for stopping by. :)

Dan said...

Wonderful series and theme. The photo's are as usual... primo!

lime said...

the robin looks like he is hollering ;)

i think that grackle is quite pretty but those doves...what a shot! just so sweet.

Dave said...

Beautiful bird photos Hilary. I enjoyed them all - Dave