Birders

[ForeverAutumn]

I had my first sighting of an Indigo Bunting on Sunday! That's the second bucket-list sighting for me in as many weeks (the first was a Scarlet Tanager). A male showed up at our feeder twice on Sunday, that I saw. I spent a good part of Monday watching the feeder but didn't see him again. I don't know what it is about 2019, but this has been a stellar year for sightings at our feeder.

[ForeverAutumn]

So, we got an add-on lens for the iPhone. It’s not great, but we took these of a newcomer to the feeder.

Thanks for the info on the phone attachment.

I tried to charge my old digital camera over the weekend, and it isn't working. Although it could just be the battery, I've decided to splurge on a new camera. My old camera is 14 megapixels, 8x optical zoom and doesn't have wifi. I can get 20 megapixels, 50x optical zoom, with wifi for under $300. I'm going to head to the camera shop sometime this week to check things out.

[ronmac]

The number of pixels isn't the most important feature. It's more about the image sensitivity and lens quality. In fact, I think there are different sizes for pixels, too, believe it or not. (I'm too lazy to look it up.)

So, like they say, bigger is not necessarily better.

[proggy_jazzer]

Thanks for the info on the phone attachment.

I tried to charge my old digital camera over the weekend, and it isn't working. Although it could just be the battery, I've decided to splurge on a new camera. My old camera is 14 megapixels, 8x optical zoom and doesn't have wifi. I can get 20 megapixels, 50x optical zoom, with wifi for under $300. I'm going to head to the camera shop sometime this week to check things out.

The brand is Godefa. The kit contained a telephoto, a wide angle and a fisheye, along with a tripod attachment and the clamp that holds the lenses in place over the phone's camera iris. The hassle is trying to assemble it while a bird is there; it's not a particularly quick process. The price was right, though, at $29.99. Here's today's sighting, one that even I can identify, a Scarlet Tanager:

IMG_1288.jpg

[ForeverAutumn]

The number of pixels isn't the most important feature. It's more about the image sensitivity and lens quality. In fact, I think there are different sizes for pixels, too, believe it or not. (I'm too lazy to look it up.)

So, like they say, bigger is not necessarily better.

Thanks. This is exactly why I'm going to a camera shop and not ordering from Best Buy. I might end up paying a little more, but I'm sure that the advice I receive will be worth it in the long run.

[ForeverAutumn]

The brand is Godefa. The kit contained a telephoto, a wide angle and a fisheye, along with a tripod attachment and the clamp that holds the lenses in place over the phone's camera iris. The hassle is trying to assemble it while a bird is there; it's not a particularly quick process. The price was right, though, at $29.99. Here's today's sighting, one that even I can identify, a Scarlet Tanager:

IMG_1288.jpg

Beautiful!

[Nearfest2]

Here's a Kentucky Warbler from Sunday morning...

Kentucky Warbler.jpg

[Jerjo]

We had to do a long drive to my wife's eye doctor a couple days ago and while I was disappointed not seeing any bald eagles near the Missouri, I did see many pelicans. Man, those are BIG birds. Such a brilliant white.

[Progatron]

Here's a Kentucky Warbler from Sunday morning...

Kentucky Warbler.jpg

Great shot!

[ForeverAutumn]

I put a new planter in front of our house on the weekend with bright pink flowers. This evening a hummingbird stopped by one of the flowers. While it's not the first time I've seen a hummingbird, it is the first time I've seen one at our house! I hope he tells all his friends about our beautiful flowers.

Also, a friend of mine hooked me up with a friend of hers who is a biologist. Her job is to do bird surveys for environmental companies and the Canadian Gov't. She posts incredible photos on Facebook, including some birds that I've never even heard of. She has invited me to go birding with her! We haven't set a date yet, but figure it'll be sometime in July. The weekends here have been pretty rainy. Hopefully July will be dryer. It'll be fun to go out with someone who knows the hot spots and can easily identify all the birds.

[Nearfest2]

Also, a friend of mine hooked me up with a friend of hers who is a biologist. Her job is to do bird surveys for environmental companies and the Canadian Gov't. She posts incredible photos on Facebook, including some birds that I've never even heard of. She has invited me to go birding with her! We haven't set a date yet, but figure it'll be sometime in July. The weekends here have been pretty rainy. Hopefully July will be dryer. It'll be fun to go out with someone who knows the hot spots and can easily identify all the birds.

Do it! Report back with your list!

[ForeverAutumn]

Do it! Report back with your list!

I will! I bought a new camera, so I should be able to get some good shots too. It's a relatively small point and shoot because I don't like carrying a big camera around. But it has a 60x optical zoom. I'm pretty impressed with it so far. I've attached a couple of test shots. The American Goldfinch was from about 20 feet away. The Starling was about 30 feet away.

fullsizeoutput_17a3.jpg

fullsizeoutput_17a6.jpg

EDIT: The photos are too small on here. I don't know how to make them bigger. They really are good quality, but you can't tell from these.

[Progatron]

Beautiful June morning for a hike, and while I was feeding the usual nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, blackbirds and downy woodpeckers, along came this red-bellied woodpecker who landed on my hand for the first time ever. Wow, what a difference in weight from the other birds.

Quick video here:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VSC4uFp_WwuEXmo

This cardinal hung out with me the whole time I was sitting for my water break. He knew I had nuts and he wanted some.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VY8uonj245Vp7oU

[ronmac]

^^ Amazing!

[Duncan Glenday]

Beautiful June morning for a hike, and while I was feeding the usual nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, blackbirds and downy woodpeckers, along came this red-bellied woodpecker who landed on my hand for the first time ever. Wow, what a difference in weight from the other birds.

Quick video here:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VSC4uFp_WwuEXmo

Cool

[Dave (in MA)]

Beautiful June morning for a hike, and while I was feeding the usual nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, blackbirds and downy woodpeckers, along came this red-bellied woodpecker who landed on my hand for the first time ever. Wow, what a difference in weight from the other birds.

Quick video here:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VSC4uFp_WwuEXmo

Wow!

I *think* that might be a Flicker. Someone who actually knows stuff could maybe confirm.

[ronmac]

Wow!

I *think* that might be a Flicker. Someone who actually knows stuff could maybe confirm.

I think you're right.

[Progatron]

No, it's a red-bellied. Flickers have spotted underbellies and the underside of their wings is a beautiful golden colour.

BTW, he stuck around on my hand much longer the first and third times (this video was the second time), and I was further away from the wooden railing, but it can be really hard to film sometimes.

[proggy_jazzer]

Beautiful June morning for a hike, and while I was feeding the usual nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, blackbirds and downy woodpeckers, along came this red-bellied woodpecker who landed on my hand for the first time ever. Wow, what a difference in weight from the other birds.

Quick video here:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VSC4uFp_WwuEXmo

That's super cool. Do you live near an area where the birds are used to humans being around, or are you just extraordinarily patient?

[Progatron]

That's super cool. Do you live near an area where the birds are used to humans being around, or are you just extraordinarily patient?

The birds and woodland critters in this particular hiking trail area seem to be fairly simpatico with humans - of course, if you don't have nuts and seeds for them, they lose interest quickly. But it's usually the common chickadees, downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, etc. that will land on you. On rare occasions, blackbirds will as well, even the males. The blue jays and cardinals will not, however - no matter how patient I've been with them. They will come close to you, but not land on you. I did see a video where a guy who lives on a farm has a cardinal who lives nearby, and lands on his hand, but no matter how many times I've tried, they won't do it around here.

[ForeverAutumn]

Beautiful June morning for a hike, and while I was feeding the usual nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, blackbirds and downy woodpeckers, along came this red-bellied woodpecker who landed on my hand for the first time ever. Wow, what a difference in weight from the other birds.

Quick video here:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VSC4uFp_WwuEXmo

This cardinal hung out with me the whole time I was sitting for my water break. He knew I had nuts and he wanted some.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AmP_f33sfVbi7VY8uonj245Vp7oU

Beautiful bird! And nice video. I may have asked this before, I don't recall, where in Southern Ontario are you?

[Progatron]

Beautiful bird! And nice video. I may have asked this before, I don't recall, where in Southern Ontario are you?

Burlington, right on the lake. That video was in Hendrie Valley, part of the hiking trails operated by the Royal Botanical Gardens.

[Progatron]

I'm looking forward to getting into the more remote part of the hiking area this summer. I would have already gone, but it's been a very rainy spring and it's just too muddy and slippery for my liking along some of the creek banks. I've almost fallen in the past, and I did ruin a pair of shoes with an ultra-muddy soaker.

I can't remember if I shared this one before, it's from August of last year, but it shows how the deeper you get into the forested area of the trails, the more they follow you around! First a white-breasted nuthatch and then a couple of chickadees. I could film for ten minutes straight and it would basically not change.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbinQbS...76x5G?e=HHQKj2

[ronmac]

^ That's so cool.

[Progatron]

^ That's so cool.

Yeah, I love it. While other people I see there are obsessed with feeding chipmunks, etc. I am all about the birds. You'll note from that video above that they tend to wait their turn, but I've had them occasionally fight right in front of my face over who gets to land next for a seed, especially the chickadees - apparently they don't grasp that I will let them all get one if they just play nice. Haha... other times if I'm just walking, they mistake a minor arm movement for "yay, more food!" and swoop down, only to find there's nowhere to land, so they start chirping angrily at me... the cuter the bird, the more demanding! Meanwhile the bullies like the blue jays and red-wings are terrified if you make one tiny movement they perceive as a threat.