Flock of Newbies
I photographed a few birds that I’m familiar with while at Lake Greenwood, South Carolina (as my last post of the Great Blue Heron); but I also photographed several newbies. Most are land birds as I call them. Living around tidal waters, I don’t see too many land birds.
It’s exciting to share these. What a challenge they are, I love it! I have also found a new respect for those of you who photograph land birds. 🙂 They are small, they are flighty, they are fast. And they can be very hard to identify since I’m still learning. So PLEASE, if I’ve identified one incorrectly, let me know! I am here to learn as well as share.
Because they are newbies, some of the photos just may not be so great. Just another challenge for me to replace them some day with a better capture. 🙂
Orchard Oriole – Male
Orchard Oriole – Male
Blue Jay
Blue Jay
Chipping Sparrow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Brown Thrasher
Brown Thrasher
Lift-Off!
Brown Thrasher
Caspian Tern
Common Loon
Common Loon
Broad-Winged Hawk
Orchard Oriole – Female
Orchard Oriole – Female
House Finch
Tree Swallow
Tree Swallows
Hi, Donna. I think you got some great ‘first’ photos. The little ones are fun aren’t they? I’m not sure about your yellow bird – also, too unsure to name it, though my first reaction is a female of a species… let me check my field guides and I’ll get back to you. As for the red bird, he looks too all over red for a house finch, though that could be the early morning sunlight… hmmm… just love those I.D. mysteries!
The ID mysteries are mind-boggling, lol. I spent more time looking up and trying my best to ID than doing the post. On the red bird, he seemed too small really for a house finch but it kept coming up as a possibility. Always appreciate your help, thanks Judy!
I think that you’ve done well with your “land bird” photos, I’m especially jealous of your brown thrashers! They typically are very shy birds that stay well hidden. Catching one in the open is rare.
However, your yellow warbler is something other than a yellow warbler, but I’m not familiar with southern birds, so I can’t help you with the ID. Yellow warblers have small, pointed, black beaks.
Thanks Jerry! The brown thrasher was all over the place high in the trees behind leaves just as you said, I could hear about where he was with his loud singing. Got many hide & seek shots, lol. Later on, I could not believe that while trying to photograph some bluebirds, the brown thrasher landed right in front of me on the fence. 🙂
I felt the beak wasn’t quite right on the yellow bird for a warbler but I was grasping at that point with a big question mark. HJ’s comment below said a female orchard oriole and I missed the connection since I photographed a male orchard oriole around the same time. Thanks always for your help and knowledge, Jerry!
Great job on your bird photos!! I’m not sure what the yellow bird is, but it don’t think it’s a yellow warbler, the beak looks different than the warblers and it seems a little larger. You might have a House Finch photo, but I’m not clear on that one either. Hopefully someone with more birding experience can help you figure this out. Keep it up Donna, I love all your photos! Joleen
Thanks Joleen! I had a feeling the beak wasn’t right for a warbler but I just told Jerry above I was grasping, lol. It’s a female orchard oriole, probably the mate to he male I photographed at the same time, I missed the connection. I think the red bird was a bit too large for a house finch, but the lighting was throwing me off. IDing can be so difficult! 🙂 Thanks again Joleen for your help!
Fabulous photos! I love the sunlight on the birds feathers, the one of the moon in the sky is my favourite. A wonderful series of photos 😀 x
Thank you Becky! I know you love your moons! 🙂
Hi Donna, I believe the yellow bird is an Orchard Oriole and the red one is a House Finch. Your bird list is getting longer day by day! 🙂
I agree HJ, thanks so much on the Orchard Oriole! I did miss the connection with the male in the area as well. I wasn’t so sure on the House Finch but the beak looked right. I see them at home daily but hadn’t seen any there in South Carolina but that one. Go figure! lol Thanks for expertise!! 🙂
tree swallows such an awesome pic that I tweeted it! Thanks!
Thank you Kathy! I took about a dozen photos while they were in that tree flying, quick little fellas!
Oh, light-lit swallows are very nice, as well as the hawk and moon. That may be a purple finch, I saw a purple finch yesterday at a friend’s. look like they have been dipped in raspberry juice.They have more red than a house finch, although the house finch outside is getting redder. The yellow bird looks like a female yellow warbler to me, but could be a female Orchard Oriole-can’t make out the wings. The male is bang-on breeding colour..Sounds like you are hooked, time to go to the library or buy a field guide or two…I enjoyed the photos, thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Jane, I’ll look further into the purple finch, I’ve not seen one of them before. I think we’ve got the yellow bird as a female Orchard Oriole which I missed on IDing and connecting with the male one in the area. Duh! 🙂 Oh what fun it is in identifying, thank goodness with all of us out there, someone’s bound to know. On my guides, I have five! And then there’s the grand internet. Still can be so difficult, but also fun and challenging.
What a lot of interesting pictures to look at.
Thanks Tom, it was fun seeing new ones and trying to get their photo!
You obviously had a lot of fun and just entered a whole new birding adventure.
It’s as if I’ve only begun! 🙂 Definitely lots of fun, thanks Kathy!
I can’t wait to see your encounters. I went through that stage with 3 of my 4 kids when they were young. Those memories last!
These are wonderful, Donna. Such variety. Songbirds are so tough to photograph!
Thanks Martha, my goodness they are! A new respect for all of you that are so successful!
Not 100% sure but the unidentified one looks like a House finch. Excellent shots.. 🙂
One good Turn deserves another, as my dad says.. 😉
Thanks Ed, that little house finch just wouldn’t give me a close enough shot lol. Yeah for turns/terns and dad’s! 🙂
beautiful photo’s! And yes,the red bird is a house finch.
Thanks so much on help with ID on house finch and for stopping by & commenting!
you welcome! 🙂
I just heard the loon –Christmas morning
I also have been hearing a hawk with a young one I think
Saw the hawk this am–no pictures but maybe red tail
Thanks for your photos
Have a happy holiday