Near Miss with the guilotine (1 Viewer)

Today was a good day in some Marsh habitat near lake ontario.

Began with a lot of goldfinch activity, pretty common right now, but always beautiful birds in their breeding plumage. A lot of mourning doves and house finches too, something I am not as accustomed to outside of the city proper.

While wading past a moderate sized inland pool, I caught sight of a Great Blue Heron, roosting, and he decided to move down the shore and rest again, facing broadside as I observed.

A mother Cardinal was foraging in low branches, driven by the incessant trill of her nearby, but unseen young. Not yet independent, but judging by the movement and annoyance level, should be very soon.

Further on a Male cardinal chips and forages, but he has had a near miss with the guilotine :king:. A bit of a moulting mishap, it looks like he has dropped his entire crest, an amusing site to say the least.

Warblers and gnatcatchers are foraging on the trees in mid-morning, and gull and vultures have taken to the sky in form. A waxwing stops to perch on a low branch and regards me belligerently.

I should like to ssee a waxwing watching one belligerently .... lol ....I only know these birds from images, but they look so cute, completetly unagressive ...
I love that red bird - is this a cardinal? You see it on images often and Im quite shure we never get it in Europe ... maybe you get it so often it is nothing special anymore?

M dP

It is indeed a northern cardinal, I do see a good few of them, but always enjoy them. They are generally rather elusive for getting good shots of (I don't think I gave more than 1 good male shot). They are a bit of a skulker, and aside from right now raising young, can be wrote skittish in my experience. Beautiful birds, and I try to appreciate that beauty regardless of how'common' a bird might be. I try to keep a good perspective and remember all birds are great, regardless of how familiar.

marie12 said:

I should like to ssee a waxwing watching one belligerently .... lol ....I only know these birds from images, but they look so cute, completetly unagressive ...
I love that red bird - is this a cardinal? You see it on images often and Im quite shure we never get it in Europe ... maybe you get it so often it is nothing special anymore?

M dP

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We in N. America don't get Blue Tits or Long-tailed Tits :-C Miss seeing and hearing the Blues.

KyleM said:

It is indeed a northern cardinal, I do see a good few of them, but always enjoy them. They are generally rather elusive for getting good shots of (I don't think I gave more than 1 good male shot). They are a bit of a skulker, and aside from right now raising young, can be wrote skittish in my experience. Beautiful birds, and I try to appreciate that beauty regardless of how'common' a bird might be. I try to keep a good perspective and remember all birds are great, regardless of how familiar.

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Very true, sometimes those common birds can be rather entertaining to watch.

Nice day birding. We have a Great Blue Heron who often visits our local pond and he can be rather huffy about posing.