Arkansas Birding

Carolina Wren Serenade

2009-06-19T21:43:00.005-05:00

I got a few shots of this Carolina Wren late this afternoon as it was singing outside my window. He (or she) was full of life, singing and chirping loudly for several minutes.

These little birds are fun to watch. They are 'busy bodies' for sure. Always on the move and not still often to get any good pics. But not today, as it was 'still' for several minutes allowing me to get a few pics.

Good Birding and God Bless!

Lake Monticello Flycatching

2009-06-14T18:46:00.004-05:00

I did a little birdwatching this weekend at Lake Monticello on Saturday morning. I saw several flycatchers: an Eastern Kingbird, several Barn Swallows, and a few Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers.

I went back later in the afternoon and saw this Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher. He was perched next to the road and stayed there several minutes, almost posing. I was able to get several good shots and thought I share them!

Update: I went back and looked at this photo a little closer and I now believe that this is indeed a juvenile. The tail is not as long as it should be for an adult. The underparts are not the 'salmon-pink' color that an adult would have.

Good Birding and God Bless.

Hey Mom, Look What I Found!

2009-06-07T15:46:00.009-05:00

The juvenile Red Bellied Woodpecker activity has been in full effect in my backyard this weekend. I've identified two juveniles after the recent departure from their nest. The adults are feeding the juveniles regularly from the suet and peanuts out of the feeder.

Today one of the juveniles made his way down to the top of the feeder to find out what it had to offer. They have not been able to get the hang of coordinated flight to get on the suet log or peanut feeder just yet!

I also noticed while taking these pictures that this juvenile has started to get a little red tinge of color on the crown of his head. Guess that this juveniles turns out to be a little baby boy!

Thanks for visiting! Good Birding and God Bless.

New Red Bellied Arrivals

2009-05-30T19:12:00.009-05:00

Well, the Red Bellied juveniles have started to get 'their wings' so to speak. They have been out and about, getting fed by their parents and beginning to figure things out. It is different seeing them with their colorful parents as their are without color in their juvenile plumage.

I hope to get more pics of these little ones are they begin to get the hang of the suet feeders.

Good Birding and God Bless!

A Little Bit of Color This Morning

2009-05-16T19:36:00.008-05:00

I woke up to a very nice surprise this morning. It was a 1st Spring Male Tanager. This young male is just starting to get his color after his first winter.

His color is beginning change over the bright orange-red that Tanagers are known for. This visit was especially nice for me because it was a Lifer because I'd never seen a young male before.

He seemed to like the suet in the feeder as he came back later on the day to get a few more bites!

Good birding and God Bless!

And The Winner Is . . . Brown Thrasher!!! And on Mother's Day, How Fitting!

2009-05-10T18:09:00.003-05:00

This year's first juveniles were Brown Thrashers. I thought this was especially fitting that this years first additions were seen on Mother's Day.

This picture is a little grainy as it is a little bit dark and rainy here, as you can see. Happy Mother's Day!

Good birding and God Bless!

Flurry Of The Grosbeaks

2009-05-03T19:36:00.000-05:00

I've had a lot of Rose Breasted Grosbeaks in my yard today. The weather must have driven them in. Several males and females were at the feeder for hours today.

-- Post From My iPhone

The Time Finally Came

2009-05-02T19:40:00.008-05:00

As far as blogging goes, I would probably win an award for the worst blogger of the year. As anyone who did follow this blog knows, I haven't been very regular.

That being said, I would like to follow up on the last post I did make from last summer. The little one in the nest turned out to be two! There was a much anticipated flurry of activity once they got their wings.

They didn't take long getting the 'hang' of eating on the suet log. Mom and Dad took their turns showing them how it was down.

It was very different seeing the juvenile without any coloration to distinguish it as a male or female. They stayed around for several weeks, feeding on the suet log.

I did also have at least two, maybe three Red-Head Juveniles last summer also. Hopefully, I'll get those pics up soon!

I'ts About Time!

2008-07-25T19:44:00.006-05:00

I've been patiently waiting without trying to get my hopes up about the Red-Bellied Woodpeckers nest in the tree in my front yard. They have been in out and of that nest over the last few months with out any juveniles! They had some eggs back in the spring but they got pushed out of the nest by one of the many squirrels, I think.

Well, about two weeks ago, I started to hear some faint chirping up in the nest. It has steadily gotten louder and louder until now, the little juvenile is about to burst of the nest at any minute.

The father (below) and mother have spent many trips back and forth to the feeder. They appear to be attempting to coax the little one out of the nest now. They are not having any luck yet but I hope to see it on the feeder sometime soon!

Good birding and God bless!

I'm Still Alive!!!

2008-07-12T19:53:00.009-05:00

I've been fairly busy lately and haven't been good at all about posting on the blog. My apologies to the faithful few who read it. I'm still birding and it has slowed down a little around here for me. I believe things will change soon on the birding front ...

Any way, back to what has been going on with me over the last month and a half that I've been away from my blog. I took another business trip to Phoenix, AZ. I was able to get a little sight seeing done at the end of the trip.

We were able to hike up Camelback Mountain which sits within the Phoenix city limits. We didn't actually make it to the summit due to our limitations, meaning we weren't in shape to do it! We didn't want have to get hauled to the emergency room. That doesn't make for good sight seeing or birdwatching!

I did add several new additions to my life list on this trip. Below is a Verdin which is a very distinctive bird. This is a male which has a yellow head and throat. Females have less yellow on their head but are similar in markings. They were very quick little things and didn't feel like posing for any pictures!

Verdins also make very unique nests. They make a completely enclosed nest, not like most birds nest I'm used to which are bowl shaped. This particular tree had at least 6 nests in it.

This is a close up of one of the nests which has the entrance hole. I'm glad I got to see the Verdin's as they are unique from what I normally get to see in Arkansas.

I also added a Cactus Wren and a Gambel's Quail to my life list on the Camelback Mountain trip. I also made another visit to the Grand Canyon on this trip. It was a great birdwatching trip as we actually made a hike down into the canyon. Check back for the recap!!!

Business Has Picked Up!!!

2008-05-31T18:48:00.006-05:00

I finally broke down and decided to purchase a feeder from Wild Birds Unlimited. They have a pole system that puts the stop to squirrel problems. I had one and now, I don't!!!

Not that I dislike squirrels but I would rather feed the birds and not the squirrels. Squirrels also take up space on the feeder and prevent the birds from feeding. Below is my setup and believe, it works!

The feeder setup also has perches that allow birds to feel protected before feeding. I noticed that a Brown Thrasher family likes the perches. The adult had two juveniles waiting while it picked at the suet on the side of the feeder.

As you can see, the juveniles are well on their way on catching up to their parent. They look very similar to the adult in almost every way. However, they haven't yet developed the yellow eye which helps to identify the adult.

I've also found a Brown Thrasher nest we two eggs. I can't get close enough long enough to get any shots but I've got more juveniles on the way.

Good Birding and God Bless!

Red-Headed Acrobatics!

2008-05-20T19:27:00.010-05:00

I've recently added several Red-Headed Woodpeckers to my regulars in my backyard. They were scarce during the winter except for one juvenile that stayed pretty high up in the trees and was only rarely seen.

One of the new visitors has taken a liking to the peanut feeder. He performs acrobatics to get to the peanuts in the feeder. He spins around and around at the bottom to peck at the peanuts.

We spent the weekend at Brush Mountain with my wife's brother and his wife. It was a great time of birding for me. I added three birds to my life list!

My brother-in-law and I spotted a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher right off the bat the first day I was there. It was a lifer for the both of us! I got a few pictures of it but none turned out. Maybe next time!

On Saturday, we hiked up Pinnacle Mountain in West Little Rock. We saw another lifer five minutes into our hike. It was a Black & White Warbler. He was flitting about in the trees and was too quick to get any pictures.

I added one more to my list on Saturday evening which was a Bank Swallow. He was flying around a lake near the house. He was flying acrobatically and catching insects for dinner.

Good Birding and God Bless!

And The Winner Is . . . Robin Red-Breast!!!

2008-05-11T22:20:00.006-05:00

I have had my first juvenile visitors of the year. I was wondering what species would get off to the early start. It turned out to be Robins. They won the "First Juvenile Of The Year" title for 2008.

The juveniles look very similar to the adults except the rusty red breast isn't fully developed. You can see the slight rusty red color on the juveniles but it is speckled with grayish black spots.

It also amazes me how quickly the juveniles grow. These pictures were actually taken early last week. You can see they are slightly smaller than the adult carefully watching over them.

I also was able to capture these videos which I wanted to include. The adult is feeding the juveniles as they follow it around. I just love to see the interaction between the adult and the juvenile as they raise them!

Below is the newest picture of one of the juveniles. They were taken yesterday. As you can see, it is as big as the adult. They just grow up so fast!

Have you seen any juveniles this year? What kind were they?

Good Birding and God Bless!

Cornell Lab: Workshop Fine-Tunes the Passion for Sound

2008-05-08T20:17:00.007-05:00

Hey! I hope that everyone is having a great week and plans for a better weekend. I wanted to pass along this information from Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I was contacted by Pat Leonard about participating in their efforts to help spread news about projects and research that the Lab is doing. Enjoy!

God Bless and Good Birding! - Karl

Workshop Fine - Tunes the Passion for Sound

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Course Taking Registrations Now

Ithaca, NY From June 7 to 14, the annual Sound Recording Workshop offered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology returns to San Francisco State University’s Sierra Nevada Field Campus in the spectacular surroundings of the eastern foothills of California’s northern Sierra Nevada mountains. Participants learn state-of-the-art techniques for capturing bird sounds, guided by experts.

Learn to capture the sounds of wildlife through lecture, discussion, and daily field recording sessions participants learn how to effectively handle a portable field recording system to make scientifically accurate recordings of bird vocalizations. Participants learn how to conquer wind, how a roadbed can help overcome the sound of a rushing stream, and why placing a microphone on the ground is sometimes the best strategy. There is also an introduction to the science of sound analysis which converts sound waves into visual images called spectrograms. With signal analysis it’s possible to visualize a bird song note by note.

The Sound Recording Workshop fee of $895 covers tuition, class materials, ground transportation, food, and lodging. A $100 deposit is requested to reserve a space, which is limited to 20 students. Registration and payment are due by May 31.

Learn more at:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/macaulaylibrary/Contribute/soundRecordingWorkshop.html or contact Tammy Bishop at (607) 254-2198 or macaulaylibrary@cornell.edu.

#

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit the Lab’s web site at http://www.birds.cornell.edu .

Rose Breasted Grosbeak Migrants

2008-05-01T21:45:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing I've learned about watching birds, sometimes you get lucky and just happen to be in the right place at the right time. I've seen several birds for just a second and then they are gone. Sometimes, never to return.

This was the case (or so I thought) on Sunday when this one flew into the yard. I was able to get a quick shot off before it flew off. I quickly got out my trusty field guides to determine which one it was. At first glance, I thought that it was a female Purple Finch, but then realized it was way too big.

I was able to surmise that is was a female and a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. Wow, another addition to my life list. They seem to be coming quickly as the spring migration has a lot of birds moving!

I like to capture pictures of the female of the species and really enjoy attempting to identify them. They usually don't have the distinguishing marks that easily identify the males.

Another thing I like about seeing the female is that you know the male is not far behind! This was the case with the Rose Breasted Grosbeak. The male didn't show back up on Sunday, but made his debut on Monday! He is a very nice looking bird.

It took these guys a little while to find out which feeder to use and where to find food. I had to fill up my tray feeder with seeds as they had a little trouble negotiating the smaller tube and house feeders.

Good Birding and God Bless!

Tanager Anyone?

2008-04-29T19:15:00.002-05:00

You know it pays off sometimes to just to sit and watch the birds out your window and wait to see which ones fly into your yard next. I really love this about birding because it helps me to slow down and enjoy things a little more than I used to.

This is just what I was doing on Sunday afternoon when this female Summer Tanager stopped by for a little visit. I've seen a male two times before but never a female. Tanagers are residents of the southeast and central portions of the U.S.

She is not the bright red color that the male exhibits but rather a dull yellow. Tanagers are distinctive birds and beautiful. They have proven hard for me to photograph as they hang out in the upper levels of trees.

Good Birding and God Bless!

Cane Creek Birdwatching

2008-04-26T17:08:00.009-05:00

I had a pretty good weekend last week watching birds. My wife and I went up to Cane Creek State Park near Star City, AR to check it out on Saturday.

They have two trails to nature walk on, the Delta View Trail and Lake Trail. The Delta View Trail is 2.5 miles and the Lake Trail covers the entire lake is about 15 miles long. We covered a partial segment of the Delta View Trail. It was very nicely land out and was great for taking a nature walk.

I was walking for birding, she was walking for exercise so our paces were slightly different. About 5 minutes into our little adventure, she calls me on my cell to tell me to hurry up. She thinks she has spotted a Pileated Woodpecker! I quickened step only to be disappointed when I arrived, it was gone. This is the one bird I has on my list to see first and hopefully capture the moment with a picture.

I did see a Summer Tanager, a Yellow-Rumped Warbler, several Titmice and a few Downy Woodpeckers. I include a pic of the Summer Tanager below. It was high in the trees. He wasn't in the mood to have his picture taken!

I went back up to Cane Creek on Sunday afternoon with my friends and their little 'birder' that I've had the pleasure of showing my backyard birds to. She just loved it. This time we covered the entire 2.5 mile Delta View Trail. We saw and heard several birds.

This time, however, the Pileated Woodpecker wasn't so illusive. I was able to observe 3 Pileateds, all in flight. They are awesome birds. They are distinctive to say the least. I was excited I was able to see one. Next time I hope to get a pic of the experience!

That same day, I had another treat to add to the weekend. I had two Indigo Bunting visit my yard. The hung around for most of the day, just at a distance. They never would come in close enough to get a descent pic.

All in all, it was a good weekend. I added two birds to my life list!

God Bless and Good Birding!

What A Weekend!!!

2008-04-21T21:15:00.001-05:00

This weekend was probably the best so far for me on the birding front. I spent Saturday morning out a Lake Monticello again. The bird activity most definitely picked up since last weekend. It was bright sunny day and was perfect for bird watching!

There were two Flickers that were spending time feeding on the ground out by the lake when I first got there. I then noticed this Loggerhead Shrike on the pavilion and seemed to be watching the Flickers. Check out Aunt B's Backyard for some great shots of a Northern Flicker.

As I was leaving the lake, I noticed a Belted Kingfisher perched on this dead tree. He was 'posing' and I got as many pics as I could! As I was watching, he just took off and dove straight into the water. I was shocked but then he re-emerged and took his perch again. I guess he either saw a fish or needed to cool off!

Check back later this week to hear about the trips that we took to Cane Creek State Park near Star City. I'm still going through the pics and all of my field notes. It was a great trip. My little 'birding buddy' went with us on Sunday. She loved it!

Good Birding and God Bless!

Saturday Birding at Lake Monticello

2008-04-13T18:14:00.008-05:00

My wife and spent some time Saturday doing a little bird watching with a friend and her 4 year old daughter. She really loves watching birds and has turned into a little 'birder'. We decided to ask her and her mother to come with us to Lake Monticello to see the birds.

We saw several species of birds. We saw many Starlings feeding by the lake when we first arrived. We had to sneak up on them to get a better view. I showed them a few techniques I use to get up close on birds. We used the surrounding trees to shield us so the birds didn't get a glimpse of us.

After seeing the Starlings, we looked out in the lake and saw a group of Coots swimming. We also saw these two Green Head Mallards swimming around. We saw several other species including a Belted Kingfisher, Mockingbird, and Turkey Vultures.

All in all, it was a great trip, mostly because we had a future birder with us. It was definitely exciting to see how excited she got every time a bird flew over. We finished the afternoon off by coming over to our house where she got to see the Woodpeckers and Cardinals in our backyard.

Good Birding and God Bless!

Now Those Are Some Pretty Ducks!

2008-04-08T20:17:00.009-05:00

I wanted to post a few pics of the ducks I saw last week at the Old Fish Hatchery in Dallas. Larry over at The Brownstone Birding Blog inspired me to share my duck photos! He posted some very nice shots a few weeks back of the ducks he's been seeing.

I've seen a Wood Duck before but it was several years ago before my 'birding days' began. This is a very pretty and distinctive duck. It isn't easily confused with any other duck as it is one of the few ducks with a crest.

The other duck I saw on my way into the Hatchery was a lifer for sure. I noticed it's distinctive half moon crest on the side of his head right away. He also has a violet gray head and a noticeably blue patch on its wing. Texas is on the very southern end of its summer range.

I was able to get a shot of both the male and female Blue-Winged. There were also many Mallards in the hatchery. All in all, the Old Fish Hatchery in Dallas is definitely a duck haven!

Good Birding and God Bless!

Day At The Old Fish Hatchery in Dallas

2008-04-01T18:26:00.008-05:00

I spent this past weekend in Dallas, TX on a business trip with my wife. We had a great time (she had to work) and I had some time to spend and decided to do some bird watching on Saturday.

I had been to White Rock Lake before on my last trip to Dallas. I had seen a few birds on the lake but nothing to 'blog' about on that trip. This time I picked up a tip from Ron at Wild Birds Unlimited. He told me about the Old Fish Hatchery out by White Rock Lake.

The Old Fish Hatchery was established in 1930 to help seed the lake with fish after it was constructed. It has obviously been abandoned over the years. Over the years, it has become a refuge for many forms of wildlife and a haven for birds.

I added several birds to my life list. The Yellow Rumped Warbler was one of the birds I saw and the most exciting for me. It winters in the southern states and is still around. I was surprised to see this bird, really any new birds were a plus for me.

The Yellow Rumped Warbler is divided into two subspecies. The eastern form is the Myrtle Warbler and the Western form is the Audubon's Warbler. The Myrtle Warbler has a white throat and a white eyebrow (as seen above and below). The Audubon's Warbler has yellow throat.

The pic below is from a distance by I included it to show the yellow 'rump'. If you are ever in Dallas, take time to spend a few hours at White Rock Lake!

Good Birding and God Bless!

Where Has All The Time Gone?

2008-03-22T17:01:00.010-05:00

I got the shot of my little Red Headed friend on my woodpecker feeder this morning. I'm glad he is back in the yard. I'm missed him this winter. Hopefully, I'll be seeing more of him since he has found my new feeder!

I've been "tagged" by Craig's Birds & No Ceiling to leave a six word meme to describe my inner birder. Here is my meme: Where Has All The Time Gone?

It seems that I used to have way more time to bird (in my backyard) than I do now. I've recently changed jobs and that has the most to do with it. I hope to get to spend more time birding now that the time has changed. Nothing like an extra hour or two to spend watching the birds go by!

I'm tagging the following blogs: The Brownstone Birding Blog, Aunt B's Backyard, Sycamore Canyon, Big Spring Birds, & Iowa Voice. These are a the blogs I frequent the most. Check them out!

If you want to play here are the rules:

1. Write a six word memoir and post it on your blog with an illustration if you'd like.

2. Link to the person that tagged you in your post (see above) so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere.

3. Tag 5 more blogs with links.

4. Don't forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

New One For My Life List!

2008-03-12T19:46:00.005-05:00

I went back through my snow pics from last week and ran across a nice surprise. I found this picture of a Cedar Waxwing! I haven't sighted a Waxwing in my yard. He just seemed to blow in and out with the winter weather.

The Cedar Waxwing is a very pretty bird and distinctive one too. The black color on its face gives it the appearance of having a black mask and it has a very shiny, gold color to it. As you can see below, it also has yellow tips on the end of its wing.

Arkansas is in its winter range and I'm glad I got to see it before it started its migration!

Good birding and God Bless!

Winter, uh, Spring Wonderland!

2008-03-07T18:11:00.011-06:00

Well, we got blasted today with a little snow, to say the least. You'd think I was posting on The Brownstone Birding Blog or Big Spring Birds' Blog up north instead of Arkansas! Best I can tell, we got about 5". Needless to say, this put the birds into a feeding frenzy.

The snow has everything covered. You would never know it is just 13 days away from Spring. It is about 32 degrees with the wind blowing about 15 mph. The birds had only seem to have one thing in mind, "getting something to eat!"

I got a few shots of a Downy Woodpecker on the peanut feeder. Only after I downloaded the pictures from the camera did I notice something a little different. The Downy looked a little smaller than the usual ones on Woodpecker feeder.

I believe it to be a juvenile, probably a 1st year male. You can see the little patch of red starting to show on the back of his head.

The wind was gusting to 20 mph when I got this shot. He was doing everything to hang on the feeder.

Good birding and God Bless!

Anyone For Suet?

2008-03-01T15:56:00.011-06:00

I decided to try and make a Woodpecker Suet Feeder, similar to the one I saw over at Craig's Birds. I thought it was worth a try to make one and get a few more woodpeckers to my backyard. They just won't come to any ole bird feeder. Only rarely have I seen pictures of them on regular bird feeders and I've never seen them on one in my yard. Woodpeckers are one of my favorites birds, to say the least.

I've also noticed that any bird that likes suet dough will avail themselves to the feeder. I have a Pine Warbler that just loves it. He is a regular along with the little male Downy Woodpecker. Carolina Wrens will also make a regular stops.

The Northern Cardinals will also get some suet but usually only after all of the sunflower seeds are gone. These days they are having to fight with the huge flock of Goldfinches that have taken up residence in my backyard.

Another regular on the feeder is the female Red-bellied Woodpecker. She really works it over multiple times during the day. I've noticed that she and the male appear to be taking up residence in a hole in the front yard. It may be time for some little ones in the near future!

God Bless and Good Birding!

Did You See The Lunar Eclipse?

2008-02-21T19:40:00.005-06:00

Last night, I tried my hand at photographing the lunar eclipse. I really struggled to get a good shot. I took about 50 pics standing in the cold, working hard on my Kodak Z712 IS's settings, to get one decent pic. I got a few, but would have felt better if a few more turned out.

Good Birding and God Bless!

You Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!

2008-02-19T19:05:00.012-06:00

I've had another recent addition to my back yard this past week. It is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! Many believe this woodpecker to be fictious bird created only for the funny name.

They are one of only four North American Sapsuckers and are the most widespread. They are highly migratory and the only woopecker in the eastern U.S. to be completely migratory!

They are the eastern couterpart of the Red-napped Sapsucker. The other two species of North American Sapsuckers are the Red-breasted and Williamson's. The Yellow-bellied is the only sapsucker that resides in Eastern North America.

Sapsuckers drill evenly spaced holes in trees and frequent the "wells" to drink the sap and eat the insects it attracts.

I believe this male may be a first year adult as his red crown and throat aren't yet very colorful. The male and female are very similar except for the throat, which is white on the female.

God Bless and Good Birding!

New Field Guide

2008-02-13T21:00:00.006-06:00

I recently got another new field guide that is very nice. It is a Peterson Field Guide, "Birds of Eastern and Central North America". It is very detailed and has a very nice migration map for each bird in the back.

The detailed drawings help to show the primary, distinctive marks to help identify the bird in the field!

Check out this field guide if your looking for a new one to try out.

God Bless and Good Birding!

Grand Canyon Pics

2008-02-09T18:36:00.000-06:00

I wanted to post a few pictures of my recent trip to the Grand Canyon. I really enjoyed the short trip to see the sights. I've been there once before about ten years ago but I'm not sure if you can really ever see and appreciate all the scenery.

It had just snowed the night before and everything had a fresh coat! It was very nice there and cold.

God Bless!

Chickadee with a Racing Stripe!

2008-02-04T19:42:00.000-06:00

I got another treat during my trip to the Grand Canyon. I was able to observe another species of the Chickadee. This chickadee is very similar to the Carolina Chickadees here in the eastern part of North America. They are very small and flighty birds. Here in Arkanas and in other areas, the Carolina Chickadees are almost always seen with a flock of Tufted Titmice.

These chickadees are unique to the species as they are the only one with a white eyestripe. The white eyebrow can be clearly seen the pic below as he is feeding. The Mountain Chickadee is just like the Carolina Chickadee, very quick.

These chickadees were also seen with their buddies, in the west they are the Juniper Titmouse.

Thanks for visiting & God Bless!

Another Dark-Eyed Junco for Me

2008-02-02T13:46:00.000-06:00

I wanted to post a few more pictures of my trip to Arizona. We went to the Grand Canyon and I was able to get a few pictures of new birds that I added to my life list! One of them was this Gray-Headed Dark Eyed Junco. I got this shot at the Grand Canyon Village Post Office. There were two of them walking around, looking for food.

We have the Slate-Colored Junco here in Arkansas. The dark eye is not as pronounced on the Slate-Colored as it is on the Gray-Headed one here. It also has a red back and is very similiar to the Red-Back Junco. The only difference between the two is that the Red-Backed Junco has a bi-colored bill.

The Dark-Eyed Junco has six different sub-species with the Slate-Colored being the most prevelant.

I Believe Your Bill Is Curved!

2008-01-27T19:43:00.000-06:00

I went back through my pics from the South Mountain Park trip in Phoenix from last week and found a bird shots I didn't remember taking. I was so excited about the Gila Woodpecker that I overlooked these shots of the Curve-billed Thrasher. He was only around for just a minute for I got a few pics.

I have Brown Thrashers during the summer here in Arkansas but they have migrated for the winter. The Curve-billed thrasher doesn't migrate like the Brown Thrasher does. This is probably because they live in such a warm climate, no need! They also have a very distinctive orange-yellow eye.

Stay tuned for my next few posts. I was able to go to the Grand Canyon and do some sight seeing on Friday. The snowy view was outstanding and I also got some shots of a few birds that I added to my life list!

Gila! Gila!

2008-01-23T21:20:00.000-06:00

It has been a long time between posts for me. My apologies, I plan to pick up the pace! I have been out in Phoenix, AZ on a business trip this week. It has been a very good trip, both personally and professionally. I have been able to do some sightseeing with the other guys on the trip late in the afternoons. We went up to South Mountain State Park yesterday afternoon to see the sun set. As soon as we got out the car, I saw several woodpeckers flying back and forth around the parking area. I knew this was going to be a good day for birding! The woodpeckers I'm accustomed too aren't in Arizona!

It was a Gila Woodpecker. They are very similar to the Red-Bellied Woodpeckers we have in Arkansas. They don't have the red stomach but have the zebra type pattern on their upperparts.

The red identification the male has on his head doesn't cover all of their head, only just a small patch on the very top. The female lacks the red marking. They also seem to be somewhat darker and more golden compared to the Red-Bellied.

There were many Gila Woodpeckers located at the top of the mountain. They were acclimated somewhat to the people there and weren't too scared. I was able to get fairly close them and get these shots.

God Bless!

Litte Red-Head

2008-01-02T19:02:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I got a few more shots of the little juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker. He is looking a little rough around the edges for sure. I suppose it is due to the fact he is in transition between a juvenile and an adult. The Red-Bellied and the juvenile were not happy with each other. They are definitely trying to determine who is going to get the rights on the tree. Check out the first pictures of the juvenile early on last summer, here and here.

I hope everyone had a great start to the New Year! God Bless.

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-01T10:21:00.000-06:00

I got this great shot of the male Red-Bellied Woodpecker this morning. I finally got him sitting just right to get the red streak on his belly. He was fighting again with the juvenile Red-Head Woodpecker!

I'll be posting some shots of the Red-Head later. He is definitely changing colors. I'm off to watch the Hogs. Go Razorbacks!

God Bless!

I Got The Reds for Christmas!

2007-12-23T14:03:00.000-06:00

I had a great day of birding which happened out of luck. I had to repair a flat on a tire and was outside on the driveway when a chatter arose above my head. It was a male Red-Bellied Woodpecker and the juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker. They were not playing nice, to say the least. I was excited about this as I've never seen a male Red-Bellied in my yard, only the female. The juvenile Red-Head is also one of my favorites as I seen it grow up over the six months.

If you look closely, you can seen the Red-Head is beginning to lose it's juvenile plumage and starting to look more like an adult. Compare its plumage to one of these early posts which shows it distinct juvenile plumage.

This male probably has been around my yard but this is the first time I've ever seen it. With the little spat going on over the tree, he didn't realize I was even around, snapping these shots. In the first pic, I got a good shot of his belly, where the red is hidden and where he gets his name from. Look close, you can see the hint of red!

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-20T19:28:00.001-06:00

The birds have been busy around my house the last few weeks. I have a whole new group of birds in my yard compared to just six months ago.

The weather in Arkansas has been usual to say the least. 25 degrees one morning and 65 a few days later! The birds don't seem to mind though.

One of my new favorites are the White Throated Sparrows. There have to up to 15 sparrows in my yard at one time. These little guys are ground feeders and are fun to watch!

Everyone go over to Birds Etcetera and check out the newly posted "Known North American Bird Blogs #7". This blog is a great resource to find other birding blogs out there. John does a great job on helping to pull together all of the blogs out there and put them together in one place.

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T16:19:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Day has been great around the house today. I hope everyone had a good day with family and friends!

Here's a pic of a new arrival to my backyard this past week. It is a Dark-Eyed Junco and a member of the Slate colored subspecies group. Arkansas is in their winter range and several have arrived.

God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Fall Migration in Full Swing!

2007-10-29T19:00:00.001-05:00

The fall migration has been great so far this year! I've seen a number of birds that are not here year round. The newest one is the White-Throated Sparrow.

There are two variations of this sparrow, one with a tan-stripe and the other with a white-stripe. I'm not really sure, but I may have both.

This little fellow is very distinctive with a yellow supraloral mark next to its bill. Both variations have a strongly outlined white throat.

They are very common in brushy patches in woods. They feed on the ground and kick the ground with their feet to stir it up.

Check out The Nemesis Bird for a great post on more interesting details of the White-Throated Sparrow.

New Red-Breasted Nuthatch Pics

2007-10-21T18:42:00.000-05:00

I got a few more pictures this afternoon of my new little friend. He (or she) is starting to get a little more brave and is starting to try the sunflower seeds from the feeders.

I really liked how he was 'posing' because I was able to get shots that really show off his plumage.

He raised his head up and really made his red breast visible. The Red-Breasted Nuthatch's plumage is much different than that of the White-Breasted Nuthatch.

He spent several minutes running up and down the tree getting to the feeder. He is still a little skittish as he flew off to eat it!

Under The Church Steeple

2007-10-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

I got a few shots of a visitor to my backyard today as he was snacking on sunflower seeds. He was posing next to this great little feeder my wife Shelley got us which resembles the front of a church. He is a male House Sparrow, also known as the English Sparrow.

They were introduced to North America from Europe. They were released in New York City in 1850. Since that time, they have become widespread. In fact, they are the most abundant songbird in the world.

The male House Sparrow has a distinctive black bib with a black bill. They have a gray cap with a black mask and a chestnut nape.

The females are not as distinctive and have a much different plumage than the male. They lack the black bib, black bill, and chestnut nape.

As the winter draws closer, the males lose the plumage as their black bib, black bill and chestnut nape lightens up. As you can see, this is gradually happening to this male visitor.

First Blast of Fall!

2007-10-10T19:23:00.000-05:00

I got a surprise today with a new visitor to my backyard. At first, from a distance, I thought it was one of the many Carolina Chickadees that are always at the feeders in the afternoon.

Then, it turned on the peanut feeder and faced down, in the typical Nuthatch posture. I've seen a White Breasted Nuthatch before, up on Brush Mountain, but it is a much bigger bird. This Nuthatch was much smaller than the White Breasted Nuthatch. The White Breasted Nuthatch is about 6" in length compared to only 4 1/2" for the Red Breasted Nuthatch. Also, notice that it has a dark eye line and a white eyebrow. The White Breasted Nuthatch has an all white face and breast.

The red breast is definitely noticeable and shows up. I believe this one to be a female Red Breasted Nuthatch. On the males, the rust colored underparts extend further up the neck.

Arkansas is in the winter range for the Red Breasted Nuthatch so this little blast of cooler weather appears to be causing a little movement. I'm excited!

Orange Sapsucker

2007-10-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

This Red-Bellied Woodpecker has been frequenting my backyard lately. Besides the normal bevy of daily visits by the Cardinals, I've been carefully watching to see what other birds are visiting. The Red-Bellied Woodpecker really likes the suet block and has started coming to it often.

It's red belly, which it gets the name from, is rarely seen. It's back has a very noticeable upperparts with the black and white barring, like a zebra. So much so that is is sometimes called the Zebra Woodpecker.

The plumage of the sexes are very similar except the males have a complete red hood on their heads. The females, as noted in the pictures, only have red on the nape of their necks.

They are fairly large woodpeckers, 9-10 inches in length, with a 15-18 inch wingspan. They are nonmigratory, monogamous birds. They have 1 brood in the North and 2 - 3 broods in the South.

They got the name "orange sapsucker" from Dr. B.H Warren who called attention to their love of oranges in Florida in 1890. They would eat many oranges when they were ready to pick and destroyed many trees by boring into the tree and sucking the sap.

Colors of The Cardinal

2007-09-29T20:37:00.000-05:00

Cardinals have had the run of my backyard lately. I've got several adults pairs and a bunch of juveniles feeding around the clock.

Cardinals are non-migratory birds and are very abundant in the south and eastern half of North America. In the south, they are noted to have two sets of young as the weather turns warmer earlier.

They are noted for their bright red color. The adult males have a very distinctive orange bill with a black mask. Females are not red except on their wings and tail.

I've noticed as the summer has turned to fall, the males color as faded ever so slightly. Notice the change in color from this picture that I got early on in the summer.

The juveniles are starting to acquire their color, in splotches. This is a juvenile male getting his 'red-ness'. The juveniles can be distinguished from the adults as they don't have the noticeable orange bill yet, being mostly black early on in age.

Fall has Fell, That Doesn't Sound Right!

2007-09-23T17:26:00.000-05:00

I tried to come up with a snappy title about fall. The 'Spring has Sprung' phrase for spring starting sounds a lot better. Well anyway, fall is finally here.

The weather around here in Arkansas needs to catch up soon as we are having hotter than normal weather with the highs in the upper 80s. We should get some rain this week to cool things off.

My little Downy friend ventured into the birdbath for a little sip of water yesterday.

I got several pics of him in the bath. I included this picture because his red spot is noticeable on the back of his head.

I didn't realize until it was too late that he had his little wifey with him. He flew up to the tree after getting a drink. I watched him in the tree and then realized that she was in the tree also. She lacked the red spot that helps to distinguish between the two sexes.

Save The Squirrels!

2007-09-22T18:15:00.001-05:00

I just had to post a picture of a few of the squirrels in my backyard since today is the opening day of squirrel season in Arkansas. One of my buddies went hunting today and got his limit early.

Maybe someone will check out my blog and see just how cute these little guys are and think twice getting two many of these guys.

They are hungry little jokers though and can do some damage to my bird feeders if I don't keep them full!

He's Back!

2007-09-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

I've been watching closely to make sure my little friend is still around and doing fine. I was pretty sure I caught a glimpse of him last week but I finally got a pic of him today. He is doing all of the things that the other adults are doing. He is now working on a nest up in the top of an oak tree in my front yard.

It is very interesting to see the juvenile grow up over the last few months to essentially being grown so quickly. They just grow up so fast!

Always Be Prepared!

2007-09-14T19:18:00.000-05:00

One thing I've learned in my short time of birding is 'Always be prepared'. You just never know when you are going to see a 'life bird' when you just don't expect it.

Now obviously, four Mallards waddling around in my yard don't fall under that category but I think everyone understands my meaning.

I've had several of those instances when I did have my camera with me and caught a few pics of new birds for me.

I got these pics of the Mallards the other day during afternoon when the remnants of Hurricane Humberto was blowing through. These Mallards are residents of my neighborhood, they are pets of one of the neighbors. They usually are flying around but were walking around feeding during the rain.

They appear to be two adult females and one adult male. The last one in the first pic above looks like a juvenile male just before his head turns the distinctive green color to me.

Still Alive! Juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker & Me!

2007-09-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

I know it has been a while since my last post. The birding has been very slow around here lately. I guess the birds are moving. Food sources are more abundant now probably also.

I was looking through my pictures from several weeks back and I ran across these pictures of my favorite bird this year. He finally learned how to land in the tray feeder and get a few seeds.

I've not have the opportunity to get any pictures of the juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker lately. I was worried that he was gone for good know that he is grown.

But, good news! He is still around and flying high up in the tree tops with the other adults!

Also, I topped 500 hits last week! Woo hoo! I appreciate everyone checking in on my little birding blog. Thanks!

Save the Doves!

2007-09-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

I caught this picture of two mating Mourning Doves a few weeks ago. There are always a few doves foraging about in the backyard under the feeders to pick up the loose seeds that the other birds drop.

I had forgotten about this picture until I remembered that today is opening day of Dove Season here in Arkansas. Hopefully, someone will read this blog and decide to spare a few of these beautiful birds!

High Wire Act

2007-08-25T12:44:00.000-05:00

I noticed the other day that my suet feeder had a unusual hole up at the top of the block. Most the birds that frequent the suet block are Carolina Wrens and occasionally, my little Downy Woodpecker friend.

These are very small birds and don't get much when they peck at it. So this large hole was definitely a mystery to me.

Well, I finally found the culprit. I have several Blue Jays in my back yard. They have seem to have developed a knack for hanging upside down to peck at the suet to knock it loose and get a little bit to eat.

They look particularly strange as they hang precariously upside down from the limb above the suet feeder.

New Addition to the Backyard!

2007-08-23T19:33:00.000-05:00

I got a call from Shelley the other day about a new bird she noticed on one of the tube feeders in our backyard. She described it as bright yellow with a black cap and black wings. I felt for sure that it was a Goldfinch. I've been watching the feeder ever since trying to catch him.

He hasn't returned yet but he have must brought a friend.

I've saw the female Goldfinch today at the feeder. The female is not as bright and colorful as the male. The Goldfinch is easily identifiable as it is one of only a few yellow birds in Arkansas that is this small.

With the female around, the male can't be far behind. Check back soon, I'll have a picture of him.

Dog Days of Summer

2007-08-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

These days here in Arkansas have been some of the hottest on record! We reached 104 degrees several days last week. The bird activity has pretty much come to a stand still in my backyard.

I caught this squirrel getting a drink out of the fountain yesterday. The fountain is having trouble keeping up with the hot weather too. I refill it sometimes twice a day!

It's only supposed to reach 99 degress today. What a cold front!
There are still a few regulars that don't seem to be too effected by the weather. My little Downy friend is still very active. I caught this picture of him this morning on his breakfast run!

On a personal note, I read a great blog post this morning over at Journey Through Grace about a gentleman with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Take time to read the post and be sure to give thanks to the Lord for all he has blessed you with.

Sweet Sip of Nectar

2007-08-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

I have a male Downy Woodpecker that loves the peanuts in the feeder I have in my back yard. He frequents the feeder several times during the day. The Downy is the smallest woodpecker in North America measuring only 6 3/4". Male Downy Woodpeckers have a red patch on the back of the head.

The Downy is very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker in appearance. The Hairy is larger and lacks the dark bars on the outer tail feathers.
I love watching the little woodpecker on the peanut and suet feeder. He has started exhibiting a strange behavior today that I haven't noticed before. He has been sipping nectar from the Hummingbird feeder! I've heard that woodpeckers like fruit so this may be the reason why he likes the sweet, sugar water.

It may be because of the extreme 100 degree heat we've had lately. I've never seen a woodpecker at my bird bath before so I'm not sure where they get water from.

I know where he got some today!

Dance of the Flickers!

2007-08-07T20:29:00.000-05:00

We went out to dinner tonight and got back to the house about 7pm. As usual, I checked our backyard for bird activity. Late in the day toward evening, the birds come out to eat dinner. Tonight, I noticed two birds out in the back of the yard on the ground.

They were two Northern Flickers, bobbing and weaving around. I thought that it was a male and a female at first, but upon closer inspection, they were both males. Notice the black moustaches!

After thinking about what was going on, it must have been a show of dominance between these two males. I watched these two and it went on for at least 2o minutes. The moved their display up on a fence and continued doing their dance.

I've included a short video of some of the 'dancing' that was going on between the two Northern Flickers.

White-Breasted Nuthatch

2007-08-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

This weekend was another one visiting Brush Mountain in central Arkansas. I did a little bird watching and saw several titmice flitting about in the trees. They were flying up to the bird feeder at the house and then back out to the trees to eat the seeds they had found.

While watching the titmice, I was saw a White-breasted Nuthatch climbing up and down a tree. These birds are 5.75" tall with a wingspan of 11". Nuthatches are tree climbers with a woodpecker-like bill. They have a square cut tail but it is not used to brace them as they typically go down trees headfirst.

There are 31 species worldwide with only 4 species residing in North America.

The White-breasted Nuthatch is identified by their black cap with beady black eyes on a white face.

They are present over most of the U.S. from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast and from the Atlantic to the West. They are absent in the treeless plains and prairie of Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

Carolina Wren Feeding Time

2007-07-30T19:16:00.000-05:00

My backyard has been a flurry of activity over the last week. All of the juveniles and fledglings have been stretching their wings and really getting out a lot. I've been watching a Carolina Wren with a pair of juveniles. Wrens are fun for me to watch because they are so fast and flitty. You have to keep a close eye if you are watch them for long.

Carolina Wrens are a very small bird. They are only about 5.5" long with a wingspan of 7.5". They only weigh 0.75 ounces. They are easily identified by the bold white "eyebrow". This little one already has it's little eyebrow started!

This adult was taking pieces from the peanut butter suet block and feeding the juvenile. During the time the adult was feeding, another juvenile came up to get in on the action.

I thought this picture was unique. The adult was definitely making sure the juvenile was getting the pieces of the suet. It was stuffing the piece way down the throat of the juvenile!

Kite Flying!

2007-07-28T19:50:00.000-05:00

I went back out to Lake Monticello again this week to see if the Ospreys were out again. No luck but I did but I did observe another bird I had not previously seen. It was at a distance so it took several shots and spying with the binos to identify the bird.

Mississippi Kites are similar in shape to falcons. Their length is 14" with a wingspan of 31". They have a pale gray head with a darker gray body.

They feed on cicadas, dragonflies, and other insects that are captured in the air or plucked from leaves while flying.

The Fish Hawk At Lake Monticello

2007-07-22T18:42:00.000-05:00

Kevin and Summer came to Monticello this weekend to help Shelley and I out at the store. We ate dinner at Layne's and then took a trip to Lake Monticello to see if we would have any luck bird watching.

I have seen the large nest on the south side of the lake for some time now. I had always thought it was an eagle's nest but had never seen any eagles. Kevin and I went out on the dock to look a little closer at the nest.

We saw a large bird in the nest and thing began to see several more start flying around the nest. The nest was about 150 yards from the dock we were watching from. We counted 5 birds in all, two adults and three juveniles. One of the juveniles flew up and landed on a limb with a fish and started eating. We identified the birds as Ospreys.

These birds are hawks that are common around freshwater and known as the "Fish Hawk". They hover over water and dive feet first into the water to catch their prey. This method of catching their prey with their feet is unique among raptors. Ospreys are large raptors reaching 22-25" long with a wingspan between 58-72".

The Osprey is very unique with a white head and a dark eye streak. Their underparts are white, which helps to conceal them as they fly over their prey.

The Osprey also has a unique way of flying with their preys in their talons. They will align the fish the head first, pointing in the direction of their flight. We were able to witness an Osprey exhibiting this behavior as he was approaching the tree to eat.

The Osprey population was threatened in the 50s and 60s as the misuse of pesticides, such as DDT, increased. Pesticides caused thinning of a birds eggshell, therefore, effected the reproductive cycle. As DDT was banned in the early 70s and conservation measures were instituted, the Osprey population has made a comeback.

This was the first time I've been at the lake so late in the day. I was able to snap several pictures of the sun as it set. The colors were very nice.

Tagged Again!

2007-07-17T21:26:00.000-05:00

I got tagged again in the rapidly spreading '8 Random Facts' meme that is making the rounds. Anders and Claudia from Dagens fågel - Bird of the day from Stockholm, Sweden have a great birding blog. It is very neat to pics of birds from Europe.

In the spirit of the game, I thought I would come up with a few more random facts about me. Here goes!

1. When I was in high school, I got an award for being a "Top Teen" in Arkansas. I got to be on a TV show on one of the stations in Little Rock and received the award. My 15 minutes of fame!

2. I met the then future President, Bill Clinton, and Hillary when I was a high school senior. I graduated 3rd in my class and was asked to go to the State Capital along with many other seniors to meet him.

3. One of his platforms that year was improving the Arkansas school system. He asked me where I was attending college just about the time a hush came over the room. I told him I was attending Louisiana Tech University to be a Chemical Engineer. Needless to say, the room burst out with laughter.

4. This was actually the second time I met him. He came to a football game at the University of Monticello in Monticello, AR when he was first elected Governor of Arkansas. I was about 8 and got his autograph on a football program. I lost the program.

5. I didn't vote for him either time when he was elected President. What can I say, I'm a Republican!

6. Since this is a birding blog, I need to put something in about birding! I'm up to 31 birds on my life list, with the Belted Kingfisher and the White-Breasted Nuthatch being the latest. I almost got to add a Gold Finch but just missed seeing it.

Be sure to check out Anders and Claudia site, Dagens fågel - Bird of the day. It is very interesting seeing the pictures of the birds from Sweden. I recognize many birds but know them by a different name here in the states. You know me, I love the pictures of the Great Spotted Woodpecker! Check out the picture of the squirrel, funny looking ears, huh?

King of the Fishers!

2007-07-15T19:25:00.000-05:00

We spent time in Little Rock again this weekend with Kevin & Summer. On Friday, Kevin and I were going back into town after a thunderstorm. We were talking & driving when we saw a Belted Kingfisher on a powerline. We observed it swooping off the powerline and down to the ground several times.

There are approximatley 87 species of Kingfishers in the world but only 3 are present in North America. They are the Belted Kingfisher, the Ringed Kingfisher, and Green Kingfisher. The Belted Kingfisher is common across North America, while the other two are common on in extreme southern Texas.

The males and females have a blue-gray breast band and white on the belly. The females have an additional rusty-red band across the belly. The Belted Kingfisher is a very distinctive bird and is common around fresh water. They can be seen hovering over water or perching from trees or lines to spot their prey.

They swoop down, head first into the water, to catch their meal. The adults teach the juveniles to hunt by dropping dead fish into the water for them to retreive. Their training lasts for about ten days before they are ready to strike out on their own, most likely with a little help from their parents.

Another interesting thing about the Kingfisher is they excavate a burrow in the side of a steep river or water bank about 7 feet long. They deposit 5-8 eggs which take 3-4 weeks before hatching.

Juvenile Red-Headed Woodpeckers!

2007-07-11T19:12:00.000-05:00

I've been watching a Red-Headed Woodpecker and two juveniles in my backyard. The adult is attempting to train these two juveniles by flying to the tray feeder to feed. When they won't follow to the feeder, the adult take care of the juveniles by feeding them.

These juvenile woodpeckers are strikingly different than the adults. They have a grayish-brown head with whitish gray underparts. Their wings are marked with two distinct black lateral bars. These pictures of the juveniles were able to capture the differences in plummage between the adults and the juveniles.

The picture with the juvenile perched on the rooftop was taken while the two where playing. They were chasing each other around the backyard, flying around very quickly. This one is looking around for his sibling. Shortly after taking this shot, the other one flew over the edge to surprise this one. It is very fun to watch these two juveniles learn and play just like kids!

I've been Tagged: 8 Random Facts about Me!

2007-07-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by John L. Trapp of Birds Etcetera to play the Eight Random Facts meme. This is starting to make it rounds and it ought to be fun.

The Rules are as follows: Each person posts the rules before their list, and then they list eight things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people; then visits those people's sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and for them to come read your post so they will know what to do.

Eight Random Facts About Me

1. I'm a new 'birder'. I just started within the last two months when we purchased a new camera.

2. So far, my favorite bird to watch and photograph is the Red-Headed Woodpecker. They are at least two juveniles learning from their parents in my backyard.

3. I'm learning photography from a friend, Matt Terry, who is great at his craft. He's also going to get tagged!

4. I've been married for 7 years to a wonderful woman, Shelley. She is a gift from God and is very patient with me. She looks over my shortcomings and has helped me to become a much better man than I was before I met her!

5. I'm a 'gadget geek'. I like to keep up with the latest in gadget technology.

6. I enjoy spending time at my brother-in-law and his wife's house. It is in the Central Arkansas area up on Brush Mountain. Shelley & I get to relax, enjoy the scenery and spend time with family members who are also our friends.

7. I have a friend who has spent a little time with the Nature Conservancy in the Bird Woods looking for the 'Lord God Bird'.

8. My wife and I have a retail business, The Gift Shaker, that I help with in addition to my real job. She is the brains behind the business and I do some heavy lifting. I'm still trying to get on 'full-time' so more heavy lifting is in my future!

And now for my taggees... Drum roll please.....

Matt Terry of Terry's Photography
Jeff Noble of Notes From The Trail
Kristy Hales of Half Tied Ribbons
Diana Harton of All I Know Is...
James Lyle of Black Water Rydas

I could only come up with five nominees. I know I'm breaking the rules!

Time on My Hands

2007-07-05T16:54:00.001-05:00

I spent most of this past weekend at Kevin and Summer's trying my hardest to catch up with the Summer Tanager that perches near their house. I was able to see the Tanager well with the new Bushnell binoculars I recently purchased. However, capturing a good picture of the Summer Tanager proved to be harder than I imagined.

Tanagers are solitary birds and love to perch in the upper levels of trees. Its call is very similar to that of a Robin and can be easily heard throughout the woods. Its song helped me to find it but the 'upper level tree perching' kept me from obtaining a great shot. I attempted to creep, ever so slowly, closer and closer to the tree in which the Tanager was singing from but each time I got close enough, it flew. Check out Journey Through Grace's blog to see what a great picture of a Summer Tanager should look like!

This scenario played out several times over the weekend leading me to look elsewhere to take up my picture taking time on Brush Mountain.

The garden that was been setup by my in-laws is very nice. A wide variety of flowers and bushes dot their landscape.

They are working very hard in their backyard to beautify it like the rest of the surroundings.

Check back later in the summer for pictures of the newly landscaped backyard!

July 4th Birdwatching

2007-07-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

I've recently setup a tray feeder with black oil sunflower seeds well away from my tube feeders to attempt to setup seperate zones for the larger and smaller birds. It is fun to watch the 'pecking' order of the birds in my back yard. The smaller House Finches, Titmice, and Carolina Chickadees always give way to the larger Blue Jays and Cardinals that frequent my backyard. The more aggresive 'bully' Blue Jays even know their place in the 'pecking' order. The Red-Headed Woodpecker is at the top of the order!

I've been trying my hand at catching the Red-Headed Woodpecker in flight to the tray feeder. They just love the sunflower seeds in the feeder. They swoop in from their perch in a nearby oak tree. The birds scatter when when it is on its way.

While watching the woodpecker fly back and forth up to the tree to eat the seeds, I notice another woodpecker. Much to my surprise, it was the juvenile Red-Head that I'd seen a few weeks ago in my backyard. The adult was taking seed up to the perch and feeding the juvenile. I was able to get several pictures before the juvenile flew off!

Unknown Visitor to My Yard

2007-07-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

I had an unknown visiter to my backyard last Friday morning. I've got a few ideas of what this little visitor may have been. If anyone has any thoughts on helping to identify this bird, I'd appreciate your help.

I spent this past weekend on Brush Mountain with Shelley's brother, Kevin, and Summer. I got a few shots of a new bird to me, a Summer Tanager. I'll post a few pictures later this week.

Carolina Wren in the Morning

2007-06-28T19:45:00.000-05:00

I recently got a bird bath for my backyard. My bro-in-law Kevin hooked me up with one that has a fountain on it. The birds love the tiered levels and the water trickling down. I saw my first Carolina Wren after it took a quick bath and was basking in the sun to dry.

I saw the wren again today feeding on the peanut butter suet block I have hanging in a tree in the backyard.
Carolina Wren's are identified by their bright rusty color and long bold white 'eyebrow'. Their bills are long and decurved. Both sexes have the same distinguishing visual markings.

This little bird is one of Kevin's favorites. He had a nesting pair have two broods last year in a basket on his front porch. Once a pair of Carolina Wrens bond, the pair will stay together for life!

Red-Headed Woodpecker Bird Watching

2007-06-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

There are several Red-Headed Woodpeckers in my area. These woodpeckers are probably my favorite. They are one of the most distinctive and unmistakable birds around, hands down.

They frequent my feeders daily, coming back multiple times during the morning and late afternoon. They seem to be partial to black oil sunflower seeds and cracked corn.

The Red-Headed Woodpecker hunts from a low perch, flying down from their perch to pick up their prey or nut.

Their population is reported to be in a steady decline, losing up to 50% of their population since 1966. The decline is at 4.6% per year since 1980. Their population size is estimated to be around 2.5 million. See related article over at the Audubon Society.

With that news, it makes the picture I got that much sweeter. A juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker landed in my backyard and started foraging for food. Its Mother (or Father) flew around while it was close to the house. I was able to get several pics before it flew off. I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye out for his (or her) return.

Bird Watching Tips and Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher

2007-06-23T20:44:00.000-05:00

I found a great link over at The Nemesis Bird which offer 10 Ways to See More Birds. I definitely found these tips to be very helpful.

I got some great shots of a Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher feeding her young. There were five juveniles waiting eagerly to be fed. Lake Monticello has turned out to be great place in my area to catch many species.

Lake Monticello Birding Hotspot

2007-06-21T20:03:00.000-05:00

I went back to Lake Monticello again yesterday afternoon. It is definately turning into a birding hotspot! I observed a new species for me, a Loggerhead Shrike. There were several flying around at the Plantersville Access.

Loggerhead Shrikes are a hunting songbird are very similar to the Northern Shrike only smaller and have an especially broader black mask.

Shrikes prey on small insects, mice, lizards, and even small birds. They impale their prey on thorns or barbed wire in order to kill them and eat. They will even leave their excess kill on the thorns and barbed wire. Their presence in an aread can often be denoted in this way.

Birdwatching At Lake Monticello

2007-06-19T21:27:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, Bailey (our Cocker Spaniel) and I went bird watching at Lake Monticello. I was hoping that we would get to see a few new birds that I haven't seen before. We started out on the east side of the lake at the Plantersville access. Those hopes came true as I spotted two Eastern Kingbirds. They both were perching high in a tree and took several flights to catch passing insects.

We then went to the west side of the lake to the Hunger Run access. I caught sight of a Scissor-Tailed Flycatch perching on a chain, surveying the open field for insects.

As I got closer, he flew over the pavilion to perch in the open field by the boat access. He stayed there for several minutes, almost posing as I snapped off several pictures.

I have seen Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers before and have taken a few pictures. If you are ever in Pine Bluff at the Pines Mall, take careful notice on the traffic signs around the mall, they are usually perched atop, waiting for their next meal.

Birds of Brush Mountain

2007-06-15T20:51:00.001-05:00

Shelley and I spent Saturday and Sunday up on Brush Mountain with her brother, Kevin, and his wife, Summer. I saw several birds that I had not seen in my backyard in Southeast Arkansas.

They have a pair of nesting Eastern Phoebes at their house. Phoebes like to nest on man-made structures, which this pair have. Their nest is on a perch on Kevin and Summer's house.

Easter Phoebes also have a very distinctive feature. They wag their tail constantly when perched.

I also saw a Chipping Sparrow foraging on the ground next to Kevin's chicken coup. This sparrow has a rufous crown and a dark eye-line which helps to identify it from other sparrows.

I also caught several pictures of the Chipping Sparros in trees around their house.

I saw two other birds I had not seen before. One was an America Goldfinch. The other was a Summer Tanager, which we spotted very late in the evening. I was not able to get a picture of either of these two. I will on the next trip!

I caught this picture of one of the chipmunks in the woods. He was very quick and is alot smaller than he appears in the picture.

I was very pleased to get this picture as I had never seen one before.

Northern Flickers!

2007-06-10T19:52:00.000-05:00

I've been watching a pair of Northern Flickers in an oak tree nearby. They have been working on their nest. Hopefully, I'll have a some nice pictures of a few baby flickers soon.

These flickers are the yellow-shafted variety. They (both male and female) have distinct red nape patch where the red-shafted variety does not have the red nape patch. The yellow-shafted male has a black mustache. The red-shafted male Northern Flicker has a red mustache.

The yellow-shafted male (above picture) also has a yellow underwing and yellow tail, normally only visible in flight, but I happened to catch the male displaying his plumage in the above picture. You can also see it's black mustache. The female (right) is very similar to the male but without the distinct black mustache.

Northern flickers have very distinct markings. They have a black bib on their breast. The black spots on their belly and black bars on their backs help to easily identifiy this woodpecker from others.

I spent Saturday and Sunday on Brush Mountain with my brother-in-law Kevin and Summer. Check back later in the week for some cool pictures on several new birds I have not seen before. I'm still fairly new to birding and photography so my checklist is growing very quickly!

Finches, Finches, Finches!

2007-06-06T18:49:00.000-05:00

My bro-in-law, Kevin, and I were sitting at the kitchen table last Saturday morning watching the birds when several male and female House Finches decided to it was time for breakfast. About 6-8 converged all at once on our birdseed and sunflower feeders.

As a couple finches were waiting for their turn on the feeder, they did something we thought was very interesting. A few began to sip sugar water from the nearby hummingbird feeder. They lost interest in the birdseed feeders and began taking turns taking a drink!

House Finch

2007-06-06T14:17:00.000-05:00

This male house finch is a regular in my backyard. He has now started bringing his friends and can be seen during the day feeding on black oil sunflower seeds.