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...

#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!

#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

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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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.

#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

#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

#17: American Redstart

Immature Male American Redstart

Taken September 5, 2010 OH USA

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

#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

http://saphirethefortunate.deviantart.com/gallery/

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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