Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Wednesday Wings

Time to share some recent winged wonders! Hummingbirds are gone for now, and I miss them. I still have photos of them to process, so you may see some photos soon. We have so many other birds to watch here, and it's been wonderful. Lots of photographic challenges, too:-)

Red-tailed Hawk
A Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) who was actually out in the middle of the road eating roadkill rabbit. There were a pair, and I think they were taking turns flying in and eating. I think they were eating it there because they didn't kill it, so perhaps didn't know how to carry it off the road (just a guess). Made for a cool sighting, though. Can't believe the way s/he was able to perch here!

Pine Siskin
This is a little Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus). We've put up thistle feeders for the first time ever, and have attracted lots of these little cuties. They're just about as fierce as the hummingbirds, though, always squabbling and fast movers. However, they really don't like leaving the thistle, so I can get pretty close with my camera.

White-crowned Sparrow
A female White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) atop sagebrush.

From this summer, a Northern White Skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum).

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Not a great shot, but this was taken through a window on a dark, rainy/snowy day. Believe s/he is a Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) who landed in the tree for a breather.

West Coast Lady Butterfly
Finally, this is the last butterfly that I photographed this year, a West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella). I was so surprised to spot her, because I hadn't known these beauties were in Utah, too. Maybe she followed us from Cali;-)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Superb series Erica
Love the Hawk pics
Congrats

Marchi Wierson said...

These photos are so good erica. I am always amazed when birds sit atop fir trees at the very tip where I would think it impossible to balance without bending the branch. Beautiful red tail hawk.

Erica Lea said...

Thank you, both! Marchi, when I realized how precarious the perch was, I really couldn't believe it.

barleecreations said...

Oh my goodness that photo of the Northern White Skipper is incredible!