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Eagleville TN. Seriously, a real town!

A friend of mine let me borrow his $8,000 Canon 600mm lens and paired with my 6D Mk II, it was a super powerful set-up!! Not much other than feeder birds to photograph that day, though! Click the pic to see all the detail on the feathers.

Missed out on last weeks..

Here's my bluebird study painted in acrylics (and pen for the birdhouse and lettering).

I wonder how many others can relate, but it seems like I am either hunting for a needle in a haystack or trying to select the best blade of grass in that haystack. 😄 I'm either trying to find one of very few photos of a species in a collection of thousands and thousands of photos, or as is the case this week, I am trying to select one photo out of thousands I can easily find. Here's two photos that while not great photos, combining them together helped make my choice a little bit easier.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372576601

Finally saw my first owl of the year!

A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird who was too busy keeping an eye out on another hummer to care about me much. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371662871

Hmm... @Charlie Spencerdid you happen to be at Phinizy Swamp yesterday? Maybe just some of your kin folk?

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371513481

Tybee Island, Georgia

It came back today. Chased it from tree to tree. Now I need to nurse my neck.

This chickadee had some sort of beef with me this morning as it wouldn't leave me alone. Kept flying straight at me and yelling the whole time. Honestly thought he was gonna land on me or my camera! I don't know what his deal was, but I think he provided me my best photo I have of the species so far. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371165751

Lesser Goldfinches in the sunflowers, from last month.

A Maggie in the yard today https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371959761

Elegant Tern https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371632641

Migratory White-crowned Sparrows are back. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372816791

Peregrine flyover! https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372814511

I do NOT like photographing magpies! It is so hard to fit the whole bird into the frame and keep it sharp, so I am absolutely thrilled to get these photos. These are by far my best ever Yellow-billed Magpie photos!!! I love the iridescence on the tail in the first photo. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372791511 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372791521

Oak Titmouse on a powerline https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372473551

Another couple photos from my trip! https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372181841

I have shown this photo before (also is my Avatar photo) but wanted to add it here. This one I re-edited it with Sony Imaging which I just stared using. It one of my favorite photos of the year.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371739141 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371739041

Caspian are also noticeably bigger:

"Come at me, bro!"

Dipped on a locally rare Clay-colored Sparrow but at least I got my best chickadee pic to date https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/372391011

This story actually has a happy ending, but didn't know where else to tell it, so here's as good as anywhere: Today when I was out trying to relocate the Wilson's @HamRHead found, I walked down a treeline. On my way back, I heard a lot of chipping noises, and could see a flurry of activity. I walked over to where all the movement was coming from, and it turns out to be a female black-and-white warbler, hanging with the tip of her wing trapped in remnants of a Golden-silk Orb Weaver web. I walked over to where she was and reached up, but she was too high, and I couldn't touch her. I hunted around and found a stick with a crook on the end. I figured I'd snag the web and drag it down. I tried multiple times. Sometimes the bird would grip onto the stick, which I was happy about, and it would help take some of the weight off her wing. Inevitably, she'd panic, flail, and cause the line she was hanging from (which I thought at first was fishing line, and am glad it wasn't) to swing back and forth. I'd have to wait for the swinging to slow down, and try again. Finally, after a dozen tries, I had snagged the line! Huzzah! I was relieved, because I was starting to get concerned that she was going to break her wing. I was able to drag it toward me, as well as her. This is where the bird FREAKED. She did not like coming closer to the giant ape-like creature. I finally got a hand on her and tried to get her securely. First attempt failed, as she was feisty and tried to bite me and flapped around, squawking loudly. Luckily, she couldn't go anywhere, as she was attached to the spiderweb securely. Finally, I was able to get my hand all the way around her and cupped her to my chest and decided on a plan of action. I unhooked the stick and dropped it to the ground, and then attempted to pull the line off. It was tricky, that spider makes some TOUGH stuff. (And I was afraid to pull too hard, as I didn't want to hurt her.) I finally figured out a way to hold her body still, but the tip of her wing out where I could pinch the feathers, and was able to use the other hand to break off the spider web line. I opened my hand and she hastily flew off. As she did, I noticed she still had spiderweb on her wing, but I figured she'd be ok, considering the fight she put up, and the fact that she flew just fine. Later that day I was back in that same spot and saw a female B&W Warbler high up in a tree foraging for food. I like to think that was her. 🙂 So, I didn't get the Wilson's, but like I told my friends, I obviously was meant to be in that spot at that exact time. Since I didn't see her on my way up the treeline, just on the way back, I had to have found her right after it happened. I have attached an illustration for you, since I didn't get any pictures.

"I think that last fish gave me a bit of indigestion!!" "BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP!!!"

This year I have been hitting my local county for a few birds that shouldn't be too hard to get. Yesterday I thought I had found my county Yellow Warbler. I shot a few frames, saw a dark undertail, and suddenly realized it was not a Yellow Warbler. I got a few more shots, none of them great, but still diagnostic for a rare Wilson's Warbler! It is a lifer and a great county bird. There is one other record--historical from 1931.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371918291 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371918201

Definitely saw more interesting birds yesterday but this was the best photo of the day. See the Owls topic for the the most fun bird.

Reminds me of the old joke: Montana Grizzly Bear Notice: In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field. We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle the bears that aren't expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains a lot of berry seeds and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/ https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371498091

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/371459681

Initially we had two of these hanging out together. This one so cooperative I got video of it. From our adventures on Sunday.

In my backyard

I have lots to choose from, so I'll keep it short. First, a group shot Next, an unusual one with a yellow cap. And last, a leucistic one.

I have hundreds of American Goldfinch pictures. They are one of my favorite Winter subjects 💛 Here a few favs...

A few coincidences occurred recently: 1. I took a very grainy, distant photo of a cute bluebird perched on the side of a tree, in the fog. (See profile pic.) 2. The next bird to draw happened to be the Eastern Bluebird. 3. I joined Whatbird with Sialia sialis as my username. Therefore... I just had to draw one and enter it! Maybe it's cheating a bit because I don't have to draw a tail or feet... but... here it is!