@marsrover
No doubt about it, Cedar Waxwing they are!

flaflwrgrl said:@marsrover
No doubt about it, Cedar Waxwing they are!

The Northern Cardinal is quite common here and one of my favorites ... but then, I haven't really found any bird that I don't like.

A pair of Common Ground Doves has been hanging around the past few days but I usually don't see them until I startle them and they fly into the scrub area at the back of our property. Today I saw the pair searching for seeds on the ground near a feeder and I was finally able to get pictures.

Robert, I agree on the ID of Cedar Waxwings! Another beautiful bird that we see here for short periods during winter. I've been seeing large flocks of very vocal birds the past few days but I haven't quite been able to identify them yet. My first thought was Robins but it could be Cedar Waxwings ... I need to google and listen to some bird vocals and see if I can figure it out but I'm hoping to get pictures at some point if the birds will only cooperate!

These are Cedar Waxwing pictures from 2014 and 2017:

I dunno Lin, but I've never seen those in my garden...pretty cool.

I'm so glad the holidays are over and I can enjoy the garden and hikes again. Lots of hawks hanging out in my yard this week, mating season maybe????

A few bird photos from my backyard this morning.

Red-bellied Woodpecker, male:


Red-bellied Woodpecker, female:


Blue Jay:


Gray Catbird:


Yellow-throated Warbler (I think), they stay way high in the trees:

Forgot the Northern Cardinal:

So many really nice photos, Lin! The gray catbird is so cute but I think Mrs. Cardinal is my favorite.

Aww, thanks Christine! Cardinals are still a favorite of mine, both the male and female but I love seeing the Gray Catbirds when they visit in winter. Though I've been hearing them for a few weeks now, they are rather elusive and seem to take off for dense cover when I try to snap pictures!

I dropped my camera on the tile floor yesterday afternoon but it's still working!

As mentioned earlier up thread, I've been seeing and hearing large flocks of birds lately and figured it was Robins or possibly Waxwings ... it's Robins. I spotted a loner, high in a tree this morning:


And a female Red-bellied Woodpecker briefly stopped at a feeder.

Great pics Lin, I've been seeing the same in my garden, except no Robins, last year was the first time I ever saw a Robin in my garden.

Thanks Sherri, mid January to mid-late February is the only time I've ever seen Robins in Central Florida ... usually large flocks of birds flying really fast and they have distinctive calls. Sometimes after rains, I see them grabbing worms from the soil. The photos below were taken in January & February over the past ten years in Daytona Beach and Sebastian:

Fish for dinner!

Asa, very cool picture! Is that a Grebe?

plantladylin said:Asa, very cool picture! Is that a Grebe?

I think so.

This lens/camera combo were giving me fits for focus today (not the same one on the grebe) and I probably shouldn't post this - but I've never caught a harrier like this - with the tail fanned like this. Thought it was super neat:

Majorly cool Asa!!!!!!! That is one neat shot. That tail!

I forgot to switchover for 2020. I'm having a no bird problem this year. Have no idea what's going on. No juncos, no white crowned or white throated sparrows, no chipping sparrows, no goldfinches, no cedar waxwings, ono pine Siskin, no big flocks of grackles and cow birds( glad about this). What's going on? Usually have these birds in abundance by now. Is it the weather? I'm doing the same feeding routine, mixed seed, niger seed, suet cakes, cracked corn for the ground feeders. No excess of feral cats. I'm stumped. Any ideas? Anyway LOVE ALL the pics! Wish I had some to post. Still trying to take bird pics successfully. I might go to the lake and try to get some waterbird shots. Plenty of birds out there!

A couple on the wing. Coming right at me:

Live Cam of Northern Royal Albatross nest - New Zealand. 18 hours ahead of US Eastern time.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/...