wildbird

Just Got My Hair Did!

April 25, 2016 — 14 Comments

This Post Is Dedicated To Amber Hope It Will Bring A Smile To Your Face!

Red-breasted Merganser Female

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 200.

Red-breasted Merganser ( Female )

Three guys, stranded on a desert island, find a magic lantern containing a genie, who grants them each one wish. The first guy wishes he was off the island and back home. The second guy wishes the same. The third guy says “I’m lonely. I wish my friends were back here.”

Interesting Fact: Red-breasted Merganser: Breeds in Alaska and across northern Canada to Newfoundland and south to the Great Lakes. Spends winters chiefly along the coasts from Alaska south to northern Mexico, from Maritime Provinces south to Florida, and along the Gulf Coast. Preferred habitat for breeding includes wooded lakes and tundra ponds; found mainly on saltwater during winter. ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/115/overview/Red-breasted_Merganser.aspx )

The Goose Is Loose!

April 24, 2016 — 17 Comments

Brant 1

F/22.0, 1/30, ISO 125.

Brant

What did the goose say when the pillowmaker knocked at his door?
“I’ll be down in a minute.”

Interesting Fact: They have the shortest tail of any goose. ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/290/_/Brant.aspx )

You Can’t See Me I’m Camouflage!

April 23, 2016 — 22 Comments

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 400.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.
The audience would be different each week, so the magician
allowed himself to do the same tricks over and over again.
There was only one problem:  The captain’s parrot saw the
shows each week and began to understand how the magician did
every trick.  Once he understood he started shouting in the
middle of the show:
“Look, it’s not the same hat”
“Look, he is hiding the flowers under the table”
“Hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades ?”
The magician was furious but couldn’t do anything, it was,
after all, the captain’s parrot.
One day the ship had an accident and sank.  The magician
found himself on a piece of wood in the middle of the ocean
with the parrot, of course.  They stared at each other with
hate, but did not utter a word.
This went on for a day and another and another.
After a week the parrot said:  “OK, I give up.  Where’s
the boat?”

Interesting Fact: The Yellow-rumped Warbler is the only warbler able to digest the waxes found in bayberries and wax myrtles. Its ability to use these fruits allows it to winter farther north than other warblers, sometimes as far north as Newfoundland.  ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/lifehistory )

Yellow Means Slow Down And Watch Me

April 20, 2016 — 32 Comments

Palm Warbler

F/8.0, 1/200, ISO 320.

Palm Warbler

A male and a female pigeon made a date to meet on a ledge outside
the 14th floor of the Chrysler Building.  The male was there on time,
but the female arrived an hour late.
“Where were you?” he cried.  “I was worried sick.”
“It was such a nice day,” she explained, “I decided to walk.”

Interesting Fact: The Palm Warbler is found in two different forms. Birds that breed in the western part of the range are duller, and have whitish bellies. Those breeding in the eastern part of the range are entirely yellow underneath. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler/lifehistory )

They Call Me Mellow Yellow

April 17, 2016 — 24 Comments

Yellow Warbler

F/ 6.3, 1/640, ISO 200.

Yellow Warbler

A lady went to a pet shop.
“I’d like to buy two yellow canaries,” she told the owner.
“We don’t have any canaries, but we have these,” the owner
said, as he showed the lady some pale green parakeets.
“That’s not what I’m looking for,” the lady stated.
But the pet store owner refused to give up. He said, “Just
think of them as yellow canaries that aren’t quite ripe yet.”

Interesting Fact: Life can be dangerous for a small bird. Yellow Warblers have occasionally been found caught in the strands of an orb weaver spider’s web. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow_Warbler/lifehistory )

Come Visit My Branch

April 15, 2016 — 16 Comments

Magnolia Warbler

F/5.6, 1/400, ISO 100.

Magnolia Warbler

Two birds in a tree looking down on a man washing his car.

“If he doesn’t hurry up and finish,” says one bird to the 15other, “I’ll shit myself.”

Interesting Fact: Though it has very specific habitat preferences in the breeding season, the Magnolia Warbler occupies a very broad range of habitats in winter:  from sea level to 1,500 meters elevation, and most landscape types, except cleared fields. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Magnolia_Warbler/lifehistory )

Come On In The Water Is Fine

April 14, 2016 — 13 Comments

Semipalmated Plover

F/6.3, 1/640, ISO 200.

Semipalmated Plover

Why do birds in a nest always agree?

Because they don’t want to fall out.

Interesting Fact: The Semipalmated Plover has been seen to swim short distances across small water channels during foraging while on migration. Chicks also swim short distances to follow parents to small islets on shallow lakes. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Semipalmated_Plover/lifehistory )

 

 

Tern It Up!

April 13, 2016 — 16 Comments

Forster's Tern

F/8.0, 1/1000, ISO 200.

Forster’s Tern

What did the bird say when her boyfriend bought her the wrong perfume?

Cheep cheep!

Interesting Fact: Forster’s Tern is the only tern restricted almost entirely to North America throughout the year. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Forsters_Tern/lifehistory )

Feed Me!

April 11, 2016 — 12 Comments

Heermann's Gull

F/7.1, 1/800, ISO 200.

Heermann’s Gull

If someone ever says, “What are you staring at?”

Say “I don’t know, give me a minute.”

Interesting Fact: The Heermann’s Gull, like many other gulls, frequently steals food from other birds. The Brown Pelican is a frequent victim. An adult Heermann’s Gull is most likely to try to steal food from an adult pelican, and an immature gull is more likely to steal from an immature pelican. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Heermanns_Gull/lifehistory )

And I Ran, I Ran So Far Away!

April 10, 2016 — 32 Comments

Sanderling

F/7.1, 1/800, ISO 200.

Sanderling

Did you hear about the race between the lettuce and the tomato?

The lettuce was a “head” and the tomato was trying to “ketchup”!

Interesting Fact: The Sanderling’s mating system varies from area to area and possibly from year to year. Sanderlings are usually monogamous, but in some cases the female breeds with multiple males in a row within a single breeding season. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sanderling/lifehistory )