This and That-Birds, etc

Just some pictures I have taken the past few days. The pictures of the Gray Catbird was taken on Sunday during the rain.

Sometimes cloudy skies can make for good photos if you can get close enough to your subject. The birds seem much more cooperative when it rains out as it's harder for them to fly so they tend to stick around if they don't think you mean any harm. I was very close to this Catbird and was able to manage my best shots of this bird thus far.

A juvenille Baltimore Oriole I saw this past Sunday as well. At first I thought it was a goldfinch because of the wingbars. It looked too orange to me so I decided to google a little bit more and am now 90% positive this is a juvie oriole. My field guide has the juvie Orioles with a darker bill and eyes though? These juvies are going to be the death of me people!

Looking toward the sky and wondering where they sunshine is I'm sure.

A very wet American Robin in my driveway this past Sunday. I have tons of robins in my yard now that the mulberry tree is ripe. They inhale these things right alongside the Cedar Waxwings. One thing to note is I don't have nearly as many Baltimore Orioles as I did last year at this tree. I tracked the orioles for Audubon last year and recorded at least 10 birds coming to my yard on a regular basis, this year I only have 2.

Still my favorite bird of all time (besides the Peregrine Falcon that is!!). Without a doubt one of the most optimistic birds of all. It takes a lot to bring a chickadee down!

Juvie Tree Swallow we saw on Friday in Rutland (digiscoped).

Ruby-throated Hummingbird at my feeder. Yes I do still have feeders! I wish I were at home more often so I could see these birds more.

A Blue-jay flies out of a tree at me in outrage. I think I was near its nest.

Giving the alarm call to the others!

An American Robin building a nest in front of my building. Loved this shot with the police car in the background. City life at its best!

Working hard to get as much in her bill as she can so she doesn't have to make so many trips!

And going to the nest to tuck it all in. So fun to watch. The male joined in too and they are working really hard to build it. There is also another robin's nest 4 trees away from this one where a robin is busy incubating eggs.

The male Peregrine Falcon outside of City Hall today. Both the male and female are spending more of their time around City Hall hunting which I solely missed. The female was out yesterday and she was going after a Rock Pigeon. A co-worker and I watched the whole thing as I tried miserably to get shots through the window with the rain coming down as hard as it did. One thing that was VERY INTERESTING was that she was chasing a pigeon and another pigeon was chasing her!! I am guessing it was the other pigeons mate!! So cool to watch and yes the pigeon and its spouse escaped unharmed.

Th male perched upon the steeple of City Hall. NOTE: The juvie peregrine who was released this past Friday is doing fine. The entire family spends all of their time now on top of the Commerce building. It will only be a matter of time before they bring their young up on top of the 446 Main building for flying lessons and I can't wait. After that they will take off and I will miss them terribly.

Take care all