Feathered Friday - Hoping for Spring

Here are a few shots from last spring for this #featheredfriday

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Song sparrows are one of the first birds I hear and see when it is official spring around here.

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This little guy was belting out its song loudly from this evergreen. I'm hoping in a month or so I'll be seeing them again.

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I found a good spot full of bobolinks last year. Sadly this was the only shot I got of one of the males. Good for seeing its white back coloring. They used to be quite endangered but are starting to come back again now that areas are reserved for them. Ground nesters get demolished by everything from predators to lawn mowers and farm equipment.

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Chickadees stay around all year but in spring they are a bit more busy and tame.

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I was only a foot away from this guy hunting for caterpillars.

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Sometimes having a zoom lens is problematic as the bird gets too close to you. I was able to back up a couple feet to finally get a shot of it ripping this caterpillar apart.

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Meanwhile by the lake barn swallows are moving in under the boathouse and bridge.

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They are nice and tame but the wind gave me trouble focusing on it while sitting on this brush.

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Red-winged black birds are soon to be competing for territory, then when their nests are made they will be busy dive bombing me while trying to take pictures.

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Here's a shot from last fall of a great horned owl hooing for a mate. I'm hoping to see them in this same area this year... So far I have not been successful at getting a good shot of one as I only hear them at night and in the day they are well hidden.

That's all for now, more soon as it warms up.

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These feathers look dashing on this blackbird. It's a great angle from below.

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They are good posers and very violent birds that try to attack and bite your head.

I didn't know this. The red colour on their wings is like a warning. Beautiful and dangerous.

I've been dive bombed many times, now I try and catch them when they get right over my head. I saw one once peck a lady in the head and draw blood. They only do this one they have a nest.

They sound like crows at that time of year. I got dive-bombed too 😂

Ahhh, a breath of spring! Sorely needed here in Western Mass...

It is quite warm this weekend but I suspect we will get hit again with some more snow.

Thanks :-)

Nice shots 👍 we saw a large group of robins yesterday and a couple bluebirds also. I think both those stay around all year but just get more active as it warms up. We have some bobolinks around here. Sadly the demise of the local dairy industry has led to fields going fallow that used to grow grass or alfalfa for the cows. But since they aren't mowed anymore the bobolinks can move in.

Yikes how bad is the dairy industry statewide? I suppose if the bobolinks get enough territory people can start selling black bird pies again.

😂 Damn California mega dairies killed the small family dairy. Then there was a resurgence of the small family dairies when the organic market developed and the big dairies couldn't figure out how to follow all the rules. But then they did 🙁

Thanks :-)