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Tdgraves big-ish year 2015


Tdgraves

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Now to some from our Virginia trip, which was arranged with the help of @@graceland and I had not got around to it, prior to her untimely passing

 

This was our first attempt at North American birding and we have no textbooks, so all IDs have been via Google, so accept my apologies in advance if there are more than the usual number of misidentifications!! Actually, I need help with this one, from a US Safaritalker, perhaps @@offshorebirder can confirm whether this is a red-shouldered hawk? It was seen literally just as we entered Shenandoah National park and I only managed a couple of shots, facing backwards before it flew off. You can see by how puffed up it was, that it was very cold and cloudy.

 

25/4/15, Virginia, USA

 

gallery_37950_1313_5277801.jpg

 

Canon 7D, 100-400, ISO 800, f7.1, 1/1250

 

gallery_37950_1313_6700796.jpg

 

Canon 7D, 100-400, ISO 800, f6.3, 1/1250

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American robin, 27/4/15, Virginia

 

This one caused the most consternation as they were everywhere, but we couldn't think of what to search for. Robins in the UK are much smaller!!

 

gallery_37950_1313_9085722.jpg

 

Canon 7D, 100-400, ISO 800, f6.3, 1/1000

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Hoping for some fresh updates with the Mk11 100-400

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~ @@Tdgraves

 

Seeing your lovely American Robin photo gave me a lump in my throat.

Although more than 50 years ago I grew up with that species and loved seeing its light-blue eggs, I haven't seen one in decades.

Many thanks for posting it!

Tom K.

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Hoping for some fresh updates with the Mk11 100-400

 

Gimme a break @@Game Warden!! Only got back on Tuesday and I left again on Friday for a meeting in Salt Lake City, from which I have just returned. Maybe this weekend, if it is sunny????

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Gold finch (which is different to the European goldfinch) male and female

 

29/4/15 Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_734265.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400 ISO 250, f 8, 1/1000

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White-throated sparrow

 

27/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_17983042.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f 8, 1/1250

 

gallery_37950_1313_10740315.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f 8, 1/1250

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Turkey vultures

 

This was the most bizzarre of all. It hadn't occurred to me that there would be vultures in the USA and it was very odd seeing them thermal over the interstate!!

 

25/4/15, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_13004087.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f8, 1/1600

 

gallery_37950_1313_14302759.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f8, 1/800

 

28/4/15

 

gallery_37950_1313_2054309.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 100, f8, 1/1000

 

29/4/15

 

gallery_37950_1313_566966.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_1010814.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 250, f8, 1/1600

Edited by Tdgraves
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Northern red cardinal

 

Male 27/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_9248862.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f 8, 1/320

 

Female, 29/4/15

 

gallery_37950_1313_11619412.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 320, f 8, 1/1200

 

gallery_37950_1313_4877201.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 320, f 8, 1/640

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Eastern blue bird

 

29/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_5418689.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_676203.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_11732288.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_1561094.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_12625967.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 250, f8, 1/500-1/1000

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Chipping sparrow

 

29/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_2036237.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 320, f7.1,1/1250

 

gallery_37950_1313_4755496.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_11846359.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_839894.jpg

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Brown thrasher

 

29/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_4174813.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400 ISO 320, f 8, 1/1600

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Northern mocking bird

 

30/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_4452518.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 320, f8, 1/2000

 

gallery_37950_1313_10662539.jpg

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Carolina wren

 

29/4/15, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_7384642.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_10852445.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 320, f8, 1/2000

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Blue jay

 

What a beautiful bird - no wonder sports team want to be named after it! This was the most elusive to catch on camera and is fairly similar to the jays which we get in our garden in the UK (but they are pink and blue), although I'd say ours are a bit beefier...

 

30/4/15 Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_9755158.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_4649778.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/2000

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Rose-breasted grosbeak

 

30/4/15, Cascade falls, Virginia

 

gallery_37950_1313_14956730.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_4946363.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f5.6, 1/500

 

gallery_37950_1313_11533347.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400, ISO 800, f7.1, 1/250

 

And that's all we managed to get in our few day (non-birding) trip. There will now be a hiatus before any photos from our recent trip appear, as they need to be processed..... :(

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Stunning collection @@Tdgraves

 

When I grew up, we used to call the Lilac-breasted Roller a blue jay...

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Stunning collection @@TdgravesWhen I grew up, we used to call the Lilac-breasted Roller a blue jay...

Thanks

 

Lots of new species during our recent trip, so it is going to take ages......

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offshorebirder

Now to some from our Virginia trip, which was arranged with the help of @@graceland and I had not got around to it, prior to her untimely passing

 

This was our first attempt at North American birding and we have no textbooks, so all IDs have been via Google, so accept my apologies in advance if there are more than the usual number of misidentifications!! Actually, I need help with this one, from a US Safaritalker, perhaps @@offshorebirder can confirm whether this is a red-shouldered hawk? It was seen literally just as we entered Shenandoah National park and I only managed a couple of shots, facing backwards before it flew off. You can see by how puffed up it was, that it was very cold and cloudy.

 

25/4/15, Virginia, USA

 

gallery_37950_1313_5277801.jpg

 

Canon 7D, 100-400, ISO 800, f7.1, 1/1250

 

gallery_37950_1313_6700796.jpg

 

Canon 7D, 100-400, ISO 800, f6.3, 1/1250

Sorry for the late reply - yes indeed @@Tdgraves that is an adult Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). Knowing them, I imagine you might have heard it vociferously objecting to something - Kee-ah, kee-ah, kee-ah...

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offshorebirder

Very nice photos from the Shenandoah Valley, @@Tdgraves. All your identifications are spot-on.

 

Yes indeed we have Vultures in North America - did you see any Black Vultures during your stay?

 

I agree with @@Tom Kellie - American Robin is a very nice bird. I love the little squat-then-dash-forward foraging style they have in open areas.

 

And as your photos show, male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are a stunning bird. Their single-note calls sound like the squeak of a sneaker on a gym floor.

 

I am sure you noticed the wide variety of sound that Carolina Wrens make. And gram for gram, I think Carolina Wrens can belt out the sound more than any other species I know.

 

I hope you enjoyed your trip and got to see some nice wildflowers.

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  • 3 weeks later...

OK so now for some from our recent trip. It'll have to be drip-fed as there is so much processing to do. We did see lots of birds though....

 

I'll try and split it up into different areas and will start with the new species we saw.

 

African yellow white-eye

 

DItholo wildlife estate, South Africa, 29/8/15

 

gallery_37950_1313_3747410.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400 ISO 800, f7.1, 1/640

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Greater double-collared sunbird (not great shots as they move so fast....)

 

Ditholo wildlife estate, South Africa, 29/8/15

 

gallery_37950_1313_9787390.jpg

 

gallery_37950_1313_8529055.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400 ISO 800, f7.1, 1/640

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Kalahari scrub-robin

 

Ditholo wildlife estate, South Africa, 29/8/15

 

gallery_37950_1313_8245425.jpg

 

Canon 7D 100-400 ISO 500, f7.1, 1/200

 

gallery_37950_1313_1892129.jpg

 

Canon 5D mark III 100-400, ISO 800 f 7.1, 1/160

Edited by Tdgraves
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