ABCs of birds - Letter S

[dale]

This one's for you, Aafke - I took this one at the Berlin Zoo as well.  dale

[dale]

couple more swans, one with friends. Prague, I believe.

[anneintoronto]

couple more swans, one with friends. Prague, I believe.

Good choice of friends!!      A in T

[carla]

Great videos and beautiful pictures.I love all the pictures you "Lady's"make on your trips and know there names and find them back in your albums.I read all the post,but don't have time to post myself. I know I have to make time,but I'm a little chaotic.Thanks Aafke for this game.I love to see so much pictures of birds I've never heard of.And I love pigeons too Anne,you are so good with them!

Greetings Carla

[anneintoronto]

Great videos and beautiful pictures.I love all the pictures you "Lady's"make on your trips and know there names and find them back in your albums.I read all the post,but don't have time to post myself. I know I have to make time,but I'm a little chaotic.Thanks Aafke for this game.I love to see so much pictures of birds I've never heard of.And I love pigeons too Anne,you are so good with them!

Greetings Carla

Oh, Carla...  They are so easy to be good with!  They come into my life, sharing their antics freely, allowing me to peek into their world!  They even allowed me to have one of their little squabs live with me, showed me how they cared for it, glared at me when I laughed at the now fledgling hanging upside down from the air conditioner and then cooooed him down!  And then they asked Aafke to name him -- Piet Hein -- and seemed very content with such a fine name!  Pigeons are good friends!  They will see you through hard times by remaining constant, friendly, hungry!! 



Okay, so I snuck one more pigeon photo in! 

Anne in Toronto

[dale]

I found this among my Berlin Zoo photos of birds and for the life of me couldn't remember what it was. I asked Aafke and I think she has it figured out - she said Secretary Bird!  As far as I can tell she's right.   dale

[dale]

One more STORK to add to the storks already here - I don't think I saw this one.
I identified yet another of my Berlin Zoo photos, thanks to help from Aafke!!! (that is to say, Aafke identified the beast for me)

MARABOU STORK
a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips. It is sometimes called the "undertaker bird," due to its shape from behind: cloak-like wings and back, skinny white legs, and sometimes, a large white mass of "hair."  (wikipedia)


I like the second shot, which, like my swan photos below, shows the bird all twisted up

dale

[dale]

GIANT EXTINCT STORK, really giant, just discovered

They're also calling it Marabou, oddly.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101211/ap_on_sc/as_indonesia_giant_stork

[Donna]

GIANT EXTINCT STORK, really giant, just discovered

They're also calling it Marabou, oddly.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101211/ap_on_sc/as_indonesia_giant_stork

Wow 6ft? Pretty cool.

[Dumpsterkitty]

I see this bird in my yard all winter, but it has never sat still long enough to get a picture before.  Not that it's a great picture by any means, but the field marks for an ID are there...



"...note the single dark spot or 'stickpin' on the breast, and the solid red-brown cap.  Bill dark above, yellow below; 2 white wing bars."  (Peterson's Eastern Birds)

S is for American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)

All about birds

I'm sure the American Tree Sparrow was posted before, but I wanted to post it again to show a not so great picture can often be enough for a good ID.

Ei

[MAK]

And what exactly isn't good about this photo!? 

[Dumpsterkitty]

And what exactly isn't good about this photo!? 

Well, the grape vine covering most of the bird's face, for one thing.Some would trash it. I think it tells it's own story.  Thanks!

Ei

[MAK]

Just makes it look like it's playing peekaboo!