Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Rose-breasted Grosbeak


Yesterday about 10:30 I saw the imm male Rose-breasted Grosbeak coming to the feeder in Corvallis.  Tom is a great host and, as it was staying hidden in the holly, he invited me and Sylvia Maulding inside where we were able to view it.  Here is my best shot.



imm male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Odd Blackbird


This bird simply had none of the  rufous overtones of the other female Red-winged Blackbirds.  Is it lacking pigment?  I have zilch experience with young and female type Trikes.  Too bad these pics are not more focused showing the bill.  Sibley mentions separating them by wing shape, but I am not sure what he is talking about.  Of the flock of about 100 red-wings, this was the only one without rufous for the females. 





Thursday, October 19, 2017

Red-shoudered Hawk : 4 year anniversary

Hi All,

On 9/24/13 I was coming home and noted a suspicious looking hawk along my driveway, which turned out to be a Red-shouldered Hawk.  This was indeed a cool bird to add to my yard list.  I live in Falls City, Or, and after 30+ years here, my yard list is 139.  The hawk stayed on for month after month, year after year, and since he showed up this morning, I thought I would go back into my records as I knew the 4 year mark was getting close.  He/she has never found a mate, is much more vocal in the spring, and becomes sparse in the summer, and otherwise can go for weeks undetected.  I wonder how long he will continue to stay here?  Here he is in the rain this morning. 






Red-shouldered Hawk

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Two Sapsuckers! Yellow-bellied and Red-naped.


As it was about lunch time, I went up to my mother-in-laws as is my custom now.  My wife cares for her, which includes fixing meals.  I thought I’d go up early to visit, and was explaining a little more about the rare bird I found on her property last Wednesday, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which I have seen again on Friday and earlier this morning.  While there, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a movement outside the window which I felt could have been that bird descending from the cedar to the poplar, which seems to be his habit from what I can tell.  I looked out the window and sure enough, it was him (or so I thought).  I did note that his red throat and crown seemed to be more vividly red than last I saw him, but I did not think much of it at the time. 

As I needed better pics, and had brought the camera just in case, I went out on the front porch and started snapping away.  As he was being cooperative, I moved out onto the lawn to obtain better ones.  Since he was still being cooperative, I headed down the driveway where the light would be better, and he continued to cooperate.  I probably took > 100 shots.  Such is the benefit of cameras these days.

He finally flew to the oak grove next to my house, and I headed inside as lunch was now on the table.  After a few bites I decided to check out some pics, so turned the camera on and the first pic I saw showed a red nape. I have to admit I was let down, assuming it was the same bird, which would cancel it having been a yellow-bellied sapsucker.

But the more I looked at the pics, and now comparing it with the previous ones, I am quite sure there are two birds here.  Of the former pics, there are 3 which show the back, and there is no hint of red on the nape, and, the back pattern and coloring is different, more extensive goldish coloring on the previous, and less extensive and whitish on the new ones.   I had also looked at the first bird quite well with binocs and never saw any red on the nape. 

Also, the white wing bar (?) is prominent on all the pics of the first bird, but not so on the second bird.  It seems mostly covered by the chest/belly feathers on the second bird. 

Also, the former pics show a large white supercelium  over the eye, which is virtually missing in the latter ones.   Even the underside pattern appears different between the two.

The first six pics are the more blurry ones of the first bird from last Wednesday, and the rest are the clearer ones of the second bird from today.  I have to admit also that while taking the ones today I was so fixed on getting good shots that I was not concentrating on the bird and its features.

Admittedly, the former ones are blurry, but sufficient to show these differences.  I also think that even with the blurriness of the former pics, they should show the red throat and crown more vividly if these were the same bird.

Now, all I need is for a Williamson’s Sapsucker to show up.


Am I serious or delirious?  Any comments?




The breast/chest pattern also seems different than that in the first pic of the second bird






No red on the nape

Lots of white above the eye

Another shot where white above the eye is prominent

A shot of the back showing no red on the nape and the back pattern is
 goldish and extensive compared to the ones below.

No red nape and more golden back feathering.  In all these shots the white vertical bar is well exposed, but not so in the next series of shots.

The belly feathering covers up the white vertical bar

The belly feathering covers up the white vertical bar


He was not very photogenic in this shot

Not much white above the eye

Not much white above the eye

A good shot to compare the back pattern

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

What Bird Is This?

Date 10/4/17  Time  1600    Place Falls City, Or

What species is this?





Even this guy was enjoying the show



One of the local Red-breasted Sapsuckers who was
seen cavorting with the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Which Thrush?

I have trouble enough separating Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes as it is.  Which one is this?








Thursday, September 7, 2017

Coyote Gets Nutria

I went for a walk at Baskett Slough NWR looking for shorebirds today.  The shorebirds are quite thinned out now, but this Coyote was on the hunt and was successful catching a young nutria.  All these shots were at about 150 yards.


He was looking like he was on a mission here.


You can see the nutria just ahead of him.


A little blurry - too bad.

The ducks were not worried.  The Coyote won't go hungry tonight!

Monday, September 4, 2017

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Rails and Soras

Hi All,

Every once in a while the birds cooperate for photos, and today was one of those days.  I took almost 500 pics of only 6 species and 95% were only of some Virginia Rails and immature Soras.  So as long as they were posing, I kept the shudder going.  Any suggestions as to which I should enter for Zia’s monthly photo contest?  
That bird box looks a little small for these two.....


Pied-billed Grebe


Two immature Sora's



A Sora and a Va Rail in the same field of view.


Virginia Rail



Mom Rail feeding junior

A juvie Va Rail.   Looks like one of the muppets......




Mom catches a tasty morsel for junior

He sure knows how to eat!

Just watch me junior, and soon you will be doing it all on your own.


An immature Sora

An immature Sora


I don't think those scales will digest very well.......