Every picture tells a story..don't it?

Photographer Mark Hancox waited for a month in a specially built hideout just yards from the pool for the opportunity to get the perfect shot.

He snapped the bird as it balanced upside down on a rusty hook just millimetres above the pond at a private woodland in Hanbury, Worcestershire.

Mr Hancox, 48, of nearby Hartlebury, said: ''I had seen the nuthatches foraging around in the area for a while and wanted to get a shot of one of them perching on something.

''They are distinctive because they are the only British bird to climb down trees head first and I wanted to capture this somehow. One of the birds flew onto a hook above a pool of completely still water and just bent forward.

''I thought it was going to take a drink of water but it remained completely still, almost transfixed, by its own reflection before it broke the surface of the water with its beak.''

The nuthatch is often confused with kingfishers because of their distinctive colouring but they are actually from the woodpecker family.

They get their name by the way they wedge nuts and berries into crevices in trees and 'hatch' them with their powerful beaks.

There are around 130,000 breeding territories in the UK, mostly in the south, central and western areas.

They live all year round in woodland areas and communicate using a variety of whistles, trills and calls.

An RSPB spokesman said: ''The birds are not rare but stay in the woodland so can be difficult to spot. To see one in the open like this is quite rare because they move around very quickly and prefer to stay under cover of bushes and trees.''

These two sandhill crane chicks are only a few days old, so they haven't come anywhere close to reaching their adult stature -- but they sure are cute when they're so tiny. As adults, they'll be pretty large as birds go, with a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet.

Sandhill cranes are fascinating birds that can be found throughout much of North America. Although they occupy a large range, more than 75% of all sandhill cranes descend on one small part of the Platte River in Nebraska on their way to warmer climates during their annual migration. (Not all sandhill cranes migrate, however; a few subspecies native to parts of the southern U.S. and Cuba stay put in the winter.)

Beyond their graceful, svelte looks and interesting migration paths, there's a lot to be fascinated with about the sandhill crane. Sandhills are known for their tendency to make elaborate vocalizations, including the so-called unison call that's only performed by mated pairs.

Perhaps most interesting, sandhills are known for their balletic dance skills, which can include impressive leaps, bows, wing-flapping and even tossing sticks and grass. "Dancing is generally believed to be a normal part of motor development for cranes and thwarts aggression, relieves tension and strengthens the pair bond," according to the International Crane Foundation, an advocacy group.

Dancing cranes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91aKa_brDvQ&feature=player_embedded

[The live stream has close to 2 million views. Elementary schools are watching and reportedly, so are the troops.]

Local Barn Owl Beats Puppies And Pandas To Become Internet Superstar

March 23, 2010

Last month, a couple in San Marcos set up an owl house for an adorable barn owl named Molly who proceeded to lay six eggs. Carlos and Donna Royal installed a video camera in the house that broadcasts a live, 24-hour web feed of Molly and her hatchlings.

Since that time, one egg has hatched and a little pink owlet (named Max) now shares the owl house, which looks like a little wooden box. Max spends most of his time trying to lift his tiny fuzzy head. It's really hard when you don't have neck muscles.

Carlos and Donna have become owl experts. They hold web chats and Carlos fields general questions about barn owls. The live stream has close to 2 million views. Elementary schools are watching and reportedly, so are the troops.

Last night, those watching held an impromptu roll call announcing where they were from in the chat feature. Cities from all over the US were represented, as was Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland...it just kept going. I'll admit, I was among them. The whole thing is pretty addictive.

I will say, things get all kinda crazy in that owl house at night. A male owl named McGee visits for some shrieking and mounting, leaves immediately, then returns minutes later with some kind of rodent gift for Molly. Total playa! At one point Molly actually left the house, and viewers were able to get a good look at Max as he tried to stumble over the other eggs after his mother. It was wild kingdom adorable.

A second egg has hatched!

The tracking crew is preparing for the northward migration of the young whooping cranes.

http://www.savingcranes.org/zugunruhemarch232010.html

Gayle

Hope they do well...rootin for them.

First Egg - Panama City, FL Osprey Cam.

http://www.northwestfloridaonline.com/panhandleparade/index.php/externals/ospreycam/

Yay.....this is great too....so many eggs already. Hard to keep up. 

[just started watching in March 2008 so I guess that makes me a bit of a rookie.]

just started watching in March 2008 so I guess that makes me a bit of a rookie.

Rookie: NAH!!!

[Greylag Goose]

Here is the Puzzle of the Week 241

Greylag Goose

This time it was more a puzzle of the month. With all the snow and bad weather, it wasn't very nice to go out for some birding.
But this weekend we went out for some birding and I could make a few pictures. We saw lots of birds but not  a lot of different kinds. Most birds were very busy with mating etc. It was nice to see.
This picture is from a Greylag Goose clapping his wings.
My time 3.56 min.

Greylag Goose (241) Jigsaw Puzzle

greetings Aafke

Great pic Aafke...perfect timing. Thanks. I love your "most birds are busy with mating". Please DO NOT DISTURB!   

He is precious!

Adorable maybe, but precious is something you cuddle    You go first, I'll watch 

If I can catch him, I'll cuddle him. 

This is Rhea Mae's 3rd Season, so that makes her 5-years old!  Amazing.

She was hatched in 2006, so will turn 5 in a month or so.

Which means that I've been watching on-line for 5 years!  I can't believe it!
[/quote]

Me...almost 8 years....Wow, I'm growing old with these kids!

He is precious!

[It looks to me like the earlier settings relied on a boosted ISO settting ...I assume the floodlights are on a simple timer-- on and off at the same times each day. As sunrise & Dawn get earlier, we'll eventually have enough light for a good morning image regardless of whether the floodlights are on or off. ...Kenn and Shaky are still working on tweaking the camera settings, so maybe we can come up with a way to close the "darkness gap", but it'll depend on how much effort we can devote to it, and how much capability we have to control the camera's settings using the Erdmann interface.]

It looks to me like the earlier settings relied on a boosted ISO settting ...

I assume the floodlights are on a simple timer-- on and off at the same times each day.  As sunrise & Dawn get earlier, we'll eventually have enough light for a good morning image regardless of whether the floodlights are on or off.  ...

Kenn and Shaky are still working on tweaking the camera settings, so maybe we can come up with a way to close the "darkness gap", but it'll depend on how much effort we can devote to it, and how much capability we have to control the camera's settings using the Erdmann interface.

Well alrighty then.....thanks Jim. When you put it that way! 

Yeeha!  She's gonna need to contact Mariah and Kaver for some pointers on raising so many!

I hope she has better luck contacting them. I guess if ya speak Falcon.   

http://www.wptv.com/content/news/centralpbc/story/Humpback-whales-spotted-off-our-coast/AVEFvplThkmqcxU4_XFuYQ.cspx Great pics here.

Here's where she was spotted...under the bridge.  Hope I'm getting all this right.