(Was just thinking, where the heck is Jim P?) Did he move?

Flying by the nest a few times. Harlie??

7:29am

You all give "Barf" a kiss for me....OK?     

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/14119607 

[Come on, we have great photographers here on this forum, let's get crackin and send in your bestest!!]

The 2011 Audubon Magazine Photo Awards are well underway and we love the enthusiasm so far! In case you’re in need of a little inspiration to grab your camera and get outside, take some advice from Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest and writer of the blog “Bill of the Birds.�

In a recent post, he describes how taking pictures of birds has changed how he actually looks at birds. Here he writes about a ruddy duck he watched for 45 minutes:

Normally, when out birding, I might note the ruddy duck, note that he was displaying, say “How cool!� and be on my way looking for other birds. If I were leading a field trip of fellow bird watchers, I might even share some obscure facts about the male ruddy duck.

Rather than note the bird and move on, I did the opposite. Presented with an opportunity to capture images of a nearby bird under ideal light conditions, I stayed to shoot and in the process got to observe a range of bird behavior that I would have missed otherwise. Getting keyed in to the behavior only made me want to stay longer and capture more images of this pretty remarkable display.

Feel inspired? Ready to get outside and shoot?

Here are a few tips for when you do:
- Pack sunscreen, insect repellent, aspirin, a hat, snacks, and some water. As Thompson suggests, bird photography requires patience and spending a very long time in one place.
- Shoot at dawn and dusk. Unless it’s a cloudy day, anything shot in between will have harsh, contrasty light. Also, birds are generally more active in the morning and evening.
- Be quiet and move slowly. If you don’t, you will scare away the birds and be left shooting empty landscapes.

For more information about how to take beautiful bird shots and what the judges are looking for, click here.  http://audubonmagazinephotoawards.org/tips.html For complete rules and details, visit http://audubonmagazinephotoawards.org/. The entry period ends Sept. 5, 2011.

Come on, we have great photographers here on this forum, let's get crackin and send in your bestest!! 

Don Mills - Harlequin soars in the sky
July 13, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills
Ann Brokelman Reports:

At the Toronto Don Mills location many of us were treated to some great flying by Harlequin.  She was soaring in the sky.  Moving from building to building.

The best part for me was when Quest fed her on the ledge.  Makes you remember Harlie is still a young falcon.

Ann

Beautiful Harlie!


Most excellent pictures of Harlequin by Ann!!  

 

LOL, got the same thing, thought it was 2 of them also!

Oh he is doing so well for a pip-squeak!! Go Cinnamon!!

Now that was just too cute!!  Thanks

Falcon!! Wonder who?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2013822/Beach-horror-holidaymaker-eye-pecked-seabird-trying-save.html  (UK)  full story

When Michael Buckland tried to rescue an injured gannet after he spotted it struggling for life, he did not think he was putting himself in any danger.

But the terrified bird responded by pecking at his face – before puncturing his right eyeball at least three times with its razor-sharp six-inch beak.

Mr Buckland, 38, had his left eyelid sliced in two in the frenzied attack during a caravanning holiday in Wales.   

A half dozen legally protected shorebird chicks were killed over the Fourth of July weekend at a Marco Island beach.

A sea turtle monitor found the black skimmers, a species of special concern, on the morning of July 5 in the Critical Wildlife Area at Sand Dollar Beach, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported today.

Tracks in the sand indicate an unleashed dog likely killed the chicks, the Conservation Commission said.

Dogs are prohibited at the beach, which is posted with signs and twine to keep people from trampling the well-camouflaged eggs. Nesting season usually lasts through August.

The CWA at Sand Dollar is among the most important shorebird nesting sites in Florida.

A bird census last week found some 600 black skimmer adults at Sand Dollar and some 90 skimmer chicks, the city of Marco Island's environmental specialist Nancy Richie said.

Least terns and Wilson's plovers also are nesting at Sand Dollar this summer, Richie said.