Whatbird.com

Yep.  I started at the village and walked west to Hermit's Rest.  Got back just in time to get some nice sunset shots.

Curleybird... this is not cheating to take a photo at the zoo.  A photo is a photo and gives you a record of the bird.  There is a question about whether you can add this zoo picture to your list.  There was much, mucho, discussion on this subject on the "Macaw" thread.

 

Fraser

Ok. They are ugly

 

 

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KATY, TEXAS

Tuggy:

Ok. They are ugly

Don't listen to them, guys.  They just don't understand you.  They don't care that you have feelings too!  

Let's see one of those froofy songbirds try to eat some carrion, and then laugh while they spend all afternoon trying to preen the the gristle out of their precious little crests!

I tried (okay, not very hard) to make mine pretty!   Yup  - there's no two ways about it - they are just plain ugly!

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New for 2010: horned lark, prairie falcon, red-necked grebe, bewick's wren, snow bunting

What a difference a year makes.... my first year as a birder.  When you referenced the Grand Canyon I was a bit astonished.  I have been on 11 hikes to the Colorado River from the rim on different trails.  I logged over 200 miles on those hikes and never saw a condor, but also wasn't looking for one.  When hiking you have to watch where you are walking or you are over the edge.  I have put in over 500 miles of hiking in Arizona, all before becoming a birder, can you imagine all the birding opportunities I missed?  That condor makes me want to go back soon.

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Latest Birds: Sage Thrasher, Ferruginous Hawk, Common Goldeneye

Matt:

What a difference a year makes.... my first year as a birder.  When you referenced the Grand Canyon I was a bit astonished.  I have been on 11 hikes to the Colorado River from the rim on different trails.  I logged over 200 miles on those hikes and never saw a condor, but also wasn't looking for one.  When hiking you have to watch where you are walking or you are over the edge.  I have put in over 500 miles of hiking in Arizona, all before becoming a birder, can you imagine all the birding opportunities I missed?  That condor makes me want to go back soon.

Maybe I got lucky, or maybe you're right and I had the luxury of watching the sky while you didn't.  I don't know.  I wasn't a birder then, either.  Thinking back, I think that was the only Condor I saw all day, aside from the one the ranger was tracking in the distance.

I'll start a condor thread soon - we were in southern Utah a couple of weeks ago and stopped by the release / nesting site.  They monitor about 75 of them with tracking devices.  We saw several flying around at a distance.  My sister in SLC was telling me yesterday that they had pictures in the paper of them at Zion National Park.  The article was saying the some little kid was afraid because they were so big and so close.  I'll post pictures  - bad ones - later.

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New for 2010: horned lark, prairie falcon, red-necked grebe, bewick's wren, snow bunting

lyceel:

Yep.  I started at the village and walked west to Hermit's Rest.  Got back just in time to get some nice sunset shots.

Beautiful sunset shot, lyceel!! It's a shame Vultures aren't that pretty!!

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We did not inherit Mother Earth from our ancestors...... we have borrowed Her from our descendants.
Chief Seattle (paraphrased)

 

This one kept peeing/pooping on it's legs as I photographed it.

It was in a ditch eating a roadkill skunk.

I would hate to smell it's breath.

 

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Last two photo-lifers: Tundra Swan and Varied Thrush.

We see a lot of them down here in eastern NC. Of course we call 'em turkey buzzards. Amazing watching them glide so effortlessly.

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Luke 12:6
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.

LOVE that exotic BLUE vulture....but you're right....still ugly....

 I think the only way to make them attractive is to be far away and catch them in flight.... (taken last year with my little Canon A710 P&S)...

 

You all are right. This picture I snapped the other day says it all. Vultures are DISGUSTING.

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Lifer Count: 113
Favorite Lifers: Resplendent Quetzal, Keel Billed Toucan, Blue Crowned Motmot, Crimson Fronted Parakeet, Osprey
Recent Lifers: Cooper's Hawk, Brown Headed Cowbird, Killdeer

Vin - what the heck happened to you!!  Your feet are so big!

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New for 2010: horned lark, prairie falcon, red-necked grebe, bewick's wren, snow bunting

Runners-up?/!!