All About Pocket Knives

Mel, worthy of Bird Watchers Digest!

Hummingbirds have been plentiful here the last few days.

Ruby-Throated ones, too.

Charlie

One of my Internet SF friends took this photo on his way home today. He lives in Maine.

I asked him if he truly took the photo and he assured me he did.

I know the kind of man he is, so I believe him.

What a beautiful bird.

Charlie

Beautiful photo and beautiful Snowy Owl.

Thanks for the kind words about my hummer photo, fellows.

Very nice Snowy Owl photo, Charlie. Too bad those owls never come this far south.

Charlie, your friend got a great photo. Amazing as it might seem snowy owls show up here in Texas on occasion and cause a stir when they do. The last one was hanging around an apartment house in Ft. Worth for a few days and there was a traffic jam that required police assistance for everyone of those days. I've never seen one but would love to. Thank you for sharing your friends photo.

Never a shortage of the sparrows or finches. Had a titmouse waiting his turn at the feeder (hanging on the pole). Doesn't show often, and really don't get much of a look at him when he does show as he is a "grab and gone" feeder. This guy brought a grin to my face; all splayed out chowing down on the seeds spilled out by the birds.

Bald Eagle in a pine tree over my nephews driveway. right over my car, avoided parking splat. Flew off looking for fish in the lake. Said to often return to tree.

Very cool. A great visitor to have.

Love the little red male in your photo Steve. (actually I like them all)
Mr Watch, always exciting to see an eagle and to get a photo on top of that.

These guys took over my daughters pool yesterday morning. Check out the little guy riding on mama's back. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Ray

Nice pic, Ray

Steve Warden wrote:Nice pic, Ray

Thanks, Steve. I went in and cropped the photo and it gives a little better look at the invaders.

Ray

What kind of ducks are they?

Ray, that is one cool shot. Caught that little fellow at the right time in the right place. Super cool!

Cool photos, Ray. The little fellow on his mama's back is darn cute!

Steve Warden wrote:What kind of ducks are they?

Beats the shirt outta me. I used to hunt a duck every now and again but I never really knew one from the other. And thanks for the kind words. I'll pass them on to my daughter who deserves them...

Ray

AHA!!! Black Bellied Whistling Duck!!!!

Ray and Steve, Tho not familiar with your ducks I thought it would be easy to identify them because of that long goose like neck. Well, nothing came easy. My guess is a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Besides the neck, it is the grey face that makes me choose the Black-bellied rather than the Fulvous Whistling Duck. The chicks have coloring which goes with either species. Both have range maps showing appearances only at the southern most tip of Texas.

If anyone can come up with a better I.D. kindly let us know.

Quick Steel wrote:Ray and Steve, ,,,, Both have range maps showing appearances only at the southern most tip of Texas.

If anyone can come up with a better I.D. kindly let us know.

Just for what it is worth, the ducks were photographed in Houston.

Ray

Paladin wrote:

Quick Steel wrote:Ray and Steve, ,,,, Both have range maps showing appearances only at the southern most tip of Texas.

If anyone can come up with a better I.D. kindly let us know.

Just for what it is worth, the ducks were photographed in Houston.

Ray

Guess it depends on what range map you look at.
Thus is from National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America.
Defined as East of the Rockies.

Great picture of the ducks. FWIW chicks often perch, and ride, on the mother hen's back also, especially during their first couple of weeks after hatching.

I was out for a walk down to the mailbox this afternoon and spotted a Roadrunner, about the same time it spotted me. It tried to run and hide behind a Crepe Myrtle. Then it jumped up onto the fence and as I was trying to get a picture it jumped down and scampered across the pasture and into the brush along the creek.

I looked around, but Wiley Coyote was nowhere to be seen!

Ken

Ken from my one and only encounter with a roadrunner (we don't have them here in Ky.) I can greatly appreciate the challenge you faced in getting a photo. Those suckers just won't stay still.

Ken, you did good catching that fleet fellow. Love to watch them and they always seem to be on the move. Usually with a lizard or a snake hanging from their beak.