1-2-3 Medium Bird Jubilee – #6
.
How about another post of three bird species to share in my medium-sized birds’ series!
The added bonus with these three, they are also in the same family, Thrushes and Allies.
.
Eastern Bluebird (male)
Length 6.3-8.3 inches (16-21 cm)
Weight 1.0-1.1 oz (28-32 g)
Wingspan 9.8-12.6 inches (25-32 cm)
.
Hermit Thrush
Length 5.5-7.1 inches (14-18 cm)
Weight 0.8-1.3 oz (23-37 g)
Wingspan 9.8-11.4 inches (25-29 cm)
.
American Robin
Length 7.9-11.0 inches (20-28 cm)
Weight 2.7-3.0 oz (77-85 g)
Wingspan 12.2-15.8 inches (31-40 cm)
.
.
Five On The Wing – #27
.
With the last two posts sharing raptors in trees, it seemed befitting to continue one more post with raptors, showing some in flight photographed in past couple weeks. So it also works perfectly as my next flight series post. 😉
.
Red-tailed Hawk
Wingspan 44.9-52.4 inches (114-133 cm)
.
Northern Harrier
Wingspan 40.2-46.5 inches (102-118 cm)
.
The next photo includes another Northern Harrier who was soaring along with a Turkey Vulture, both watching me.
Somehow I lucked on the two side by side, making for a great comparison size shot. For them, oops! They quickly separated and went opposite directions.
.
Turkey Vulture and Northern Harrier
Turkey Vulture wingspan 66.9-70.1 inches (170-178 cm)
Harrier wingspan 40.2-46.5 inches (102-118 cm)
.
And, of course, I’ve got to include the Bald Eagle. First an immature, and then an adult.
.
Bald Eagle (immature)
Wingspan 80.3 inches (204 cm)
.
Bald Eagle with tongue
Wingspan 80.3 inches (204 cm)
.
It’s not often you get to photograph an Eagle’s tongue as it flies by. 😉
.
.
Eagles in Trees
.
As promised at the end of my last post, here are more sightings of Bald Eagles perched in a tree.
.
.
.
It is a delight to have so many transient Bald Eagles around the Chesapeake Bay for the winter. Whether in the sky or perched in a tree, it’s very easy to find them just about anywhere.
.
.
.
.
.
I am being spoiled with all these Eagles…..and I am loving it! 😉
(First three photos taken at Eastern Neck NWR; last three taken along back roads nearby.)
.
.
Raptors in Trees
.
Most raptors are some of our biggest birds so they can easily be easily seen perched in tops of trees from afar during the winter. Here’s some recent photos taken of raptors I spotted, hanging out with a view.
.
Bald Eagles with Canada Geese passing in the background
(This is ‘my’ local year-round Eagle pair that live near our dock)
.
The rest of these raptor photos were taken at Eastern Neck NWR.
.
Turkey Vulture
.
Black Vulture
.
Bald Eagle feather shake-up
.
Same Eagle, head at 180 degrees, checking out another Eagle we both heard behind me
.
The tree branch shown in those previous two Eagle photos is a popular place to find an Eagle at the refuge. Here’s another day, same tree branch.
.
Bald Eagle focused on something behind it
.
Eagle telling me and the world about it
(note heart-shaped beak 😊)
.
Red-shouldered Hawk
.
Bald Eagles watching a Turkey Vulture fly by
.
I have several more Eagles perched in trees, so not to overload here, I’ll share them in my next post!
.
.
Chesapeake Bay Winter Ducks
.
With the past month’s winter winds, more and more of the Chesapeake Bay winter ducks came closer to the shores and interior ponds for shelter.
If you’re missing your favorite summer ducks, you might find one of them here in this post, enjoying their winter vacation around me!
.
Buffleheads
.
Buffleheads
.
Ring-necked Ducks
.
Ring-necked Ducks with Canada Geese
.
Ruddy Ducks (male left, female right)
.
Ruddy Duck (male)
.
Ruddy Duck (female)
.
One more Ruddy!
.
Ruddy Duck (male)
.
Northern Shovelers feeding
.
Northern Shovelers
.
Northern Pintails and Mallards, along with Canada Geese, Ring-billed Gulls and
an immature gull in center (first winter Great Black-backed Gull?)
.
Lesser Scaup
.
Ruddy Ducks, Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye
.
Greater Scaup (male), Common Goldeneye (male)
.
Common Goldeneye (male)
.
Tundra Swans surrounded by Canada Geese, Ruddy Ducks, Mallards,
American Black Ducks, Green-winged Teal
.
Long-tailed Duck (male)
.
Long-tailed Duck (male)
.
Wood Duck (male)
.
Wood Duck (male)
.
Wood Duck, American Black Ducks, Mallard
.
American Black Ducks and Mallard in flight
.
There are so many more ducks species that are here, so this just gives you a taste of our winter duck season.
(All photographs taken at Eastern Neck NWR, except Northern Shovelers at Chestertown WWTP and Ring-necked Ducks at St. Paul’s Mill Pond.)
.
.
1-2-3 Birds and Berries – #4
.
The birds love those winter berries! And photographers do too. If the birds aren’t popping one in their mouth but hanging around them, that’s a bonus for us too. 😊
.
European Starling
.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
.
Hermit Thrush
.
.
1-2-3 Cute As Can Be – #13
.
Another post in my series of the three little birds being adorable!
.
Tufted Titmouse taking a break
Length 5.5-6.3 inches (14-16 cm)
Weight 0.6-0.9 oz (18-26 g)
Wingspan 7.9-10.2 inches (20-26 cm)
.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (female or immature) with a bug
Length 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm)
Weight 0.4-0.5 oz (12-13 g)
Wingspan 7.5-9.1 inches (19-23 cm)
.
Brown Creeper with cocoon snack
Length 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm)
Weight 0.2-0.3 oz (5-10 g)
Wingspan 6.7-7.9 inches (17-20 cm)
.
.
Five On The Wing – #26
.
Here is another one of my Five On The Wing series posts, featuring five bird species in flight.
The added bonus with this post is they are also in flocks!
.
Double-crested Cormorants
Wingspan 44.9-48.4 inches (114-123 cm)
.
Cedar Waxwings
Wingspan 8.7-11.8 inches (22-30 cm)
.
Snow Geese
Wingspan 54.3 inches (138 cm)
.
Common Grackles
Wingspan 14.2-18.1 inches (36-46 cm)
.
Red-winged Blackbirds
(many with a corn kernel in their mouth)
Wingspan 12.2-15.8 inches (31-40 cm)
.
“Imagine if birds were tickled by feathers.
You’d see a flock of birds come by, laughing hysterically.”
— Comedian Steven Wright
😁
.
.
Random Clicks
.
Here are a few random photos I’ve taken recently of something that caught my eye….not bird related! 😉
.
Rainbow Cloud
.
Fungi and Snow
.
Arriving with more nesting materials
.
Hazy Full Moon Rising
.
Forest Creature Curled Up For A Nap
.
Milkweed Pod
.
Contrail at Sunset
.
Tree Face
.
Liquid Gold
.
Pond Reflection at Eastern Neck NWR
.
Do any of these tickle your fancy? 🤩
.
.
Five On The Wire – #8
.
Here’s another post to my series of five bird species hanging out on a wire or metal checking out those big views!
.
House Finch (male)
.
Northern Mockingbird
.
Brown-headed Cowbird
.
American Kestrel
.
Blue Jay
.
I shot a short burst with the Blue Jay and am sharing the very next shot of it before the jay dropped to the feeder.
.
Bay Photos by Donna 