These magnificent birds have set up shop in my favourite "roosting tree" up in Sunland Park. Ravens and crows, while similar in appearance are actually quite different. Calmer, quieter and twice the size of their cousins, ravens rarely gather in flocks the way that crows do and once they find that perfect partner they're together for the rest of their lives. They're also non-transitory, meaning they don't migrate from place to place, preferring to stay put year-round Engaging, smart and hell of alot eaiser to snap photos of, they're one of my favourite birds.

This is a raven, folks. Not to be mistaken for their lesser cousin the common crow, they're pretty magnificent to behold. Cooler, calmer and blessed with a deeper caw than their brethren, they're a full size bigger and from my observation, a helluva lot smarter.

Taking my new A57 out for a spin and got this rather colorful fella singing his heart out about 50 or so feet above me.

Took my new A57 out for a spin and got this little guy just in front of my doorstep.

A rather unusual sight here in the Footies but spectacular nonetheless. Rumor has it that these cute little guys are descendants of the parrots that had somehow escaped from Busch Gardens while it was closing. Considering the place was in Van Nuys that's not as far fetched as it sounds...anything is possible these days!

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This was a pure honest to God lucky shot. I was standing across the street from this mobile home park (no, not the trashy lowbrow street-bum trailer park where everybody's nicknamed Bubba n' Kitty Sue..this is a NICE one with birds, n' critters n' such) when I caught a slight flicker out of the corner of my eye. I instinctively turned the camera and started shooting before I even caught sight of what it was that I was shooting at..imagine my delight after polishing off 4 snaps in rapid succession! A cute wee hummer snacking his way round the orange blossoms on a cool sunny Tuesday morning...indeed a great start to the day!

This was a pure honest to God lucky shot. I was standing across the street from this mobile home park (no, not the trashy lowbrow street-bum trailer park where everybody's nicknamed Bubba n' Kitty Sue..this is a NICE one with birds, n' critters n' such) when I caught a slight flicker out of the corner of my eye. I instinctively turned the camera and started shooting before I even caught sight of what it was that I was shooting at..imagine my delight after polishing off 4 snaps in rapid succession! A cute wee hummer snacking his way round the orange blossoms on a cool sunny Tuesday morning...indeed a great start to the day!

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One of my first shots with my new Tammie and yeah it's that same little hummer on that same little street sign round the back of my home. I don't know how long hummingbirds live but this wee guy has staked out this sign as part of his territory over the past three years. He doesn't seem to mind me taking his picture...in fact he watches me intensely while I'm snapping away and doesn't seem all that bothered about it. Cute, ain't he?