All Photos posted on this blog unless otherwise noted were taken by me with my Canon Rebel XTI using a 300 mm zoom lens

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Cowbirds, Cattle Egrets and More

Brown-headed Cowbirds 
I took about an hour this morning before church and drove over to Farmington Bay. It was fairly quiet but I did see a few birds. here are some pictures.

Male and Female Cowbirds

Cattle Egrets living up to their name.

Yellow-headed Blackbird
The White-faced Ibis one Great Blue Heron and a Killdeer were the only wading/shorebirds I saw this morning
Thistle and Phragmites 
Birds Seen
White-faced Ibis
Yellow-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Yellowthroat
Marsh Wren
American Coots
American White Pelican
Forsters Tern
Caspian Tern
Canada Goose
Mourning Dove
Chipping Sparrow
House Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Brown-headed cowbird
Cattle Egret
Killdeer
Barn Swallow
Black-billed Magpie
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron


Thursday, July 4, 2013

July bird of the Month Yellow Warbler

My first sighing of this beautiful little warbler I was taking a walk at Farmington Bay at the South entrance. I was all alone except for the birds and a little yellow bird came out and perched on the willows bordering the road. He was not shy at all and lead me quite a ways down the road. 
I have seen Yellow Warblers in several different habitats, I have seen them flitting about in the cattails, in shrubs along streams and high in cottonwood trees at rest stops in in the trees in my backyard. I always know when they are around by their song Sweet Sweet I'm so sweet.
One of my favorite sightings of Yellow Warblers several years ago I took a couple of my neighbors who are not birds birding at Pineview reservoir. There was some road construction and as we sat waiting our turn to move on I could hear Yellow warblers in the scrub oak up the hill from the road. I told my friends to watch the scrub oak and I started pishing. Out came several Yellow Warbles, this really impressed my friends. They were amazed at the little yellow birds, they had now idea we had birds that beautiful where we live. 
Yellow warblers are the only warbler that is yellow over it's entire body. Males have reddish streaks on the breast. They are found over the entire 48 states. Yellow warblers I have read are one of the most common victims of the parasitic nesting Cowbirds who they their eggs in the Yellow Warblers nests. 

Cute in appearance as well as personality Yellow warbles are one of my favorite birds.