About Me

My photo
Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday - Shiny Brites




Nothing very exciting in bird sightings around here lately except for these guys.  I think they're Brewer's Blackbirds according to the description: "liquid combo of black, midnight blue head, turning metallic green along back.  Staring yellow eye.  Females staid brown w/o yellow eye."  First noticed shiny black flashes in the trees in local park a few weeks ago.  Then they started visiting my neighbor's feeder in flocks--mostly ground foraging.  According to the map, they're in this area right now on their migration path.  Migration should not be a challenge for them because they're fast--as you can tell by these blurred photos!

Yesterday I found this feather in the yard and am wondering if it belonged to a Brewer?  In a perch their tail widens and the feather tips are rounded:


A few more shots:

Clockwise-rare shot on feeder--clumsy, prefers ground feeding; sleek profile of male; three females and a male

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday .

15 comments:

mick said...

Beautiful birds and very interesting that they are coming through your area on their migration.

Jo's World said...

Exotically beautiful, I would say!

Don't think I have ever seen one.

Jo, Stella and Zkhat

eileeninmd said...

Love their shiny heads, great sighting. Thanks for sharing, have a happy day!

Hootin Anni said...

Nothing exciting? You say nothing? I think your images are awesome!!!

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Jan n Jer said...

They are so shiny,the heads look blue. I think I have seen them in my neck of the woods!

TexWisGirl said...

either brewer's or common grackle. love their sheen.

Arija said...

Great shots of the iridescent birds.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Wonderful photos of the blackbirds - I love it when there are flocks of birds passing through.

Unknown said...

Beautiful birds!

Carletta said...

I need to go check my bird book. When I opened your page I thought grackle. The shiny prounced hood leads me in that direction. Gotta google Brewers. :)
Your visitors are lovely!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I thought grackle too- great shots- they do have shiny heads!

Unknown said...

How beautiful - especially their shining heads

prairiebirder said...

I think it's a Common Grackle too, great photos!

Stewart M said...

You will be pleased to know that I have no opinion on the birds ID (thats not a dig at other people!) - I just know its cracking looking!

Cheers - and thanks for linking to WBW - Stewart M - Melbourne

Neil said...

Beautiful looking bird.