Backyard Birding Extravaganza

[pjaye]

Great set! New birds are always fun to capture but nine in one year is remarkable. I'm lucky to get one or two a year and it might be just a different color phase or a juvenile of birds I've shot before. Of the bird you posted only the Wilson's Warbler is familiar to me.

Nine in one WEEK, that is.

Great set Sharon! Although I bought a bird book, I've totally given up trying to identify warblers and sparrows. There are PAGES of them and I just don't have the eyes to distinguish the small differences

Eyes nor ears. Check these out Browse by Bird Family (taxonomy) - Wood-Warblers, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Last year, a friend gave me her spare copy of The Warbler Guide. That book has been an absolute WONDERFUL asset during migration. I sit with the camera at the ready, and that book beside me, open to the East Fall Quick Finder page.
I have the Sibley bird guide and Peterson's as well, and I like them both, but for warblers, nothing beats this book, imo. Even if you don't buy the book, you can go to their website, and click on the "Visual Finders" link to download some great resources for helping with ID.
One little tip though: The Warbler Guide is not NEARLY as useful if it turns out that the bird you saw is actually a Vireo.

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I have the Audubon book. But I may get the one you recommended for next year.

 

[Hunter58]

Excellent set of captures. They should be here soon.

 

[Donde]

Barb for sure the images often all look alike in the field guides so in addition read the text. A good guide will highlight in the text the important differences between similar species and help you narrow down the quandary or even solve it.

Great set Sharon! Although I bought a bird book, I've totally given up trying to identify warblers and sparrows. There are PAGES of them and I just don't have the eyes to distinguish the small differences

 

[Jasii]

Nice set Sharon!
You enthuse me to go out and check my backyard today!

 

[scooter2044]

Very nice. The last is my favorite.

 

[pjaye]

Barb for sure the images often all look alike in the field guides so in addition read the text. A good guide will highlight in the text the important differences between similar species and help you narrow down the quandary or even solve it.

I learned that this summer when we saw three juvenile yellow bellied sapsuckers. It was in the text about a distinctive white stripe.
However, I took a picture of a small shore bird a week ago, and I was 1000% i had identified it. Nope, I was completely wrong. I'm going to try the other books recommended next year and see if that helps. Thankfully, I have someone who is a big time birder on my facebook and he often comes to my rescue.

Sorry Sharon for derailing your thread!

 

[b_twill]

Great pictures! I too have noticed there are more birds around here than I ever thought once I started trying to photograph them!
For ID'ing our feathered friends, Cornell Labs put out this nifty website that will help ID your birds from your photographs. Just upload the photo, point out the beak, eye and tail and it gives you an ID. It covers 400 of the most common birds in the US.
Photo ID — BETA | Merlin Bird ID app – Instant Bird Identification Help for 400 North American birds

 

[FITBMX]

You got some great looking birds around there!

 

[jcdeboever]

Here is the birthday present for grandma Bertie, 100 years old. She loved it!

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[JacaRanda]

Here is the birthday present for grandma Bertie, 100 years old. She loved it!

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Very cool.

 

[sm4him]

Here is the birthday present for grandma Bertie, 100 years old. She loved it!

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WOW, she's 100?!?! She looks GREAT! That's some good genes right there.
Thanks for posting the photo! So glad she liked it.

 

[jcdeboever]

Here's a close-up of the angel. No time for post processing.

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