Third round...birds and something different

[Maestro]

Here are yet more birds from my outings this summer plus something a bit different from me, a non-bird. :rofl:

More green jays




More great kiskadees

The bulge in the throat is a cicada it had just eaten

A cactus wren


A crested caracara (a really cool falcon that acts more like a vulture) Its colloquial name is Spanish is el quebrantahuesos or bone-breaker!







Of course if you get too close, it takes off.


And now for something different...an anole











And yes more to come...

[WinkyDink]

1. For some reason, I want to buy car insurance.........

[zanne]

3. ROFL! nt

[Maestro]

6. Hey wait a minute. This is an anole

not a gecko. ;)

[WinkyDink]

7. Hee. As some are saying about McCain: Poetic license!

I right-clicked and saved the green jays, though!

[zanne]

2. The Caracara is fascinating...

Does the lizard grow any bigger?

[SallyMander]

8. Nope, they are just little guys

You see them sold in the pet trade as "chameleons" because they can change color (green/brown), but don't be fooled. :D

:hi:

[Maestro]

19. They may get a just bit bigger than this one, but not much.

They are very small lizards. And yes the caracaras are fascinating because of that unique coloration and bright orange beak. Plus the fact that they act like a vulture when they are in fact a falcon makes them more interesting.

[YankeyMCC]

4. Beautiful nt

[Maestro]

13. Thank you nt

[bigwillq]

5. The Caracara is awesome!

What a cool looking bird. Great pics, again. :hi:

[Maestro]

15. Thanks those caracaras

are one of my favorites. My wife calls them them "old man birds" because to her the black crest on top looks like a bad toupee. ;)

[SallyMander]

9. Those green jays are just awesome

As is the caracara... and thanks for including the lizard shots! Next we have to get you shooting some salamanders! :D

[Maestro]

16. Point me the way to some and I will take their picture

I had a chance last summer for some in a cave in the Texas Hill Country but the batteries in my flash went out after taking just one pic inside the cave. :banghead:

[bertha katzenengel]

10. Dude!

thank you!!

[Maestro]

17. Dudette! Best response yet....

You just reminded me of a friend of mine that is always calling me, "dude." I am wondering if he even remembers my first name. :) Still more...stay tuned.

[XemaSab]

11. Epic

:D

[Maestro]

22. After I finish with all my summer photo threads

it will feel epic. ;)

[NJmaverick]

12. In the last picture was that the lizard's tongue or a leaf?

[Maestro]

23. It's grabbing the leg of the cricket

which it then promptly ate. :)

[NJmaverick]

39. Well then, great timing on that shot

[southpaw]

14. The bird pics are awesome, as usual... but

The Anole RAWKS!

I love those little guys! We have them and little blue-tailed skinks all over the place!
...such good photography!

[Maestro]

24. Thanks Southpaw

I'm glad you liked the anole. I was very pleased how they turned out.

[BrklynLiberal]

18. Absolutely magnificent. You must have such wonderful times going around and seeing these

wonderful creatures...and to be able to take such wonderful pics...

I could not help but think that the anole is looking at you and saying "HEY!! You lookin' at ME!!!??"

[Maestro]

26. Oh I have a blast and I try to include my family

as much as possible. My 6 and 8 year old can already identify a few birds and I am slowly but surely turning my wife into a bird nerd. :)

[brentspeak]

20. Very good! Still using the Canon Digital Rebel?

[Maestro]

27. No, I upgraded a little over a year ago

to the Canon 40D. I really like it. Much better AF and color in the pictures plus better high ISO performance although not that of the Nikon. The newer Nikons just have crazy ISO performance.

[tigereye]

21. cool - is that a small lizard or a really large cricket?

I was looking forward to more photos!

[Maestro]

28. Small lizard

The anoles are very small reptiles. :)

[tigereye]

38. say salamander- sized?

I guess I should have realized from the size of it compared to the leaf. But then you never know how large the leaves are in different parts of the planet. :rofl:

[Maestro]

40. Depends on the salamander

;) I've personally seen salamanders that are smaller than the anoles and pics of some that are bigger.

[stuntcat]

25. it's 9:39 :D

I love the caracara :loveya: and the Attitude the anole has.

[Maestro]

29. Thanks Stuntcat

The caracara has got to be one of my many favorites.

[Skittles]

30. WOW!

the detail - especially on that green dude - makes me feel like I'm right there with them!

[Maestro]

34. He/She almost flew onto my head.

I'm serious. This image is from Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Lower Rio Grande Valley and the Green Jays there are somewhat more accepting of humans. You can see a sunflower seed between its toes that it was feeding on. Thanks for the comments again Skittles

[Kat45]

31. Those green jays are cool looking, with that color.

Do they make the same obnoxious calls as blue jays do? I think blue jays are pretty but can't stand listening to them. When I was a kid, there was one who hung out in the tree in our backyard and woke us up with his melodious voice.

Cool picture of the kiskadee with a full crop. And I like the coloring of the falcon; nice looking bird.

Thanks for more bird pictures for us to enjoy.

[Maestro]

35. Thanks notmyprez

The green jays do cackle a bit, but I do not consider them as obnoxious as the blue jay or scrub jay. They do not seem to be so much of a bully either although they are quite a bit smaller than most jays so that might have something to do with it. I liked that kiskadee image too. I am glad the pic held up with such a heavy crop. The crested caracaras are just so unique. I love them.

[emilyg]

32. How beautiful - thank you.

[Maestro]

37. Thanks again emilyg

:hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

33. Waldo!

I had a little anole named Waldo when I was a kid. I caught him in my grandmother's garden in Florida. I kept him for about a year, but he really wasn't happy; so I took him back to Gramma's, and let him go. He'd hang out on her screen, and let us pet him. He seemed much happier, and plumped up while we were there.

[Maestro]

36. Nice story

My daughter wants every animal as a pet including lizards and turtles. I keep trying to explain to her that the best way to enjoy them is in the wild. I'd have a zoo at my house if I let her keep everything she caught or wanted to catch. ;)

[pitohui]

41. holy moly and great kiskadee!

almost sounds like cuss words, don't it?

seriously, tho, great photos!

[Maestro]

42. Hahaha. I probably said quite a few real cuss words

trying to get some of these pictures. Thanks.