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Jack Douglas said:
Don, as you know it's wonderful to watch their antics and learn more about our wonderful wildlife. I'm also getting the two varieties of Northern flickers but they are more shy.

The Pileated WP's were very shy last year but yesterday I slowly walked to within 4' of one (no camera). I'm totally blown away by the transition. I think it's partly that the growing youngsters have been around me consistently, since I'm retired.

Speaking of learning by observing it finally sunk in that the birds don't devour the berries until they are fully ripe. Fortunately they don't all ripen at the same time.

Jack
Love the Pine Grosbeak shot. They are one of my favorite birds and one I am dying to photograph. May take a long trip up north this year just to get them.
 
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Sedwards, another lovely shot of a lovely bird, one I'm on the lookout for with no luck so far. They do frequent my area but where are they. I did get the House finch though, so there is hope.

Isaac Grant, if you were coming here to shoot the Pine grosbeak, I'd be apprehensive. One day they are here in numbers and another totally absent, talking fall. It seems my only hope lies in the tiny apple variants I have in my yard. When they are gone the birds are gone. And, my birds are all gluttons with apple all over their faces in every shot! :(

Isaac, here's another for you, I don't think I posted before?? I haven't seen many this colorful.

Jack
 

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LOL Jack, they won't last long at that rate. We don't usually get those down in SoCal. I'm still trying to catch the rhyme/reason for one days tons of different birds and the next day, similar weather and time, nearly dead. For coastal, the tides seem to be a good standard but inland there is apparently a different cycle.
 
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lion rock, our robins are all gone as of about 1 week ago so you must have them. They rank up there with chickadees. -7 C today!

Not sure where it was (not here) but someone made a depreciating remark about mountain ash trees relative to birds so I started paying closer attention. I now know that many different birds up here eat those berries and probably are very thankful for them.

Here is little sister that I've just become aware of, in the late day sun. So that makes Ma, Pa, and two that are about 7 months old, that visit me. Nice to know they are succeeding in life. :)

Jack
 

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Thanks click. And now ...... what everyones been holding their breath for ......... another Pileated WP shot. :-[ But wait! This one is different - for those that have never seen the birds in real life here is the little boy with a Downy for comparison.

Jack
 

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As dancing birds have become popular, here is a pair of herons in high level ballet taken on my 7D with the 300/2.8 at 420mm.
 

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