I'd like to share a few photos

I have spent the better part of the summer outside and traveling even with these high gas prices to try to find some wildlife that I have never seen or just wanted to photograph again. Having said that, these first photos are from my backyard. Hummingbird migration is really picking up so I have been able to find a few more hummingbirds now than all year.

These are three ruby throated hummingbirds, probably females or young juveniles.







Now down to far south Texas...In Brownsville, Texas, my wife's family's town, I tracked down the famous green parakeets that are native to Mexico but are also well established in the Brownsville area. These photos were taken on Washington Avenue, a street where my wife's grandparents lived, just about 700 feet from the border and a place that will be affected by that stupid wall if it goes in.







Still in south Texas, but now in Edinburg, Texas, I spent some time a ranch dedicated to native land conservation as well as wildlife conservation. It is called the Martin Refuge. John Martin, one of the owners along with his wife, started this other foundation promoting the conservation of land and wildlife through photography, http://imagesforconservation.org/front

First bird is the colorful green jay whose range just makes it up to south Texas.




The next bird is the very loud and boisterous Great Kiskadee, another south of the border bird that makes it to the southern tip of Texas.






One more and I will end this post and post some more later. I have so many photos from this summer. Anyhow, to end, this is a Groove Billed Ani. It is yet another south of the border bird and a member of the cuckoo family.




Thanks for looking and remember to support your local wildlife! :)

Nice photography:hi:

I love sharing.

And aren't anis just the homeliest? :D

:rofl:

I love the green jay. Such unusual coloration. Looks like two different birds mashed together! Is it for mating purposes do you think?

These birds are pretty much this color year round. Although like cardinals, the males may develop richer colors in the spring, but the green jays are pretty this color all the time.

backyard. I'm up to three feeders: one for songbirds, one for finches, one for hummingbirds. Just did the hummingbird one a week ago. So far, I've only been able to get one all-too-quick glance of a green hummingbird, but the feeder is emptying.

For some reason the green jay made me think of Darth Vader.

I hope you see many birds in your backyard!

didn't know about the groove-billed ani, either.

the photos are great. thank you so much for posting them. :hi:

I am glad you are now aware of two more species here in the US. :hi:

These photos are beautiful. Post more when you get a chance. :) :hi:

I will certainly share when I can. Thanks for looking.

:thumbsup:

:)

I actually think the first pic is my favorite!

That one is one of my favorite hummingbird pics for this year and possibly ever. I really lucked out with the nice light and the nice pose she gave me.

Two questions:
1. What camera do you use; and
2. What size prints would you make of these, for clarity?

TIA!

in the wild because of their colors and lively behavior especially the green parakeets. They are loud with lots of personality.

To answer your questions I use a Canon 40D DSLR. And at my website I only sell these up to 8X10 but I am sure that some of these that I am posting here could go even bigger and still retain sharpness. I actually haven't printed any of these so I am not 100% sure other than up to 8X10.

thing"; hence, I have NO digital camera!

:applause:

:thumbsup: :hi:

and well done photos. :applause:

They are quite beautiful. You just can't go wrong with bright colors like this and the ani is just wierd looking that it is cute. Thanks again for the nice comments.

Thanks for posting them, and for advocating for wildlife.

I just hope some of these birds are around for my grandkids to enjoy or even my own kids!

I always look forward to seeing your beautiful picts. Thanks for sharing!

Tracy

I have many more to post but I will try to narrow it down somewhat. ;)

When you share we all win :)

is about waiting but when you finally get the shot, it just makes it that much sweeter. ;) Thanks.

Sometimes the color of Nature just blows me away. Thanks. :)

The green jay is incredible - I've never seen one! What purpose does the grooved bill on the Ani serve? Very interesting.

Great shots of the hummingbirds, parakeets and kiskadee!

a quick little investigation and found nothing on that aspect of the Ani. There is a smooth billed ani as well so the grooves may be nothing more than aesthetic. It is curious though.


Thanks again for the comments. I appreciate it.

I'll be posting more soon.

Thank you for sharing. They are just wonderful.

Thanks. :hi:

as you are in them. Amazing photography.

They are fun to watch and photograph. Thanks for looking.

what an odd bird!!

I just LOVE the wild parakeets :loveya: :loveya:

They're all beautiful shots!

Seeing the ani and other south of the border birds makes me want to travel to Costa Rica to see toucans and the like!

Thank you.

Really, any time. Thanks.

First, :yourock:

Second, you could definitely get paid for your amazing bird photos....if you haven't been already.


Here's a question for you:

What is it, specifically, about birds that you love photographing so much?

I'm curious to hear what they mean to you.

:hi:

First, don't get paid. I have sold a whopping three photos to people who weren't friends. :)

Secondly, I guess I love birds so much because in photography I like to see different textures, colors and unique perspectives (angles) and since I really like to photograph wildlife, birds just seem to give me everything I want. Having said that, I love to photograph any type of wildlife but I have a particular affinity to birds. They also can be so graceful, especially the shorebirds.

Thanks again Shine.

I love when you post bird pics!!! Gorgeous. Thanks!

I love sharing them with you guys and gals!

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What a treat to see them!

It was a real treat to see these in person too! :hi:

I live in Monmouth County, NJ, in Aberdeen, and we see a lot of them around here.

There is a rookery that I go to every now and then in the spring that has tons of great egrets. It's a great place if you can get past the smell. :)

Thanks for sharing! I'm such a sucker for animals and nature...

and I am huge sucker for Nature and Wildlife too!

I'm glad you enjoyed them.

The green jay is so very striking.

Those parrots looked like conures to me, and I looked up the species...seems to be the green conure. (makes sense)

The green conures are green parakeets. These though I assure you are wild. ;) The green jay is amazing in its color. Striking is a good way to describe it for sure.

aw I love the squawking action shot!

and I think she was pissed at humans that close to the nest. Even though it was way, way up high.

I unfortunately lost all my eagle pics in an external drive crash! I was able to save many of my photos but not that batch. I do have some of the pics of the eagles on-line, but I no longer have the originals.

and also much farther than I've bird watched since I've never been to far south Texas. I feel that hummingbirds are my little spirit guides, so they always appeal to me.
The funny green parakeets remind me of the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco-
http://www.markbittner.net/parrots_central.html

Those parrots look like red-headed parrots which are also in Brownsville. I just couldn't get any decent pics of them. They preferred to stay in their cavity nests.

Absolutely fantastic pictures. Thanks for sharing them, and the info.

I do hope I am improving so I sincerely appreciate your comment.

thanks for sharing and reminding us of the beauty this earth brings to all who will take the time to appreciate it.


:toast: :applause: :applause:

reminding others and me about the beauty that this Earth can bring us! I'm still amazed and why anyone would not want to conserve and cherish it is beyond me.

:toast:

Your words are much appreciated.

:loveya:

Thank you. :hug:

:o

Your comments and enjoyment make it all worthwhile. :hug:

thanks Maestro, great stuff.

Stay tuned!

loverly!

:loveya:

How's the bird activity in your yard? Anything interesting? Thanks for the comment!

Those birds are gorgeous and the level of detail in the pics is amazing. How do you achieve that?

How do I achieve the detail? Well, you have to get close and have a long lens is about the easiest way I suppose. Getting the correct exposure is also essential so you don't blow out any of the colors thus losing detail. :)

I do love my camera and getting out in the field. It's relaxing for me.

Those are gorgeous - birds and photos. Wildlife is just so amazing, isn't it?

:hi:

We all need to remember that. We need to preserve it, not destroy it for the next strip mall! :hug:

WHAT A TREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

And look forward to a post of mine with hummingbirds from right here in our area! Thanks for the comments.

Absolutely.

Leaves me wanting for words.

Thank you.

I think some of these pics could be and should be published.

At any rate, they certainly put a smile on my face.

You know, to hell with the Iphone and the latest hi def tv.

This is the real world.

And your post made me feel more at home than anything I've seen on the web in a long time.

thanks.

phone and I take pics with my camera not the phone plus I listen to music either on my computer or in my car. But I do have an iPod. ;)

I geniunely appreciate your comments. I am very humbled actually. Thank you very much. Many of the posts here keep me going when I am either freezing cold or boiling hot outside trying to get the "shot." More to come...

Thanks again.

Incredible. What beautiful birds. I can't imagine looking out my window and seeing parakeets!

My wife remembers them from the 70s when visiting her grandparents.

Or do they live there year-round?

along with red crowned parrots. It's pretty cool! Thanks for looking.

I love birds and I get excited when I see a Cardinal out my window!

Stay in South Padre at the Holiday Inn Express. I've had great service year after year and Brownsville is only a quick and easy 40 minute drive. Or you could just stay right there in Brownsville. Either way, if you like birds the Lower Rio Grande Valley is a must! Look at all these places to visit:

after seeing this?

:rofl: Thanks for taking the time to look in the thread. I appreciate it.

You're so good it pisses me off.

Excellent photos. Well done.

:yourock:

thanks for the compliment. ;) :rofl: :hi:

Thanks for the beautiful photos! :hug:

GoddessOfGuiness. Head down to south Texas in summer and you will find one or two or three. :)

That green jay is wild looking, glowing. And the green parakeets--parrot-type birds in the wild, something you don't see every day. And they are such a brilliant green. Thanks for posting.

up here in my area in Dallas. :)

My memory isn't the best these days, but I think there are some in NY and maybe RI. They're very hardy birds and that's why in some states it's illegal to have them as pets. (I've never seen the feral birds but I have seen some in pet stores.

when you get a moment, of course daytime is better http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildwatch/eaglecam/index.html :)

I have had the opportunity to photograph a few in the wild in Llano, Texas, but I'd really like to travel up the Northwest where they are more abundant. So cool. Thanks for the link.

Thanks. The hummingbirds are too cute. :hi:

The green jays are impressive birds with vibrant colors. And who doesn't like hummingbirds? :)

Here are a few at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland.

lots of migrating birds there during fall and spring!

Especially that of the green jay. I'm not much of a wildlife nut myself, but those shots are jaw-dropping. That is one cool-looking bird, too.

for the very nice comments. :hi:

I always see something I've never seen before, and you're a fantastic photographer.

You're very kind and I much appreciate the comments.

Just beautiful photos. :bounce:

of personality. On this same day, I also saw red crowned parrots which live in the Brownsville area too. Thanks for the comments.

Wow. Good job, and great subjects!

:)

I am trying to finish processing all my photos from this summer. Stay tuned.

:hi:

I appreciate the comments. :hi: