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  • Backyard Birding

    September
    10
    2006

    I had to start with a hummy, because they’re my favorite. How anyone can tire of seeing them I don’t know – but if you have, my apologies. The original photograph is amazing, the little splotch on her throat is a red feather that has been magnified by a drop of nectar (sugar water) that’s trailed down her beak onto her neck. We’ve been watching her for days, she’s feeding quite a bit, which I understand means that cold weather is very near. (waah!)

    red breasted nuthatch photography
    This is a Red Breasted Nuthatch. This one is new to our yard, I’ve never seen one in person before. I thought it was a Chickadee at first, until I saw the color of his breast. He’s smaller than our White Breasted Nutties, but does act as skittish and flighty as a Chickadee.

    house finch conjunctivitis
    This pitiful looking House Finch gal has conjunctivitis. “Pink eye” spreads like wildfire among house finches, and it’s got nearly every one of them that visits our yard now. I spotted a male who was probably 90% blinded by it and when he flew, he couldn’t see to land – so he kept trying to land on things until he flew straight into a tree. It’s sad, because they do become completely blinded by the disease and die from it, or from the side effects of it, like running into stuff. There was a female at our feeder a week or two ago, and I walked right up to her and tried to give her some thistle. She didn’t even know I was there.

    This is just pitiful, isn’t it? It’s a CardiVulture. (haha!) Really, this Cardinal is just molting, but man he’s scary looking. Big bald black head and bulgy eyes next to a bright red beak – stuck on top of a red floofy feathered body. Seriously, this must be torture for him. I’m sure he’s not used to being so freaky looking! His baby girl flew into the studio window a couple of days ago and I think she broke her wing. I tried to help her but she was well enough to hop away – not well enough to fly. I didn’t see where she went, but she did go in the opposite direction of the danger zone (where she surely would have been an afternoon snack), so I hope she’s okay and found a safe place to recover, if they recover from broken wings, that is.

    {5 Comments}

    1
    MotherPie said,

    It is pretty awesome the photos that are on Flickr now…. the ultra close lenses give you views you don’t even see w/ the naked eye…..

    9.10.2006 @ 9:55 am
    2
    MotherPie said,

    Just wanted you to know you’re on my blogroll!

    MotherPie’s Blogroll and Blog Friends

    Cheers

    9.10.2006 @ 2:26 pm
    3
    Cin said,

    Seeing your photos made me homesick for all the birds I got to enjoy as I was growing up. Now I live in an apartment, and the seagulls that pass our 8th floor balcony just don’t seem to count. I do hear many birds, but rarely see them – city birds seem to be a much wilier bunch.

    9.11.2006 @ 11:38 am
    4
    Lisa-TheShizzle said,

    Very cool! YIKES on that vulture bird!

    9.12.2006 @ 12:45 pm
    5

    Interesting birds indeed. Of these, we only have the nuthatch, but not the redbreasted one. I love birds, so I’m glad we have some around here, despite the fact that it’s so close to the inner city.

    9.14.2006 @ 4:26 am

    Sorry, comments are now closed.


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