Some Exotics...Some Not
Oct 9, 2018 00:20:55 #
As migrants are showing up, I was also lucky to see some exotics that are becoming more prevalent here in Southern California. A male Downy Woodpecker, was busily pecking at a broken tree trunk. I tried a slower shutter speed to try to catch some of the motion, and in looking at the selected picture, found that I'd also caught wood bits away from its work.
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Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Migrant)
(Download)
Allen's Hummingbird coming in for a landing
(Download)
Pin-Tailed Whydah (Exotic; nonbreeding male)
(Download)
Scaly Breasted Munia (Exotic)
(Download)
Live or statues?
(Download)
Oct 9, 2018 00:28:59 #
jak86094 wrote:
As migrants are showing up, I was also lucky to see some exotics that are becoming more prevalent here in Southern California. A male Downy Woodpecker, was busily pecking at a broken tree trunk. I tried a slower shutter speed to try to catch some of the motion, and in looking at the selected picture, found that I'd also caught wood bits away from its work.
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Eh? What kind of birds are those in #5?
Oct 9, 2018 01:17:02 #
loosecanon
Loc: Central Texas
robertjerl wrote:
Eh? What kind of birds are those in #5?
Ummm, some kind of turtle dove???
Oct 9, 2018 01:28:27 #
wdross
Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado
robertjerl wrote:
Eh? What kind of birds are those in #5?
Sauer shell flitter. Very rare and he has a shot with two of them. They get their lift from the curve of the single shell feather on their backs. Also, they prefer hiding to flying.
Oct 9, 2018 13:05:51 #
That last one was just to show that I shoot more than just birds and the Grand Canyon. Thanks for the levity y’all.
Oct 9, 2018 13:08:19 #
jak86094 wrote:
As migrants are showing up, I was also lucky to see some exotics that are becoming more prevalent here in Southern California. A male Downy Woodpecker, was busily pecking at a broken tree trunk. I tried a slower shutter speed to try to catch some of the motion, and in looking at the selected picture, found that I'd also caught wood bits away from its work.
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Oct 9, 2018 14:30:09 #
loosecanon
Loc: Central Texas
loosecanon wrote:
Ummm, some kind of turtle dove???
Aside from my earlier attempt at humor, these are really excellent photos of appreciated rare critters. Very well done. Thanks for sharing.
Oct 9, 2018 15:02:52 #
The remaining exotics I have pics of but didn’t include are the Japanese White-eye and the Orange Bishop. The first is obviously Asian while the second is from Africa. I suspect these are illegally imported populations that either escaped or were released to hide the evidence. They all seem to like warmer climes (Southern California, Texas, and Florida) and most have not reached numbers to be considered local species yet...still considered exotics. Thanks for looking and commenting.
Oct 9, 2018 19:14:37 #
Oct 9, 2018 19:44:53 #
jak86094 wrote:
As migrants are showing up, I was also lucky to see some exotics that are becoming more prevalent here in Southern California. A male Downy Woodpecker, was busily pecking at a broken tree trunk. I tried a slower shutter speed to try to catch some of the motion, and in looking at the selected picture, found that I'd also caught wood bits away from its work.
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Thanks for the fine photos and info on your local exotics. I have been enjoying your posts, especially yesterday's beautiful set! I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Phil
Oct 9, 2018 19:55:46 #
rockdog wrote:
Thanks for the fine photos and info on your local exotics. I have been enjoying your posts, especially yesterday's beautiful set! I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Phil
Phil
Phil, that's very nice of you to say. I retired last year, hoping to travel and see the world with my fiancé, but her cancer metastasized and she died this past February and I've been housesitting and dog sitting since then rather than traveling with my favorite companion. Since retiring, I've tried to stay busy with bicycling, birding, and photography. I've taken to calling the latter two "photobirding". This area of Southern California has some really great birding locations as well as warm, sunny weather, so while I lack much of the dramatic geography featured by our landscape UHHers, the photobirding can be lots of fun. Keeps me off the street and helps me avoid depression, etc. I have a long way to go in improving my photography...especially improving the consistency of shots. Practice, practice, practice....
Thanks for viewing and sharing your kind comments. Have a great day. jak
Oct 9, 2018 19:57:05 #
Swamp-Cork wrote:
Great series, jak!
Why thanks, Swamp-Cork. Glad you enjoyed them. Have a great day!
Oct 9, 2018 21:55:06 #
wdross
Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado
jak86094 wrote:
As migrants are showing up, I was also lucky to see some exotics that are becoming more prevalent here in Southern California. A male Downy Woodpecker, was busily pecking at a broken tree trunk. I tried a slower shutter speed to try to catch some of the motion, and in looking at the selected picture, found that I'd also caught wood bits away from its work.
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Thank for allowing us to have some fun with number five. They are all great shots including some birds I have never seen before.
Oct 9, 2018 22:06:38 #
wdross wrote:
Thank for allowing us to have some fun with number five. They are all great shots including some birds I have never seen before.
Not surprising since their range is limited and I hadn’t seen them until about 3 years ago. They’re still pretty rare. Just little pockets of them.
Oct 10, 2018 02:24:32 #
jak86094 wrote:
Not surprising since their range is limited and I hadn’t seen them until about 3 years ago. They’re still pretty rare. Just little pockets of them.
Yes, I wonder if one or more of them will equal the Eurasian Collared Dove - Put in someone's garden in the Bahamas in the 70s, in SE USA in 81, in So California in 2001. Now I have them in my yard everyday, some times as many as 20 between the yard and perched on the wires. And a few of their near relatives the African Collared Dove - popular in pet stores and now in the wild also - nearly white but otherwise identical to the Eurasian breed.
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