This Rusty Blackbird blended into the background but as he twisted around poking in the stream his understated color scheme showed off a bit. A nearby maple tree had dropped a few turned leaves for a hint of color in the scene.
ID by Merlin Bird ID app
Bradley, ME
October 1, 2022
I recently went on a boat trip that passed under this bridge that was hosting swallow nests.
The Merlin Bird ID By Cornell Lab app identifies them as Cliff Swallows, an uncommon bird in SC.
There wasn’t enough light to really see the colors, these were taken with my short lens, and these little guys were speedy!
The nests were pretty fascinating, too, more of an engineering marvel than the bridge.
A Common Grackle lit by the early morning sun with tree reflections in the water behind him.
Always looking jaunty, this Nuthatch was no exception as he poked and prodded all over this tree looking for snacks.
Not the first bird this tree had hosted.
A new bird to me, I spotted a pair of Rusty Blackbirds foraging at the edges of a swamp.
After a short pause out in the open this one went back to exploring the mud.
They eat insects or seeds, so about anything in this little pool would be a good snack.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 23, 2021
The Merlin Bird ID app says this is likely a Boat-tailed Grackle, despite the short tail.
I saw a couple of them that had odd looking tails on a walk around an old rice field dike and wondered if they were juveniles. Turns out juveniles are brown.
And the yellow eye is variable in both Common and Boat-tailed Grackles.
Whichever it was, this one had climbing on his mind.
Well, it’s rather a harsh song, and can grate on your nerves if you are sharing space with them near a boat launch. That’s where I spotted this pair, the male trying really hard to impress the female.
When they are in the shade the grackle’s blue iridescent feathers don’t show off much but they make a nice silhouette.
The male’s efforts didn’t seem to be making enough impression.
Hmm, I can ignore you, too!
This Northern Mockingbird flicked his tailed or might not have seen him nestled up to the Spanish Moss.
After a few shots I was ready to pass by, but it was as if he didn’t see me. He didn’t fly off even as I got a bit closer for a better angle.
Ah, but he did and just didn’t care that I was there.
This Northern Mockingbird gave me a full photo-shoot opportunity.
He executed several turns as he surveyed the marsh below him.
Mockingbirds are very common and easy to overlook with rather a drab appearance. Their spunkiness makes them stand out.
Good morning!
