What can I say? I enjoy photographing birds. I've always had an interest in photographing birds, but I only recently started to act on that interest. Most, but not all, of the birds I've photographed I found in suburbia. A few I've found outside of the city.
Warblers
They're flighty and seldom sit still. They're colorful, especially the males when in their mating plumage. Some hang around all summer, others pass through during the spring and fall migrations. Always a challenge but well worth the effort.
A Northern Parula hunting insects. (Bradenton, FL)
A Palm Warbler perches near a pond. (Bradenton, FL)
A Prothonotary Warbler sings from his perch above a pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A Prothonotary Warbler is reflected in the water as it tracks down a skimmer from the pond. (Alexandria, VA)
Yellow-rumped Warbler hits the inchworm motherlode. (Alexandria, VA)
A male Yellow-rumped Warbler sings a mating call. (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA.)
Male Black-throated Blue Warbler (Springfield, VA)
Male Magnolia Warbler (Springfield, VA)
Canada Warbler (Springfield, VA)
Male Common Yellowthroat (Springfield, VA)
A Cape May Warbler preens in a pine tree. (Lost River State Park, WV)
Fledgling Prothonotary Warbler waiting for a meal delivery (Alexandria, VA)
Prothonotary Warbler brings food to the nest (Alexandria, VA)
Fledgling Prothonotary Warbler sings (or belches) after being fed a bug by its father (Alexandria, VA)
Pine Warbler finishes off a Stick Bug. (Lost River State Park, WV)
Cape May Warbler (Lost River State Park, WV)
Tennessee Warbler (Lost River State Park, WV)
A Palm Warbler hunts insects among flowering Purplestem Beggarticks. (Alexandria, VA)
Woodpeckers
Red-headed or Pileated, Downy or Hairy, Flicker or Nuthatch, these guys are fun to watch as they go about hunting down a meal from off the ground, in the air, or burrowing in a tree.
A Red-headed Woodpecker bugs out. (Alexandria, VA)
A Downy Woodpecker blends in with its surroundings. (Alexandria, VA)
A young Pileated Woodpecker plays hide and seek with a sibling located on a nearby tree. (Alexandria, VA)
A Downy Woodpecker uses its long tongue to fish out insect larvae, earning a beak full of treats. (Alexandria, VA)
A male Pileated Woodpecker looks out from its newly excavated nest. (Springfield, VA)
A male Pileated Woodpecker flies from its nest. (Springfield, VA)
A Red-headed Woodpecker pulls a previously stashed acorn from a tree trunk. (Alexandria, VA)
A Red-bellied Woodpecker inspects a Pileated nest. (Springfield, VA)
A Red-headed Woodpecker pulls a meal from a dead tree trunk. (Alexandria, VA)
A Red-bellied Woodpecker flies by its nest. (Springfield, VA)
A Northern Flicker checks out a tree cavity for nesting potential. It eventually passed. (Springfield, VA)
A Red-bellied Woodpecker listens for insects in a dead tree trunk. (Alexandria, VA)
A juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker tries to hunt on its own. (Alexandria, VA)
A male Northern Flicker peers around a tree trunk. (Springfield, VA)
A male Red-bellied Woodpecker spits out wood chips as it excavates a nest in the dead limb of an oak tree in my backyard. (Springfield, VA)
A Downy Woodpecker snacks at a backyard feeder. (Springfield, VA)
A pair of Northern Flickers take opposing positions on dinner. (Alexandria, VA)
A Hairy Woodpecker looks for a meal. (Shenandoah National Park, VA)
A White-breasted Nuthatch grabs a caterpillar, carries it to a convenient location, gives it an explosive pounding and eventually offers it up to the gods. Then he ate it. (Lost River State Park, WV)
A Downy Woodpecker peeks around from a backyard Hummingbird feeder. (Springfield, VA)
A male Pileated Woodpecker uses its tongue to pull insects from a tree trunk. (Lost River State Park, WV)
A Red-headed Woodpecker gathers up a millipede before taking it back to the nest for its nestlings. (Alexandria, VA)
This male Northern Flicker fledgling dropped in for a short visit on our deck. (Springfield, VA)
A Red-headed Woodpecker appears to be mocking me. (Alexandria, VA)
Raptors
I love photographing eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. I don't see them as often but it's always exciting when they come around.
A Burrowing Owl peeks out from its burrow. (Cape Coral, FL)
An immature Bald Eagle in pursuit of a teal. The duck got away. (Bradenton, FL)
A male Snail Kite plucks an Apple Snail from a pond. (Harms Marsh Preserve, Ft. Myers, FL)
A Bald Eagle checks out a pond during a fly over. (Bradenton, FL)
An American Kestrel rests atop a pine, (Bradenton, FL)
A Northern Harrier scours the reeds for prey. (Myakka River State Park, FL)
A Red-shouldered Hawk with nothing much to do. (Bradenton, FL)
A Snail Kite on the lookout. (Harms Marsh Preserve, Ft. Myers, FL)
A young Bald Eagle pursues a mature adult in hopes of relieving the elder bird of its fresh catch of fish. The attempted heist was unsuccessful. (Conowingo, MD)
A pair of young Bald Eagles falls through the air with their talons locked together. The pair fell for a couple of seconds before releasing their grips and flying away separately. (Conowingo, MD)
An Osprey dives (in vain) for a fish. (Alexandria, VA)
They say carrier landings are the most difficult. (Alexandria, VA)
After consuming the rest of the bird, a Merlin falcon finishes its meal by eating its prey's legs and feet. (Alexandria, VA)
A Red-Tailed Hawk contorts to get a closer look at a potential meal. (Alexandria, VA)
An Osprey hovers while looking for fish over a pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A Bald Eagle looks for a perch to eat its fish. (Conowingo, MD)
A Peregrine falcon escorts an intruding Bald Eagle out of its airspace. (Conowingo, MD)
How life goes on, illustrated. (Conowingo, MD)
An Osprey dives for a meal. (Alexandria, VA)
After the catch, the Osprey shakes off the pond water. (Alexandria, VA)
An Osprey perches on a dead loblolly limb while dining on a live fish. (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA)
A trio of Bald Eagle eaglets hang out in the nest waiting for the parents to return with a meal. (Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD)
Silhouettes in flight. (Alexandria, VA)
A Red-tailed Hawk searches for a potential meal. (Alexandria. VA)
A Cooper's Hawk calls for a mate. (Springfield, VA)
A Bald Eagle carries its meal to a secure location. (Conowingo, MD)
A pair of juvenile Bald Eagles log flight time. (Conowingo, MD)
A Red-shouldered Hawk takes a look around from a perch in the late afternoon shadows. (Springfield, VA)
A Barred Owl keeps an eye on its surroundings. (Springfield, VA)
A young Bald Eagle is harassed by a crow. (Alexandria, VA)
Somebody's watching from above. (Alexandria, VA)
A Red-shouldered Hawk navigates through budding branches. (Springfield, VA)
A Bald Eagle takes in the scenery. (Alexandria, VA)
An Osprey misses its intended prey. (Alexandria, VA)
A Merlin blends in with its surroundings. (Alexandria, VA)
An immature Cooper's Hawk can only pretend for so long to not see those bothersome crows. (Alexandria, VA)
The spoils of the hunt. (Alexandria, VA)
An Osprey sticks the landing. (Alexandria, VA)
Northern Shoveler ducks share airspace with a Bald Eagle. (Alexandria, VA)
A Merlin takes in the early morning sun. (Alexandria, VA)
A young Bald Eagle in the foggy morning sky. (Alexandria, VA)
Shore Birds, Wading Birds, Water Birds and Such
Where there's water, there are interesting birds.
A young Roseate Spoonbill with a mouthful of fish. (Alexandria, VA)
A very proud Great Blue Heron. (Alexandria, VA)
A Great Egret fights off a snapping turtle the has grabbed it by the foot. The bird lost the tip of a toe but kept its life and its dignity. (Alexandria, VA)
A juvenile Roseate Spoonbill, rare in Northern Virginia, is bullied from its perch by a Great Egret. (Alexandria, VA)
After finding a new perch the spoonbill attempts to re-acquire its Zen. (Alexandria, VA)
The snatch. (Alexandria, VA)
The toss. (Alexandria, VA)
Touching down. (Alexandria, VA)
An American White Pelican. (Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD)
It looks like someone is about to get kicked in the face. (Alexandria, VA)
I’ll bet this Great Egret thinks I can’t see him hiding in the reeds. (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA)
Glossy Ibis (Ibises?Ibisii? Ibae?) mucking it up. (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA)
A Little Blue Heron on the hunt. (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA)
A Marbled Godwit hunts for a meal. (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA)
A Great Blue Heron does a course correction of 180 degrees. (Alexandria, VA)
A Sora rests in the marsh. The Sora is a shy bird and is usually found in thick vegetation growing on the edges of the marsh. (Alexandria, VA)
Great Blue Heron rookery. (Conowingo, MD)
A Great Blue Heron makes a lunge for a meal. (Alexandria, VA)
A Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron give the geese some space on a misty morning. (Alexandria, VA)
Some days we just need to give ourselves a hug. (Alexandria, VA)
A Great Blue Heron works outta the rough. (Alexandria, VA)
With a purposeful gaze, a strut that says, "Oh yes I CAN," and the latest in feathered fashion, this Greater Yellowlegs knows what she wants and knows just how to get it. (Alexandria, VA)
A Green Heron takes an inverted jab and comes up with a freshwater shrimp. (Alexandria, VA)
A Great Egret and its catch. (Alexandria, VA)
This Great Blue Heron has an ambitious appetite. (Alexandria, VA)
A Green Heron doesn't let algae deter it from hunting shrimp. (Alexandria, VA)
A preening Green Heron. (Alexandria, VA)
A Green Heron waits patiently for a meal to come within range. (Alexandria, VA)
A lazy flight across the pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A juvenile Little Blue Heron pulls a shrimp out. (Alexandria, VA)
Bath time for a Least Sandpiper. (Alexandria, VA)
The next meal might be a stretch. (Alexandria, VA)
A young Little Blue Heron moves on to the next thing. (Alexandria, VA)
It sure looked like a fish under the there. (Alexandria, VA)
A Lesser Yellowlegs plucks lunch from the shallows. (Alexandria, VA)
This Great Egret is wise to be wary of the approaching snapping turtle. Snappers are known to take herons for a meal. (Alexandria, VA)
A Clapper Rail hunts minnows in shallow water. Typically seen in saltwater marshes, it’s unusual to find them hunting in freshwater marshes as this one is. (Alexandria, VA)
Great Egret and a minor meal. (Alexandria, VA)
A Greater Yellowlegs hunts for a meal in the early morning light. (Alexandria, VA)
A Little Blue Heron snags a shrimp. (Alexandria, VA)
"One, two, three step. One, two, three step. Aaaand turn." (Alexandria, VA)
They can't all be successes. (Alexandria, VA)
A Greater Yellowlegs looking for the LZ. (Alexandria, VA)
"Uh, could we maybe talk about this for a minute?" (Alexandria, VA)
Catching a snooze in the tall grass. (Alexandria, VA)
Considering an all-in move. (Alexandria, VA)
Sometimes, at the end of the day, you just have to let it all go. (Alexandria, VA)
An immature Black Skimmer comes in low and splashes water up over its head. (Lido Key, FL)
A male and female Magnificent Frigatebird perform aerial maneuvers. (Lido Key, FL)
Black Skimmer adult demonstrates how to flip a small fish for eating and a small chick practices with a plastic cigarillo tip. (Lido Key, FL)
A Double-crested Comorant chooses the lucky recipient of a fresh lunch. (Venice, FL)
A female Sandhill Crane turns its egg over in the nest before settling over it. (Bradenton, FL)
After spearing a meal with its beak, an Anhinga tosses the fish up to reposition it for easy swallowing. (Bradenton, FL)
A Sandhill Crane on the lookout for the LZ. (Bradenton, FL)
A Sandhill Crane landing, better described as a controlled crash. (Bradenton, FL)
This guy must’ve found quite a honey hole because I watched it catch and eat six catfish, all about this same size, in a twenty minute period. (Bradenton, FL)
A Limpkin casts shadow and reflection as it wades in search of food. (Bradenton, FL)
t’s not always fun and games. A Laughing Gull flies off with a Black Skimmer chick. The skimmer colony has to fight off gulls, crows and other predators in an effort to help their young reach adulthood. (Lido Key, FL)
Black Skimmer takeout. (Lido Key, FL)
A Sanderling probes and pokes into sand while foraging for a meal in the surf. (Fort De Soto State Park, FL)
“WHEN I SAY JUMP, YOU SAY ‘HOW HI’.” Reddish Egret boot camp. (Fort De Soto State Park, FL)
Emerging plumage on a Great Egret. (Venice, FL)
A Glossy Ibis prepares to feed its young. (Venice, FL)
A Tricolored Heron on high alert. (Venice, FL)
A young Sandhill Crane leads its parents in flight over a marsh pond. (Fort Myers, FL)
An immature Black Skimmer after adjusting to a smoother skim. (Lido Key, FL)
Ducks (and Geese)
A few ducks in the summer turns into a large population from late fall to early spring.
A Black-bellied Whistling Duck looks out below. (Venice, FL)
A Northern Shoveler en route. (Bradenton, FL)
A drake Wood Duck in flight. (Alexandria, VA)
Hooded Merganser ducklings raft off their mother. (Alexandria, VA)
Hooded Merganser ducklings practice running on the water. (Alexandria, VA)
Wood Duck ducklings share a meet and greet with a Red-eared slider turtle. (Alexandria, VA)
A momma Hooded Merganser keeps watch over her ducklings during nap time on a log. (Alexandria, VA)
Drake Hooded Merganser takes a morning swim. (Alexandria, VA)
A Northern Flicker, below, watches as a hen Hooded Merganser checks out the suitability of a cavity for nesting. (Alexandria, VA)
Another nesting hole check brings a reaction from the current European Starling resident. (Alexandria, VA)
“Brazen daylight cuckold attempt thwarted by courageous intended victim.” - The Wood Duck Herald (Alexandria, VA)
A Bufflehead hen comes in for a landing. (Alexandria, VA)
This male Green-winged Teal has some type of fungal growth on its bill. (Alexandria, VA)
A male Hooded Merganser starts its take-off run. (Alexandria, VA)
The drake Hooded Merganser goes airborne. (Alexandria, VA)
A female American Black Duck rests during foraging. (Alexandria, VA)
A Hooded Merganser hen with its fresh catch. (Alexandria, VA)
Male Green-winged Teal on a morning swim. (Alexandria, VA)
A mating pair of Northern Shovelers. (Alexandria, VA)
A drake Northern Pintail feeds in a pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A pair of Northern Pintail ducks head for another pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A drake Mallard looks back on his afternoon. (Alexandria, VA)
A Canada Goose reflected off a pond surface. (Alexandria, VA)
A drake Wood Duck makes its way though grasses. (Alexandria, VA)
A mating pair of Hooded Mergansers during an afternoon paddle. (Alexandria, VA)
A female Gadwall forages in the afternoon reflection. (Alexandria, VA)
A flock of Northern Shovelers circle the pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A male Wood Duck takes flight. (Alexandria, VA)
Just a simple goose in search of a putting green. (Alexandria, VA)
A semi-rare blonde mallard, a hybrid mix of a Mallard and another duck. (Alexandria, VA)
A young male Wood Duck shakes off the mud from its bill while foraging in the shallows. (Alexandria, VA)
A pair of young female Wood Ducks cruise the watering hole. Can trouble be far behind? (Alexandria, VA)
A drake and hen Green-winged Teal relax and the end of the day. (Alexandria, VA)
A flock of Mallards on an early morning flight. (Alexandria, VA)
A pair of eclipse male Northern Pintails fly over the pond. (Alexandria, VA)
A eclipse male Wood Duck on a sunrise paddle. (Alexandria, VA)
A semi-rare black Mallard, a hybrid likely result of breeding with a Cayuga domestic duck. (Alexandria, VA)
And Other Birds
An assortment of images of birds. Some don't fit into any of the other sections on my site. Others might, but I include them here because...well, because I think they fit better in this section. And it's my website, so pffft.
A trio of Monk Parakeets, aka Quaker Parrots, cozy up. (Cape Coral, FL)
A Loggerhead Shrike mounts its fresh caught dragon fly in a little twig fork before consuming the bug. (Sarasota, FL_
A Wild Turkey makes a controlled crash landing in a marsh. (Bradenton, FL)
A Brown Thrasher sings from a tree top. (Manatee Lake State Park, FL)
A Purple Martin with a dragon fly caught on the wing. (Lake Manatee State Park, FL)
A young tom turkey perches just after sunrise. (Alexandria, VA)
An Indigo Bunting sings out over the valley. (Shenandoah National Park, VA)
A Red-winged Blackbird mom with a mouth full of insects for her nestlings. (Lorton, VA)
A juvenile male Orchard Oriole calls. (Alexandria, VA)
An Indigo Bunting takes flight. (Alexandria, VA)
A Barn Swallow fledgling calls for a meal. (Alexandria, VA)
Baby Northern Cardinals await a meal. (Springfield, VA)
A Tree Swallow flies around with a large feather in its mouth. It would fly in circles with this feather, then perch and rest up, and then resume flying circles over a pond. It seemed very proud of its prize feather. (Alexandria, VA)
A juvenile male Orchard Oriole sings. (Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD)
An Eastern Bluebird with a meal. (Alexandria, VA)
An Eastern Kingbird leaves its perch in pursuit of a flying insect. (Alexandria, VA)
Tree Swallow square dancing. (Alexandria, VA)
An Eastern Kingbird sings from its perch. (Alexandria, VA)
An Indigo Bunting perches on reeds on the edge of a marsh. (Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD)
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet feeds on drop of sap. (Alexandria, VA)
The male was feeling amorous. The female, apparently not so much. (Alexandria, VA)
A Red-winged Blackbird appears to blow a smoke ring as it sings in the cold morning air. (Alexandria, VA)
Bluebird, red berries. (Alexandria, VA)
Is it me, or does this Tree Swallow look like Shamu with wings? (Alexandria, VA)
A Cedar Waxwing with a berry. (Alexandria, VA)
An Eastern Kingbird keeps an eye out for flying insects. (Alexandria, VA)
An American Robin feeds on berries. (Alexandria, VA)
Lovey dovey. Mourning Dove (Springfield, VA)
Bluebirds discuss the finer points of property rights. (Alexandria, VA)
An Eastern Towhee forages on the forest floor. (Springfield, VA)
A House Wren looks out from the tree cavity it is converting into a nice place to raise little ones. (Springfield, VA)
A Red-eyed Vireo hunts insects. (Springfield, VA)
An Eastern Bluebird has a cricket ready for its nestling. (Alexandria, VA)
A Great Crested Flycatcher shows of his 'do. (Alexandria, VA)
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird hunts midges. (Alexandria, VA)
A mother Barn Swallow uses the power of persuasion to get a fledgling to hunt food for itself while the father knows better to interfere. (Alexandria, VA)
Ummm, you have a little...uh, something...on your, uh, chin there. Barn Swallow (Alexandria, VA).
A Tufted Titmouse finds comfort in a back scratch from a twig in a small bush. (Springfield, VA)
An Eastern Towhee sings in the sunset. (Shenandoah National Park, VA)
A White-throated Sparrow between meals. (Springfield, VA)
Eastern Phoebe, chillin'. (Alexandria, VA)
An American Goldfinch strips and collects bark for a nest. (Alexandria, VA)
A Tufted Titmouse goes inverted for a meal. (Alexandria, VA)
A juvenile Indigo Bunting hunts in the top of a pine tree. (Shenandoah National Park, VA)
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird calls out in the fading light of the late evening. (Springfield, VA)
That awkward feeling when everyone is eating and you forgot your lunch money. Eastern Bluebirds (Alexandria, VA)
A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher watches for a gnat to catch. (Alexandria, VA)
A Hermit Thrush hunts caterpillars in the dim light of the early morning. (Alexandria, VA)
A Carolina Wren poses for a portrait. (Springfield, VA)
A Least Flycatcher looks for a minimal meal. (Alexandria, VA)
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds settle a territorial dispute. (Springfield, VA)
Belted Kingfishers display a variety of meals. (Alexandria, VA)
Moltin' gold...finch. (Alexandria, VA)
The throat feathers are seen starting to come in on this young male Ruby-throated Humminbird. (Springfield, VA)
A White-breasted Nuthatch with takeout. (Lost River State Park, WV).
An Eastern Wood-Peewee feels like a big man next to a spider. (Alexandria, VA)
