4/22/2009

Earth Day in my Backyard

This doesn't even look like a brown headed cowbird, but it is! These two are a first sighting for me. Too bad the pics are so bad!
cowbird
Kissing Cowbirds!


I didn't know the males were so different from the females of this species.


Next is one of our cute little Red Squirrels:


This is not a good representation of him, but I do love my Blue Jays.
blue jay

Although I have far too many cardinal images, I'm still showing more of them. This one's hiding from the Mockingbird in the thornbushes:
cardinal thorns

cardinal thorns2

I like this one - too bad I chopped his head off!
turning cardinal

Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal in the Cedar tree:
female cardinal cedar

male cardinal cedar

Can anyone identify this mystery bird? I was shooting for a hawk on a limb above him, and only saw him after I took the picture.


Maybe a size comparison with the hawk will help.


Actually, I'm not sure about the hawk, either. I think it is a Broad Winged Hawk, because I saw it flying and it's very small and thick. But maybe not!


This is a picture I took of a poor broken bird last fall. His face has been halfway eaten away, and I thought he was doomed.


But he survived!!! He is just fine! I saw him this winter and again in early spring. Pretty good, huh?

Finally, my flock of winter robins:



Aren't they cool? They stayed until mid-January or later.



And a little titmouse puffed up against the cold:


3 comments:

  1. Just discovered your blog and that's pretty neat. I think i saw a hawk in my backyard once, in the winter (the hawk was on the ground apparently feasting on something that might have been a squirrel). The thing was huge, 2-3 feet tall i'd say.
    Now, what i'd like to see are owls. i can hear them but i've never actually seen one.
    keep up the good work!

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  2. H - I love owls, too. They often have owl walks at Broadmoor in Natick. They start at sunset, and the guide teaches you to recognize the sounds of different species and where to look for them. I didn't see one, but I'm still looking!

    Speaking of Hawks (and yours was probably a Red Tailed Hawk if it was that big), I saw a Kestrel do some amazing things at Callahan State Park today! Unbelievable! Post to follow!

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  3. I wondered about why I saw saw many robins this winter. Have I just not noticed in the past? Or is this some new global warming phenomenon?

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