Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Palo on April 17, 2013, 11:22:55 PM

Title: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Palo on April 17, 2013, 11:22:55 PM
It was a gorgeous Spring day at Colonel Samuel Smith Park and again I met a few fellow birders that were kind enough to help me spot some of these guys... Thanks all, very appreciated!

I've just gotten better shots of some old ones and there were also a few surprises for me.  Enjoy

Northern Flicker - 2013-04-17 Col Sam Smith Park - Finally got decent photos of these guys.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img22/5027/northernflicker01201304.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/22/northernflicker01201304.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img547/6561/northernflicker02201304.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/547/northernflicker02201304.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img42/7016/northernflicker03201304.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/42/northernflicker03201304.jpg/)

Eastern Phoebe - Just wanted to get another shot.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img189/8551/easternphoebe20130417co.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/189/easternphoebe20130417co.jpg/)

Tree Swallow - One not flying around.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img820/8531/treeswallow20130417cols.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/820/treeswallow20130417cols.jpg/)

Barn Swallow - New one for me.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img687/1804/barnswallow20130417cols.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/687/barnswallow20130417cols.jpg/)

Double-crested Cormorant
(http://imageshack.us/a/img822/6610/doublecrestedcormorant2.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/822/doublecrestedcormorant2.jpg/)

Horned Grebe
(http://imageshack.us/a/img838/908/hornedgrebe20130417cols.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/hornedgrebe20130417cols.jpg/)

Common Loon - Another new one for me.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img543/5079/commonloon0120130417col.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/commonloon0120130417col.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img20/746/commonloon0220130417col.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/commonloon0220130417col.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img404/3571/commonloon0320130417col.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/404/commonloon0320130417col.jpg/)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Yet another new one.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img854/1161/rubycrownedkinglet01201.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/rubycrownedkinglet01201.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img96/7160/rubycrownedkinglet02201.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/rubycrownedkinglet02201.jpg/)

Brown Thrasher - Also a new one but this one got away without a decent photo.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img41/2070/brownthrasher0120130417.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/brownthrasher0120130417.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img341/5981/brownthrasher0220130417.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/341/brownthrasher0220130417.jpg/)

Fox Sparrow? (I hope) - Yes, it's new for me!
(http://imageshack.us/a/img715/4303/foxsparrow0120130417col.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/715/foxsparrow0120130417col.jpg/)

(http://imageshack.us/a/img202/4273/foxsparrow0220130417col.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/202/foxsparrow0220130417col.jpg/)

Thx for watching
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Bluffs Birder on April 18, 2013, 02:31:30 AM
Some really terrific shots Palo, thanks for sharing them.  Your 2nd Brown Thrasher photo is very nice.  Thrashers are excellent at staying hidden and out of sight.  Unfortunately your photos of the Fox Sparrow are actually a female Red-winged Blackbird.  They're just starting to return in to Ontario...the males have been here for a couple of weeks now claiming their territories.  Don't feel bad though as I think this is probably the most confusing bird to identify.  Many of the so called 'guide' books don't even show the female RWBB because the males are so striking looking colour-wise.

Walter :)
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Rotarran on April 18, 2013, 01:45:31 PM
The female is very beautiful too.  The first time I saw a female RWBB, it took me a bit to figure out it was a female RWBB and not some other species but the whole time before I knew, I was happily snapping away pics of a beautiful bird :)
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: egret on April 18, 2013, 04:32:16 PM
beautiful shots!

tks

Egret
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: farmer on April 18, 2013, 09:25:50 PM
I love the Flicker and Loon shots!
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: anatum on April 18, 2013, 09:42:55 PM
I love the yellow under the wings on the flicker
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Rotarran on April 18, 2013, 10:12:22 PM
Great pics, Palo.  And wonderful new species.  I think I finally got the RC Kinglet today.
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Palo on April 19, 2013, 06:48:08 PM
Quote from: "Bluffs Birder"
Some really terrific shots Palo, thanks for sharing them.  Your 2nd Brown Thrasher photo is very nice.  Thrashers are excellent at staying hidden and out of sight.  Unfortunately your photos of the Fox Sparrow are actually a female Red-winged Blackbird.  They're just starting to return in to Ontario...the males have been here for a couple of weeks now claiming their territories.  Don't feel bad though as I think this is probably the most confusing bird to identify.  Many of the so called 'guide' books don't even show the female RWBB because the males are so striking looking colour-wise.

Walter :)

Thanks very much Walter for your kind words and correcting my mistake with the female RWBB... it's welcomed and very appreciated!  

Birding is a huge learning curve for me and you're right with some of those guide books, in my case it's an iPad app.  I've dusted of the hard cover field manual once again. ;) Cheers


Quote from: "Rotarren"
The female is very beautiful too.  The first time I saw a female RWBB, it took me a bit to figure out it was a female RWBB and not some other species but the whole time before I knew, I was happily snapping away pics of a beautiful bird :)

They are gorgeous bird!  But I had no idea that they would look so different from the males... I couldn't have even guessed it.


Quote from: "egret"
beautiful shots!

tks

Egret

Thx for the kind words Egret!  Cheers


Quote from: "farmer"
I love the Flicker and Loon shots!

The Loon popped up right next to me while I was photographing a Horned Grebe.  Every time he dove, he pops up about 20-30 meters away along the shore line, so I had to keep jogging quite a distance each time to stay ahead of him.  However, I was alway on the wrong side of the sun and was unable to capture it's red eyes properly.


Quote from: "anatum"
I love the yellow under the wings on the flicker

Yes, I had no idea that it had that much yellow under there, until that day.


Quote from: "Rotarren"
Great pics, Palo.  And wonderful new species.  I think I finally got the RC Kinglet today.

Thanks Rotarren! And congrats on the Kinglets, they are very difficult to photograph... Perpetual motion machines. ;)
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Irene on April 20, 2013, 10:32:29 AM
Great shots! Nice flight shot of the Barn Swallow, I have been trying to get a good flight shot of them for a while now, but they are soooo fast!!!

Nice find on the Loon too! Don't think I ever saw one there before.
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Palo on April 21, 2013, 09:09:57 AM
Quote from: "Irene"
Great shots! Nice flight shot of the Barn Swallow, I have been trying to get a good flight shot of them for a while now, but they are soooo fast!!!

Nice find on the Loon too! Don't think I ever saw one there before.

Thx Irene, I just kept turning up my shutter speed until I stopped action, it's what I've read and it works. ;)  My shutter speed was 1/1600 sec for that shot.

I heard that the Loon was there through a friend but didn't think I'd find it.... Besides, I think it found me. ;) Cheers
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: Irene on April 21, 2013, 09:33:00 AM
Thx Irene, I just kept turning up my shutter speed until I stopped action, it's what I've read and it works. ;)  My shutter speed was 1/1600 sec for that shot.

I heard that the Loon was there through a friend but didn't think I'd find it.... Besides, I think it found me. ;) Cheers[/quote]

I love it when the birds find "us" LOL it makes birding so much sweeter doesn't it? :)
Title: Re: Something Old, Something New
Post by: dizzy on April 22, 2013, 07:36:33 PM
Nice set. thanks for sharing. I love the loon shots. mike