Birding.

[MikeandRong]

Felt under the weather today so I slept in and only took a few shots. This Nuthatch came in to eat some of the thistle seed this morning. An hour later a nice colored Male Goldfinch showed up too. The sun was real bright at this time of morning and made for some real clear photos.

 

 

[MikeandRong]

So I'm watching the above pictured Goldfinch and this Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrived in perfect sunlight for his photos to be taken. He is really small, about the same body size as a Cicada, just his wings, tail, and beak being larger. I like in the 2nd photo how his beak is opened up. After a quick drink and rest on the clothesline he stayed and fed some more making for some great shots. All the photos are in the exact order taken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MikeandRong]

Just a short time later this Ruby-throated Hummingbird came and rested above the feeder, never bothering to drink. I don't know if it's the same one or a different one, but this guys feathers are more ruffled up than the previous bird feathers were.

 

[amberjack1234]

These little guys can be found on the ground sometimes when they have run out of energy. I never knew this until we found one at the fire station one day outside. I thought he had hit the glass in one of the doors or windows but one of the guys knew exactly what was wrong with him. He took him inside. I held him and he mixed some sugar and water together and put it in a saucer. The little guy licked it up with gusto and in about 3 minutes he took off. Since then I have only seen one other like this and I knew what to do. This one was at my home and my wife was astonished that I knew what to do for him. It was great.

[MikeandRong]

These little guys can be found on the ground sometimes when they have run out of energy. I never knew this until we found one at the fire station one day outside. I thought he had hit the glass in one of the doors or windows but one of the guys knew exactly what was wrong with him. He took him inside. I held him and he mixed some sugar and water together and put it in a saucer. The little guy licked it up with gusto and in about 3 minutes he took off. Since then I have only seen one other like this and I knew what to do. This one was at my home and my wife was astonished that I knew what to do for him. It was great.

That's great! Like giving some sugar to a diabetic when their blood glucose gets too low.

[MikeandRong]

The Male Goldfinchs were really going at it today. This really dominate one was eating first and immediately drove off the other as it approached. Once driven away he ate all alone. Nice display of the white warning feathers they flash when they want to show off their dominance to another.

 

 

 

 

[MikeandRong]

This Adult Father Cardinal has been feeding 1 baby Cardinal throughout the day since Friday. This must be the second hatch they have had this summer. He will land and grab 1 piece of seed or insect, they fly directly up to his baby that will be hidden but chirping nearby almost non-stop just begging for food. He is a very devoted father and his baby should be just fine, even being born this late in the year.

 

 

 

 

[Allon]

Damn birds eat better than I do...... I am going to have to fly in for dinner.

[Randy W]

Damn birds eat better than I do...... I am going to have to fly in for dinner.

 

 

Be sure to get THAT picture, Mike!

[MikeandRong]

 

If not for heavy clouds and haze, could not have got this picture.

[Greg.D.]

We had 92% here in Denver. That looks like the image I burned into my retina .... unfortunately it's gone now.

 

Went home from work and it was a fun time but I'm back at the grind now.

[MikeandRong]

 

Damn birds eat better than I do...... I am going to have to fly in for dinner.

 

 

Be sure to get THAT picture, Mike!

The picture would be easy, just worried that one or two of our feathered friends might end up on the guest menu.

[MikeandRong]

Been really busy the last week, so lets catch up. Tuesday morning there were Hummingbirds all up in the treetops at dawn, maybe they slept there overnight. I think they were licking the morning dew off of the Black Honey Locust tree leafs. For a half hour I had a blast watching them fly and land, I'm guessing maybe 5 or 6 different ones all at about the same time. Had to wait for the sun to come up more before I could get any kind of pictures. Looking at the body size and how many or much of the black dots they have on their throats helps me tell them apart. No bright red males have shown up yet that I have seen so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by MikeandRong (see edit history)

[MikeandRong]

This big adult Male Goldfinch had no problem feeding on black oil sunflower seeds together with a Male House Sparrow and 2 yearling Male Housefinchs that were just starting to get some red feathers showing up on their chests. As soon as he spotted me he left them and came to feed on the Black Niger Thistle seed, maybe trying to show me that the food belonged to him and I should stay away. It's hard to believe how loud they can sing and it's such a nice sounding song/call too.

 

 

[MikeandRong]

This is the same Adult Male Cardinal that has been feeding his baby all week. He was not at all afraid of the Male Red-bellied Woodpecker that was already on the feeder eating. As soon as the Cardinal landed the Woodpecker threw his head back and let out this long and sorrowful gurgling call that was a mix between a long and slow drawn out chicken bawk and a Crow caw. I have never heard that before and it did nothing to scare the Cardinal away, but he did stop getting food to listen. He is a very dedicated and protective father that Cardinal.