Becky that is a beaut mocker. They say if you can get the eye in focus in a photograph it is the bestest photo. How did you do it?

Spotted a "pretty boy" earlier! Painted Buntings have arrived! Now, if only I can get a photo of one!

Oooh, lucky you ... I love the Painted Bunting, the male is the one I call my Rainbow Bird but alas I don't see them very often any more. Can't wait to see your pictures!

Linda: I forgot to ask, what's that pretty yellow bloom in your avatar photo?? Love it!

Looking forward to Painted Buntings. I have two new dove species at the feeder. Bar-shouldered Dove and the tiny Peaceful Dove. I am trying to photograph them but they are so flighty.

The avatar bloom is St. John's Wort, Lin. It's a fairly good-sized bush now, cut it back a bit last fall. I'm hoping that PB isn't just passing through!

We have seen Indigo Buntings for 2 days now! I'm still hoping to be able to get pics worth posting... Think I'm in need of upgrading my camera!

A good new good camera is worth sacrificing buying new plants for. (No lightning struck me so it must be okay).

These are through the sky's tears.

Peaceful Doves, which are quite tiny and cute.


Bar-shouldered Doves, which are quite pretty in the sun.

PS the only reason I could photograph these doves was because they think humans are not active in the rain. Another triumph for sentient beings!

Gleni: The mocker was photographed through my office window. He was only 15 ft away and I used a 75-300mm lens at 300mm. Lucky to get it so clear as he doesn't stay still very long. I have an olympus om-d e-m5 with very good image stabilization. I love my camera.

Glen, your doves remind me of Inca Doves, which are rarely seen here, but they're kind of cute.

Noisy Friarbird in melaleuca. A large honeyeater with no feathers on its head and a knob on its bill. Named because of this tonsure.

The feeders have been busy and so has the hawk! Sorry the photos aren't better, I took them through the window and the gray skies make for dull photos.

Male & female Flickers, nice to see a pair-New bird houses checked out by a Mountain Chickadee----Coopers Hawk looking for dinner.


Back for another try! --- Sweet little Gold Finch- Hungry Audubon Warblers.


Best closeup I could get through the window on a dark nasty day.

Loved the photos. It is like being there.

Interesting bird, Glen! And right now I'm very excited over a certain species of bird right now!

Unfortunately, I was limited to trying to take photos from a distance through my living room window because these birds are very shy! With the first attempt, the bird *somehow* saw me and flew away even though I was only aiming through the closed window. Poor things have such difficulty getting nectar from that hummingbird feeder, it's really super awkward for them! I put out orange sections and jam, but they haven't shown any interest yet. Don't think they eat birdseed. The fuzzy 2nd pic really confirms that I have a Scott's Oriole, which is found in the SW and not common here. I really should buy an oriole nectar feeder!

Orioles are stunners. The one here Olive-backed is drab (not like your pretty) but it has a great call. They turn up in winter - it is not a migration just local movements.

Great pictures Margaret.

Thank you Glen and Rita.

Linda, cool Oriole!

The pictures looked pretty good to me Margaret !!