20 Comments

Love it, love it, love it! The heron pix are wonderful although a good preening might be in order. We can’t really understand the miracle of bird flight without these high speed photos and then GLORIOUS!!

And all this is always out there, whether we pay attention or not.

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Thank you Switter!

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So many beaituful images Karen. I still cannot get over the blueness of that Indigo Bunting!

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Thank you Neil

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I still need to learn the difference between herons and egrets. Are herons more "ragged" looking and egrets "sleek" We have the occasional pure white bird of similar body type, landing and "posing" in the yard. I always wonder if I should say it's a heron, egret, or crane. Sigh.

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Do I remember that you are in Southern California? Here’s as much as I know: all egrets are in the heron family so they are herons. Egrets are generally white - great egrets, snowy egrets, cattle egrets, and I feel like I’m forgetting one. Herons are generally not white. Cranes are actually a different family. I think there are only two species of cranes in the US, Sandhill cranes and whooping cranes. Whooping cranes are quite rare, they were (are?) near extinction. I haven’t ever seen one though they must migrate over us because they are seen in Nebraska in migration from remote Canadian breeding grounds to the Texas gulf coast. They are also seen in Florida. Sandhills cranes are seen in more locations including Nebraska, Tennessee, Florida and New Mexico. I have seen them but rarely, at nearby refuges. Colloquially a lot of people use crane to mean all of them.

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Yes I'm in south Calif. so my tall white birds are egrets, in the heron family. Thank you so much. Now I will identify them confidently.

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Always a pleasure. I shared this with my husband who feeds the birds and does bird watching all day from his chair in the sunroom. He had words of praise!

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Thank you Linda

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This post is filled with so many wonderful pics!!! Thank you for taking the time to create it. Don't you wonder about hummers? Are they this territorial about a specific flower? Or, flowering bush? I don't think so, but I don't really know. I used to watch and duck when they were defending a feeder at my parents' house. :)

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Thank you Sandy. I wonder so many things about hummers!

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Another jewel from a jewel! And no, I can't say that bluebird caption even one time fast!

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Thank you Michael

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If everyone had your "normal" day with Sun rising and all things flying I can only imagine how spectacularly different we two legged animals might be...ahh to dream of a more caring world sustained by Nature's awe & wonder. Thank you Karen‼️

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Thank you Clark

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Wishing all good (best possible) things for you today, Karen <3 I'm definitely thankful for these beautiful photos!!! Those crows--I love crows, ravens, and blackbirds! My dad told me he had a pet crow when he was a kid (he and his dad rescued it after it was injured), and I thought that was the coolest thing! That barn swallow picture with the light shining through her wings! So much joy!!! :D

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Thank you Roxy! Cool about your dad!

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He had alot of great stories about animals and birds that he and his dad would rescue (or evict from people's chicken houses!). I loved that he had compassion for all creatures ❤️

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Oh Karen this post is your best yet!

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Thank you David

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