Songbird Theater: An intimate moment brought to you by an avian private investigator: “I don’t like you when you’re stoned.” “I don’t like you when I’m straight.” • Sparrow | Passer domesticus
Bird Tour Report
From May 20 to 23 I was busy taking a birder from the United Kingdom to spots around Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures. The birding was a little quiet, but we managed to observe 88 species. Highlights included Copper Pheasant, Japanese Green Pheasant, Narcissus Flycatcher, Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Ijima’s Leaf Warbler, Japanese Bush Warbler, […]
Identification of out of range Subspecies
Further to my last post on colour morph, sub-species or hybrid there are certain questions for field birders that are very difficult if not impossible to answer when dealing with sub-species. I encountered one of these problems whilst birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl (Jubail), Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia earlier in the year (March). Here […]
Blue -river- Jewel of the South
The Blue-banded Kingfisher isn’t the most colorful of his group, but certainly it is one of the most difficult to find and photograph! When I was coming to this side of the world, I was looking at the book in the plane and right away got amazed with the colors and crazy looks of the […]
Florida Scrub-jay: Great recession beneficiary!
The Florida Srub-jay is a federally “threatened” species endemic to, and found only, in peninsular Florida. With their numbers declining 90% over the last centry, there are only approx 3000 familes remaining. “Scrubs” are habitat specialists and thrive in upland scrub oak environments…..most of which have been lost torapid development. Here they feed on a […]
Sometimes I take photos of birds
Apparently I haven’t put any bird photos up here in a while, what’s that all about? Unacceptable! So to alleviate that issue, here’s some Texas birds for you. Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) who sat still for about 5 minutes and a Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) sitting in perfect evening light. Thanks, guys. Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus […]
Black-crowned Night Heron Lift Off
This is another image that reminds me of the day I photographed it and the great memories of that photo session. Ron and I sat with this Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) for several minutes on the auto tour loop of Bear River National Wildlife Refuge in Box Elder County, Utah. My Nikon D300 is […]
House Sparrows, Passer domesticus
Summer is still a month away but the baby house sparrows in Brooklyn, New York, are already adult-sized. This mother and youngster were having a snack of found bread crumbs on May 20, 2012. Visit my blog, the Urban Wildlife Guide. Read more about house sparrows and other urban birds in my book, Field Guide […]