Got any bird pics?

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
Mom's bird feeder broke last summer. I just got her a new one and set it up outside her big window so she can watch the wildlife. Probably take them a while to use it again. Hopefully can get some pics.
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Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
I could use some opinions on this one. I think it's a 1st-year female which isn't helping my ID. But the eye ring rules out the scaups and makes it a Ringed-neck?

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I think you have it ! Sharp looking little duck.

Had these Northern Shovelers a couple weeks back. I like to see the variety of strength of plumage on adults versus that of 1st year birds. Easier to see on the males, of course. The lead male here is not in high color yet.
 
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Canuck from Kansas

Aimlessly wondering through life
Forum Supporter
Have heard them, then this morning saw one way up high:

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This afternoon, while loading some brush, 2 flew into a neighboring tree, though could see only this one; a North Carolina Red-tailed Hawk (pretty sure):

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Cheers
 

Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
Had a pretty cool bird here on Thanksgiving Day. Was talking to a birding jogger on our road and mentioned rarities. There is Short-eared owl that a couple others see yearly it seems about 3 miles away in a more plains habitat than this muddy river bottom here. I go over at times on bike and give it an effort to see the owl but usually nothing but harriers.. I think I had a may have had a quick glimpse last year of the owl. While chatting, a mob of crows was doing the business on a bird of prey. Sometimes they harass the local raptors, but as @Wadin' Boot noted before those crows are darn good guides to special birds.

Still thinking it was likely a hawk they were mobbing I starting shooting photos. They were pretty high up and a 150 yards away when I noticed that the bird's head was blunt and rounded. I sort of thought flushed Barn owl but it quickly became evident it had far too much dark in the plumage. Short-eared owl !

My nemesis bird was an easy spot on this day and almost backyard. No bike ride needed. They slowly circled overhead.

The crows were all over the owl and that is always worrisome. Then nature did exactly what it does. Surprises. The crows peeled off and the darn owl followed them west ! An odd thing, the owl flying so high.
 
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tkww

Steelhead
I think you have it ! Sharp looking little duck.
Thanks.

Still thinking it was likely a hawk they were mobbing I starting shooting photos. They were pretty high up and a 150 yards away when I noticed that the bird's head was blunt and rounded. I sort of thought flushed Barn owl but it quickly became evident it had far too much dark in the plumage. Short-eared owl !
Very cool! That bird is lifer for me. Unfortunately not one I'm very likely to just stumble into, but perhaps I'll be able to put in a little time on it this winter.
 

Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
Thanks.


Very cool! That bird is lifer for me. Unfortunately not one I'm very likely to just stumble into, but perhaps I'll be able to put in a little time on it this winter.
Looks like your location is SE WA? Until this SEOW my other experiences seeing them were near Steptoe Butte by Colfax. Heading into the park a couple of hours before dark I would see them hunting the fields in great side lighting. Seems it was Spring..but it has been about 20 years or so. Very cool place to visit.

Add an off note, it is thought the butte is 400 million years old while the soil of the Palouse around it is "only" 7-15 million

North of Seattle there are quite a few in the Skagit flats https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-wild-season-2-episode-9
 
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Canuck from Kansas

Aimlessly wondering through life
Forum Supporter
Had a pretty cool bird here on Thanksgiving Day. Was talking to a birding jogger on our road and mentioned rarities. There is Short-eared owl that a couple others see yearly it seems about 3 miles away in a more plains habitat than this muddy river bottom here. I go over at times on bike and give it an effort to see the owl but usually nothing but harriers.. I think I had a may have had a quick glimpse last year of the owl. While chatting, a mob of crows was doing the business on a bird of prey. Sometimes they harass the local raptors, but as @Wadin' Boot noted before those crows are darn good guides to special birds.

Still thinking it was likely a hawk they were mobbing I starting shooting photos. They were pretty high up and a 150 yards away when I noticed that the bird's head was blunt and rounded. I sort of thought flushed Barn owl but it quickly became evident it had far too much dark in the plumage. Short-eared owl !

My nemesis bird was an easy spot on this day and almost backyard. No bike ride needed. They slowly circled overhead.

The crows were all over the owl and that is always worrisome. Then nature did exactly what it does. Surprises. The crows peeled off and the darn owl followed them west ! An odd thing, the owl flying so high.

View attachment 42801


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That is just wonderful, and the last shot ... fabulous - congratulations on catching your nemesis!!

cheers
 

Bajema

Life of the Party
Had a nice morning birding out on the spit. Lots of Common Goldeneyes out swimming with the Scoters.BCAE87CD-5159-4D32-A9F8-6EC790A4503A.jpeg64753067-0527-47F2-9B6B-0752E0C8D48B.jpeg

I didn’t notice it until I got home, but there was a Barrow’s Goldeneye mixed in with them.FF802E10-10B4-48BD-868E-9DF3B3280F0A.jpeg

There were several Red-breasted Mergansers cruising along the shoreline.CB30EAF6-B313-4858-9BE4-0636A5B9C5A9.jpeg

A pair of Bald Eagles were watching over everything.F5C7F99A-836A-4BFF-8B71-37F1CD1D7ECF.jpeg

And while the Harris Sparrow had been spotted again yesterday, I wasn’t able to find it. There were plenty of White-crowned Sparrows though.F01F54CD-4472-48D4-8694-3129CD0F1A75.jpeg
 

Bajema

Life of the Party
Had a pretty cool bird here on Thanksgiving Day. Was talking to a birding jogger on our road and mentioned rarities. There is Short-eared owl that a couple others see yearly it seems about 3 miles away in a more plains habitat than this muddy river bottom here. I go over at times on bike and give it an effort to see the owl but usually nothing but harriers.. I think I had a may have had a quick glimpse last year of the owl. While chatting, a mob of crows was doing the business on a bird of prey. Sometimes they harass the local raptors, but as @Wadin' Boot noted before those crows are darn good guides to special birds.

Still thinking it was likely a hawk they were mobbing I starting shooting photos. They were pretty high up and a 150 yards away when I noticed that the bird's head was blunt and rounded. I sort of thought flushed Barn owl but it quickly became evident it had far too much dark in the plumage. Short-eared owl !

My nemesis bird was an easy spot on this day and almost backyard. No bike ride needed. They slowly circled overhead.

The crows were all over the owl and that is always worrisome. Then nature did exactly what it does. Surprises. The crows peeled off and the darn owl followed them west ! An odd thing, the owl flying so high.

View attachment 42801


View attachment 42796



View attachment 42800
So cool! Short-eared Owl is on my list for this winter.
 

tkww

Steelhead
Looks like your location is SE WA? Until this SEO my other experiences seeing them were near Steptoe Butte by Colfax. Heading into the park a couple of hours before dark I would see them hunting the fields in great side lighting. Seems it was Spring..but it has been about 20 years or so. Very cool place to visit.

Add an off note, it is thought the butte is 400 million years old while the soil of the Palouse around it is "only" 7-15 million

North of Seattle there are quite a few in the Skagit flats https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-wild-season-2-episode-9
Yes, SE WA. I've seen you mention Steptoe Butte before as a location for them. I will definitely keep that in mind. Around here it seems like they uptick heavily in the winter months. (I suspect the sighting gap around the holidays is because of just that.) And while I'm at it, I should head up into the Blues foothills and try to find a Pygmy owl, which is another lifer for me.

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And yes, the geology of that place (and much of E WA) is kinda wild. I had a prof in college say it was an outlier of the Rockies. And if the 'pedia is to be believed, it's an outlier of the Coeur d'Alene mountains which are a part of the Bitterroots which are a part of the Rockies. So...
 

Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
Yes, SE WA. I've seen you mention Steptoe Butte before as a location for them. I will definitely keep that in mind. Around here it seems like they uptick heavily in the winter months. (I suspect the sighting gap around the holidays is because of just that.) And while I'm at it, I should head up into the Blues foothills and try to find a Pygmy owl, which is another lifer for me.

View attachment 42897

And yes, the geology of that place (and much of E WA) is kinda wild. I had a prof in college say it was an outlier of the Rockies. And if the 'pedia is to be believed, it's an outlier of the Coeur d'Alene mountains which are a part of the Bitterroots which are a part of the Rockies. So...
Super cool area for sure. I consider it Rocky mt foothill stuff compared to our coastal green mossy darkness I put up with.

Pygmy owls seem to have a way of finding us : ). They are such fun birds. I know Snowy owls in northern eastern WA are a yearly find even in non-irruption years, but wonder if a few make it down into the Palouse in the winter as well? Looks ideal.

Hawk owl, Boreal owl..Great Grey's would be ones I need to see but won't likely see near me. I know the Montana folks on here see Grey's more often than most places. Great birding opportunities in your part of the world for sure. Blue Mts would be a fun area to search out.
 
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Canuck from Kansas

Aimlessly wondering through life
Forum Supporter
Went over to the shore this AM for a hike on the beach at Fort Macon SP. Light was generally pretty flat, but did get a couple of semi-decent shots;

Brown Pelicans in formation:
1669576415922.jpeg

Almost looks like a water color:

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1669576783765.jpeg

Skimming the surface:

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Thanks for your indulgence.

Cheers
 

VAGABOND

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
Went over to the shore this AM for a hike on the beach at Fort Macon SP. Light was generally pretty flat, but did get a couple of semi-decent shots;

Brown Pelicans in formation:
View attachment 42956

Almost looks like a water color:

View attachment 42957


View attachment 42958

Skimming the surface:

View attachment 42959

View attachment 42960

View attachment 42964

Thanks for your indulgence.

Cheers

One of my favorite locations to “ponder”. Another great location is the trail at the NC Aquarium. Quite a variety there at times and if you go in January/March a fast 6 wt with floating line might come in handy.
 

Wadin' Boot

Badly tied flies, mediocre content
Forum Supporter
The crows were all over the owl and that is always worrisome. Then nature did exactly what it does. Surprises. The crows peeled off and the darn owl followed them west ! An odd thing, the owl flying so high.
That's so cool! It looks like that was close to twilight, makes me wonder if the crows decided it was time to head to their roost. Like they know they turn into pumpkins below a certain outside wattage or something...
 

Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
That's so cool! It looks like that was close to twilight, makes me wonder if the crows decided it was time to head to their roost. Like they know they turn into pumpkins below a certain outside wattage or something...
Good point. It was just getting to evening and a perfect time to meander to a good place to nod off for the night
 
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