I have many favorite birds, but today I’m turning my lens towards favorite songbirds that live near me in Central Oregon.
The first bird, is a sage thrasher. Plain of feather, these birds have a lovely melodic song. Thrashers are one of the songbirds of the sagebrush sea that I studied for my graduate work. They are a canary in a coal mine kind of bird.
The second bird is a varied thrush. They look like a robin with a mask, necklace, and checkered wings. I love their haunting song.
The third bird is a California scrub jay. These bold birds have expanded their range. They’re entertaining to watch and hear.
The fourth bird is a cedar waxwing. They’ve been tumbling in and out of my yard in loose flocks. I usually hear their high pitched calls long before seeing them.
The fifth bird is a mountain bluebird. Their plumage is a breathtaking shade of blue. They nest in my yard but can be camera shy. This male bird was seen in Yellowstone.
The sixth bird is a black-billed magpie. They have striking black and white plumage and a long, wedge-shaped tail. Like the jays, they have a lot of personality.
Not a great picture, right? They are one of my favorite songbirds that I have never been able to get a good picture of. We all have that one favorite animal that continues to elude us. Someday I’ll get that perfect shot of a magpie, someday…
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Lovely.
Thanks, Sherry!
Thanx for sharing.
Art
Thank you, Art!
Such a beautiful variety, Siobhan, and interesting to see how some blend with their environment while other seem to like standing out!
Thanks, Marilize! Yes, I agree that some blend in while others stand out. 🐦
Awesome gallery! So glad to see you this week! The Mountain Bluebird is one of my favorite birds and of course I have to go west to see it. One day, I'd love to see the California Scrub Jay, the Varied Thrush and that Sage Thrasher. Those 3 birds would be lifers. The Magpie....oh the Magpie. It hexes my camera. Literally a spell upon my lens. Every shot I have ever taken of one turned out blurry even when I had it focused and dead to rights. Voodoo, I tell ya! LOL! I'm expecting the Cedar Waxwing anytime now. The American Robins came into our yard today and they usually migrate together on our route. Haven't seen them yet though. :)
Thanks, Lisa! The Eastern bluebirds are nice too. The way jays adapt, the scrub jays of the West may one day be in your neighborhood. ;) Thought you might enjoy my "great" magpie picture. :D One day we'll capture decent photos of them. Once the robins arrive here in the fall, they overstay their welcome. I'm glad the waxwings aren't afraid of them. Such gorgeous birds.
Yes, I enjoyed your great Magpie photo. Bewitching they are! We have over 100 robins in our yard today. They will be here for a bit and then will be gone just like they arrived. I'd love to have the western scrub jay travel east but not sure how likely that will happen. We can't even get the Florida scrub jay to venture out of the state. LOL! :)
Forgot to suggest you watch "Penguin Bloom" on Netflix. It's a true story about an Australian magpie that helps a woman after she has a life changing injury. A touching story about a special magpie who made a difference.
I don't have Netflix but can probably borrow it from my daughter. I'll check it out, especially since they fascinate me. Thanks so much for the tip. :)