Leaf top feeder

Gallery: AvianPosted June 29, 2014106 views2 comments

A volunteer plant of some sort is growing beneath our bird feeder. I noticed seeds from the feeders were falling on top of the broad leaves and that a few birds had discovered this treat and were perching on top of some of the leaves to get to the fallen seeds. I Ided this bird as a female or juvenile red wing blackbird, but could find no reference in my 3 bird books of their having this much yellow. The bird who was on top of the plant would defend it from others, that is until grackles arrived.

Canon PS SX50
1/400 @ F- 6.5. ISO 400
Canon 4.3-215 @ 215mm HH

Comments

2 comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on July 1, 2014 at 2:17 AM

Probably not a Blackbird with that heavy bill, which seems heavy enough be be a grosbeak. Perhaps a juvenile Black-headed Grosbeak? But that's a wild guess. Maybe Richard Ditch can make an ID.

In the larger version, it's a bit soft around the eye. Let me know if you figure out what it is.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on July 1, 2014 at 12:28 PM

Probably not a RWB. I agree with Jim. Looks like the focus was back on the body. The eye and beak are a little soft. Or perhaps there was a bit of head motion. On second look, the leaf behind the head is in good focus. Had to be motion.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments