mellielong said:Elaine, I was reading the chat and there were fireworks going off around the eagle nest. FYI, they have the highlights under the "Videos" tab. Here's a link: http://www.dickpritchettreales...

When I was outside today taking butterfly pics, I heard a firework go off (at least, I hope it was) and then two medium-sized birds took off flying over my house and across the street. They were definitely spooked.

Still missing my Panasonic camera, but tried to take pictures of this bird in the backyard with my old Sony. I think it was one of several. I spooked them when I walked over and they all started flying out of Dad's woodpile and up into the trees. The eye markings made me think Carolina Wren, but it looked a little big.

Melanie, thank you so much for the Eagle Cam link. I'm enjoying it every day and so are some of my Facebook friends! So glad your surgery went so well, and here's wishing everyone a wonderful 2017!

The Carolina Wrens have a longer beak that curves downward, and they're more of a reddish color, I think.

The birds in my yard that arrive en masse are usually sparrows or chickadees - well and the grackles of course. The wrens are usually single or in pairs.

@mellielong, how can you tell which eagle is female and which male?

@mellielong That's some type of sparrow in your photos.

Thanks, Goat. Oddly enough, I don't see Sparrows very often. The last time I saw one was at a beach restaurant where it was eating food under the patio tables.

Joanna, if you scroll down the page under the camera feed, they have a guide on how to tell the eagles apart. They won't know if the babies are male or female, but they say they can guess. One of the moderators in the chat said they would have to DNA test to be sure. I guess they know the adults because they've been watching the female for years and obviously, the one that lays the eggs is female. FYI, her previous mate died and this is her second year with her new mate. Here's the link again: http://www.dickpritchettreales...

Also, if anyone has a decent pic, or an old pic or whatever, feel free to start a new thread for January!

Oh, I keep seeing Wood Storks. I asked Mom if they were here to deliver the New Year.

mellielong said:
Joanna, if you scroll down the page under the camera feed, they have a guide on how to tell the eagles apart. They won't know if the babies are male or female, but they say they can guess.
Here's the link again: http://www.dickpritchettreales...

Thanks Mellie. I just read it all and I don't think there's any way that I'll be able to tell them apart unless I can see them together.

Hope we'll see the second chick sometime soon.

Goat started a January thread! Let's continue our fun here: The thread "Bird Photos, January 2017" in Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum