A few birdies

[cowgrrl]

As I mentioned in a post yesterday, on sunday I actually left the house and took a walk! It wasn't as warm as today (a remarkable 50F/10C) but it wasn't bitter cold or sleeting or any other horrors. I walked to the nearby Mystic River and here's what I saw.


This little cutie. I haven't tried yet to figure out what kind of bird it is.



I saw this beauty in the distance -- it's what inspired me to walk down a muddy path full of goose poop to get a closer look. :-)


A pair of mallards. Further back, you see the swan (I think it's a swan?) in a rather undignified position, butt in the air as it dives for food. I was entertained. :-)

Comments

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

Nice pics! Yep, that is definitely a swan. :-)

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yay! (Sometimes I've confused swans with white geese so I wasn't 100% sure.)

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked them. I used to post nature pics frequently...it's nice to be doing so again.

[gothtique.livejournal.com]

I think your mystery bird might be a female Nuthatch...
These pics make them look really red, but the ones I have seen in this part of the world are greyer... especially the females.

http://www.digital-nature-photography.com/nature/voegel/nuthatch-photos.php?page=0&a=1204645476&suwo=Sitta%20europaea

[calizen.livejournal.com]

I've got to tell you that I just love your "Come to the dark side: We have cookies". It's got me giggling for an hour now.

[gothtique.livejournal.com]

I have swiped some fun icons, but always with permission and I credit them in my profile...

[calizen.livejournal.com]

I'm going to really remember that one.

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yes, that looks like it could be the mystery bird.

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

urbpan identified the mystery bird as a Northern Mockingbird (and he knows wildlife really well...I've been on a nature walk he led.) You can read about the bird through a link in his comment.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

Where'd you take those?

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

At the Mystic River, a 7 minute walk from my place.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Your first bird is a northern mockingbird (http://urbpan.livejournal.com/tag/northern%20mockingbird). Your second is a mute swan (http://urbpan.livejournal.com/221722.html). Looks like a nice time! :)

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the bird identification! You've got a very interesting writeup on the northern mockingbird. Yes, "bold" is a good word for that bird. I kept coming closer with my camera and the bird just sat in the tree and looked at me. I don't have a good zoom lense so I normally can't get that close, and most birds will have flown away, but that bird just sat there having a staring contest with me. :-) (The bird won. :-) )

[verucas-chaos.livejournal.com]

love little number one birdie!

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Me too! It was unusual for me to be able to get that close to a bird. My next camera will have a better zoom lense.