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Mar 7, 2015 10:03 AM CST
Name: Becky Panetta
Dacula, Georgia (Zone 8a)
Region: Georgia Butterflies Birds Hummingbirder Orchids Seed Starter
Keeper of Poultry Greenhouse Garden Photography
Saw this guy and another one flying in the woods behind my house. Hope they are a pair and will nest here. Beautiful Red-shouldered hawk.


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Mar 7, 2015 10:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
I do love those Red-shouldered Hawks. I've gotten some great close-up photos right in my own backyard. They don't scare off easily, so I find them easy to photograph! Nice natural shot, Becky!

I work 5 days a week, so I am not able to watch the feeders during the morning/day most of the week. I had been noticing the small seeds in the finch/bunting feeder was all but completely gone by the time I got home in the late afternoons. (I fill it each morning before going to work.) I assumed that the Grackles or squirrels were getting into that feeder and raiding it. Well, today I have been watching and it is in fact the small birds actually on a feeding frenzy! They must be fattening up for the northward journey to their breeding grounds. I was amazed at how many Indigo Buntings, Painted Buntings, Goldfinches, and even a few Cardinals were constantly at that feeder. I am sure there are at LEAST 20 birds constantly coming back and forth to this feeder. I did see an occasional Grackle and Blue Jay and also a Pine Warbler, but the majority of the birds were the very birds I wanted to attract! I video-taped much of the action, too. (But haven't had the time yet to create a YouTube video to upload.) Here are just a few photos of some of those birds. Most of the Painted Buntings were banded. (Probably from my yard earlier this Winter.)

I also saw 2 immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and at least 1 adult male. One was color-marked, so I know it was "My Buddy". The other 2 were not color marked, so they are birds that were not around when the bander was here or have been around and are seen more often using my sugar water feeders. Most of the birds I am seeing are males. So they have not yet left to head north, but many have almost completed their feather molt into their beautiful new breeding feathers! The males typically head north first, which has not happened here yet from what I can tell.

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Not sure what this bird is in the following two photos. Anyone know? A female Indigo Bunting or something else entirely?

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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Mar 7, 2015 12:35 PM CST
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
Yes, Melanie, I would say the Ibis is probably molting. I would bet the cardinal is building a nest! Nice catch of the red shouldered hawk --- sure does have something on the ground there.

Nice hawk shot Becky! Ga. Becky that is.

Becky in Fl., tell your birdies I'm ready & waiting for them. Hilarious! I put out my hummer feeders early this week so we're all ready for them, both migrating & my regulars.
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
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Mar 8, 2015 6:50 AM CST
Name: Dave
Dayton, TN (Zone 7a)
Blessed beyond all merit.
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Probably getting tired of seeing these guys but this was the view from my bedroom window on March 8.
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Mar 8, 2015 7:34 AM CST
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
Never, never get tired of seeing them! Wow, what a long run you've had with them Dave. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
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Mar 8, 2015 7:42 AM CST
Name: Barbara
Palm Coast, FL
Amaryllis Master Gardener: Florida Region: Florida Dog Lover Daylilies Container Gardener
Cat Lover Butterflies Birds Forum moderator Garden Ideas: Level 1
Wow, can't get over those Whooping Cranes.

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Seen on my walk this morning, Great White Egret fishing in the morning mist. I like the perfect reflection.
Last edited by bsharf Mar 8, 2015 7:43 AM Icon for preview
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Mar 8, 2015 8:24 AM CST
Name: Dave
Dayton, TN (Zone 7a)
Blessed beyond all merit.
Houseplants Lilies Birds Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Container Gardener
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@beclu727 I have a pair nesting in a big oak in the back yard. Hope to post photos soon.
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Mar 8, 2015 9:57 AM CST
Name: Dave
Dayton, TN (Zone 7a)
Blessed beyond all merit.
Houseplants Lilies Birds Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Container Gardener
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Here are a few from the morning thus far. I haven't gotten the hawk on the nest yet and she appears to still be building. She is not staying there long enough for me to focus for a shot.

Red-shouldered Hawk nest
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Goldfinch and Pine Siskins
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Male Downy Woodpecker
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A few more shots of the Whoopers. I promise these will be the last. This has been a great privilege to have them here. I may never see it again so lots of photos have been taken. I am struck by their grace and beauty. Wish you all could be here. They are preening and whooping on the sandbar in front of the house.
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Eastern Bluebird
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Mar 8, 2015 10:08 AM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
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Dave you are so lucky to have those beautiful Whoopers that close, great shots. It will be neat to follow the hawk nest too. Beautiful Bluebird shot as well. Thumbs up
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Mar 8, 2015 10:09 AM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
Such pretty bids, mostly I get house sparrows at our feeder Rolling my eyes.

Thumbs up , a few cardinals and chickadees though.
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Mar 8, 2015 10:33 AM CST
Name: Barbara
Palm Coast, FL
Amaryllis Master Gardener: Florida Region: Florida Dog Lover Daylilies Container Gardener
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The Whooping Cranes have so many bands on them. Would be interesting to track down where and when the bands were put on them.
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Mar 8, 2015 10:36 AM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
It sure would Barbara, and by the way your shot of the Egret is a beauty.
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Mar 8, 2015 11:46 AM CST
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
That egret shot is superb! I love the reflection too and the water drops coming up just cap the whole thing off. Really outstanding photo Barbara. Thumbs up

Dave, please don't stop with the whopper photos. We are living vicariously through them. Since we can't be there at your place enjoying them for real then we enjoy them through your photos.
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
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Mar 8, 2015 12:57 PM CST
Name: Dave
Dayton, TN (Zone 7a)
Blessed beyond all merit.
Houseplants Lilies Birds Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Container Gardener
Butterflies Hummingbirder Tropicals Cottage Gardener Foliage Fan Aroids
@mcash70 @bsharf I turned in all band information and they directed me to the whooping crane site for complete history on one of the birds. The younger one doesn't have a lot of info on it yet. Check this link out for the information on the older bird.
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/...
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Mar 8, 2015 1:35 PM CST
Name: Barbara
Palm Coast, FL
Amaryllis Master Gardener: Florida Region: Florida Dog Lover Daylilies Container Gardener
Cat Lover Butterflies Birds Forum moderator Garden Ideas: Level 1
Thanks for posting the Whooping Crane website. That is fascinating information about that older bird. Sure hope the younger one lives as long and as well as the older bird.
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Mar 8, 2015 2:16 PM CST
Name: Melanie
Lutz, Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Enjoys or suffers hot summers Hummingbirder Birds Bee Lover Bookworm
Region: Florida Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Bromeliad Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Identifier Salvias
I saw an Egret that I thought looked different today so I pulled the car into a parking lot and went after it. It flew away but I think it was just a Great Egret. I thought it might have been a Snowy Egret, but looking at my book, I think it was just the regular Great Egrets I see all the time. It was windy today and it was fluffing its wings which made it look funny. But while I was parked in the parking lot, I saw this Sandhill Crane behind a person's house. I didn't want to get too close because you know we have those Stand Your Ground laws. Plus, taking pictures of the back of a person's house can look really creepy.

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I tried to take some pictures of these two little birds in my oak tree but I was having trouble because the sun was casting shadows on everything. They caught my eye because of how small they were. Smaller than those Warblers I keep seeing. They had a white breast and it seemed to me they were a mix of blue and gray on top. Here's a bad photo for any of you out there who like a challenge! Hilarious! At least I'm practicing!

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Mar 8, 2015 4:54 PM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
Could be a type of nut hatch or chickadeee.
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Mar 8, 2015 5:08 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Barbara - Gorgeous photo! Really! Perfect timing.

Dave - I don't get tired of your Whoopers, either! Thanks for sharing that data link about the older one. I track Painted Buntings and Ruby-throated hummingbirds that get banded in my yard. (Among other birds that also are incidental captures and banded also.)

Mel - LOL! About you taking the photo of the SHC in someone else's backyard. I feel the same way about appearing to spy on people because I am photographing birds. LOL! Hilarious!
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Mar 8, 2015 5:10 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
I think the shadows make it difficult to see the true color, I don't think it is a nuthatch the tail looks too long and the bill isn't right for a Chickadee. Shrug!
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Mar 8, 2015 5:12 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Dave - Your older male whooper is almost 8 years old! Wow! That's really cool that it has been around that long! I hope it comes back to your home next year, too! Wouldn't that be cool. Some birds have site fidelity, so you never know. Thumbs up
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden

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