Birds are part of everyone's lives. The beautiful plumages of feathers, ranging from those of the muted pastel greys and yellows of the Warbling Vireo to the iridescent Sparkling Violet-ear hummingbird. They are attractive and detailed, perfect subjects for photography.

To showcase birds in all their feathered glory, I bring you The Daily Feather. It will feature one photo per day. It may be of a plain bird or a vivid bird, but each is beautiful in its own way. I hope you will enjoy my photographs!

For more, check my DeviantART Gallery.

~Kristina

Sunday, October 17, 2010

#38: Herring Gull

'
Herring Gull
Taken April 7 2010 Assateague Island Maryland USA


Fun fact: 'The Herring Gull regularly drinks fresh water when it is available. If none is around, the gull will drink seawater. Special glands located over its eyes allow it to excrete the salt. The salty excretion can be seen dripping out of the gull's nostrils and off the end of its bill.'

Saturday, October 16, 2010

#37: American Coot


American Coot
Taken October 16 2010 North Chagrin Reservation OH USA


Fun fact: Coots swim like ducks, but do NOT have webbed feet.

Friday, October 15, 2010

#36: Say's Phoebe


Say's Phoebe
Taken July 10 2010 Badlands, South Dakota USA



Fun fact: This species breeds further north than any other flycatcher.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

#35: Burrowing Owl


Burrowing Owl
Taken July 12 2010 South Dakota 2010


Fun fact: Burrowing Owls coexist with Prairie Dogs by living in their burrows.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

#34: Ruby-crowned Kinglet


Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Taken October 9 2010 North Ridgeville OH USA



Fun fact: This bird is one of North America's smallest.... believe me, the first time you see one, you seriously doubt not a hummingbird...

Sunday, October 10, 2010

#33: Red-winged Blackbird


Red-winged Blackbird flock
Taken September 19 2010 Sandy Ridge Reservation OH USA



Fun fact : The oldest recorded RWB was 15 years old!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

#32: Tennessee Warbler


Tennessee Warbler
Taken September 19 2010 Sandy Ridge Reservation OH USA


Fun fact: This warbler does not actually live in Tennessee. It was first sighted in that state, giving it its name, but it breeds in Michigan.

Friday, October 8, 2010

#31: Common Nighthawk

Common Nighthawk
Taken July 22, 2010 South Dakota USA


Fun fact: The nighthawk's mating call is a deep booming noise. Also, in some areas, this species is known as the 'bullbat' because of its flight pattern.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

#30: Sharp-Shinned Hawks


Sharp-shinned Hawks
Taken 8/1/10 Virginia USA



Fun fact: Sharp-shinned Hawks have 10 subspecies, including one in Ecudador.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

#29: Mallard

Female Mallard
Taken October 6 2010 OH USA



Fun fact: Male Mallards have been known to rape female Mallards... scary but true.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

#28: Cooper's Hawk


The Daily Feather is back...again...! (Sorry for any inconvenience; my life has been so busy that I haven't had time to prepare the photos. Thanks for your patience! )

Cooper's Hawk
Taken September 25 2010 North Ridgeville OH USA



Fun fact: Cooper's Hawks look a lot like Sharp-shinned hawks... I'll leave it at that. ;)

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Busy Busy Busy!

I've been madder than a Blue Jay who found a hawk! This week has been crazy, hence the no-daily-feathers in a while. I'm truly sorry and I will get this site up and running again this week. I'll also have a post on my other blog, WILD AT HEART, so keep an eye out! Cooper's Hawks, Herons, and Sparrows galore...

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

#27: Chipping Sparrow


Chipping Sparrow
Taken June 20, 2010 Carlisle Reservation WOA OH USA



Fun fact: These guys can live a long time-- one lived to be 11 yrs old!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

#26: Northern Shoveler


Northern Shoveler
Taken September 19, 2010, Sandy Ridge Reservation OH USA


Fun fact: The Shoveler's bill is 2.5in long, and features tiny projections that strain out the water while feeding.
All photos (C) Kristina Polk 2010; please do not redistribute

Friday, September 17, 2010

Sorry For The Inconvenience...

..but TDF will not have any new postings until Sunday. I am very sorry! Please visit my other blog, WILD AT HEART, for lots of great stories and photos!

-Kristina

Thursday, September 16, 2010

#25: Eastern Kingbird


Worn Summer Adult Eastern Kingbird
Taken June 5, 2010, The Wilds, OH USA


Fun fact: Eastern Kingbirds have a barely visible red crown patch.
All photos (C) Kristina Polk 2010; please do not redistribute

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

#24: Northern Rough-winged Swallow


Northern Rough Winged Swallow
Taken June 23, 2010 North Ridgeville OH USA



Fun fact: NRW swallows are the smallest of the North American swallows.
All photos (C) Kristina Polk 2010; please do not redistribute

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

#23: Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe and chicks
Taken June 28 2010 North Ridgeville OH USA





Fun fact: The Eastern Phoebe was the first bird to be banded in North America. It was banded by John James Audubon in 1804.
All photos (C) Kristina Polk 2010; please do not redistribute

Monday, September 13, 2010

#22: Lesser Yellowlegs



(Sorry for not posting yesterday; here is the Feather for September 13)

Lesser Yellowlegs
Taken September 2010 Sandy Ridge Reservation OH USA


Fun fact: Female YLLs leave their broods before the young can fly, leaving the male to tend to them.
All photos (C) Kristina Polk 2010; please do not redistribute

Sunday, September 12, 2010

#21: Green Heron



Green Heron
Taken September 12, 2010, Sandy Ridge Reservation OH USA




Fun fact: The Green Heron is one of the only birds to use bait (bread crumbs, twigs, etc) to attract fish.

All photos (C) Kristina Polk 2010; please do not redistribute

Saturday, September 11, 2010

#20: Common Eider


Female Common Eider
Taken August 8, 2009 (blast from the past!) Maine USA



Fun fact: Eiders swallow mussels whole; their stomachs crush the shells and excreted.

Friday, September 10, 2010

#19: Wilson's Phalarope


Female Wilson's Phalarope
Taken July 11, 2010 South Dakota USA



Fun fact: Wilson's Phalaropes swim in small circles while feeding, creating 'whirlpools'.
all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Thursday, September 9, 2010

#18: Blackpoll Warbler


Fall Blackpoll Warbler
(devouring her prey!)
Taken September 5, 2010, OH USA




Fun fact: On migration, the Blackpoll can fly 88 hours non stop! Talk about one way travel!
all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

#17: American Redstart


Immature Male American Redstart
Taken September 5, 2010 OH USA




Fun fact: Redstarts frequently fan their colourful tails when perched.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

#16: Ruby-throated Hummingbird


Immature Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Taken August 18, 2010, OH USA


(Sorry for two silhouette photos in a row; I just really liked this one.)


Fun fact: Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate over 600 miles over the Gulf of Mexico!
all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Daily Feather Has Been Secondary

...on my to-do list. I am sincerely sorry for all who have awaited the next Daily Feather installment. With school starting up and summer ending, I have been busy with other things. I know this is a cliche excuse, but please forgive me. I have certainly taken lots of photographs of great birds and am eager to share! They will soon be up, starting at one for September 1st. What better way to return than to kick off the (belated) start of the month?

Check back soon,
-Kristina

Monday, September 6, 2010

#15: Mourning Dove


Mourning Dove
Taken August 25, Bob-O-Link Golf Course, OH, USA




Fun fact: The oldest known Mourning Dove was 31 years old!
all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Sunday, September 5, 2010

#14: American Goldfinch


Female American Goldfinch (top) feeds her begging fledgling (bottom)
Taken August 25, 2010, North Ridgeville, OH, USA


Fun fact: The American Goldfinch is the only finch that molts its feathers twice a year.
Also, juveniles are an orangish colour (as seen above) and females are a darker olive-yellow. Males are bright yellow and black.
all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Saturday, September 4, 2010

#13: Spotted Sandpiper


Nonbreeding Spotted Sandpiper
Taken August 25, 2010, Bob-O-Link Golf Course, OH USA



(Isn't the name of the golf course fitting for a bird sighting? If you don't know, a Bobolink is a real bird. )



Fun fact: The female can store sperm up to one month; the brood may be cared for by one male but fathered by another.

all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Friday, September 3, 2010

#12: Chestnut-sided Warbler


Immature Chestnut-sided Warbler
Taken August 25, 2010 North Ridgeville, OH USA



Fun fact: One of the Chestnut-sided Warbler's songs is rendered into pleased-to-MEETCHA

all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Thursday, September 2, 2010

#11: Great Blue Heron


Great Blue Heron
(scaring Canada Geese)
Taken August 28, 2010, North Ridgeville OH USA


(Sorry For low quality; the computer didn't let me save the photo in .png)


Fun fact: In Florida, the white and dark morphs of the GBH overlap in breeding ranges, causing the uncommon "Wurdemann's herons" , which have a white head but a dark body!
all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

#10: Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk
Taken August 28, 2010, North Ridgeville, OH USA


Fun fact: Red-tailed hawks come in many different variations of colour, including the pale 'Krider's Morph' and the dark 'Harlan's Hawk'. Red-tails also have various subspcies, like the eastern borealis or the western furtesi.

all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

#9: Wood Duck


Eclipse male Wood Duck
Taken August 1, 2010, Huntley Meadows Park VA USA




Fun fact: Wood ducks nest in trees, and the ducklings free-fall jump out of the tree to reach the water.

Monday, August 2, 2010

#8: Grey Catbird


Grey Catbird
Taken August 1, 2010, Huntley Meadows Park VA USA


Fun fact: A Grey Catbirds' song may last up to 10 minutes!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

#7: Brown Thrasher

Brown Thrasher
Taken August 1, 2010, Huntley Meadows Park, VA USA



Fun Fact : Brown Thrashers leave the nest at only 9 - 13 days old.

Friday, July 30, 2010

#6: Killdeer


Killdeer

Taken July 28, 2010, Virginia USA


Fun fact: When their nest is threatened, Killdeer fake a broken wing, and gradually lead the predator away from the nest.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

#5: Caspian Tern


Caspian Tern
Taken July 28, 2010, Virginia USA


Fun fact: The Caspian Tern is the largest Tern, and the oldest was 26 yrs old!

#4 Great Egret


Great Egret
Taken July 26, 2010, Virginia


Fun fact: The Great Egret is the symbol for the National Audobon Society.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

#3: Ruddy Turnstones


Ruddy Turnstones
Taken August 8, 2009, in Maine USA


Fun fact: The Ruddy Turnstone winters along every coastline except Antarctica.


all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Monday, July 26, 2010

#2: Savannah Sparrow


Savannah Sparrow
taken Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, Jul 15, 2010


all photos (C) Kristina Polk; do not redistribute

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The Primary Feather


Here it is! The first Daily Feather.

American Kestrel
Taken in Yellowstone National Park, July 17 2010


Welcome to the Daily Feather!

Birds are part of everyone's lives, be it negatively, positively, or neutrally. Some of us love birds more than others, making it our life's mission to document as many species as possible. It's an addicting hobby that can be shared with family and friends, even strangers! Birding can become a family or community interest, and it can bring people closer together. "Getting back to nature" happens every day for us birders. Ask any birder what the thrill is, and there will be a wide range of answers. For most, however, it is probably the colours. The beautiful plumages of feathers, ranging from those of the plain brown House Wren to the iridescent Sparkling Violet-ear hummingbird. Feathers have been used as tools, jewelry, clothing, or spiritual talismans. They are attractive and detailed, perfect subjects for artists and photographers.

To showcase birds in all their feathered glory, I bring you The Daily Feather. It will feature one photo per day. It may be a plain bird or a vivid bird, but each is beautiful in its own way. I hope you will enjoy my photographs!

For more, edited and artistic photos, check my DeviantART Gallery.

~Kristina