A Traveler and his Cat exploring America.





Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Yardbird Practice


I went out this past week seeking some shorebirds to photograph but came up empty except for this handsome fellow who isn't a shorebird, but I'll take anything I can get even if it is a
Red-tailed Hawk.

So I came back home and practiced on our yard birds.
These are Golden-crowned sparrows very common here along the Pacific coast. 


Looks like he has a bit of seed shell sticking out from his beak like a cigarette.
I thought about drawing in some smoke rising from the shell but didn't know how to.


Please check out Springman's World Bird Wednesday

26 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

too cute. great hawk shot!

LĂșcia said...

Wow, the hawk was posing for you!
Very cool shot John! ;-)

Janie said...

Sharper than sharp eye on that third photo. Nice day for you out there finding what you find.

barbara l. hale said...

Fabulous bird pics! Love that hawk. What a beauty!

grammie g said...

HI John...ya..I am still out here lol
Great shot of the hawk..real beauty!!
Cutie the Sparrow, but he better lay of those cigarette's..lol ; }

Grace

Betty Graffis said...

Your pictures are beautiful! I will enjoy following your blogs.

mick said...

The hawk is beautiful and the sparrows are cute. Great photos.

theconstantwalker said...

Wonderful images of your beautiful birds... The Hawk is a fantastic bird to see.

Unknown said...

Great sparrows and super hawk shot. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

Scott Law said...

Nice shots, especially the one of the hawk. It's nice you could get in close enough, though he was watching you . . . like a hawk.

Brian King said...

Fantastic shots! I love the hawk!

Anonymous said...

My goodness, that IS a very handsome Hawk! We saw one, very noisy, too, I might add, at the farm last weekend, but wasn't as pretty as this one! You really got a great shot of him =)

Arija said...

When you have such cuteness in your yard birds, you don't meed to go out. Great shot of the hawk as well.

Arija said...

Don't take t amiss that we are stunned by the extreme clarity of the hawk shot and wish we could pull off something like that too. Your sparrows are a delight and I know how hard it is to catch those little birds in interesting poses and in good light.

Hilke Breder said...

Beautiful Golden-crowned Sparrow. I have never seen one and will probably not get the chance very soon. Your Red-tailed Hawk is very handsome - a marvelous image!

Springman said...

That's one hell of a hawk John! I'll take one of those anyday. To bad you couldn't get that cigarette lit! I have been concentrating on yard birds myself in the dim Michigan light. We could sure use some Califoria sun!
Cheers to you Sir!

Randy said...

That first shot is amazing.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I've just chanced across your excellent blog. Hope you'll pay mine a visit sometime.

Stewart M said...

Hi there - I think I could put up with no shore birds if I got a shot like the hawk! It's splendid.

Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

Anonymous said...

Love it!
Well done

Anonymous said...

Yup, that hawk shot is pretty cool!

genie said...

I think that second guy is thinking...”Enough is Enough” like you said in your post today. He really does have an irritated look on his face. I have gotta figure out some way to find birds to shoot....interesting ones. I know NOTHING about them except I love them. The first fellow looks he is saying...”Don’t mess with me. I am kind of the post.” The last two look as sweet as they can be. Love their feet. really great captures. Oh, but the way...I did not realize til tonite that I was not on your list of followers so now you have me in my overalls in your list...I am #118. genie

Pat said...

Ooh, I love that hawk capture!

Ms. Becky said...

Wow!!! that red-tailed hawk shot is wonderful, everything about it. love that background and he's so regal. that's a prize shot. I'm not familiar with the golden sparrow but he surely was checking you out. in the first shot it's like he's leaning into the camera lens for you! I'm liking the white ground. great shots John. happy day to you.

Beth Niquette said...

Again, your photography fills my eyes. Such wonderful pictures and so close up and clear!

Laura Delegal - Leroy Photography said...

Those are some great pictures, John. I keep waiting for the migrating birds to make it here but all I have are sparrows and doves right now. Patience...