Monday, December 27, 2010

Pine Siskin and Pine Warbler!

Yesterday I managed to get several close up photos of a Pine Warbler as it visited the feeders and landed on the tree next to the feeders.

Feeder activity here is pretty high, I have estimated these numbers of birds at our feeders:
Northern Cardinal 6-8, Mourning Dove 3, Red-bellied Woodpecker 2, Downy Woodpecker 1, Tufted Titmouse 6-8, Dark-eyed Junco 50+ White-throated Sparrow 25, Song Sparrow 2, Chipping Sparrow 3, White-breasted Nuthatch 3,  Pine Warbler 1, Purple Finch 12-15 (big number for such a rare bird) Gold Finch 25-30, Pine Siskin 1(very rare here), Carolina Chicadee 8-10. Other birds seen around the house but not on the feeders Hairy Woodpecker,  Carolina Wren and a Red-shoulder Hawk was heard calling in the woods.

Our walk yesterday down the road landed us on a tall hedge with berries, the birds seen getting the berries were Cedar Waxwings 30+, Mockingbird, Bluejay and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Would be I did not bring my 400mm telephoto lens with me otherwise I'd gotten some decent Cedar Waxwing photos.
 Pine Warbler a solitary visitor to the feeders never see more than one of these at the feeders. Taken from our porch with my D20 and 400mm f5.6 lens hand held. Just about all the other warblers that visit here have flown south to warmer destinations.
 Female Purple Finch on a juniper limb in the snow.
 Carolina Chickadee, one of my favorite birds because they are checking everything out all the time.
American Goldfinch.
I 've never noticed that not far from our house there is several yards with pecan trees in them. Here is a group of pecan nuts covered in snow. Most of the pecans were still in the trees, I suspect this was a failed crop otherwise squirrels would have gotten them by now.
 Tree line at the edge of a field.
 An old barn in the snow
 The North Fork of the Little River
The North Fork of the Little River

19 comments:

Darla said...

Any one of these photos would make great cards! I love Pine Warblers.

Ginny said...

Such beautiful photos! Feeder activity has been very high here, too. And I had a purple finch at my feeder for the first time. I love the Pine Warblers! I believe I could sit for hours and watch the birds.

titi said...

de merveilleuses photos..j'aime beaucoup

sweetbay said...

The birds look adorable and very cold. I love the picture with the fence curving up to the barn. That's beautiful!

NotSoAngryRedHead said...

I'm not a birder, but I have a few feeders. Yesterday I saw a chickadee for the first time around here, and there are lots of finches and pigeons. I haven't bothered trying to match names, but since I live in the middle of a major migration route, I feel like I should take advantage of the fact and learn a few of the birds. This past spring, a flock of small black birds with bright green bellies attacked my silver Tuscon and fed from the feeders. I was sad that they flew off before I could get a picture.

Most of these photos look kinda gray for snow shots. Is this something you're doing in editing?

Randy Emmitt said...

Darla,
I have sold cards with my photos on them, but never landscape photo.

Ginny,

I heard lots of Pine Warblers high up in the trees in early spring here, but getting them to feeders is fairly rare.

Titi,

Thanks for visiting my site!

Sweetbay,

I too saw in my mind the fence shot and walked up the private drive to get the shot. The property owners there rarely even visit this place.

NSAR,

The entire day was gray as can be, that is why you see so much gray, photoshop was not much help with it. Notice the glimmer in the birds eyes, I flashed them without the flash the eyes would not be as noticeable.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Your photos are super!! Glad you were able to capture such great shots. I imagine we have Pine Warblers, will have to keep my eyes peeled.
Love the landscape photos too. The ones with the creek/river in them are my favorites...though the barn and meadow are nice too.

Southern Lady said...

I love your pictures. It looks as though you all had a bit more snow than we did. The snow covered landscape pictures are lovely. Carla

Carol said...

Oh, Randy those Pine Warbler shots are wonderful! Precious! But where is the Pine Siskin? What did I miss? I see in your count there is one . . . rare . . . so maybe that is why you have it in the title. Beautiful walk! The snow paints everything magical . . . Great photos. I hope you are continuing to enjoy the Holiday Season! Best Wishes for the New Year! Carol

Randy Emmitt said...

Janet,

I'm sure you have Pine Warblers, you are in pines aren't you? Key in Pine Warbler calls on google, learn the call I bet you hear them in your forest before long.

Carla,
Thanks glad you liked my landscapes. somebody had to get more snow than you.

Carol,

The Pine Siskin was under the table feeding with 5-6 other birds for maybe 3 min. never saw it again. Not seen one here in years too.

Les said...

Your photos of the snowy landscape are all too familiar. I am getting close to being "over" it. I hope you all have great new year.

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

A beautiful winter-scape Randy, albeit very cold looking! The pine warbler looks all puffed up trying to staying warm. Happy New Year!

Lisa said...

Randy,
What wonderful photos, as usual!

We've had LOTS of birds at our feeder this winter break in the mountains, but I'm quite sure we haven't seen a pine siskin!

I think we've had a yellow-bellied sapsucker working a stump of a box elder near the feeder on and off.

Quite fun to watch, along with the daily parade of feeder visitors.

Lisa

Andrea said...

Randy the photos are all very beautiful, even if the feeling of coldness radiates until here. But i pity those birds whose loneliness can be seen in their eye expressions, i wonder what happens to other animals without thick covering or feathers! I am worried about the variegated banana covered with plastic buckets. haha.

Charlotte Weychan said...

Lovely photographs! Hope the snow doesn't stick around for too long - Happy New Year. Charlotte

Victoria Williams said...

Those are the prettiest bird pictures!

Just Jenn said...

So sparse and so beautiful.

Kerri Farley said...

Lovely images!

The Sassy Butterfly's Chaotic Musings said...

I love the snow pics, especially the fence line and the stream. Sooo pretty! The pics of the birds are wonderful as well. You are some photographer! :)

~Wendy / sassyb