MikeDF · @lycophidion
236 followers · 1596 posts · Server birds.town
A Merlin, basking in the sun on an otherwise chilly day last February. The Merlin is a small falcon that specializes in aerial pursuit or surprise capture of avian prey.
Breeding in boreal forests in North America and Eurasia, many migrate, but residents remain in middle and northern latitudes year-round. Merlins are widespread, but uncommon, and have adapted to suburban and urban settings.
As many of us do, until I became interested in birding, I tended to lump all raptors together and assumed common ancestry for the entire group. As a phylogeneticist, it interested me to learn that falcons (Falconiformes) are more closely related to songbirds and parrots than they are to hawks and vultures (Accipitrimorphae), which share common ancestry with owls and woodpeckers.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #raptor #falcon #Merlin
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #raptor #falcon #merlin
MikeDF · @lycophidion
238 followers · 1575 posts · Server birds.town
Another Cape May at her favorite migratory pit-stop (literally). This seems to be a different individual from the bird I posted a few days ago. From what I've read, the first was a male and this one a female. No chance of nesting here, though. They're en route south! Maybe for the honeymoon?
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #wildlifephotography #birding #aves #fotografia
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #wildlifephotography #birding #aves #fotografia
MikeDF · @lycophidion
238 followers · 1575 posts · Server birds.town
American Oystercatcher catching some waves
This species is considered endangered due to loss of its beach and coastal habitats, and is susceptible to sea-level rise.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves
MikeDF · @lycophidion
227 followers · 1521 posts · Server birds.town
Great Egret
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #egret
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #egret
MikeDF · @lycophidion
227 followers · 1519 posts · Server birds.town
Female Redwing Blackbird
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
MikeDF · @lycophidion
227 followers · 1518 posts · Server birds.town
Redwing Blackbirds. An interesting, engaging and lengthy interaction between what I'm assuming is a fledged juvenile (f.) and its mother (r.). I'm also assuming the juvie was eliciting a feeding response from mom, who was essentially telling junior to go out and get a job!
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
MikeDF · @lycophidion
226 followers · 1507 posts · Server birds.town
I dunno... a Greenie auditioning for Adult Swim, maybe?
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia
MikeDF · @lycophidion
221 followers · 1489 posts · Server birds.town
A newly fledged Downy Woodpecker from earlier this season.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #woodpecker
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #woodpecker
MikeDF · @lycophidion
173 followers · 1125 posts · Server birds.town
Green Heron
Last summer's cohort.
#nature #NaturePhotography #birds #Wildlife #naturecommunity #photography #birdphotography #MastodonNatureCommunity #birding
#nature #naturephotography #birds #wildlife #naturecommunity #photography #birdphotography #mastodonnaturecommunity #birding
MikeDF · @lycophidion
173 followers · 1124 posts · Server birds.town
We could use more armadas like this one
#nature #NaturePhotography #birds #Wildlife #naturecommunity #photography #birdphotography #MastodonNatureCommunity
#nature #naturephotography #birds #wildlife #naturecommunity #photography #birdphotography #mastodonnaturecommunity
MikeDF · @lycophidion
167 followers · 1018 posts · Server birds.town
Fish Crow
I should state that I am not 100% certain about this one. Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus) and American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) are notoriously hard to distinguish. The most reliable ways are either by their calls (American Crows give a full-throated "Caw!" while Fish Crows give a more nasal call).or when they stand side-by-side (Fish Crows are noticeably smaller than American Crows). Or through DNA sequencing. Morphometric information like plumage or color are unreliable as there is overlap and regional variation. In this case, although I didn't hear a call from this bird, Fish Crows are usual dwellers in this saltmarsh. Unfortunately, Fish Crows are becoming more prominent even in mixed flocks as the avian flu seems to be more virulent for American than Fish Crows.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #crow
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #crow
MikeDF · @lycophidion
163 followers · 1003 posts · Server birds.town
... and an adult Black-crowned Night Heron, same pond as the juvie posted previously. Two winters ago (2021-2) into the spring there were a good number of juvies and a few adults overwintering at this site. Last winter there were very few and I didn't see any at all for a while until a short time ago. I'm glad to see some are back.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #heron
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #heron
MikeDF · @lycophidion
163 followers · 1002 posts · Server birds.town
Another shot of the previously posted tool-using Juvenile Night Heron. I like the light in this one.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #heron
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #heron
MikeDF · @lycophidion
163 followers · 1001 posts · Server birds.town
Black-crowned Night Herons are known tool-users, employing sticks, leaves and insects to lure small fish. I can't think of anything else this juvenile heron might be using that stick for (maybe it wants to play "fetch!").
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #heron
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #heron
MikeDF · @lycophidion
163 followers · 999 posts · Server birds.town
This Ruddy Turnstone appears to be building a nest on this Long Island, NY, beach. Ruddy Turnstones, described as resembling calico cats when in breeding plumage, are among the most northerly nesting birds, making and raising babies up in the high Arctic around the world, and then making uber long distance treks down to South America, Africa, Australia and the indo-Pacific.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #shorebirds
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #shorebirds
MikeDF · @lycophidion
162 followers · 977 posts · Server birds.town
Mama takes the kids on an outing (after reading them the riot act).
(Mute Swan and cignets)
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #waterfowl
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #waterfowl
MikeDF · @lycophidion
162 followers · 976 posts · Server birds.town
Redwing Blackbird spittin' a tune! And the red was so bright, I actually had to dial it down.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
MikeDF · @lycophidion
162 followers · 969 posts · Server birds.town
Not a great shot, I had to denoise and crop the hell out of it, but at least you can kind of make out the tell-tale hot orange-pink feet on this Blackpoll Warbler, a first for me. But, this warblers legs aren't the only cool thing about this bird. For one thing, its call is so high-pitched as to be barely audible to the human ear. For another, as tiny as it is, it migrates over 1,800 miles from northern Canada to its winter digs in South America. Not so cool is the fact that its population has been decimated by about 80% during the past 40 years, largely due to the fossil fuel and other extractive industries devastating its nesting habitat in the boreal north.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines #songbirds #warblers
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines #songbirds #warblers
MikeDF · @lycophidion
161 followers · 954 posts · Server birds.town
A widespread North American member of the "Tyrant Flycatcher" family (Tyrannidae -- so-called because of their aggressive response to larger birds), the Eastern Kingbird is a fairly large songbird that favors tree-lined grassy fields, where it feeds on insects (it actually appeared to be foraging in the grass for insects in this field). It over-winters in South America, where its behavior shifts from solitary hunter to flocking fructivore.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #passerines
MikeDF · @lycophidion
161 followers · 952 posts · Server birds.town
Willow Flycatcher
These small birds prefer brushy, wetland areas, such as this Phragmites stand near an inlet, from which they sally forth to catch flying insects. They may be distinguished from other members of the Empidonax flycatcher genus by their distinct call, which sounds to me like "wheeeat-dewww." I had encountered these birds in this area last summer. When I got there, the the hordes of gnats reminded me, and I decided to stick around, despite them. Sure enough, not one, but two Willows showed up.
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #MastodonNatureCommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #songbirds
#birds #birdsofmastodon #birdphotography #naturephotography #nature #mastodonnaturecommunity #wildlife #birding #aves #fotografia #songbirds