Saturday, February 14, 2009

Great Backyard Bird Count-Valentines Day

Another great day for the Great Backyard Bird Count. I did most of it out of my yard and spent about 4 hours going to a couple of my favorite places. In total I recorded 21 different species of birds today.


The photo above is of my current favorite backyard bird. I could watch this mocker for hours! He has a real hard time accessing the suet on this feeder, but it doesn't stop him from trying. He flies into the feeder, grabs a chunk of suet and eats it on the ground. If you enlarge the photo, you can see the suet in his beak. You can also see all of the seeds and strawberry spillage the birds have done most recently. I am dreading cleaning this up once the snow melts. Talk about a rake job!

One of 8 cedar waxwings I saw this morning. They were all on one tree eating bittersweet.


My nemeses bird, the great blue heron. This bird does not like getting its photo taken and will do whatever possible to prevent it. This causes me to stalk him the way the paparazzi stalks Brittney. I was able to get this one before it flew away. I wish the tree branch wasn't there, but I couldn't take one more step or it would have flown off and cursed me.

Allright, allright, I know I said in a previous post if I take one more titmouse picture I was going to scream, but have changed my bitter attitude some ;o). This one was just too cute not to take. It is just getting ready to fly off the branch. I love the look of intense concentration on its face.

These last two photos are of house finches. For some weird reason, the house finches have not been frequent visitors of my yard for about the past 6 weeks or so. I had 4 of them at my feeders today and they were a welcome site to see.

Have a great Saturday all and good luck with your bird count. May the force be with you. ;o)










20 comments:

Dawn Fine said...

Happy Valentines Day..
Your mocker is very cute...I guess that guy has an attitude..
Nice photo of the Cedar Waxwing too..
Kallen, how close were you to the Waxwing when you took the photo?
Do you have a special long lense for taking closeups?

Kim said...

Dawn, I was in my car and it was way up in the tree. I have a 15 zoom on my camera. No spotting scope or antyhing like that yet!! HA!

FAB said...

Happy Valentines Day. 21 birds seen - Not bad eh? I'm jealous that you have seen a Waxwing - nice pic too. Lol FAB.

Anonymous said...

I'm enjoying your Great Backyard Birdcount (I participated last year). Great photos, and lol @ stalking the Blue Heron like "paparazzi" :D

Anonymous said...

Happy Valentines Day Kallen!

I also have a major rake job to do in our yard once the snow disappears.

Great images and congrats on the 21 species.

RuthieJ said...

I counted 6 House Finches in my backyard today and there was one little guy singing his heart out--they have such a pretty song.

Diane said...

That Blue Heron is HANDSOME! ! ! Good goin' Kallen! I can see now why you work so hard to catch his portrait! Beautiful!

Jayne said...

What a great day Kallen! I started to really and truly do the count, but I swear, I must have had 100 Pine Siskins and Goldfinch only... pretty boring these days.

Deb said...

Wonderful bird count photos! The waxwings were new to our neighbourhood last year ...I am hoping they will return. Our bird count was uneventful - one woodpecker and 4 sparrow :-)
Happy Valentine's Day.

Alan Pulley said...

Sounds like a great day Kallen! I think you nailed that great blue heron shot!

Kelly said...

...great photos and a wonderful day for your count!!!

Anonymous said...

Great day on your bird count and love your photos!

Susan English Mason said...

I only have a 10X zoom on mine. You get some good shots that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

Awesome job Kallen, 21 species is incredible. Beautiful captures of the Heron and the Waxwing especially.

It sounds like you had a great Valentine's Day! Good birding for the rest of the GBBC!

Anonymous said...

It's nice to see the Cedar Waxwings coming in. Keep trying for the Great Blue Heron. Up North, I may go decades between good shots!

Janie said...

You have such great variety at your feeder! So far, all we're seeing at the feeder this spring are redwing blackbirds and house finches.

Maria said...

Happy Valentines Day! Great bird shots! Love the shy heron :)

Anonymous said...

Wow...21 species and wonderful photos..You go girl....

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Great group of birds, Kallen.. I saw my first waxwing this weekend--and got so excited... I still haven't seen a mocker yet... Maybe one day!!!!

Thanks for the great pictures.
Hugs,
Betsy

Leedra said...

I see now you did get the proper id for the Great Blue Heron. Love the first photo.

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