This morning we have an “all birds” program.
First up are two shots from reader Stephen Barnard in Idaho.
An American goldfinch (Spinus tristis), noted by Stephen as “coming into its breeding plumage.” When I asked how he got such a close shot, he responded:
The bird was at my feeder. The light was pretty good and I was as close as I could focus with a 700mm lens, and the photo is cropped. The uniform background is because I was shooting into my house through a window.
And a photo called “Moar Sandhill Cranes” (Grus canadensis):
Then, elebenty gazillion cockatiels from reader Tony Eales (that rhymes!):
I took a recent trip out to Biloela Qld [Queensland] and the sorghum was ready for harvest, especially by the local wildlife. The first are Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and the last three are Little Corellas (Cacatua sanguinea) although I did note in the wide shot there’s a small flock of Scaly Breasted Lorikeets (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) to play “Spot the…” with:
Can you spot the lorikeets?
Reader Glenn sent some carnage:
Here’s an abortion provider in Virginia, errr, uh, red-tailed hawk [Buteo jamaicensis] feeding. This raccoon eating raptor [raccoon: Procyon lotor] performed a hopping 180 to face me as I approached it from behind.
The Barnard flourish continues…keep ’em coming!
🐧
I don’t see any lorikeets, better hope they’re not behind you. They’re up for nommination as Queensland’s State Raptor now.
The American Goldfinch, also known as the wild canary, is the state bird of Iowa and a couple of other states as well.
Maybe it was a class of 4th graders who accomplished this deed…
Nice!
Maybe. But those would have been simpler times when abortion was not legal or much talked about.
Love the shots of the Australian cockatiels and corellas. What a spectacle (though I imagine the farmer probably takes a dim view!).
I recall spectacular flocks of galahs and cockatoos from my visits to Australia – fantastic!
The lorikeets are very small silhouettes behind the corellas, with longish tapering tails, I presume? I don’t think they are identifiable from the photo alone so I presume the photographer’s knowledge of the species that were present at the time is also involved in the ID.
Lorikeets about half way up from top to bottom of the frame and towards the right hand side.
I am so not seeing them!
The wild cockatiels are beautiful – thanks for sharing the photo! They and the corellas must have had quite the feast with all that sorghum.
Yay wild cockatiels! I’ve really come to appreciate Australian birds via the Readers Photographs.
Nice Finch close-up!
Stephen–amazing detail as always!
Tony–what a treat to see “pet birds” in their natural habitat! All psittacines have wonderful faces, but I think the Corellas have the best smiles of all.
Now please, circle the lorikeets! 😀
Glenn–great capture! (So to speak…)