My first Spotted Towhee!

danielsonkin · Jan 20, 2012

Not the most exotic bird or the best IQ since we were both excited (him/her for the food, me for the shot) but it's always nice when a new bird visits the feeder.
Daniel

These are the usual diners.

--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

in_focus · Jan 20, 2012

Adorable set, Daniel.. the "excitement element" works fine, it emphases the birds' "take and run" attitude

.. I like also the last two images of the regular customers, LOL .. well done, thanks for sharing

..

Kind regards,
--
Bruno

Erik Ohlson · Jan 20, 2012

Good to see that you are getting more into bird photos - nice shots.

-Erik
--
DP Review Supporter.

'He who hesitates is not only lost - he's miles from the next Exit.'
http://www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ [email protected]

joyclick · Jan 20, 2012

Excitement on the part of both you and the bird has yielded a really nice set of images.A fait accompli,circumstances notwithstanding.

Regards
Gajanan

--
student4ever

ysal · Jan 20, 2012

Hey Daniel, did we decide already that we must live in the same part of the world, because we have the same visitors? The spotted towhee is a bird I've been trying to photograph forever! There are lots of them at the botanical garden I frequent, but they are VERY shy and always hop around in the bushes. So, good job on your part!
--
yuki

rkhndjr · Jan 20, 2012

Fine pictures Daniel. How did you manage to arrange the leaves in the first picture so well

)

danielsonkin said:
Not the most exotic bird or the best IQ since we were both excited (him/her for the food, me for the shot) but it's always nice when a new bird visits the feeder.
Daniel

These are the usual diners.

--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

--

Eternity was in that moment.

Pap38 · Jan 20, 2012

Well now I know what a Towhee looks like! We don’t have them here, obviously. Are they migratory?
Pap
--

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34495676@N08

jazzbass62 · Jan 20, 2012

Nice catch Daniel!
--
---
Cleve

Vandyu · Jan 20, 2012

I've seen one or two of these and always get excited. I'm surprised to see a squirrel with a sweet gum ball. Those things have really sharp spikes on them. Every year I have a thousand of the darn things to pick up from my neighbor's sweet gum tree. Grr! They're dotting the yard as I speak, but I don't see the tree rats messing with them.
--

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
(A.A. Milne)

Endeavor21 · Jan 20, 2012

What a handsome bird! I always note the dates in my Birds of North America book when I see a new visitor. Will never forget the day we had an Indigo Bunting. No photo though. ):

Vandyu · Jan 20, 2012

The birds that I've seen must be the Eastern Towhee based on the territory I read about:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Towhee/id/ac
--

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
(A.A. Milne)

leeland48 · Jan 21, 2012

Very well caught Daniel.I am not happy with the last shot it looks to me like you have nicked one of our Red squirrels ours have nearly all on account of your Grey ones

lee

Vahab · Jan 21, 2012

More than the beauty of the photos I see the beauty of your soul.

Vahab

Endeavor21 · Jan 21, 2012

Daniel, according to my trusty bird book you have captured a western race Rufous-sided Towhee.The speckled back is the difference between the western version and our eastern birds. Again, beautiful shots! Lynn

danielsonkin · Jan 23, 2012

in_focus said:
Adorable set, Daniel.. the "excitement element" works fine, it emphases the birds' "take and run" attitude .. I like also the last two images of the regular customers, LOL .. well done, thanks for sharing ..

Kind regards,

Thanks, Bruno. We were both taking and running, but just different things! ;-)
Take care,
Daniel

--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

danielsonkin · Jan 23, 2012

Erik Ohlson said:
Good to see that you are getting more into bird photos - nice shots.

Thanks, Erik. I wish I had more varieties visiting at the feeder, but I am grateful for the ones I have.
Take care,
Daniel
--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

danielsonkin · Jan 23, 2012

joyclick said:
Excitement on the part of both you and the bird has yielded a really nice set of images.A fait accompli,circumstances notwithstanding.

Thanks, Gajanan! The thing I like about birding is the waiting and relaxing. It's been teaching me something about patience.
Take care,
Daniel

--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

danielsonkin · Jan 23, 2012

ysal said:
Hey Daniel, did we decide already that we must live in the same part of the world, because we have the same visitors? The spotted towhee is a bird I've been trying to photograph forever! There are lots of them at the botanical garden I frequent, but they are VERY shy and always hop around in the bushes. So, good job on your part!
--

Thanks, Yuki. You live in LA, right? I am just north of San Francisco. I hope I get to see more of these. But you give me a good idea; to go visit the botanical gardens in the city on a nice day. I bet I'll see a lot of species that never visit my type of feeders. Thanks for the idea.
Take care,
Danie
--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

danielsonkin · Jan 23, 2012

rkhndjr said:
Fine pictures Daniel. How did you manage to arrange the leaves in the first picture so well)

Thanks, Russ. I wish I could take credit for that, but it was just chance. I think the bird was just looking for a smooth landing strip full of seeds from the feeder above. ;-)
Take care,
Daniel
--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

danielsonkin · Jan 23, 2012

Pap38 said:
Well now I know what a Towhee looks like! We don’t have them here, obviously. Are they migratory?

Thanks, Pap. According to my BirdsEye App on my iPhone, "A few wander well out onto the southern Great Plains in the winter, and rare individuals may stray all the way east to the Atlantic Coast." So if you see one, you know it's a rare and brave bird. Especially to head into the cold. If it were me, I would head south to Costa Rica during winter. ;-)
Daniel
--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

My first Spotted Towhee!

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