All About Pocket Knives

This time of year we get a lot of different bird species at our feeders and birdbath. Here’s two of them, different species but you have to look closely to tell them apart. Anyone know they are? (My photography skills aren’t that good. I took these from the internet. )
Ken

Ken, the top is a male Goldfinch for sure.
The second may be a juvenile goldfinch, maybe something in the warbler family.

Top one is a goldfinch, correct. Bottom one is in the finch family, but not a goldfinch.

Ken

I posted these Montezuma Quail on another forum but I'll put them here as well. Taken at Fort Davis State park Texas.

Mumbleypeg wrote:Top one is a goldfinch, correct. Bottom one is in the finch family, but not a goldfinch.

Ken

Bottom picture is a Pine Siskin. They’re a darker, brownish color on their backs, not as gold colored overall as a goldfinch. In winter when they’re not sporting their colors it’s near impossible for me to distinguish them apart.

Ken

Here is a nesting Canada goose hoping I don't see her.
I was using a telephoto lens and changed course so I wouldn't disturb her.

doglegg wrote:I posted these Montezuma Quail on another forum but I'll put them here as well. Taken at Fort Davis State park Texas.DSCN1543.JPGDSCN1544.JPGDSCN1545.JPG

That is a cool bird doglegg ... They are also called a Mearns Quail - hunting season for these I understand is only about a month (if that) in the SW - it is a bird some use for fly tying but skins are hard to come by now - the reason I hear this is that for some reason the lands where you may find them are frequented by unscrupulous individuals and less hunters are going for them because of issues...

Nice Canadian Goose Joe ... She'll be strutting with her babies in about a month or two...

Thanks for the additional info Long blade.
Great goose pic Joe.

Thanks, Lee.
I should have stated, I took the picture in April of 2008.

Thanks, doglegg.

I made this picture many years ago with my first cell phone with camera.

Great pic Eustace. Those storks can sure build huge nest. Saw some when we were in Germany.

A couple of free loaders in a vacant house in east Texas.

Nice photos, Eustace and Doglegg. We do not have any storks around here, but I think the Turkey Vulture and the Black Vulture are distant relatives to the stork. When it comes to ugly it is six of one and a half dozen of the other. On the wing they look pretty cool.

And speaking of turkeys; Here's three from 3 vastly different times and places.

Some of you may recall seeing these a couple of years ago. November of 2016 to be exact.

It's raining lightly here in South Carolina & I was sitting in the den,watching TV ( NCIS )__ when I heard a ""big thud"" ___ this Hawk,nearly broke his neck,when he chased a bird into my glass back patio doors !!! he just sat on the deck for a few moments,shaking his head,then flew up onto our picnic table to try and figure ""what the heck,did I just hit ?? "" __________ he gave me enough time to grab the camera,before flying off into the woods

I believe this to be a "" Broad-winged Hawk"" from the dark bands on the tail

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bro ... ed_Hawk/id

When I was living in Hawaii, bird strikes on my window were numerous enough that I taped up a few pieces of paper on the glass so the birds would realize something was ahead. This successfully eliminated future strikes.

big monk wrote:It's raining lightly here in South Carolina & I was sitting in the den,watching TV ( NCIS )__ when I heard a ""big thud"" ___ this Hawk,nearly broke his neck,when he chased a bird into my glass back patio doors !!! he just sat on the deck for a few moments,shaking his head,then flew up onto our picnic table to try and figure ""what the heck,did I just hit ?? "" __________ he gave me enough time to grab the camera,before flying off into the woods

I believe this to be a "" Broad-winged Hawk"" from the dark bands on the tail

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bro ... ed_Hawk/id

Great pictures...especially that last one!!!

Big Monk, I'm sorry for its headache but I'm glad you had time to get your camera. Those are some great pics. Did the prey get away?

doglegg wrote:Big Monk, I'm sorry for its headache but I'm glad you had time to get your camera. Those are some great pics. Did the prey get away?

As far as I know,the prey lived for another day ___ the hawk did make another attempt at coming in the house,__ smacked his head into the windows again,about an hour after I took the pictures -- scared the wife, as she was sitting at the table reading, when he hit,then flew off into the woods again --- we have 9 (6 foot) windows / doors on the back of our home and we quite often get smaller birds banging into the glass,but this is the first "big bird"

Have a great day,my friends, Monk

Some friends at the feeder this morning.
Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, and a Junco.
A Nuthatch was flitting around, as well, but he's a "grab and gone" with the seed.

Steve Warden wrote:Some friends at the feeder this morning.
Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, and a Junco.
A Nuthatch was flitting around, as well, but he's a "grab and gone" with the seed.
20190307_065700.jpg

Nice! I had to Google Junco and Nuthatch...I'm not aware of seeing those around here.

Doc I get Junco's around my feeder in the winter. I'm in DFW. I get the dark eyed Junco's but have never seen a Nuthatch here.

Steve, You have a nice trifecta there.

Quick Steel wrote:Steve, You have a nice trifecta there.

Thanks.
No where near the picture quality (cell phone zoomed to max) that some of you guys have been posting, but I still enjoy it.