The first time I photographed a female red-winged blackbird I wasn’t sure what it was. Its looks and temperament differ greatly from the male. It has a subtler beauty and it tends to stay in the shadows while the male is out in the open singing its heart out.
Tag Archives: Birds
WOOD DUCK CHICK
We’ve seen several paddlings of ducklings in the last few weeks. This duckling was swimming on its own for a while though never far from its mother. The waters are treacherous for these small birds; the lake has a fair number of snapping turtles and the reserve has its share of hawks (although I’ve seen neither this year). I always feel better when I see a duckling rejoin the group.
EASTERN PHOEBE
Thanks to BirdNation for correctly identifying the bird as a red-eyed vireo. I guess the text below isn’t too relevant now😏
The Eastern Phoebe is a member of the flycatcher family and returns to our woods in spring. Most of the birds on this particular day remained too far away to photograph. The Phoebe decided to fly in closer but remained in a shady spot. In this case, I think the shadow on his feathers added some interest.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
It was nice when this goldfinch positioned himself away from the leaves so I could get a clear shot. He was just within range of my lens and although happy to get the photo, I wish I had had my longer lens with me. Best news of all though, is that last week at this very spot we still wore wool against the cold, today it was 100% cotton!
HAIRY WOODPECKER
This female hairy woodpecker was taken in a wildlife garden in the city. We saw more birds that one morning than I saw all of last spring. There was a feeder close by and the birds were taking turns at it. I waited for the bird to settle in a nearby tree and took this shot.
MALLARD
Mallards are gregarious ducks and it’s fun to watch their antics. It’s when you find a solitary one that you can really appreciate the breed. More subtle in appearance than the male but still a handsome duck with a contented expression; out of the fray for a while.
COMPANY OF TWO
Not sure what caught the eye of these wood ducks but they certainly had my attention. They remained in this quiet cove for quite a while. This small lake in midsummer is a busy place full of noisy mallards. Perhaps the wood ducks were enjoying a momentary calm.
