Birding and Bird Photography

A few from the last couple of days. The one with the Western Kingbird in flight isn't the best but you can see the bug its chasing which is kinda cool.

 

This morning. The tarantula hawk gets an honorable mention post since it's almost the same size as the hummingbirds.

 

shall we fish?

 

Just took these a few minutes ago. I was really hoping to get some action shots if the osprey catching a fish but no luck. He hung out for a few minutes and then moved on somewhere else, evidently having as little luck as the people fishing the shoreline.

 

guess I’m on a fishing theme here… lol

 

brown pelicans fishing the surf

 

My pictures pale in comparison to many of yours, but here are my contributions for the moment. The hummingbird (I believe is a juvenile male) was taken out my kitchen window. The eagle has been a recent visitor at a beach/harbor not far from us.

 

Loons are awesome. I wish this was mine
https://x.com/buitengebieden/status/1697006493189505205?s=46

 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a loon fly much less land.

 

The Rangeley Lakes region are a short drive for you. I’d recommend finding a cabin shoreside of Mooselookmeguntic
https://www.rangeleyrentals.com/

Depending on the time of year, you’ll see all sorts of loon, bald eagle and osprey behavior. And a ton of other wildlife too!

 

My MIL actually owns property on a lake not far from the Rangely Lakes, and the loons are quite prevalent. I just haven’t seen them in the air. I will check out the cabins though!

 

I agree loons are awesome. I have seen them all over the country but if you have not heard them at night in western Maine you are really missing something. For whatever reason, they just don't call like that anywhere else never mind the echo across the water and through those hills! There used to be some camp sites on an island in Cupsuptic that were my favorite but Fox island in Moosehead is a close second. I'm going to have to find some of my old loon pix (and scan them... it's been that long!! ugh)

yeah I don't think I've seen one fly either however...

 

Couple of hummer shots taken in the last couple of weeks -on my deck. The hummers love these Vermillionaire (firecracker plants) and the Lantana

 

Rock wren, green heron and a pair of western kingbirds.

 

@crazysccrmd you got Cassin's kingbird near you or as vagrants? The one on the left looks like one to me on my phone. The one on right looks like a WEKI though. That'd be a cool shot if you got both species.

 

The range maps show that Cassin’s could be here. Looking into it more I don’t know. I can find photos of both species that look very similar to the one on the left.

If I zoom in and use the Merlin Bird ID app it says the left is a Cassins and the right is a Western.

 

Looking again, you definitely got one of both in the same shot, congrats!