Wild Bird Wednesday

Red Polls.

It's been awhile now since these photos were taken...but, I didn't want to just archive them and forget about them...

These little guys are so cute with their little red caps.  They only come around in the wintery days... and, come in little groups and hang out for some hours.. or even days.  Flitting in and out to get some seeds.

It says they are members of the Finch family...but they have tiny "seed eating" beaks.

Here is a Male House Finch sitting on the feeder with the little polls...you can see a huge beak in comparison.

These two are a different type ...   Hoary Red Polls I think because they are more white overall... especially whitish rumps ... smaller chin patch...

I like this one with the little guy coning in for a landing with his "wheels" up....

I'm thinking mainly Common Red Polls in this photo....but, I am not altogether sure.  Some females and some males...

I'm calling this a Mister....

and this is the Missus.....

Linking up with Stewart on Wild Bird Wednesday... pop on over to his blog to check out the other birding goodies...

just click on the badge below to be transported directly there....

Wild Bird Wednesday

Finally I am almost back in the land of the living... coughing and blowing and my head still feels like a giant puffball... can't hear properly and can't smell a darn thing.  It's so easy not to bother eating when you can't smell anything interesting ...  lost several pounds.

That could be weight loss suggestion # 347... put a clothes peg on your nose.... if you can't smell it you can't taste it..so don't bother.  Perfect solution.

Haven't done much of anything ... zero energy and zero desire.... you know if I'm not baking or taking photos I am damn good and sick.

Today was the first day in two full weeks that I even wondered where my camera was.  Found it.

Managed to clean out the birdie bath... my crippled crow Mr. Limpy was the first to have a bath.  Then, a cute little Mr. Chirpy..aka House Finch showed up.  I didn't have time or inclination to take off the window screen..but, managed to click a few good ones of him splashing about.  I intentionally tried for the "action" shots.  Forget the ones where he was just standing there...although I did take a few for identification purposes later... and, missed the last one altogether as he flew straight off out of the water instead of the usual jump onto the rim to check things out.  The frame was empty.

Love the little 'stop action' looks at him and his bathing antics .... and such a sweet, dripping wet little guy he was too.

Any suggestions as to how I can get larger photos in my blog?
You will have to click on to enlarge until I can figure out if it is possible.


Thanks to Betty Crow ...these are now larger...yaaaayyyy    silly me...so simple too.  However I did also have to make the page wider and somehow I managed to do that....yaaay me again.!   Somehow got my head around it all.

Linking up to Paying Ready Attention for Wild Bird Wednesday...check out lots of fun birds there.

Click on the image to be transported directly.

Wild Bird Wednesday

I have no idea what she is really... but, she seemed to be hanging out with a little Red Poll who I think was injured or sick.  He sat on the same branch for ages one day ... and, she seemed to come and go to check on him.

She looks to me like she could be a finch...perhaps a House Finch... but, she is definitely not a Red Poll.... that is a finch beak, not the tiny one of a poll...

What do you think?  Anything about her give you a perfect read?  Click to see her even "closer up"...

Here is a photo of a male House Finch in the foreground on the feeder .... with some Red Polls in the background... not the same beak shape at all.  

And, if you have never been to Stewart's blog, Paying Ready Attention  ... please do go sometime just to have a look.  This week he is celebrating his 300th week of hosting the link for people to share their stories and photos of birds from all over the world.  How about sharing one of your birdie photos? 

Just click on this link photo below to be magically transported to Stewart's blog  ...  

Wild Bird Wednesday

I haven't been very regular in postings for Wild Bird Wednesdays ... but, on occasion I get a pretty capture and want to share it with somebody...anybody....so here it is for today.

If you want to check out beautiful or unusual birds ... please go to Stewart's blog ...

Please meet Mister and Missus Chirpy ....  aka House Finches.  They have a lovely warbly sing song which is why we call them Chirpies.....they seem to hang around during our winters... but, we don't see them all the time.

Click on any photo to get a closer look at them ...

Right now they are coming to the seed feeder along with sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches and a lone Pine Siskin.  There was a horrible accident one day with my damn kitchen window and a lovely little lady White Winged Crossbill.  She flew full tilt into it and killed herself immediately.  I did go right out to retrieve her and bought into the house in a shoebox to see if she could revive.  Many hours later she had not moved at all..    I cried.  She was so pretty and so dead.  My only good thought was that it must have been instantaneous and that she didn't suffer unnecessarily.  Mister BV had to dispose of her...I couldn't do it.  Poor little thing.

Anyway ... on to another photo of Mister Chirpy ...

Here is a nice clear one of himself ... him I can identify immediately...but, unless I am looking through my camera lens..I am not always sure if the Missus is a sparrow or if she is a Chirpy.  They are smaller than our sparrows but unless you see them side by side..it's hard to tell.  And, she is mostly browns....

Here is Mister Chirpy and a sparrow having a chat .... you can see the size difference ..  and Missus Chirpy is even more elegant, somewhat leaner, and a bit smaller overall than her mister.

Here is the link to Wild Bird Wednesday if you would like to join in with a photo of your own .. or just have a peek at other birdies.....

Wild Bird Wednesday

We call him Mr. Chirpy.  His real name is House Finch.

He has some wonderful chirpy songs.... .... and, is pretty camera shy.  Yes, I know it looks like he is just a show off...but, I only managed to capture these pics through a window with a venetian blind in it.  And, I had to move stealthily because he flew off the second he noticed any movement.  I hardly ever manage to outwit them when I am outside...they check on me from a tall tree across the street... sing at the top of their little lungs and wait til I go in the house....arrrghhhhh!!

((Remember to click on any of the photos to "biggify" them...))

However, I managed to adjust the blind just so for the angle I needed to the birdie bath ....and, after the first few blurry photos and him leaving and then coming back later (of course, I don't know for sure it was the same guy...but, I'm pretending it was) .... I managed to get him having some fun in the birdie bath.

This may not be the same guy...and, was probably several days before the rest of the shots...  ...but, had to show you how cool and collected a "Chirpy' can look... . ..  
                                                               

.... before it becomes this..!!

 Woooohooooo!!

... and, he ends up totally bedraggled and spiky.... ..

If you would like to see more fun and interesting birds...head on over to
Wild Bird Wednesday by clicking on the photo below...