Jump to content
Whatbird Community

RustyE

Members
  • Posts

    58
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by RustyE

  1. I might not make friends with this post, but maybe some are being a little hard on Flickr/SmugMug. Whatbird it's self would not be here if not for the money that iBird brings in. For those who have their own websites, you know it cost money. Think of how many users are on Flickr and how much collected space is being used by the total number of them. Flickr ran for years on the few who wished to pay for the use of the site and for those who used the free account (which gave you TONS of space, my self included) they used adds to help pay the cost. I think it got to a point where Flickr could no longer pay the bills without more paying accounts and decided to sell. SmugMug, as a new owner could see the problem and put a small restriction in place to reduce the cost of server space needed to store the millions of photo data, but yet still offer a free service.

    I paid for my account to keep from having to see photo's deleted. Really it would have been no issue as I have everything backed up. But being a former website owner/editor that could not afford the on going cost when the revenue just was not enough, I had to close down shop. I don't blame Flickr/SmugMug. It's a business and those hard choices have to be made and sometimes they are not popular choices. 

    I came here today to see if there was a post (like on the old forum) for people to add their Flickr link and Flickr screen name so people from Whatbird could connect. We have a Group for Whatbirders only and was going to invite anyone whom has not joined us there to do so. Now I'm not sure others will join based on this topic. But if you are, in my signature  is a link to our group.

    I conclusion to my ramblings, I just want to say.... Not everything in life is free. Free for us is not free for those who provide it.

     

     

    • Like 2
  2. I did read that during breeding season, they don't flock and in my area (east Texas) they show to breed year round. So I guess it's not to unusual to see one by himself. Just a first that I can remember. Here is my loner. Not sure, but this could be a first year male. His coloring is not very dark and wings coverts are either more hidden or not filled in yet.

    What do you think? First year or I've just never noticed this before. :classic_huh::classic_unsure::classic_wacko:

    Red-winged Blackbird_5426Red-winged Blackbird_5453

     

     

  3. This morning my wife noticed a Red-winged Blackbird on the ground under our feeders. He has no signs of injury or any other reason for just hanging around. What I find kind of strange is, that he is alone. They normally flock with other RWB's, Blackbirds and Starlings. It just seems odd to me.

    I guess my question would be, has anyone every seem this behavior before? He seems very nervous, which I guess would be because he's alone and not within a flock.

  4. A few things that will always help on making an ID Suzanne is time and location of the photo.

    Ok, for me the legs are to short for a Great-blue. The bill is to short and thick. This has to be a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. The white head and white cheek mark gives it away. The only odd thing is the leg color should be yellow and it seems grayish in the photo, but this could just be processing/exposure.

  5. I would say based on the picture of the hawk from the back that is a juvenile red-tailed hawk. Red-tailed typically have a White V shape pattern when seen from the back. Makes me think juvenal based on your description of his actions and the color of his beak. An adult Hawk would be more cautious and would have not gotten so close. Also they usually only land on the ground with a meal.

×
×
  • Create New...