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2013-05-12 11:35:53 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

#birdpoker  Love Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata)
This was taken of a captive pair in Litchfield, CT. Tell me they don't "love" each other....

Also sharing with #birds4all  +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones 

2013-05-10 11:51:17 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

#birdpoker  Long Bills, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or Water Turkey

I call this the "Question Mark". Took this at the "Anhinga Trail" in the Everglades. Their eyes remind me of garnets when the light hits them, just right.

also sharing with #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen & +Ricky L Jones 

2013-05-07 12:01:37 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

The Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)

A very cooperative Magpie wouldn't leave my feet. Almost too close!

2013-05-07 11:58:12 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

#birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen & +Ricky L Jones 

The Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)

This goose was being very friendly and posing for me within feet from my feet. This is the crop I was able to take with the camera.

2013-05-06 12:03:16 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

#birdpoker  White birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The White Hawk (Pseudastur albicollis)

This picture was taken some years back on first digital camera, prior to my education on both cameras and birds/wildlife.

This was a bird that had been taken by a poacher from South America. He was caught with many birds trying to enter the United States. His intent was to sell the exotic birds. Caught!

I was able to take some photos of this one as it was being rehabilitated at the Mystic Aquarium, prior to it going to a safe home at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Just nice to know it was going to be taken care of.
Also submitted to #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-04-07 14:34:11 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

#birdpoker  Reflection, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)

Captive and I cut the tail off. Oh well... Still a great example of a bird reflection and add a little color to the theme!

Also submitting to #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-03-24 14:28:05 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

#birdpoker  Masked, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) female.

Very similar to its' cousin the female American Wood Duck. As striking as a male Mandarin is, the female Mandarin is one of my favorite looking birds!

2013-03-24 14:26:48 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 16 +1s)

#birdpoker  Masked, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) female.

Very similar to its' cousin the female American Wood Duck. As striking as a male Mandarin is, the female Mandarin is one of my favorite looking birds!

2013-03-16 14:34:38 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 19 +1s)

#birdpoker  Birds that have a Ring, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 

Up the anti...? Here's my 1.5 Ducks to your 1. Almost got a female in the picture of this Ringed-neck Duck.

2013-03-09 19:18:53 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Is it just me (and this coming from a photographer) or are the new Profile Cover Photos way to big???

2013-03-09 13:35:18 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

#birdpoker  Spotted Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer)

This guy heard you wanted "Spots" so he's showing them off!
One of a series I took last year on Bow Lake, NH, from my kayak.

There's an incredible feeling when a bird or a group (family) of birds "let you in".
After a while, this family of 4, came closer and let me into range of my 80-200. Couldn't help but shoot several hundred shots. Couldn't do that with film... Film?

also sharing with #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-03-08 13:39:15 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

#BirdPoker  In Trees, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

A Broad-Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) and a Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). 2 Cards at one time...

This Broad-winged like to hang out feet from a Mockingbird nest. It was fun to watch the mockingbirds "dive bomb" the hawk and generally harass it, to get it to leave.

Taken from a blind in my own backyard.
Also sharing with #birds4all  , curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-03-06 14:52:21 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

#birdpoker  Orange Beaks, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The Guira Cuckoo (Guira guira) 

I pulled this from the #birdpoker  archive. Used it for "Cute" back in 2011.
This was an "over-the-shoulder" shot. No exposure or focus, just turn and shoot. My wife has termed this photo "Gossip Central" as she swears it looks like 3 ladies, with a secret, at the hair salon.

Also submitting to #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-03-05 13:05:36 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

#birdpoker  The Look, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The North American Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

This guy was definitely wondering what I was up to.  If not, maybe he saw himself in the reflection of the lens???

Also sharing with #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-03-04 12:45:34 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 22 +1s)

#birdpoker   Woodpeckers, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

A Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

I was tracking a pair of juvenile Red-Tails around with an 80-200mm and a 1x4, handheld, when I briefly waved past a blurb of red. I turned back, focused and shot. No time for exposure and it was gone!

Also sharing with #birds4all   curated by +Walter Soestbergen  and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-02-26 15:53:04 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

#birdpoker   Wings Swept Forward, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer) or Common Loon

This Loon is about 7-8 weeks old and taken from my Kayak just before the sun came up, last July. On Bow Lake in New Hampshire.

Also sharing with #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-02-24 14:24:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

#birdpoker  Birds on Rocks, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)

This was taken at Anhinga Trail in the Everglades, to the side of the trail.
The trail runs along Taylor Slough, one of the few waterways in this portion of the park that retains water year-round, no matter how bad droughts may be elsewhere.

2013-02-22 13:41:21 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 17 +1s)

#birdpoker  birds perched on Vines or Shrubs, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

It's unbelievable how many shots you come away with on a good day at The Anhinga Trail in the Everglades. I'd like to be there, right now, pondering bird photos, not another foot of snow.

This was seen, looking down from one of the boardwalks.
Also sharing with #birds4all  

2013-02-19 23:48:34 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

#birdpoker  Egret, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
A Great Egret or Great White Egret (Ardea alba) at the Venice Rookery, Venice Florida.

"Cleared for Landing...."

2013-02-18 19:23:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

#birdpoker  Ruffled Feathers, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

A Burrowing Owl
This was one of a few Burrowing Owls that I photographed in Cape Coral, Florida.

2013-01-27 14:50:42 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

#birdpoker  Eyes, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
My card for BirdPoker, today is a Male Double-crested Cormorant in FULL Breeding colors.

The Double-crests only appear when they are in breeding season and the blues in the mouth and around the eyes get more pronounced.

This was taken a while back at Anhinga Trail in the Everglades. I was just learning to shoot birds and D.O.F. was something I wasn't paying to much attention to. I was just fixed on the eye and inside mouth. Works, tho.

Also submitted to #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen  and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-26 20:47:30 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

#birdpoker  Seeds & Nuts, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) f.

Card #2 of my Mergansers with Pinecones.

Last year, I had a great time following these Mergies playing with pinecones. Pinecones house the "Seeds".

The birds would pass the pinecone off, as if playing a game of football. 

Also sharing with #birds4all  Curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-26 14:53:12 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

#birdpoker  Seeds & Nuts, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) f.

Last year, I had a great time following these Mergies playing with pinecones. Pinecones house the "Seeds".

The birds would pass the pinecone off, as if playing a game of football. Thought this would be timely, with the #Superbowl coming up.

#birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-25 13:07:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

#birdpoker  Fish or fishing, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) - immature
This shot was taken at the end of the walk at Shark Valley, Everglades, FL.

Their diet consists primarily of small aquatic prey such as insects and small fishes. Crayfish are its preferred food in most regions

Just to the left of the bird, is a mess of garbage, so I cropped. I never like to crop off part of the bird, but think the picture still works.

Also submitted to #birds4 curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-23 13:09:01 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

#birdpoker  Capped Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
Here's an old shot (pre good-glass) of a Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) submitted for my hand in today's Bird Poker.

Looking down from the boardwalk at Anhinga Trail in Everglades.


Also sharing on #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-22 14:03:40 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 26 +1s)

#birdpoker  Multiple Species, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

A Broad-Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) being taunted by a Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos).

This is in my backyard, where we receive yearly visits from the Broad-Winged. Beautiful bird. This one year, it kept perching a bit to close to the Mockingbird nest. Funny thing... We would always know the Hawk was in the yard by the calling Mockingbirds. I was lucky to catch a couple of shots from a blind in my yard, including ones with the Mockingbirds taking swipes at the larger bird.

#birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-20 14:39:59 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Glad to be #1054 in this community! I see a lot of familiar "Birding" names in the group. Looking forward to contributing.

I've been photographing birds and nature around the world for about 20 years and come from a small town in Connecticut, called Simsbury.

I've been using Nikon gear for years and am thinking of heading out to the sunny 30degree day, now, to do some shooting!

2013-01-20 14:15:13 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 19 +1s)

#birds4all  Curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

This is one of my favorite birds! The Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

Seen here in a pond in Simsbury, CT. I call him "4 Eyes"!

2013-01-20 14:10:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

#birdpoker  Ripples, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

This is one of my favorite birds! The Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

Seen here in a pond in Simsbury, CT. I call him "4 Eyes"!

2013-01-16 13:46:59 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

#birdpoker  showing Action, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
A pair of Great Blue Herons at the Venice Rookery in Venice, FL.

The male continued to present sticks for his mate to add to the nest, during this sign of courtship.

2013-01-12 19:54:35 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

#birdpoker  Nocturnal Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
A Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

This is a shot I took some years back on the boardwalk of the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades.

2013-01-12 19:49:14 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 19 +1s)

#birdpoker  Nocturnal Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
A Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

This is a shot I took some years back on the boardwalk of the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades.

2013-01-11 13:33:26 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

#birdpoker  Pairs, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus)

2013-01-11 13:34:16 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

#birdpoker  Pairs, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus)

I took this at the "crack" of dawn and set my white balance to "cloudy" for the warmth.

2013-01-08 14:11:41 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 20 +1s)

#birdpoker  Carnivores, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

I have a series where this F. DC Cormorant catches and slowly swallows this whole. Taken on the boardwalk on Anhinga Trail in Everglades, FL

Also submitted to #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-01-07 12:15:10 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 16 +1s)

#birdpoker  Cute, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
Also #birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

A Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) from Cape Coral, FL

Sometimes these guys take up a burrow on a vacant lot in town, thus making it hard to develop that piece of land. Locals either like this or hate this. We got to meet both, while shooting this. I remember a few choice words being hurled my way from a passing Ford Bronco (Yes white with Rebel Flag), not to mention a few beer and coke bottles! Tough crowd. 

2013-01-06 15:31:02 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

#birds4all  +Birds4All by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones
#birds4all  Curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 
Also shared on Ruffled Feathers for BirdPoker.

The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)
The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.

This anhinga was spotted on the "Anhinga Trail" in the Everglades.

2013-01-06 15:18:59 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

#birdpoker  Ruffled Feathers, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)
The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.

This anhinga was spotted on the "Anhinga Trail" in the Everglades.

2013-01-03 22:36:05 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

#birdpoker  Big Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

This will always remind me of Ding Darling. It was a very foggy day and very limited time for shooting. My buddy and I managed to get a few nice shots. 

2012-12-31 14:28:01 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 35 +1s)

#birdpoker  Best of 2012, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
A Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer) or Common Loon

What makes this shot one of my 2012 favorites is that I took it in my last half hour of vacation and from a kayak. Taken just as sun was about to "wake up" on a Saturday morning in July. Handheld with a Nikon 80-200 2.8.
A family of 4 let me fish with them and a Bald Eagle flew right over our heads.

2012-12-30 20:19:29 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 17 +1s)

#birdpoker  Funny Shots, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
Two-headed Chicken?

2012-12-24 15:36:27 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

#birdpoker  Merry Christmas, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The East African (Grey) Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum)

OK.. ok... This is CREEPY!
But it gave me something fun to do over coffee, this am. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.. Tony

2012-12-22 14:38:52 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

#birdpoker  White Birds, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Taken at Ding Darling NWP on Sanibel Island, Florida.

2012-12-18 14:03:28 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 16 +1s)

#birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones 

Shared also  in BirdPoker for Tri-Color
Here is a King Eider (Somateria spectabilis).
I took this as it just came up from underwater, so the beads of water are running down it's neck and face. 

I was surprised when someone came up to me at an Audubon show and exclaimed "you're the one who took a picture of a crying Eider?"

I hadn't seen it that way, but can't see it any other, now...


2012-12-18 13:53:41 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

#birdpoker  Tri-colored, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
Here is a King Eider (Somateria spectabilis).
I took this as it just came up from underwater, so the beads of water are running down it's neck and face. 

I was surprised when someone came up to me at an Audubon show and exclaimed "you're the one who took a picture of a crying Eider?"

I hadn't seen it that way, but can't see it any other, now...

2012-12-15 16:49:05 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 31 +1s)

#birds4all  curated by +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones 
A Common Loon in New Hampshire. This was taken from a kayak in the early morning, just before the sun came up.

2012-12-15 16:25:47 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

#birdpoker  Woodpeckers, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

A Gila Woodpecker, taken in Tucson, AZ. It's sitting on an old Saguaro Cactus, just off the "First Tee" at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon.

2012-12-14 20:14:54 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 22 +1s)

#birdpoker  Over the Shoulder Look, curated by +Phil Armishaw 
A Mandarin Drake. Push on him, he'll fall over!

2012-12-13 12:42:38 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

#birdpoker  Family Shots, Curated by +Phil Armishaw 

A Common Loon and its' young out fishing in the early morning.
I believe this is the father, as the other adult was twice his size.
Handheld from a kayak.

2012-12-12 19:12:07 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

#birdpoker  Red Breasted, curated by +Phil Armishaw 

My card for today... Another Male Wood Duck who wasn't too shy.