Been sort of messing around lately just birding the pasture next to me

[Maestro]

along with my backyard of course. Here are few results.

It is always nice to get 3 species in one pic. Here you can see a male house finch, a lark sparrow and two savannah sparrows.


The lark sparrows have very bold colors on the head that I love to photograph.




The savannahs are getting used to me. This one allowed me to get very close relatively speaking.


The brown headed cowbirds are everywhere in huge flocks. Here is a male and female.




Even Mr. Downy decided to come out in plain view. I have many more of this one...still processing. ;)

[Blue_In_AK]

1. They're so cute. I just love your bird photos.

[Maestro]

4. Thanks Blue.

I hope to have some very good ones in the coming weeks. I've actually set up my first photo trip to a ranch here in Texas dedicated solely to wildlife photography and land conservation. Here it is: www.losmadrones.com. :thumbsup:

[JeffR]

2. Remarkable series.

Though I'm comprehensively ignorant about birds, I can identify a number of species, and it's been disquieting how some of those species simply don't appear in our neighborhood or anywhere else I go in the city these recent years. Haven't seen a cardinal for three years, or a jay for two. Crows - my favorites - abandoned this area several years ago against the coming of West Nile, and are only now beginning to return, tentatively.

We do have, as I understand it, the world's largest population of ring-billed gulls based not far from our house, but we seldom see them around the neighborhood unless someone has spilled a large order of fries as they were walking down the street.

I like to see good photographs of birds like sparrows, pigeons and gulls because it makes me appreciate their modest beauty more. Soon, I fear, we won't have any birds here except for species like these. And when their numbers, too, begin to dwindle noticeably, whatever is left of my faith in humankind as stewards of this magnificent little planet will quietly be extinguished.

[Maestro]

5. Thanks Jeff and that has been a worry for me too.

It is also one of the reasons I started pointing my lens at wildlife and birds specifically. Birds, just like other animals, need certain types of land to breed and feed. We humans are destroying that land at fantastic rates. I am teaching my children to care about animals, land, rivers and oceans. I hope that they will continue as adults. My mother tells me how she would play with and see the Texas Horned Lizard all the time when she was a child. Now they have all but disappeared all because of man. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/texas_nature_trackers/horned_lizard/ The Audubon Society has identified many species of birds that are declining at rapid rates, once again, because of man and habitat destruction. It needs to stop. Thanks for worrying and caring. You aren't alone.

[JeffR]

9. Thanks for posting that link. That's a sad saga.

On a happier note, I did see a couple of cardinals today, and a very handsome robin. Needless to say, I wasn't carrying a camera.:-(

[Inchworm]

3. Awesome pics as usual Maestro

Glad to see them.

I keep forgetting to take pics lol. I'll just sit there and watch em :P

I'm having some work done at the house and saw this Eastern Bluebird while they were on break.



:hi:

[Maestro]

6. Thanks inchworm.

I always love seeing bluebirds! They are one of my favorite birds.

[alfredo]

7. Cow Birds, the Republicans of the bird world.

We have a Mockingbird that is getting somewhat tame.

We have a lot of song sparrows, white throated, Cardinals, house finces, Downey's, and occasional slate colored juncos.

[Maestro]

8. The republicans of the bird world....

:rofl: That's funny. Is it because of their parasitic ways?

I don't get to see song sparrows, white throated sparrows or the slate colored juncos. I'd love to one day though.

[alfredo]

10. The Juncos winter here. Every now and then I see Brown Thrashers,

Fox Sparrows, Rose Breasted Grossbeak, Goldfinches, Ladder Back Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmouse, Red Shafted Flickers, and Red Bellied Woodpeckers. Even saw a Ruby Crowned Kinglet.

[Maestro]

11. The titmouse, the red bellied woodpeckers, the kinglets,

ladderbacked woodpeckers and goldfinches I can observe as well, but I do not get to see the fox sparrows nor the rose breasted grosbeaks. We get northern flickers but not the red shafted variety.

[alfredo]

12. The Pileated Woodpecker is a local favorite. They are fearless.

And they are beautiful. Their wing feathers remind me of the Toucan. It's not the color, it is sleek sharpness of the feathers. Parrots seem to be softer in look and feel. I've never touched a Pileated, but I enjoyed the company of a Toucan. A very fine agreeable bird.