Thursday, March 19, 2009

For Betsy

My birder friend, Betsy is so much fun and teaches me so much about birds!

She is also a waterfaller (yes, I just made that word up!) but she and her husband, George, 'collect' waterfalls. Pretty fun thing to collect, don't ya think?

When I first purchased my SLR camera, Vol Fan and I were in south Florida. One afternoon we went to a protected 'natural' area - mainly to play with my new camera.

Of all the birds we saw that day, this is the only one I know. It is an Anhinga (hope I spelled that right!). They dive for food like ducks but they lack the special stuff in their feathers that allows ducks to shed water. So the poor Anhinga must find a perch to spread his wings to dry!

Definitely an amateur - yep, cut off the reflection's head! Blue Heron, maybe?

I don't have a clue what this beautiful bird is! Help me!

9 comments:

Mental P Mama said...

I have no idea. But it's cute;)

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

It a Purple Gallinule. And yes that is a Blue Heron. I love bird watching. Beautiful shots there chickie!

Unknown said...

Your pictures are beautiful. Look at the long toes on that last bird!! I love watching birds, but I know so little about them.

I always had a bird feeder in CA and I'd get some cute colorful birds year round.

Here in Texas, the day I put my feeder out, I had five zillion of those mean black birds who like to stare you down, rather than shoo when you wave your arms. And I can't tell you about the mess they made...that feeder was empty in less than an hour. The bird feeder is not empty, but a few birds come to perch on it...that's fine with me.

Busy Bee Suz said...

It seems on top of every light pole near every canal there is an Anhinga with it's huge wings out to dry. So cool.
Blue heron-check.
I don't know what that colorful one is though...looks like it's mom is a toucan and dad is a magpie. :)

Lori said...

Love these pictures...that last bird is so beautiful! I am hoping to get some bird houses/feeders this spring...if it ever gets here!

Leedra said...

Actually your Blue Heron is not. It is a Tri-colored Heron, there are a lot more Great Blue Herons than Tri-colored Herons. Great capture.

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Leedra said...

Here is a link to see your Tri-colored Heron.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tricolored_Heron_dtl.html

Here is a link to see the Great Blue Heron.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Blue_Heron.html

I think you will have to copy/paste. Won't let you just click on it in the comments.

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Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh Woody---I feel so honored to be mentioned in your blog... AND--I'm even in the title. Do you want my autograph now or later?????? ha ha

Yes we 'collect' waterfalls... That's why we are both "all wet".... ha ha

Love your pictures. Gorgeous birds.. Now that you are learning so much about birds, do you want some Pine Siskins??? I only have a million---and I won't even sharge you for them...

Thanks again, Sweetie...
Betsy
P.S. You would really shake that swinging bridge would you???????

Desert Survivor said...

Great photos!! I love how colorful the water birds are in the south.