F/6.3, 1/100, ISO 400.
White-throated Sparrow
What do you get if you cross a worm and an elephant?
Very big worm holes in your garden!
Interesting Fact: The oldest recorded White-throated Sparrow was at least 14 years, 11 months old, when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Alberta. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )
F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 250.
Bufflehead Duck
The Teacher says to the class: Who ever stands up is stupid
*Nobody stands up*
Teacher: I said who ever stands up is STUPID!
*Little Johnny stands up*
Teacher: Johnny, do you really think that you are stupid?
Little Johnny: No Mrs, I just thought that maybe you are lonely being the only one standing.
Interesting Fact: Bufflehead normally live only in North America, but in winter they occasionally show up elsewhere, including Kamchatka, Japan, Greenland, Iceland, the British Isles, Belgium, France, Finland, and Czechoslovakia. In some of these cases, the birds may have escaped from captivity. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bufflehead/lifehistory )
F/5.6, 1/320, ISO 100.
American Black Ducks
What’s the best way to ship duck eggs?
Put them in a quacker barrel.
Interesting Fact: As soon as their down feathers dry, newly hatched ducklings are able to leave the nest, a depression on the ground lined with plant materials. They follow their mother to rearing areas with a lot of invertebrates to eat and plenty of vegetation for cover. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Black_Duck/lifehistory )
F/5.6, 1/320, ISO 100.
Red-Necked Grebe
The homeowner was delighted with the way the painter had done all the work on his house.
“You did a great job.” he said and handed the man a check.
“Also, in order to thank-you, here’s an extra $80 to take the missus out to dinner and a movie.”
Later that night, the doorbell rang and it was the painter.
Thinking the painter had forgotten something the man asked, “What’s the matter, did you forget something?”
“Nope.” replied the painter. “I’m just here to take your missus out to dinner and a movie like you asked.”
Interesting Fact: Like other grebes, the Red-necked Grebe ingests large quantities of its own feathers. Feathers remain in the bird’s stomach. The function of feathers in the stomach is unknown. One hypothesis suggests that the feathers help protect the lower digestive tract from bones and other hard, indigestible material. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-necked_Grebe/lifehistory )
F/5.6, 1/500, ISO 200.
Canada Goose And Goslings
Why won’t they allow elephants in public swimming pools?
Because they might let down their trunks.
Interesting Fact: Individual Canada Geese from most populations make annual northward migrations after breeding. Nonbreeding geese, or those that lost nests early in the breeding season, may move anywhere from several kilometers to more than 1500 km northward. There they take advantage of vegetation in an earlier state of growth to fuel their molt. Even members of “resident” populations, which do not migrate southward in winter, will move north in late summer to molt. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose/lifehistory )
F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 500.
Chipping Sparrow
Bacon and eggs walk into a bar and order a beer, the bartender says sorry, we don’t serve breakfast.
Interesting Fact: Chipping Sparrows typically build their nests low in a shrub or tree, but every once in a while they get creative. People have found their nests among hanging strands of chili peppers, on an old-fashioned mower inside a tool shed, and on a hanging basket filled with moss. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/lifehistory )
F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.
Black-and-white Warbler
A couple of hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?”
The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard.
The guy’s voice comes back on the line. He says: “OK, now what?“
Interesting Fact: As warblers go, Black-and-white Warblers are combative: they’ll attack and fight with other species that enter their territory, including Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and American Redstarts. This aggressive behavior extends to the wintering grounds, where they defend territories and when feeding in mixed flocks will drive other Black-and-white Warblers away. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-and-white_Warbler/lifehistory )
F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 320.
Brown-headed Cowbird ( Female )
A man inserted an ‘ad’ in the classifieds: “Wife wanted.” Next day he received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing: “You can have mine.”
Interesting Fact: Social relationships are difficult to figure out in birds that do not build nests, but male and female Brown-headed Cowbirds are not monogamous. Genetic analyses show that males and females have several different mates within a single season. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/lifehistory )
F/ 8.0, 1/250, ISO 320.
Ring-billed Gull
What do you call a man with seagull on his head?
Cliff
Interesting Fact: Migrating Ring-billed Gulls apparently use a built-in compass to navigate. When tested at only two days of age, chicks showed a preference for magnetic bearings that would take them in the appropriate direction for their fall migration. The gulls also rely on landmarks and high-altitude winds to provide directional cues. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-billed_Gull/lifehistory )
F/6.3, 1/40, ISO 400.
Eastern Towhee
What did the bird say after his cage fell apart?
“Cheap, cheap!”
Interesting Fact: Eastern Towhees are common victims of the parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird. Female cowbirds lay eggs in towhee nests, then leave the birds to raise their cowbird young. In some areas cowbirds lay eggs in more than half of all towhee nests. Towhees, unlike some other birds, show no ability to recognize or remove the imposter’s eggs. Female cowbirds typically take out a towhee egg when laying their own, making the swap still harder to notice. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Towhee/lifehistory )
Through Open Lens 