We had an interesting day of birding today. We found a couple of Forester's Terns. Now we often have these birds during migration but the little bird you see below is the youngest one I have ever seen. How do I know this you ask?? Well, on its head, nape and back it has lots of brownish feathers. These are the left over feathers it had when very young. It was in the company of an adult.
In this picture you can see the adult on the left at the foot of the Ring-billed gull. You have probably seen the gulls in your local Mart parking lot scavengering for food.
We kept creeping in to try to get closer shots. Whoops...a little too close. They are lifting off...
Goodbye little Forester's Tern. I hope you make it to your wintering grounds down south. Say hello to Meems for me if you go to Florida.
The technically best bird of the day was a Red-necked Grebe. Now these birds don't show up in our area every year. When they do show up they are usually decked out in their winter plummage. This bird was still in its breeding plummage.
It was a hungry bird because we were able to get quite close to it for some pictures. You can see here that it caught a fish.
Yummm...give it a little swish then...
down the hatch. It floated away from us after it had several more fishes for lunch. We didn't see it again after we went to have lunch.
All of these pictures were taken by my Dearly Beloved. You can click on them to enlarge to see the birds a little better. I hope you all are able to be outside and enjoy this beautiful weather.
We kept creeping in to try to get closer shots. Whoops...a little too close. They are lifting off...
Goodbye little Forester's Tern. I hope you make it to your wintering grounds down south. Say hello to Meems for me if you go to Florida.
The technically best bird of the day was a Red-necked Grebe. Now these birds don't show up in our area every year. When they do show up they are usually decked out in their winter plummage. This bird was still in its breeding plummage.
It was a hungry bird because we were able to get quite close to it for some pictures. You can see here that it caught a fish.
Yummm...give it a little swish then...
down the hatch. It floated away from us after it had several more fishes for lunch. We didn't see it again after we went to have lunch.
All of these pictures were taken by my Dearly Beloved. You can click on them to enlarge to see the birds a little better. I hope you all are able to be outside and enjoy this beautiful weather.
Lovely post Lisa.....I do like to see the birds in other parts of the world.......its good to compare....it makes everything so much more interesting......
ReplyDeleteWeather here is beautiful....around 16C (68F)...lots of insects back in the garden......my camera is ready....
By the way well done DB
It sounds like you two had a good day! DB did a great job on the photos...thank you, now I know two more birds! Forester's Tern and Red necked Grebe!
ReplyDeleteGail
Dear Lisa,
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to get out birding. It is lovely here too.
Thanks to your DB for all the great pictures.
I also really appriciate the birding information and how you know what you know.
Thanks.
Sherry
Gosh Lisa, you really know your birds. I love watching birds but don't know all those details.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Lisa, I always enjoy your birding days recorded here... you are really knowledgeable about all the stages they go through. That's where I get thrown off sometimes... quite often actually. I've just acquired a new book to help me out... The Shorebird Guide by O'Brien, Crossley and Karlson... has lots of photos.
ReplyDeleteThe Forster's Tern is a common migrant and winter resident here so maybe it was headed this way???
I don't think we see the Grebe down here but it was fun to see your capture of him getting his supply of fish.
Glad you're enjoying your weather. We are still waiting for a let up in the heat and humidity. Maybe next week...
meems
Interesting post! The top design for our new bridge to Canada has been rejected by the feds because it will interfere with tern migration.
ReplyDeleteWhat a day Lisa! You can be sure that I'll be waiting them here in Puerto Rico. The migration have a good start here and the Ring-billed Gull and the Forester's Tern are one of the common visitors to our coasts. Very nice pictures G!
ReplyDeleteThese are great Lisa! It always perplexes me to see the gulls in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I like seeing them where you did much better. ;c)
ReplyDeleteLooks like my kind of place Lisa, great shots of the birds and I like the bird swallowing the fish shot.
ReplyDeleteVery nice :-) Glad I stopped by.
ReplyDeleteYour DB got some great shots of the birds. I'd love to be closer to where you live, Lisa, so you could show me your great birding spots.
ReplyDeleteWhat a chance you had to observe these birds and even to take some pictures of them. It's so peaceful to watch birds near a lake or other water. I grew up on a lake and birding there was a special joy when we were children.
ReplyDeleteIf your weather was like ours, it was a gorgeous day for being outside and enjoying Mother Nature. I didn't know gulls could be found in supermarket parking lots--I thought they only lived at the seashore. You're adding to my knowledge of birds, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteLisa -I always love going birding with you! We don't pursue it beyond our feeders and the occasional hawk, Mexican free-tailed bat and many, many Mexican vultures that fly by. But I am fasacinated by them and your ability to get such great photos. They are amazing creatures - thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteThere can't be anything more peaceful than birding by the lakeshore!I found myself taking photos of shore birds all the while I was in Europe..these are wonderful images..peaceful energy.
ReplyDeleteI just got back from a business trip and notice that the newly placed bird feeder is empty. No bird watching for me today except via your post. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh.....nature! Love the bird pictures. I feel more relaxed just looking through your post! Thanks for the break!
ReplyDeleteI love bird posts! Migration season is sneaking upon us and I'm looking forward to watching all the various birds. Thanks for the pictures!
ReplyDeleteWe have lovely October weather too I'm happy to say. Lovely pics of very special birds. Loved the Glebe, it looks remarkably like a waterbird we call Fuut around here. Gardening does make us so much aware of all the beauty (such as birds) that is all around us, wouldn't you say?
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I really enjoyed seeing those birds.
ReplyDeleteThe only birds I might be able to identify are the ones who sit still while I find the camera and the bird book, Lisa! Your team does a great job with the water birds.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the fluffy feathers look applies to Blue Jays? Philo and I have noticed some of the jays seem more "punk" looking and figured they were younguns.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose