My Own Lesser known birds

tmlphoto · February 18, 2006

Harry has inspired me to post a few of my own less well known birds. Thanks for help with the names Harry. I hope I get these right.

Pied-billed Grebe (Vierra wetlands)

His/her bill looks pretty long to me, but Harry says this is a Short-billed Dowitcher. (Merritt Island NWR)

I have no idea what this one is. Little help? (found at Orlando Wetlands)

I assume this must be another Anhinga. Breeding plummage? I wish I had a little higher vantage so that the entire background was blue. Maybe I should have climbed up on Trish's shoulders? Someone please teach me about the green around the eye. Also saw an egret that looked like this. I'm quessing it is some type of enticement to "get hooked up". (Orlando wetlands)

Need an Id on this duck please. (Viera wetlands)

This should be a Ring-Billed Gull if I'm not mistaken. (Merritt Island NWR)

vandana · February 18, 2006

Nice shots these

thumbNice catchlights on the Grebe - it looks a little amused to me

short-billed dowitcher ( I'd love to see the long-billed guy, that must be seriously long

) is very good - great exposure and sharpness. 3rd - dunno..
4th - yes, Anahinga male - they're very often in that posture - I'm not sure it's some mating trick - think they just airing themselves ??!
5- is that a blue - winged teal ?( my bird book has a similar pic - and they have this white crescent )- but again, a great pic !

pathfinder · February 18, 2006

Lovely shots Thomas.

I saw your third bird at Orlando Wetlands also. She always in close proximity to a Red Winged Black Bird, but when I reviewed the Nat Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America I think it is a female boat tailed grackle.

I watched her for quite a while - she very carefully inserted her bill into the plants and, only then, opened her bill very widely. I watched her do this over and over - never did fully understand exactly what she was doing. But here she is doing it...

jwear · February 18, 2006

duck i think is a greater scaup --i am sure andy thinks it is a great soup but that's noy right

and again i second path

Harryb · February 18, 2006

Very nice Thomas. That one bird is a female grackle and the last duck is a blue-winged teal. I am not happy that your dowitcher shot puts mine to shame. Please don't do that again or we may have some serious problems here.

Rohirrim · February 18, 2006

Very nice series I see some nice catchlights, nice sharpness and nice low down angle! Thanks for sharing.

pathfinder · February 19, 2006

Low down angle is right. For that gull in the water I think you were trolling for alligators. A Georgian like you, Thomas, does not have to be reminded about alligator safety, or do you??

tmlphoto · February 19, 2006

Thanks for looking everyone. Steve, thanks for noticing the low angles. I try to get as low a possible, that's why I really prefer shooting with my monopod rather than I tripod. I can also move around and adjust more quickly. Often I don't even have it expanded more than a smidge and I sit on my butt or kneel. Path, I figured that I could fight off any gators with my monopod or at least shove a big white lens in its mouth to save my butt.

Trish323 · February 19, 2006

If you had climbed up on my shoulders we would have both gotten ground shots! Excellent shots! The green around the eye changes color during breeding season..My favorite to capture is the cattle egret...the colors are orange, fuschia and blue surrounding the eye...just beautiful!

saurora · February 19, 2006

Lots of nice shots! I like the feeling of intimacy you achieved by shooting at such a low angle. Were you wearing a wetsuit????

My Own Lesser known birds

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