Texas is looking bluer everyday. Obama and Clinton did

[Maestro]

a fine job last night and I am excited that Texas may actually have a say in the nominee. But to prove that Texas is getting bluer, here are some bluebirds from backyard.

They were fighting or really just being harassed by a mockingbird defending its territory, but they held their own. They even had a chance to swoop down a few times and grab a bite to eat thanks to all the worms in my yard. Now if they could only eat the grubs. ::) :D









Here are two from last winter....

[AnneD]

1. Mocking birds...

are tough. I'm impressed.

[Maestro]

10. And noisy as all get out!

They are Texas' state bird too.

[SallyMander]

2. Oh, GORGEOUS!!!

You know i always love your photos... but these are especially close to my heart because i had a field assistant job studying (western) bluebirds. It was a blast, and they are such gorgeous little creatures! :D

[Maestro]

11. Thanks SallyMander.

I have never seen the western variety although if I traveled to far West Texas, like El Paso, I could probably find one. That sounds like a neat job you had for a while.

[texas1928]

3. We had a mockingbird that lived in the bush in front of a quadreplex...

She was tough, she would actually get up on our chimney and make blue jay sounds to call them up. And soon you would hear them coming, and the fight was on.

[Maestro]

9. Picking a fight with a blue jay. Color me impressed.

Dern blue jays are mean!

[ChickMagic]

4. You need some black with blue iridescent

grackles to dig your grubs. They can hear them underground.
It's amazing! I love your bluebird pics.

[Maestro]

13. Like this?

;)

[ashling]

5. Bluebonnets

[Maestro]

14. Ah yes, and hopefully they will be out in force this year

since it has been a somewhat wet winter, not like last year, but we have had rain.

[Haole Girl]

6. Those pics are so beautiful! I love the colors!!

Here is one I took last month in Maui. Couldn't get as good of an angle as you did, though, without being on the other side of a very steep cliff! :hi:

[Maestro]

15. Thanks KC2

That is a neat looking bird you captured there. Do you remember its name?

[Haole Girl]

18. I don't know its name, but...

you made me curious enough to go digging for the answer! lol This was the closest I could find: http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/982/overview/Common_Myna.aspx

[Maestro]

20. That looks about right.

I never would have thought it was part of the starling family. Neat.

[Omphaloskepsis]

7. What camera took those pictures?

I want.

[Maestro]

16. Canon 40D with a Canon F4.5-5.6L IS tele zoom.

The camera is very nice with Canon's latest sensor technology, but really the glass is where it's at. Good glass will make a good picture. :)

[Shine]

8. Niiiice, Maestro.

:thumbsup: I love seeing your cool bird pics. :yourock:

say hi to your lovely wife for me. :D i hear she's got a really cool name.

:hi:

[Maestro]

21. I'll say hello to her for you.

And thanks.

[qnr]

12. Beautiful photographs, as always! n/t

[Maestro]

22. Thanks qnr.

:hi:

[crispini]

17. Maestro! Haven't seen you in the Texas forum lately!

:hi: C'mon by! Are you ready to do the Texas two-step? :bounce:

[Maestro]

23. Hey Crispini

I stop in from time to time, but I have been very busy. I did comment in your Obama thread though. Thanks for the comments.

[seemunkee]

19. Those are very pretty birds

Thanks for sharing

[Maestro]

24. Any time.

Thanks for looking.

[Maestro]

25. I just received word that Birder's World wants to use one of these

photos in its next e-newsletter. Pretty cool. :thumbsup:

[Forkboy]

26. I swear to God, not more than an hour or so ago...

...I was thinking to myself that I hadn't seen any pics from Maestro lately. Ask and ye shall receive! :)

Great pics, and congrats on the newsletter thing! :toast:

[Maestro]

27. Thanks Forkboy

It's an extremely small thing but I think it's a pretty nice acknowledgement. I'm still waiting for National Geographic to call. ;)

[Chovexani]

28. Ok, somebody has to say it

This thread is for the birds. :silly:

[Maestro]

31. Well I will take that as a compliment.

:)

[Chovexani]

32. It's the spirit with which it was intended!

I love birds. We've got some rather hilarious hummingbirds out here in AZ. :)

Birds are so entertaining. My friends have society finches and they just love to yap at me when I come over. :)

[Maestro]

33. I need to get to AZ again, especially the southern portion

of the state to bird it. Arizona has a great variety of birds to see.

[yellowdogintexas]

29. oh wow those are just gorgeous. So good to see bluebirds

after they were nearly made extinct by DDT

hey, the bluebonnets are coming soon too!

[Maestro]

30. Bluebirds are so pretty and their colors are so vibrant.

Here is Texas we have a few very vibrant birds. The painted bunting and the vermillion flycatcher are just two more colorful birds. Thanks for looking.

[suninvited]

34. Those are fabulous !

I especially love the one of the bluebird on the barbed wire and the one of the metal post.

I think these pictures have convinced me to upgrade from my Canon IS to an SLR. I have a lot of bluebird pictures myself, but without the extra lens I just cant get any as good as these. And the bluebirds are too shy to let me get any closer than I do!

[Maestro]

35. Thanks Imagine In Texas

I was very satisfied when I finally made the change from a point & shoot to a DSLR. Welcome to DU too!