# Bluebirds



## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

I took some pictures of some Eastern Bluebirds today.
John


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

The Tree Swallows lived there first and quickly put the run on the Bluebirds.
John


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

The Bluebirds arrived prepared to nest,but the Tree Swallows had already taken up residence so the Bluebirds looked for another home.
John


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

I was hoping the Bluebirds would have put up a bigger fight, but they were out numbered by the swallows.
John


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

I was pretty fortunate to be there with a camera at the same time that the Bluebirds tried to move in.
I'm not happy though with the 200- 70 2.8 lens. The pictures appear a bit grainy, but it just might be the photographer.
John


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## stihlatit (Apr 18, 2006)

As usual Gypo great pics. Love the clarity and the capture of flight.


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

Thanks Arnie, glad you like them. I need a 400mm lens .
John


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 18, 2006)

The male is the more colourful one and is always running defense for the female.
John


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## 046 (Apr 19, 2006)

good job in the pic's..


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## lovetheoutdoors (Apr 19, 2006)

impressive pics gypo....now go take us some more pics of those nice saws you have LOL.... great work


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## Bob Wright (Apr 19, 2006)

Cool pics, i saw my very first Bluebird yesterday, never saw one before...Bob


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## fishhuntcutwood (Apr 20, 2006)

Wow John. Super nice pics. Since I left the Midwest 8 years ago, I've not seen many of the birds I used to take for granted-blue birds, cardinals, the titmouse, things like that. Thanks for posting.

Jeff


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 20, 2006)

Thanks Jeff, I have more but my C drive is full and I can't do any more pictures right now cause I don't know how to empty it.
John

http://wmg.photobucket.com/widgets/...featurename=hawks2&pa=/v639/sunlover3/Special pictures/Trees/Canada Goose/Hawks/


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## DDM (Apr 21, 2006)

Gypo Logger said:


> Thanks Jeff, I have more but my C drive is full and I can't do any more pictures right now cause I don't know how to empty it.
> John
> 
> http://wmg.photobucket.com/widgets/...featurename=hawks2&pa=/v639/sunlover3/Special pictures/Trees/Canada Goose/Hawks/



Go to your C: prompt type in Format C: hit enter then type in yes when it asks you.  Just kidding you might not be around for a while if you do that.


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## NORTHERN NYer (Apr 23, 2006)

Great pics Gypo. I put up a birdhouse in my side yard hoping to attract bluebirds. I got them 2 years in a row, and 2 years in a row the swallows ran them out within days. I finally got sick of being dive bombed for just walking in my yard and tore it down. Anyway to keep the swallows out so the bluebirds can nest?


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## tawilson (Apr 23, 2006)

Put up more houses. I've had bluebirds and swallows coexist in my yard. They are both great insect gobblers.


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## Brigham (Apr 23, 2006)

There's nothing wrong with your lens if it's the AFS Nikon, which it seems to be based on the signature bokeh. You've demonstrated that you have a great eye, the right touch and the wherewithall to afford a $1600US lens. Since, based on your Robert Service knowlege, you also know how to read, why not study up on how to take ultimate advantage of using a top shelf lens like this.


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## Bermie (Apr 24, 2006)

*Bluebirds in Bermuda*

Hi All,
We've got Eastern Bluebirds out here in Bermuda too. I belong to the Bemuda Audubon Society and we do a lot of work promoting bluebird conservation (among other birds). We build and sell nest boxes, have awareness flyers and lately we have put out a call for postgraduate research to further study Bermuda Bluebirds; are they a genetically different strain, nesting and reproductive habits and results, etc. etc. They are one of only 22 species of birds that nest in Bermuda, and they are considered native as the first settlers recorded their presence in the early 1600's.
Bluebirds over here get their fiercest competition from sparrows, introduced by the English back in the bad old days, as they are the only other bird that can fit through the 1 1/2" hole in the box. I have known sparrows to kill a brooding female and mob pairs prospecting a box. We have to go around checking the boxed weekly during nesting time and chuck out the sparrow nests.
Its nice to see bad ass tree guys have a soft spot for a little blue bird!!!

Wow, I just saw the pictures, they took a little while to appear on my drip feed dialup, they are brilliant, full flight, totally capture the moment!


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 24, 2006)

Very interesting biology on the Bluebird of Bermuda.
Here's a couple more pictures I took today, but not sure what kind they are though.
John


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## LarryTheCableGuy (Apr 24, 2006)

Those look like Song Sparrows. I think that the red color is the male's breeding plumage.


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## ray benson (Apr 25, 2006)

They look more like Purple Finches. Really nice pictures. John I am constantly stealing your pictures to use as computer wallpaper. My wife enjoys the different scenes.


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## stihlatit (Apr 25, 2006)

Post #19 looks like a pine grossbeak to me John......nice pics.

http://www.reneepiskorski.com/gallery/pine.jpg

Benson may be right on calling it a purple finch.

http://www.lanephotography.com/purple finch/purple finch - 06.jpg


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## stihlatit (Apr 25, 2006)

I concede to Mr. Ray Benson check the url below and it appears they are both there.

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgu...ages?q=finch&start=20&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=N


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## Gypo Logger (Apr 25, 2006)

LarryTheCableGuy said:


> Those look like Song Sparrows. I think that the red color is the male's breeding plumage.


 That's what I was thinking too Larry.
Ray, not a problem, use them as you wish.
Arnie, I need to get an Eastern birdbook, I only have the Western Audobon one.
Anyway, here's a dove I took a picture of. I have been using the sharpen feature on adobe and it defines the edges to an otherwise soft looking image.
I am now using aperature priority mode and letting the shutter speed look after itself. The hotspot of the lens appears to be between 5.6 and F9 in almost all situations. Handhelp or on a tripod seems to make nil to no difference as long as there is enough light.
John


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## West Texas (Apr 25, 2006)

Nice pics John. We live on a bird migration route and the variety is great.


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## moss (Apr 26, 2006)

Most definitely Purple Finch male and female, fine birds and excellent photos. The males like to perch on the top of tall fir or spruce and sing like a canary. I'm hoping to get some bird photos by climbing into the canopy this year, we'll see how it goes. Should be fun either way.
-moss


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## Gypo Logger (May 4, 2006)

West Texas, there seems to be alot of different species here lately, like the Raven, Mockingbird and Tufted Titmouse.
Moss, the purple finch seems to be very flighty and hard to get close to.
Here's another picture of the Bluebirds.
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 10, 2006)

I took more Bluebird pictures today. The valley seems full of them.
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 10, 2006)

Stay tuned Arnie, I think I overloaded photobucket with more pics. I am working on rectifying the situation right now. BRB
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 10, 2006)




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## Gypo Logger (May 10, 2006)

Hopefully I can get some pictures of the fledglings after the eggs have hatched.
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 10, 2006)

It seems to be pointless to take wildlife pictures unless you have lots of light, even by 3:30 I had to use about half the exposuere values.
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 10, 2006)

Here's the female, they both feed the young all day long.
John


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## cord arrow (May 11, 2006)

*Downey Woodpecker*

.....it was nearly dark when i caught this little lady at my suet block.
.....luckily adobe was able to "shed some light on the subject."


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## Gypo Logger (May 15, 2006)

Good action shots cordarrow. Those Downy Woodpeckers just won't stand still long enough, but I finaly pull off a shot of one.
John


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## Cut4fun (May 16, 2006)

Hey Gypo (John), I just sent a link to my wife as she loved your pics of the bluebirds. She is a member of the National Bluebird society and is going to post a link of your pics to the bluebird site for others to see. We always use 2 boxes placed about 10 feet apart. That way swallows in one and bluebirds in the other. Great pics.


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## Gypo Logger (May 16, 2006)

Glad you your wife is enjoying the pictures Kevin.
Here's more.


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## Gypo Logger (May 16, 2006)

The Bluebirds don't like the rain too much.


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## Gypo Logger (May 16, 2006)

I should be getting some pictures of the fledglings soon.
John


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## Cut4fun (May 16, 2006)

We just had 5 fledge out of one box. The female died somehow after the eggs hatched and it was up to the male to do the feeding of 5 babys. The wife bought about 10,000 meal worms and kept a dish full twice aday so he could keep the young ones fed. It worked, they all fleged and still come back for the free food. Great pics. Thanks for posting them.


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## Gypo Logger (May 16, 2006)

Here's the female bringing back lunch.


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## Gypo Logger (May 17, 2006)

Cut4fun said:


> We just had 5 fledge out of one box. The female died somehow after the eggs hatched and it was up to the male to do the feeding of 5 babys. The wife bought about 10,000 meal worms and kept a dish full twice aday so he could keep the young ones fed. It worked, they all fleged and still come back for the free food. Great pics. Thanks for posting them.


 That's good Kevin that the male continued on after the death of his mate and the good nature of your wife ensured the survival of the fledglings,
As the watched those Bluebirds I admired how well they co operated and wondered why people couldn't be more that way.
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 17, 2006)

I'm gonna keep trying until I can get the best picture I can. From now on no more handheld shots of birds.
John


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## Gypo Logger (May 17, 2006)




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## Gypo Logger (May 17, 2006)

Here's a tree swallow trying to move in.
John


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## fishhuntcutwood (May 18, 2006)

More superb shots John. I need to get a better digi. All of my bird pics (I've got some nice ones...) are 35 mm. I guess I need to step into the 21st century.

When do you expect them to hatch? I've got a junco nesting in my hanging fucia on my front deck, and another in the fencerow to the East of me.


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