The bar was a friendly place to hang out

(82 views)
by Denver Welte

The bar was a friendly place to hang out , (2008) Unisea Sports Bar, Dutch Harbor, Alaska , © 2008 Denver Welte

Zebra (Equus burchelli boehmi)

(67 views)
by Terry Costales

A beautiful Zebra with gorgeous long lashes. I would love to see Zebras in California fields alongside the horses, sheep and cows. We have Ostriches and Llamas, why not Zebras?

Great Egret

(65 views)
by Terry Costales

The Great Egret has just caught a small fish.

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

(64 views)
by Terry Costales

This snowy owl at the Dublin Zoo was very quiet but, if it had spoken, it would have had an unusual voice.

Male Lion Sleeping

(64 views)
by Terry Costales

Here is a photo of a lion doing what a lion does best.

White Pelicans

(63 views)
by Terry Costales

Taking photos from a boat was a new experience. I was able to get much closer to this flock of Pelicans before they took flight. These appear to be Australian Pelicans because of the pink bills. Or do American White Pelicans have pink bills in the winter? Further research needed.

Great Egret (Ardea Alba)

(63 views)
by Terry Costales

These large egrets are graceful and breathtaking in flight. I watched this bird flying back and forth several times bringing nesting material back to it's mate. There was only one pair that I saw amongst dozens of the smaller Snowy Egrets.

Great Egret flying

(63 views)
by Terry Costales

To get a shot of a graceful bird flying is always a coup.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron

(63 views)
by Terry Costales

Taken late March, this bird is probably a year or two old and has the yellow legs you see on both juveniles and non breeding adults. They get their full adult plumage in the third year. If you look at this shot and the thumbnail below it, you can see they are roughly the same size and shape. Nice of them to pose for their comparison shots.

Great Egret

(63 views)
by Terry Costales

I got this shot just as the egret was landing. Look closely and you can see the feet haven't quite come to rest on the pipe.

Avocet non-breeding plumage

(63 views)
by Terry Costales

This photo was taken late March of this year and many birds were still in just black and white. For courting and breeding the necks and chest acquire a rusty or tan color. They really seem to enjoy their mud-flats.

Great Egret

(62 views)
by Terry Costales

I think I am addicted to taking shots of flying egrets.

Great Egret and Pheasant

(62 views)
by Terry Costales

I didn't see a pheasant when I looked at this tree, only the Egret. As the boat drew nearer to the tree the pheasant burst out, startling the egret and me. I tried to get a shot of them as they flew past, but I was much too slow. It wasn't until I looked at the photos at home that I had the pleasure to see I had gotten a shot of the pheasant after all.

Great Egret

(62 views)
by Terry Costales

I was fascinated to watch this egret hunt . He moved very patiently and slowly, then his head would dart into the shallow water and he would come up with a little fish. It must take a lot of little fish to fill such a large bird.

Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

(62 views)
by Terry Costales

Of course England has it's fair share of "flying rats". For some reason this one in Hyde Park seemed more like an actual bird to me than just feathered vermin. I'm sure if I was there long enough they would become just as annoying as pigeons are here at home.

Great Egret (ardea alba)

(62 views)
by Terry Costales

This shows all the markings you would look for in identifying this bird in the breeding season. The lacy plumes on the back and the green/blue "mask" that extends from the base of the bill to the eye are only present during this time. The Audubon Society came into existence to stop the extermination of great Egrets by plume hunters and has this bird as it's logo. Great Egrets are found world-wide, even in Australia .

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

The female Killdeer in this picture is adopting a wounded bird pose and making a distress call. She is trying to lure me away from her nest by convincing me she is easy prey. Luckily for her I only wanted her photo.

Black-crowned Night Heron

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

The bird on the left is a young adult who won't achieve the look of the mature bird on its right for another year.

English Sparrow

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

I don't usually photograph English Sparrows because it is common knowledge what this introduced species looks like. I like this shot not so much for the subject, but for the shot itself. The narrow area of focus lends the bird a softer and more delicate appearance.

Barn Swallow

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

This picture was taken moments after the one I posted yesterday. It's a small bird, about 7 inches long, and was singing its little heart out. I only saw a couple of barn swallows that day, but there were almost a hundred cliff swallows nesting under the eaves of the Interpretive Center. The name barn swallow derives from the fact that their nests are usually found inside barns. The nest is an open cup made of mud mixed with grass.

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

I had never seen this kind of crow before. As soon as he noticed me he walked over the peak of the roof and out of sight.

Polar Bear (Urus maritimus)

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

What a face. And under all that gorgeous white fur is black skin. All the better to absorb heat and keep the bear warm.

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

This picture was taken late May of this year. This is a very active bird so I was surprised and delighted to see it perch long enough for me to photograph it. The Barn Swallow is the only American swallow that has that deeply forked "swallow-tail".

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

The Grey Heron is very similar to the larger Great Blue Heron we have in California. This one seems to be in full breeding plumage. It was the only heron I saw in Hyde Park and was standing on one leg near several mute swans. He didn't seem in the least bothered by all the people that were around. He actually has a very long neck but they sit with it pulled in and folded against the chest. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has a nice page on these herons where you can see the lo . . .

Harbor Seal

(61 views)
by Terry Costales

This photo of a Harbor Seal was taken very near the Lucy Evans Interpretive Center at the bird sanctuary. I was very surprised to see it but the ranger verified that they have been known to occasionally appear.