Earthwatcher

Birds of Merritt Island – Part 1

March 12, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Earthwatcher, Florida, Fujifilm Cameras, nature, Nature Photography, Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

An image of a Blue Jay perched on a brown fence that is adorned by white bird droppings. The bird has a white face, breast, and belly with a black stripe above the beak, through the eye that continues diagonally down along the neck. Its cap, back of neck and wings are light blue. The wing has a white wing bar. The beak and legs are dark gray. The eye is black. — Blue Jay;
Hobe Sound, Florida, USA; FEB 2023

A few weeks ago, we visited Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge near Titusville, Florida, USA. We saw fewer species than we have seen during other visits. But we did see some of our favorites.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Image of a pair of Common Gallinules on a pond. The background is water colored mostly brownish green. At the top of the frame, the water has jagged stripes of white, gray and brown. The birds have a gray cap, neck, and breast. Its tail feathers form a triangle at the back of the bird. It is predominantly white with a black stripe at its top and bottom. Its wings are brown with a white stripe at its base. It has a black eye patch. The beak is red orange with a yellow tip. — Common Gallinule, aka Common Moorhen;
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA; FEB 2023

An image of a female belted kingfisher on a tree branch. The background is blue sky. At the bottom of the frame is the somewhat blurry green tree to. The tree branch is gray and is adorned with a gray, spaghetti like bindle of sticks. The bird has a dark gray head and black eye. At the base of the head, is a white neck ring. The beak is long and pointed; its color is dark gray. Its neck and belly are white and is bisected with a rusty orange stripe. Its wings are dark blue gray. — Female Belted Kingfisher;
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA; FEB 2023

A pair of Pied-billed Grebes floating on the water. The golden-brown pond water is the background. The head, neck and area below the feathers is light brown. The cap on its head and its back is gray. Is tail is the white tuft on the back of the bird. There is a white patch behind the beak, The beak is brown on type, white on the bottom with a black stripe circling it. Its eye is brown. — Pied-billed Grebe;
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA; FEB 2023

An image of a Red-winged blackbird sitting atop a shrub with leaves. The background is green with a light gray stripe, caused by the water, at the bottom. The shrub’s leaves are green, highlighted with yellow. The bird is all black. It has a patch of red feathers at the top of its wings. The patch has a yellow border at the bottom. The beak is gray, and the eye is black. — Red-winged Blackbird;
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA; FEB 2023

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

A Backyard Skirmish

March 5, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Corvid, Crow, Eastern Sierra, Fujifilm Cameras, GA, Georgia, hawk, raptor, Roswell, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

Red-shouldered hawk in the nest they attempted to build. The background is gray tree trunks, the front one broken off as well as a bit of light blue sky at the top. The hawk is on top of the nest which is made of gray sticks. The hawk has dark gray wings with light brown spots. Its neck, breast and belly are light orange with white spots. Its head is brown, eye is black, and beak is dark gray. — Red-shouldered Hawk at Prospective Nest Site;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; FEB 2023

We had a skirmish in our backyard. We had a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks attempt to make a nest in the backyard. We were excited. It would have been interesting to watch some baby hawks grow up. But our crows were strongly opposed to that move. It was a loud skirmish with crow caws and hawk shrieks but the crows won. In one of the battles, the crows chased a hawk away and formed a perimeter in 3 trees between the hawks and the nest. We’ve seen the hawks since that battle, but they’ve not attempted to complete the nest.

Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution.

An American Crow perched on a tree branch with its head facing front. The background light gray with small branches. There is a medium gray-brown tree trunk on the left side of the pictures. There is a light gray tree trunk behind the crow. The crow is black with black eye and beak. — American Crow;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; FEB 2023

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

American Alligator

February 26, 2023February 26, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Earthwatcher, Florida, Fujifilm Cameras, nature, Nature Photography, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

We visited Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge where I met a cooperative alligator. Here it is, in 2 views.

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

Lovely Avian Ladies

February 19, 2023February 19, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Duck, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, GA, Georgia, nature, Nature Photography, North Carolina, Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

Female Northern Cardinal perched on a small, gray, tree branch protruding from another branch. The background is a medium gray. The bird has predominantly golden-brown body with a red crest. The wings are a medium-dark gray with red stripes. There is a black patch above the beak, around the eye and on its neck. The eye is black. The beak is red. Its legs are gray with a faint reddish cast. — Female Northern Cardinal;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2022

I was taught that male birds were bright and beautiful while female birds were dull and drab. They were made that way so that the males could distract predators from the nest. I wasn’t taught so well. In some birds, the male and female look alike. In others, even though the female is drabber, she is absolutely beautiful in her own right. Here are a few examples.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution!

A female Eastern Towhee perched on a tree branch against a background of green leaves and brown twigs. The bird has a gray head, back and tail, a white belly and orange between the wings and belly The eye and beak are black. — Female Eastern Towhee;
Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary. Asheville. North Carolina, USA

Female Eastern Bluebird perched on a medium gray tree branch. The background is dark with a few medium gray twigs interspersed. The bird has a gray head and neck. The primary feathers on its wings and tail feathers are blue. Its other feathers are black with white wing bars. Its neck and breast are orange, and its underparts are white. Its eye, beak and legs are black. — Female Eastern Bluebird;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2021

Female Common Merganser, a species of duck, perched on what appears to be a section of a fallen tree that appears black. The background is blue and gray water with somewhat out of focus branches protruding above the surface and behind the bird’s head. The bird has a yellowish-white breast, white neck and white underparts. It has a gray upper body and tail feathers. The wings are gray with a black and white patch. Its head is a dark reddish-brown with a white patch behind the lower side of the bill. It has a black eye and a red bill. Its legs and feet are orange. — Female Common Merganser;
Arboretum Waterfront Park, Seattle, Washington, USA; JAN 2023

Female Hooded Merganser, a species of duck floating on the water. The background and foreground is water in stripes of white, gray, blue and gold. The bird has a gray body and head. It has a brown crest, or hod, atop its head. The wings are dark gray with a small white patch. Its eye is a dull golden color. Its beak is black and is surrounded by a small white patch. — Female Hooded Merganser;
Arboretum Waterfront Park, Seattle, Washington, USA; JAN 2023

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

Birds Going About Their Daily Lives

February 5, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Atlanta, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Earthwatcher, Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Fujifilm Cameras, Georgia, nature, Nature Photography, Photography, raptor, Roswell, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

Red-shouldered hawk perched, leaning over while eating prey, on a gray tree branch. The background is green leaves. The bird’s head and legs are a rusty orange color. The wings are dark gray with white spots. It has a rusty orange colored patch on its wings at the shoulder. It has white stripes on its under parts. Its beak is yellow with a back tip and its legs are yellow. If you look closely, it has a stringy piece of its pray in its beak. — Red-shouldered Hawk;
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, California, USA; APR 2021

Assortment of birds going about living their daily lives.

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A Tufted Titmouse in flight with its wings spread viewed from its underside. The background is a blurred light colored tree trunk and blue sky. The bird is gray with black beak, eye and stripe above its beak. Its underparts are a mid to dark gray. Its tail feathers are dark gray. Its wings are translucent through gray. Its legs are black. — Tufted Titmouse in Flight; Island Ford;
Chattahoochee NRA, Roswell, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

A Tufted Titmouse perched on a tree branch with a seed in its beak. The background is a gray tree trunk with a stripe of blue sky. The foreground has a small, gray, tree branch. The bird has a gray crest, neck, back and wings. It has a gray-white patch around its eye, breast and under parts. Its eye and beak are black. It has a black stripe above its beak. — Tufted Titmouse;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2022

A male Eastern Bluebird perched on a tree trunk at a circular hole that is a potential nesting cavity. The background is the gray tree trunk. The bird has a blue head, neck wings and tail feathers, the wings have a black patch with white stripes. Its eyes and beak are black with a gray patch on its neck. — Male Eastern Bluebird at Potential Nest Cavity;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2022

American Crow;
Arboretum Waterfront Park, Seattle, Washington, USA; JAN 2023

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

A Few Small Birds

January 29, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Georgia, nature, Nature Photography, Roswell, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

A male Ruby-crowned Kinglet perched on the front fork of a gray, forked, three branch. The background is light and bright. The bird is facing forward with a slight twist to its left presenting a front and side view. Its neck and breast are light gray with a light olive cast. Its back and head are gray. Its beak is gray, its eyes are black, and it has a white eye ring. Its red crown is prominently displayed as short, red line. Its wings are gray with black and white wing bars and yellow stripes
. — Male Ruby-crowned Kinglet;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

Here are a few small birds to enjoy.

Check out the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It was a cold morning. It had itself puffed-up to insulate against the cold. Doing so included flashing his red crown. I’ve been trying for several years to get a picture with the crown showing; it’s a rare shot to get. Being all puffed-up, he looks like he escaped from the Angry Birds game.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution!

A Carolina Chickadee perched on a tree branch. There are some gray branches and any out of focus gray tree trunk in the background. The bird is facing left and is presenting a side view. The bird has a black cap on its head with a thick white stripe below. It has a black chin and an off-white breast and belly, with a very light reddish tinge on its underparts. Its back is a medium gray. Its beak is gray, and its eyes are dark. It is holding a brown seed under its gray claw. — Carolina Chickadee with Seed under Claw;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

A male American Goldfinch perched on a tree branch facing forward with head tilted to the right. There is a branch above its head. The background is green. The bird is wearing its non-breeding coat. Its neck is muted light yellow. Its crown is muted brown, and it has the muted yellow eye ring. Its breast is a creamy light tan. Its eyes and beak are dark. On the bird’s right side, a very small piece of the wing can be seen. It is gray with white wing bars. — Male American Goldfinch, Non-breeding Plumage;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2022

A Carolina Chickadee perched on a tree branch. There are some gray branches and an out of focus gray tree trunk in the background. The bird is facing left with its head down eating a seed. Itis presenting a side view. The bird has a black cap on its head with a thick white stripe below. It has a black chin and an off-white breast and belly, with a very light reddish tinge on its underparts. Its back is a medium gray. Its beak is gray, its eyes are dark and it has a gray claw. — Carolina Chickadee with Seed;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

Male American Goldfinch, Non-breeding Plumage;
Cochran Shoals, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

Great Blue Herons

January 22, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Georgia, nature, Nature Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

A great blue heron adult with 3 juveniles in a nest surrounded by green leaves. The adult appears mostly white and has its neck curved downward while it is preening itself. There is a small dark patch on its head and a blue patch above its wing. The juveniles have a proportionally large beak, gray on top and yellow on bottom. They have a white head and gray body. — Great Blue Heron with Chicks; Dewey Dam, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, Prestonburg, Kentucky, USA; JUN 2022

I’m sharing some Great blue Herons. One from the Atlanta area, one from the Seattle area and one with its kids in Kentucky. These birds range throughout the southern and western USA as well as along the eastern coast. So, as a child in western Pennsylvania, I never got to see them. But I have learned to like them very much.

I’ve never seen one but there is a white morph.

Please click on caption to wee image at higher resolution!

An adult Great Blue Heron perched on a fallen log. The log is a brown-gray and supported by 2 brown boulders. The background is a green river with a few white caps. There are some brown boulders in the river further in the background. The bird has a black head with a white crest, a small white stripe below the cap and yellow eyes. The beak is gray on top and yellow on the bottom. The neck has light reddish coloration. The body is predominantly gray with a dark patch at the top of the wings and a dark flank and belly. Its legs and feet are gray. — Great Blue Heron;
Cochran Shoals, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

An adult Great Blue Heron perched on the trunk of a fallen tree. The background is the water of a lake that is stiped in black, gray and white. The fallen tree trunk has three, thick, gray-brown, branches protruding from it. The bird has a black head with a white crest, a small white stripe below the cap, and yellow eyes. The beak is gray on top and yellow on the bottom. The body is predominantly gray with a dark patch at the top of the wings and a dark flank and belly. It legs and feet are gray. — Great Blue Heron;
Arboretum Waterfront Park, Seattle, Washington, USA; JAN 2023

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

Some Woodpeckers

January 15, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, GA, Georgia, nature, Nature Photography, Roswell, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

Female Pileated Woodpecker perched on a tree trunk. The bird facing left. It is predominantly black with a white stripe along the base of its wings and a white head with a large red crest, black and white stripes and a red stripe. The beak is black. The tree trunk reddish-brown. The background is green with several gray, horizontal tree branches. — Female Pileated Woodpecker;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2022

Just a few woodpeckers for all to enjoy.

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Female Downy Woodpecker perched on a tree branch. The tree trunk is gray with some gray-green lichen. The bird is predominantly black with white spots on its wings and across the back of its head. The background is light and contains some vertical tree branches. — Female Downy Woodpecker;
Cochran Shoals, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; JAN 2023

Red-headed Woodpecker; Island Ford,
Chattahoochee NRA, Roswell, Georgia, USA; NOV 2022

Red-headed Woodpecker perched on a tree trunk. Sex can't be determined. The bird has prominent, bright red head, black back with wide white stipe near the middle and white breast. It has an insect in its beak. The tree trunk is gray with a golden cast. background is blue sky. — Female Pileated Woodpecker;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2022

Female Downy Woodpecker perched on a tree trunk. The tree trunk is reddish-brown and gray. The bird is predominantly black with a white stripe down its back, white spots on its wings and across the back of its head. The background is dark. — Female Downy Woodpecker;
Roswell, Georgia, USA; OCT 2022

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.

Dark-eyed Junco

January 8, 2023 by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Georgia, nature, Nature Photography, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography

Bird. Dark-eyed Junco of Slate-gray subspecies. The bird is perched on a tree branch with green leaves. The background is a variegated brown. The bird has a light pink beak, black head, neck and back with very light gray breast. — Dark-eyed Junco, Slate Gray Group
Roswell, Georgia, USA; DEC 2021

There are 2 subspecies of the Dark-eyed Junco: Slate-gray and Oregon. You can see the difference in their pictures. During the winter migration, the Slate-gray subspecies ranges across the continental USA while the Oregon subspecies is primarily in the western half of the continental USA. They are primarily ground feeders.

We visited Seattle over the Christmas holiday period, and I was excited to see the Oregon birds. Here in the Atlanta area, we see the Slate-gray birds. The Oregon birds were winter residents in our Sacramento backyard when we lived there. I think the Oregon bird is prettier, but I really like them both.

There is an interesting evolutionary change happening to some Oregon Juncos. Some of the birds have given up life in the boreal forests and have settled full time in Southern California. Scientists are studying them to determine why. I think I’d make that choice too.

Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution!

Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.

These and other images are available to purchase by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.