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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2013 13:48:13 GMT
These are all so wonderful!!! The herons in particular look so regal. I envy your getting osprey there kimby. And Lugg, your little blue tit is just gorgeous. Great pics all. At present we have some gorgeious bright yellow goldfinches.Cute little guys.
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Post by tod2 on Feb 16, 2013 10:25:44 GMT
This beautiful boy is called a Long-tailed (Eastern) Paradise Whydah. The 'Eastern' part of the name distinguishes him from the Broad-Tailed Paradise Whydah, although in the second photo I started thinking it could be the latter... They seem to float along in the air like a boat riding on waves.
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Post by Kimby on Feb 16, 2013 19:39:08 GMT
Wow!
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 17, 2013 17:08:43 GMT
I must have had my head up the, um, birdhouse, as I'm only now seeing everyones fabulous pictures back into January. You all are an amazing bunch of photographers!
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Post by tod2 on Feb 19, 2013 13:46:56 GMT
That intense, focused stare..... a Greenbacked Heron out on the prowl (wade?).
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 19, 2013 14:55:49 GMT
Incredible pic, Tod! How tall is that bird? From the picture, there doesn't appear to be too much leg under water.
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Post by tod2 on Feb 21, 2013 14:01:23 GMT
Here he is again Bixa - this time trying to make himself look menacing as he confronts another bird also trying to snag some fish dinner! Those legs are really short aren't they!
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 22, 2013 0:38:34 GMT
Oh my goodness ~~ he should have stayed in the water! ;D
(fabulous photo)
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Post by tod2 on Feb 27, 2013 11:08:11 GMT
During winter the little birds who rely on nectar find it hard going in my garden, so I bought this 'bottle-feeder' and keep it topped up with red coloured sugar water. The bottle is an old 'All Gold' tomato sauce bottle that has had a little spout tacked on (with a bit of solder I guess). The inventor then arranged some wire around it with a hook as well as a landing perch for the birds. Unfortunately it is a great attraction to bees. They crawl inside and drown by the hundreds
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2013 18:37:12 GMT
stoic Parisian pigeon
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Post by Kimby on Mar 19, 2013 21:25:08 GMT
I thought they were endangered, but Hawaii's state bird, the Nene Goose, was all over the resort and golf course in Kauai.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 20, 2013 1:48:28 GMT
Tod, is there any way to attach a screen to that feeder that would keep out the bees but allow the birdies to drink? That's a darling little bird.
Poor pigeon! I can feel the cold emanating from that quite lovely picture.
Killer shot, Kimby!
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Post by tod2 on Mar 20, 2013 8:21:27 GMT
Bixa - It's an idea. I could put some gauze between the bottle and the cap which ill prevent the bees going inside the bottle but I'm afraid I can't do anything about the little spout. I'm thinking if it gets jammed up with bees the birds wont get the sugar water anyway. Perhaps, if I put several suagr water feeders around the bees may leave one of them alone!
Kerouac, Lovely pigeon - who looks puffed up to keep warm.
Ducklings are so cute but the parents are quite beautiful with their dark and light feathers Kimby!
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Post by tod2 on Mar 20, 2013 10:08:58 GMT
This is an African Jacana chick. I couldn't help noticing that it's feet were as big as it's parent. Unfortunately they didn't get near enough to one another for a 'family photo'. Here is the adult Jacana.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 20, 2013 12:01:54 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2013 13:29:47 GMT
Beautiful birds, tod, but those jacana feet are just plain scary!
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Post by htmb on Mar 20, 2013 20:27:31 GMT
I second that on both accounts!
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 21, 2013 3:12:18 GMT
Fabulous pictures, Tod. Those wading birds are so interesting, with their spidery feet apparently evolved for that environment.
I love orioles & your pictures are beyond beautiful.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 21, 2013 12:21:40 GMT
This is such a cute little bird and when seen always seems alone and on the grass probing for insects. When alarmed the crest of feathers on it's head rise up in a Mohican-style. It's called a Hoopoe (Upupa epops. Family Upupidae). This photo was taken in my son's garden.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 21, 2013 16:31:40 GMT
It is a nifty-looking little bird! Do they have a distinctive call? It seems to me I've seen them referred to as background in novels about Africa. I'd always envisioned them as bigger.
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Post by htmb on Mar 22, 2013 3:18:47 GMT
What an interesting little bird, tod.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2013 20:15:52 GMT
Is autumn a time to see more birds than usual, tod? I'm wondering because you suddenly came up with these great pictures.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 29, 2013 9:59:12 GMT
Never seen before, but heard quite often, in my garden (and very hurriedly snapped) , was this Green(Redbilled) Wood-Hoopoe. They are usually in groups which arrive with harsh chattering and cackling. They settle for a few minutes in a tree top but constantly flutter around hiding amongst the leaves before taking off again.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 29, 2013 10:04:15 GMT
Bixa to answer your question, the African Hoopoe is about as big as a pigeon and it's call is a 'hoop-hoop-hoop' in quick succession. And Kerouac. No they seems to remain about the same. The Hoopoe photos were taken earlier this year but I didn't think them worthy of display as they are not very well focused.
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Post by bjd on Mar 29, 2013 10:34:14 GMT
Allegedly there are hoopoes here too but I have never seen one.
I envy your lovely colourful birds, Tod. We just have boring turtledoves, magpies, blackbirds and sparrows. None are particularly colourful or have nice songs. There are other little birds but I can't identify them.
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Post by Kimby on Mar 29, 2013 14:44:06 GMT
The killdeer (of camouflage fame) have returned, as well as American Robins and Mountain Bluebirds. No photos yet.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 5, 2013 12:29:34 GMT
The storks, the Yellow-billed Kites and the Hadeda Ibis's are the regular visitors to our garden in the large bird catergory. But occasionally we get invited to a sanctuary for injured animals or a friend who has been blessed with a nest of note! A phone call a few months ago had us rushing over to see this Spotted Eagle Owl with a chick. The tree with the nest in the fork. Just look at the cammoflage. ( Used two camera's and the settings were different, hence the colour is not the same.)
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 5, 2013 13:11:40 GMT
What a wonderful close-up look ~ thanks, Tod! Those birds must have been aware of your presence, as they appear to be looking directly at you. The camouflage is really perfect.
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Post by htmb on Apr 5, 2013 21:35:29 GMT
Tod, what a wonderful opportunity! Your photos are really nice. Such a treat.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 8, 2013 11:31:01 GMT
On a very rare occasion we spot a 'Foreigner' amongst our regular birds. On this morning a beautiful bright parakeet type bird landed with the Weaver birds to peck at some seed. I have no idea what kind of bird it is. Here it has a peck at some bread It is the size of a budgie and it's beak looks the same.
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