Eric Lathrop @eric@mastodon.ericlathrop.com

Carolina Chickadee, Louisville, Kentucky, 10/11/2020.

Munching on some seeds.

#birding #bird #nature #photo

White-throated Sparrow, Louisville, Kentucky, 10/11/2020.

Visits my area only in the winter. The White-throated Sparrow species has 4 sexes, male/female with white strips on the head, and male/female with tan stripes on the head. This individual appears to be of the tan-striped variety. They can only mate with the opposite colored stripes.

Interesting article about it here: https://www.nature.com/news/the-sparrow-with-four-sexes-1.21018

#birding #bird #nature #photo

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker, Louisville, Kentucky, 10/11/2020.

You can't see the red belly in this photo because it's behind the tree branch. You can tell it's a female bird because the red stripe on the head a broken by a white patch. On males, the red stripe runs unbroken from the base of the beak to the back of the head.

#birding #bird #nature #photo

Female Eastern Bluebird, Louisville, Kentucky 10/11/2020.

You can tell its a female because its plumage coloring is less colorful and more dull.

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Swainson's Thrush, Louisville, Kentucky 10/11/2020.

In the photo it has a white berry in it's beak. I think they're only in my area during the winter.

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Male Eastern Bluebird, Louisville, Kentucky 10/11/2020.

They like to hang out on the soccer nets and look for bugs in the grass below.

#birding #bird #nature #photo

Male American Goldfinch , Louisville, Kentucky, 10/11/2020.

Transitioning from its bright summer plumage to duller winter plumage.

#birding #bird #nature #photo

Swainson's Thrush, Louisville, Kentucky 10/11/2020

#birding #bird #nature #photo

I went #birding at a local nature preserve this morning. It was cold, rainy and miserable, but totally worth it because I saw my first Northern Harrier! It's a hawk that glides low and slow over fields looking for prey. I actually saw it swoop down, and catch something, land on a nearby fence post and eat it. Unfortunately I left my camera in the car because of the rain.

Just captured a pretty good video of a Red-shouldered Hawk eating a bird in my backyard. #birding

Palm Warbler back in October.

#bird #birding #nature #photo

Swainson's Thrush on a wet bike path.

#birding #bird #nature #photo

I've heard a saying amongst birders that "It's easier to turn a birder into a friend, than to turn a friend into a birder." #birding

This was hanging on a tree near the path during my #birding walk today.

Some mushrooms from my #birding walk this morning. #sporespondence

Just saw 22 Black Vultures eating on a deer carcass on the bank of the river. #birding

American Robin foraging in the grass. Its head feathers look a little odd, maybe it's molting?

#bird #birding #nature #photo

Yellow-rumped Warbler. Not the best framing, but good zoom, and kinda focused. First photo, is underneath as it's taking off. Second photo, you can see the yellow rump.

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Cedar Waxwing. I like how you can see the light shining through the feathers as it flies. Also, notice the yellow tip of the tail feathers.

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Great Blue Heron with wings spread. October 4th, 2020 at Lake Nevin in Bernheim Research Forest and Arboretum just south of Louisville, Kentucky.

#bird #birding #nature #photo