This week's bird sightings | Yellow and Blue

 

 

  

Which bird do you prefer? The Goldfinch or the Bluebird?

 

UPDATE: This red-tailed hawk just flew by and wanted to be included!

Too Much Caffeine | Sleepless Owl

Don't stay up too late tonight. You need to be fresh for this busy holiday weekend. via

Anything you can do, I can do better.

via

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First Bluebird Spotting at My Cottage

I was afraid I would scare my first spring bluebird away if I opened the door to go out on the balcony to photograph him. Instead I had to do it through the window and the screen from my bathroom. These birds never fail to thrill me!

What?

Is this the ugly ducking of the owl world? I'm sure he looks a lot better when his feathers are dry. Is this a newborn? Not sure but I loved the photo and hope you do too. via Pixdaus

[Almost] Ready to Fly

The one on the right is looking at his sibling and thinking...you must be nuts. via Pixdaus

A Fallen Flicker

 

This Northern Flicker just fell dead from the sky yesterday and landed right in the middle of the place where I sit in my  Adirondack chairs in the way back. I don't usually do post-mortem photography but I decided to take photos of this beautiful bird before moving him to a more out of the way spot. I turned him over to reveal the yellow flight feathers on these birds here in the east. Out west they are red. Click on the link to learn more about this woodpecker and listen to his call. I'd still like to know what happened to this poor Flicker.

Albino Peacock Showing Off

The white peacock (or white peafowl) is a color variety of the Indian Blue Peacock. photo by Silvain de Munck

Are You An Early Bird?

If this doesn't signify spring, I don't know what does. I wonder if this determined robin fell over backwards when the worm finally let go? via Pinterest

An Owl's Wingspan

I wish I could have seen this perfect two-point landing by this beautiful owl. via Animals and Birds 

Angry Bird

I've never played the game Angry Birds, have you? This owl could be he poster child for it. He's probably not angry at all. His eyes look absolutely electric, don't they? Have a great weekend. via

Bird of Many Colors

Coat of many Colors by Davidgois. I love this bird's choice of feather colors...simply gorgeous! via

Audubon's Birds of America - One Page Per Day

   PHILADELPHIA (AP) – One of the world's rarest and most valuable books is out of the vault and on public view as part of an unusual daily ritual at the oldest natural history museum in the United States.

   Every weekday at 3:15 p.m., a white-gloved staff member of the Academy of Natural Sciences lifts the locked protective cover from 19th century naturalist John James Audubon's influential book, The Birds of America, and turns a double elephant folio linen-backed page to reveal the bird of the day. More than 180 years after Audubon created the life-size illustrations that now link his name with ornithology, their vibrant watercolors and fine details are still remarkable.
   Full article here. View the birds being unveiled day by day.

Snowy Owl in Flight over Snowy Landscape

Amazingly beautiful photo via

Bird Feathers Designed by Mother Nature

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Mother Nature really is the best graphic designer on the planet.

Antique Bird Prints

I love this mixed media image I scanned from an old copy of Town and Country magazine. I have always admired these antiquarian prints from The Natural History of Birds, by Eleazar Albin, published between 1731 and 1738. These large scale hand-colored antique bird prints are favored by decoupage artist John Derian. When reproduced and laser printed they make wonderful trays. 

Stare Down Contest

You know who will win, don't you? This amazing photo of a short-eared owl is by Mark Trabue

Snowy Owl in A Field of Tiny Daisies

What a sight this must have been for Steve - wants a job at Chester Zoo and I hope he gets it. 

Yellow Bird at My Cottage | Goldfinch

 

A beautiful goldfinch paid me a visit this morning at the cottage. I woke up at 6:45 to a power outage for no reason. When I called it in on my cell they said a substation was out and 3,000 other customers were having the same problem. Luckily I have a gas stove, matches, and a stovetop coffee maker. Mornings without coffee are not an option. It came back on at 8:45. I would have made a lousy pioneer woman.

I have some giant black flexible piping in the garage that I am going to cut and attach to all of my downspouts to keep Irene's rain away from the house. I have a million other things to do too.

Stay safe.

Dogs on Chairs and Birds on the Wall

I scanned this image from a magazine years ago because I have these first edition 1878 Studer bird prints I used to sell on eBay and I love the way they look on a wall. I uploaded all of the antique prints to a Picase web album HERE. You can also view the link as a slideshow. Let me know if you have any interest and maybe we can make a deal.

First Edition Antique Lithographs from
STUDER'S POPULAR ORNITHOLOGY;
THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA
published by JACOB H. STUDER and CO.,COLUMBUS, OHIO 1878

Stay safe.