(Some) Birds of Sunnyvale

[REP]

Here are some of the birds that pester me as I water my plants.

(I'm pretty are these are) Finches (I know they're immature):



With one of their parents:



Not the clearest perspective, but there's a robin with a worm on his way to his nest:



And of course, Anna's hummingbirds. These are immature males.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear REP!

These are wonderful, detailed pictures...

Really really lovely. You must have a great lens and lots of patience...

Your flying hummingbird is really nice!

Thanks for sharing...

[woo me with science]

2. Thank you for that.

You have some wonderful faces here. :)

[REP]

3. The hummingbirds pose - I have hundreds if not thousands of photos of them

The robins are being real ass pains about letting me get a clear shot. Their nest is right by my balcony, too!

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

4. You should post these in the Photo Forum

Nice job! :bounce:

[REP]

5. Thanks!

And done!

[csziggy]

6. That first group of pictures are probably goldfinches

The last shot shows the black cap of a mature male though the bird still has the immature plumage. In the winter when they visit us here in North Florida, all the goldfinches look like the immature ones, very drab.

[XemaSab]

7. Lesser Goldfinches

:D

[REP]

9. They're little dudes, even the adults

A little larger than chickadees, but not by much.

[REP]

8. The adults are quite bright yellow

I'm going to make a perch that puts them in an easier-to-shoot angle.

[csziggy]

10. If the adults' backs are bright yellow, they are American goldfinches

The Lesser goldfinches have black or greenish backs.

American goldfinch


Range of colors of American goldfinches


Range of colors of Lesser goldfinches



Edited to add - we don't get the Lesser goldfinches here, just the American.

[REP]

11. They're Lessers - the male seems to be black-backed

They sure are cute.

[csziggy]

12. Goldfinches are great little birds

The American goldfinches have a song that sounds to me as if they are saying "Feed me!"

They love sunflower seeds and thistle seed. I use to pour sunflower seeds on the rail of our deck and the goldfinches would be packed solid, scarfing up the stuff. I haven't been able to feed them here at the new house since the deer eat all the bird seeds.

Of course, this time of year the goldfinches are up north producing young and we have house finches nesting in our hanging flower baskets. They are on their second set of babies so far this year!

[Pool Hall Ace]

13. Great job!

[REP]

14. Thanks!

The goldfinches are just now beginning to pose as much as the hummingbirds do, who are total camera sluts.