Uploads from spiderhunters

Western Meadowlark

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:11:34 -0700

"Ti-yah, Spring is hiya" - at least that's what the Eastern Meadowlark sings (and the Western is somewhat similar). Spring is almost over but the Meadowlarks are still singing in the fields. Coyote Valley, San Jose, CA. May 2013.
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Florida: Belted Kingfisher composite

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:23:34 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

From an airboat in Everglades NP, Florida, April 2013

Florida: Osprey with prey

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:46:21 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

I was amazed at how gratifyingly common Osprey were in Central and South Florida. Could rightfully be the state bird of Florida. Kissimmee, Florida. April 2013.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:23:34 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

All of these icterids were taken today at the same spot at the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant. Yellow-headed Blackbird is very rare in our county and Tricolored is uncommon as well. April 28, 2013.
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Anna's Hummingbird: Transformer

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:56:51 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

The iridescent colors of a hummingbirds adornments are not from pigmentation but the interplay of light throught the microstructure of the feathers. That's the theory. The demonstration of that is perhaps most dramatic in the Anna's Hummingbird. These two shots are seconds apart. Even after all these years it still draws a "wow" from me whenever I see it just as it did the first time.
Mountain View, CA. April 2013.
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Merlin feeding: The Next Generation

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:59:23 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

One more from my son.
That day on the Dry Tortugas, there were at least 3 Merlins on Garden Key. The multitude of tired migrants were easy pickings for these.
Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, FL. April 2013
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Hooded Warbler: The Next Generation

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:16:45 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Taken by my 8yr old son.

20D, 75-300mm non-IS.

This was at Dry Tortugas. Neotropical migrants use this as a stop-over before the journey across the Gulf. An amazing place but a longer story. Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Florida. April 2013

Florida: The Next Generation

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:32:42 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Taken by my 8 yrs old son, using my old rig - 20D and 75-300mm USM (non L). This is not a sharp lens in most situations but it was actually a better lens for this situation. I could only get the bird's head with my 400mm. Needless to say he was excited by the shot and suddenly did not seem to mind the heat or the mosquitoes!
Everglades NP, Florida. April 2013.

Florida: Northern Bobwhite

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:43:38 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

In Florida right now. Quickly processed this on my laptop.
I have seen Northern Bobwhite before, but never like this.
Did not realize how brigthly plumaged they are!
Lake Kissimee, FL. April 2013.
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Grasshopper Sparrow

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:30:07 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

An iconic species of grasslands across North America, but typically hard to see. But they will occasionally sing their insect-like buzzy trill from exposed perches which is the best chance for seeing or photographing them. Ed Levin Park, Milpitas, CA, March 24, 2013.

N India Tour 2012: Kalij Pheasant

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:03:33 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Two male Kalij Pheasants.
The white-crested subspecies _hamiltoni_, which is endemic to the Western Himalayas is the prettiest in my view. This was very late in the evening, in low light, no flash, high ISO, handheld, but no complaints ... Sattal, Uttarakhand, India. Feb 2012.
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In large here.

NE Brazil: Common Tody-Flycatcher

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:41:13 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

A pair of Common Tody-Flycatchers building their typical hanging nest.
After lunch, I was wandering around the fazenda, when I found this pair building a nest below the canopy of a tree. Stood under the tree to filter out the harsh mid-day light and got a few shots of these tiny, handsome birds. Fazenda Agua Boa, Bahia, Brazil, Dec 2011.
My daughter's favourite shot from my trip.
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NE Brazil: Common Tody-Flycatchers

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:43:56 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

A pair of Common Tody-Flycatchers building their typical hanging nest.
After lunch, I was wandering around the Fazenda, when I found this pair building a nest below the canopy of a tree. Stood under the tree to filter out the harsh mid-day light and got a few shots of these tiny, handsome birds. Fazenda Agua Boa, Bahia, Brazil, Dec 2011.

NE Brazil: White-bearded Manakin

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:14:08 -0700

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Like a lot of other birds, this lowland humid forest species is widespread in the neotropics including the Amazon but then skips the dry interior Brazil to show up again in the Atlantic Rainforest. The male flares up its white-throat (beard) during lek displays. Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil, Dec 2011.
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Red-winged Blackbird

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:14:35 -0800

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Its only in spring, when the males are displaying, that one gets to see the real beauty of these common residents. This is the "bicolored" subspecies from California.
Ed Levin Park, Milpitas, CA, USA
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NE Brazil: Silvery-cheeked Antshrike

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:31:58 -0800

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Another large and sharp-dressed antshrike. This however is endemic to the dry Caatinga forests of NE Brazil. Chapada Araripe, Ceara, Brazil. Nov 2011.
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NE Brazil: Great Antshrike

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 21:03:08 -0800

spiderhunters posted a photo:

One of the largest of the antbirds, this species is widespread in edge habitats in the neotropics. This particular bird was foraging in a garden and wasn't too shy. Just love its sharp attire. Guaramiranga, Ceara, Brazil, Nov 2011.
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NE Brazil: Spot-billed Toucanet

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:59:32 -0800

spiderhunters posted a photo:

The selenidera toucanets are my favourite toucans. To me they represent the mystique of neotropical rainforests. They tend to stay within the canopy and are thus harder to see than other toucans. Therefore it was a thrill to see well and photograph this particular species, which is endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest. Serra Bonita, Bahia, Brazil. Dec 2011.
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Happy Valentine's Day!

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:27:07 -0800

spiderhunters posted a photo:

Maroon-bellied Parakeets from the Altantic Forest of Brazil, showing how its done!
Serra Bonita, Bahia, Dec 2011.

NE Brazil: Hook-billed Hermit

nobody@flickr.com (spiderhunters) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:42:29 -0800

spiderhunters posted a photo:

An endangered species, one of the two rarest Hermits in Brazil and one of the rarest hummingbirds in the world. I may only have been the 3rd person ever to photograph this species when this was taken in 2011. Restricted to a few remaining patches of coastal Atlantic Rainforest in Bahia. A bird such as this evokes both wonder at the amazing biodiversity of our planet, as well as sadness at what our species has done to it. Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil. Dec 2011.
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