More fun in the snow with songbirds

coastalconn · Feb 9, 2013

The meteorologists had this storm figured out. CT is shut down today. I had fun playing with songbirds before I start the many hours of digging out.

1

Male Cardinal 2 by krisinct, on Flickr

2

House Sparrow by krisinct, on Flickr

3

White throated Sparrow by krisinct, on Flickr

4

Tufted Titmouse by krisinct, on Flickr

5

Female Cardinal by krisinct, on Flickr

6

Chickadee by krisinct, on Flickr

Demers18 · Feb 9, 2013

Those are great shots! Wish I had that 200-500 of yours. This way I wouldn't have to crop all my birds.

I don't mean to hijack your thread but I got this bird today that's been hanging around the house the past few days and I have no idea what he is. Any clue?

Edit: I think he's a Cardinal of some sort.

[/URL] untitled0023-Edit.jpg by lee demers, on Flickr[/IMG]

PixelRabbit · Feb 9, 2013

Great shots Coastal, love the white throated sparrow.

Lee, I think that is a cedar waxwing, we have them here, they love the berries in the summertime but haven't seen any at all in the winter.

coastalconn · Feb 9, 2013

It is a cedar waxwing for sure. A bird expert said my "white throated sparrow" is actually a Savanah Sparrow. Didn't think they stayed the winter.. Go figure.

coastalconn · Feb 9, 2013

I ended up with so many shots, I started a set on flickr.. Songbirds in snow - a set on Flickr Feel free to take a look. If you have an account mark your favorites or leave a comment. I'm trying to figure out the best one to put on 500px

Demers18 · Feb 9, 2013

PixelRabbit said:
Great shots Coastal, love the white throated sparrow.

Lee, I think that is a cedar waxwing, we have them here, they love the berries in the summertime but haven't seen any at all in the winter.

coastalconn said:
It is a cedar waxwing for sure. A bird expert said my "white throated sparrow" is actually a Savanah Sparrow. Didn't think they stayed the winter.. Go figure.

That is good to know. Is the first time I've seen them and when I looked them up, I noticed they have no business here in the winter. They only come up this far to breed in the summer. I don't mind though, it's another one to take a photo of.

Thanks

PS ill check out your set and pick out my faves.

sm4him · Feb 9, 2013

Beautiful as always, Kris!! I'll try to get on flickr later (or maybe tomorrow) and look at the others; I'm sure they're all stunning! The ONE thing I don't like about not getting much snow here is that it just sets songbirds off so nicely--but when it DOES snow, I'm too cold and miserable to stay out in it for long, anyway.

I agree that Demers photo is a Cedar waxwing; we have them here pretty much year round; they are supposedly fairly common here, but I've never seen one in my yard, and just got my first pictures of one not too long ago.

I'm not sure I agree with your bird expert about that sparrow though. Here's the savannah sparrow on one of my favorite bird sites--and here's the white-throated. They are quite close, but one of the telling marks is supposedly that dark splotch on its breast, which is indicative of the white-throated sparrow. On the other hand, the white on the throat does seem to be much larger on the white-throated. So I'm not absolutely positive. But I still think yours is a white-throated. I also think that if it's not, I have a LOT of relabeling to do.

coastalconn · Feb 9, 2013

Sharon, someone on my flickr chimed in first, so I posted it on cornell's wall here.. Positive ID of Savannah... Photos of Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Facebook

coastalconn · Feb 9, 2013

I changed my mind. I think it is a Bohemian Waxwing. Based on the white wing bars and the belly looks more grey than yellowish..

WesternGuy · Feb 10, 2013

CC, great shots as usual, 4 and 5 are the best ones for me. I would agree with your ID on Demers waxwing as one of the Bohemian persuasion - its the orange colouring in the head region which gives it away as far as I can tell.

WesternGuy

sm4him · Feb 10, 2013

coastalconn said:
Sharon, someone on my flickr chimed in first, so I posted it on cornell's wall here.. Positive ID of Savannah... Photos of Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Facebook

Well, how 'bout that. Huh. Guess I better start relabeling.

I wonder if *any* of my white-throated sparrows actually are that.
On another note: It hadn't occurred to me that Cornell might be on FB; sweet!

coastalconn said:
I changed my mind. I think it is a Bohemian Waxwing. Based on the white wing bars and the belly looks more grey than yellowish..

D'oh. I forget there are other kinds of waxwings. I see something that looks like a waxwing, it's a Cedar waxwing in my book! I don't think I've ever seen a Bohemian waxwing.