# Winter birds?



## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Unusual day when you see two birds seldom seen in the city. Well at least not for me.

I happen to see this little bird outside my door and when I went to get my camera, there were two. They both ran under my lawn mower. I hope they come back, but I did get this picture. I think it is a winter wren, but unsure.










I blew this one up a little. I know they are blurry, but maybe someone can still tell.









I'm pretty sure this is a cooper hawk. He was sitting in a fallen tree in my back yard. I took the picture with a telephoto lens, but there is a little shake in the picture.










What really surprised me when I blew it up, he was looking right at me. He flew as I was setting up my tripod.









What say you guys!


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

First one's kinda fuzzy but looks like a Carolina Wren. The tail on the Winter is much shorter. The second is a Cooper's Hawk.


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## pporonto (Oct 8, 2003)

M1Garand said:


> First one's kinda fuzzy but looks like a Carolina Wren. The tail on the Winter is much shorter. The second is a Cooper's Hawk.


You are correct... It is indeed a carolina wren and a great find in winter... what is neat about this species is that it moves north during mild winters and one cold winter can wipe them out of an area.... Metrobeach in Macomb county has a winter population that I have seen for quite a few years... what a neat bird to see in winter.... I love there song!!!


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

pporonto said:


> You are correct... It is indeed a carolina wren and a great find in winter... what is neat about this species is that it moves north during mild winters and one cold winter can wipe them out of an area.... Metrobeach in Macomb county has a winter population that I have seen for quite a few years... what a neat bird to see in winter.... I love there song!!!


I had one tapping on my kitchen window sill about a week ago so I got a really close look. I saw it again a few days later picking at my suet. In my 5 years or so at this house, first time I've seen one in winter. I've also had a pine warbler on the suet fairly often.


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

This is one time I should have listened to my wife. She called it lol. It was difficult to distinguish in my Sibley guide.

Found it on the Internet and confirmed it. Great for me as I haven't added a bird to my life list in a year and a half. I haven't seen the pair since, but my office manager said they have been around for a couple of weeks so perhaps I'll get another chanch.


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## Brown duck (Dec 16, 2005)

You can go by size alone distinguishing these two wrens - once you've seen enough of them, the Carolina wren looks about twice the size of the winter wren (probably my favorite bird song fyi - very powerful for a little guy!).


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

I haven't seen them for a couple of days, but I got lucky and got a few more shots.


















It is hard to get a picture because they are moving all the time. This one is pretty good.









They were both under my lawn mower but like I said they are so fast and don't stay long. In this case I got them both, but still not the picture I wanted but I am still very pleased.


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

Cool Pics Ray!


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## sean (May 7, 2002)

Cool pics! They look like their freezing their ars off though.:lol:


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

Birds feather are so good at insulating them that heat sensitive cameras, don't work very well when tring to photograph them.


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## pporonto (Oct 8, 2003)

Great job....


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## Salami (Dec 23, 2004)

splitshot please keep those on your side of the state,they smash my bluebirds eggs.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

Great pictures!



trout said:


> Birds feather are so good at insulating them that heat sensitive cameras, don't work very well when tring to photograph them.


They will also puff out to trap air or "loft" for even better insulating properties. With all the modern technology, I still favor hunting coats, sleeping bags, etc. with down. To me, there's no substitute.


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## 1wildchild (Apr 14, 2003)

Those are beautiful shots! What kind of camera are you using? I am shopping for a nice one


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Thanks,

Man I stayed home sicker than a sick dog today and only got up once in a while. I tried to take a few pictures, but I was having trouble with the focus.

Wildchild, my camrea is a Canon 20D and I was using a 400 mm lens for the little birds. It is very difficult to focus on them even with good light and especially when they are in trees. I have been seeing all these birds as they come to our feeder in Lansing, even the Cooper Hawk.

Came close to getting a good shot with this one.









A little out of focus but you can see the red on the back of this male's head.









The female has no red on her.









My best shot of the day. I took about 30 different pictures today. I am feeling a little better but the weekend is over.


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## tangleknot (Oct 8, 2001)

Great pics! It's always cool to see the "regulars" outside the window. We have a nuthatch that has been around for a couple of years. We recognize him since one of his eyes is always closed as if he injured it.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Cool pictures Ray.
Looks like your enjoying that camera


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Here are some recent visitors. 

Purple finch (note snow depth on feeder)









Female cardinal (note snow depth - one hour after previous photo lol)









Downy woodpecker, female









Song sparrow










Also visitors, but didn't get photos: 
- tufted titmouse
- chickadee
- junco
- male cardinal


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

New (to me) bird id! Carolina wren. Caught my eye at the suet feeder, with the distinctive eyebrow stripe and warm reddish brown back. I hear the chirpity-chirpity-chirpity song of this bird while I am working in the yard. Here in SE Penna. we are near the northern edge of its range. Southern lower Michigan probably has some of these birds as well. 

Here is a link to the song
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/htmwav2/h7180so.mp3










The wren doesn't stay in one place too long - as he was flying away the camera caught this photo. I thought it was cool


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

I saw a Carolina Wren for the first time this winter also on the suet.


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## Nu_2_MI (Dec 11, 2005)

I'm pretty new to birding, but I would have labeled that first bird a house finch. I'm wondering if I have been wrong on a few of the birds that have been coming by my feeders that look exactly the same. I thought the purple finch had less brown on them that far up the shoulders...but hey....I've been wrong many times before....at least that what my wife tells me:lol: Very cool pics.......would have loved to see the titmouse. Haven't seen one yet except for in the books.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Nu 2, 

You may be right. I was thinking house finch also, but out of habit I have been calling them purple finches. I will be more observant next time and make a more positive i.d.


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## Nu_2_MI (Dec 11, 2005)

No worries. I'm so new to birding....wouldn't surprie me if I was wrong....just wanted to check to see if my id'ing was right or not......awesome shots though. All I get are Houe sparrows and finches so far.....I'm so jealous of you guys with multiple species.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

You could be right, as if I remember correctly the house finch has streaking on it's breast where the purple finch doesn't. Kinda looks like that one has it but I can't tell for sure if thats part of the wing or not.


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## chinamigarden (Oct 21, 2005)

Not many birds at my feeders lately. I had a huge flock of starlings show up yesterday. Its been so long since I had a group of birds that I didn't mind that they were starlings. They destroyed the suet cake that was out. In about 20 minutes over half of a full cake was gone. I expect that it might be completely gone when I get home today.


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