Welcome to Week #16 of the Bird Weekly Photo Challenge. Week #16 challenge is Short Legged Birds
Upcoming challenges can be found on my Bird Weekly Challenge Page.
The feature image is a photo of a male Common Yellowthroat.
Okay, so I came up with this theme because it is near and dear to me. You see, I know all about having short legs. All 5’1″ of me owns 3 ladders that stay in the house at all times. 1 step, 2 step and 3 step folding ladders to help me get things out of my kitchen cabinets. I have 42″ cabinets plus an extra foot of cabinets above them that go to the ceiling. If anything is past the 2nd shelve, one of the ladders come out. I understand how these short legged birds feel, except I can’t fly to get into a higher position.
American Redstart
The American Redstart is a medium sized warbler with a very expressive tail. This male above is mostly black with bright orange patches. The female has yellow patches on the sides, wings and tail. She has a gray head and olive colored back. They are both impressive showing their tail feathers which is used to lure their insect prey as they will then dart to capture in the air like flycatchers. They are a pretty spastic bird and hard to capture. I got 10 frames of shots of this male and this is the only one that turned out. He was in a different position in every shot.
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal is one of the most attractive birds for new birders. The male is red all over. This particular male was still turning, but he was quite impressive and had a mate. Young stud!!! Both the male and female have strong vocal chords and will change their tune depending on what they are communicating. The mated pair share song phrases, but the female may sing a longer and more complex song than the male. You GO GIRL! The cardinal had been on the decline, but in recent years, they have started to make a comeback, partly due to people putting out bird feeders. Last year, we had 4 pairs. This year we had 3 pairs. I had a juvenile in the backyard a couple of days ago with the momma bird. Seems there were more Swallow-tailed & Mississippi Kites this summer so I suspect not many babies made it.
Ovenbird
This small warbler is very elusive. It is hard to photograph the Ovenbird because as soon as you think you have a shot, he darts in the other direction along the wooded ground into cover. The olive-brown back and spotted chest provides a perfect camouflage while it extracts invertebrae from the litter of leaves. Their nest is a leaf-covered dome that resembles a vintage outdoor oven, which gives the Ovenbird its name.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
The Black-throated Blue Warbler is a whopping 4.3-5.1 inch bird. The male pictured above has a black face and black eye with a midnight blue back. I find this bird one of the most challenging to photograph as there isn’t a lot of contrast between the face and eye. This guy was having his fill of the berries on this bush. The female is gray and brown, but both birds have their signature square white patch on their wings.
Common Yellowthroat
Move over Lone Ranger, there’s a new marshall in town! The male Common Yellowthroat is distinguished with his black mask across his face. Females do not have the mask, but they do have a beautiful warm yellow throat. This small bird is one of the New World species that was catalogued by Linnaeus in 1766 after being captured in Maryland. They are hunted by Merlins and Loggerhead Shrikes.
Sanderling & Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderlings are the cutest shorebirds. Their little legs blur as they run back and forth along the shoreline. This spastic little bird probes for tiny prey in the wet sand left by receding waves. They are medium-sized “peep” sandpipers and can be recognized by their pale non-breeding plumage, black legs & bill, not to mention their obsessive wave chasing habits.
The Ruddy Turnstone along the coastlines of the United States & Mexico are nonbreeding. Some birds will travel more than 6,500 miles between breeding and nonbreeding grounds. They use fat to fuel up like most birds to carry themselves through migration so they can make it to the breeding grounds. It is vital for them to eat a lot to make the journey. They have a low center of gravity thanks to their short legs that keep them anchored.
These two birds were hanging out together and sharing a meal at Fort Desoto Park near St. Petersburg, Florida. This was our last trip down that way in January before COVID.
2016 Piper Disney Pixar Oscar Winning Short Movie
As a bonus, I thought I would share one of my favorite animated short films from Disney Pixar. I loved it so much, it lived on our DVR for months. It just makes me HAPPY!!!
Until next week…Week #17 – Macro Bird Shots
Our Eyes Open 
Comments
96 responses to “Bird Weekly – Photo Challenge – Short Legged Birds”
My short legged birds are here
https://woollymuses.wordpress.com/2020/09/26/birdweeklypc-short-legged-birds/
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There is something wrong with your link. I get a “Oops, Page Can’t be found”. 🙂 Let me know when it is fixed and I will take a look. 🙂
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Loved your yellowthroat photo! I like their song and their looks. Here’s my contribution this week – a very big bird with short legs. https://bendbranches.com/2020/09/25/encounter-with-an-eurasian-eagle-owl/
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[…] Short Legged Birds […]
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Your photos are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing them and this wonderful challenge!
https://dailymusing57.com/2020/09/25/bird-weekly-challenge-short-legged-birds/
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Thank you so much for the kind words. This is a passion project for me and I love seeing everyone else’s birds. Birders or bird watchers or bird people….whatever name you want to call us…we tend to have this love of nature & birds. Seem the birds bring us all together which I absolutely love! 🙂
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You are absolutely right- nature and our love birds bring us together. And how the birds enrich our lives! ❤
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Yes they do! When I became an “empty nester”…yes pun intended…I found photographing birds was a wonderful outlet. I didn’t become a birder until about 8 years ago. I wished I had done it sooner and began educating myself about the little wonders.
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Sanderlings and Turnstones I recognise. All the others are so “exotic” and never visit UK. Terrific pictures. It’s really good to see birdlife in other countries through the eyes of a fellow birdwatcher.
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Thank you Helen. I would have never thought our common songbirds as exotic but that is nice to hear. LOL! I love doing this challenge for that exact reason that it brings us all together no matter the miles or kilometers. Did I say that right? LOL! 🙂
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😊
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[…] entry for Birds Weekly hosted by Our Eyes Open. This weeks theme […]
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[…] Bird Weekly – Photo Challenge – Short Legged Birds […]
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Your Blue Warbler is really pretty!
Here are some birds I’ve seen:
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I just took that on Tuesday and we saw 10 males that day and 3 females. A record for us! They are migratory so they won’t stay too long. 🙂
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[…] BirdWeekly:… Short-Legged-Birds […]
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I’m just trying to imagine how it would be if you had wings and flew around your kitchen. 🙂
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LOL! Well, our lovebird did when he was alive. Even though we clipped his wings, sometimes they would grow out before the next clipping and he would fly from the living room into the kitchen. If it was when his wings were clipped, he was waddle into the kitchen. He loved my hubby and when Frank was cooking, Tweety just wanted to be in there with him. 🙂
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Awww. How sweet it is to be loved by a lovebird. 😊🎵
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Great shots of all your birds, Lisa! 5’1″? We would like a car and truck going down the street as I am 5’8″. I can reach into those upper cabinets without that ladder! LOL! I am hoping to tie in some birdy pics starting this week with my Sunday Stills post (focusing on water droplets)–let’s see if I can find a short legged bird taking a bath… if not, then next week! Like you, I post my themes ahead of time for the planners!
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Hi Terri! One of my BFF’s is 6’0″. She was a model in her younger days. Once year we dressed up as Sonny & Cher. It was perfect! Yes, you could reach into my cabinets. I’ve been like this all my life and don’t give it much thought anymore. I need to go to your Sunday Stills page so I can get the themes ahead of time. I do better when I plan these things weeks ahead. I was thinking you set the theme on Sunday. Hard for me to do. I hope you can start joining us for Bird Weekly! 🙂
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My post goes up tomorrow 7am PST and the October themes are on my Sunday Stills page. I’ve got a bird for you 🙂 This Sunday’s Sunday Stills theme is Water Droplets!
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I just looked at your page and I have added the themes to my calendar. Yay!!! Backyard Birds for the end of Oct. 🙂 The feeders will be full by then so I should have some new content. Thanks for thinking of me!
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Yep, stole it right off your page, lol! I think it has been too hot for our bird population here, they’ve been laying low! Your challenge has got me motivated to do more bird watching!
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I’m sorry you are dealing with all that smoke and heat that those fires are dishing out. The migratory bird population in some western states are dying by the thousands right now and biologist don’t know if the fires are something else is the cause. It’s sad for everyone, humans and birds! I’m glad the bird challenge entices you to do more bird watching. If you are not careful, you might turn into a birder! LOL! 🙂
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I still would love to visit one of the bird/wildlife sanctuaries this Fall where the Canadian snow geese winter. Such an amazing sight when thousands flock there. This time I’ll have the Lumix!
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the cardinal – my favorite bird!
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Yay! I love the cardinal too. The quilt on my bid is a male & female cardinal. Shams too! I have lots of cardinal ornaments that go on my red Christmas tree. It’s actually green, but the decor is red. My other tree is the blue tree. Again green, with blue decor. It is my bird tree with lots of birds on it. I’ll blog about them in a couple of months when I get them up. The little things we have to look forward to in the strangest year of our lives! 🙂
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it seems like you enjoy decorating at Halloween and Christmas time!
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Oh yes I do! Getting the Halloween decor out of the attic today. Decided to decorate a little inside the house. 🙂
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I wonder how much decorating and trick or treating there will be this year…
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I wonder that too. We are not doing it & I’m saddened by it. I buy lots of good candy. We are the house the kids want to come to. Not this year though! I’m hearing rumors that there are so many people that are doing it here. Florida is so screwed up right now because of the political crap!
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strange times indeed… we may just give to the kids that are right next door and across the street from us…
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Yeah, I’m thinking about making something to send to my grandkids. It’s a sad year! First time of not dressing up in many years. Maybe, I’ll still do something, but what’s the point?!?
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you can make up for it next year! 🙂
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Yeah I know. We finally get Halloween on a Saturday night and Covid is the monster.
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good way to put it…
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[…] Bird weekly […]
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[…] challenge this week is Short-legged Birds. I’ve noticed that the bigger short-legged birds all seem to waddle – look at any duck! […]
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What an unusual topic for this week! I especially like your Common Yellowthroat – anything but common in its beautiful plumage. Here are my short-legged birds – I’ve stayed within my home country of the UK this time. See https://margaretinuganda.com/2020/09/26/short-legged-birds-lisas-bird-challenge-of-the-week/.
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Thank you, I think! It came to me one day when I was editing one of my pics of a Ruddy Turnstone. At that moment, I thought, “what short legs you really have”. I could relate! 🙂 Your post was fabulous! And I’m catching up on my blog today! 🙂
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[…] Naturally, there are many more species, but I’ll save those for another day. (Submitted for Bird Weekly challenge: short legged birds.) […]
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[…] part in other photo challenges and I love it when the planets align. I have been wanting to join Lisa’s Bird Weekly Challenge since I recently discovered it. Back in August, my lens captured this cute duck family (common […]
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[…] Posted for BIRD WEEKLY – PHOTO CHALLENGE – SHORT LEGGED BIRDS […]
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You have a great variety here! The Cardinal is my all time favourite… Here’s mine – https://myheart2heart.blog/2020/09/28/birds-in-my-backyard-2/
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The cardinal is a great bird. I’m glad we have them! They adorn my bed. My guilt has male/female cardinals all over it. I used to only put it out during Christmas, but I love it so much, it nows is on my bed throughout the year. 🙂
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I guess you meant to say quilt! Enjoy your guilt of loving the cardinal more 🙃😃
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Yes. 😂😂😂 I will sleep guiltily under my quilt tonight. 😊
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What a wonderful variety of birds you have in this category, Lisa! The Northern Cardinal has long been on my Lifelist. I hope to see one someday.
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I guess you will just have come visit me when this crap is over. All you have to do is look out the window and there they are. 🙂
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You’re on! I don’t think you’re too far from my Mom’s. I want to go see her too when this is over.
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Isn’t she in Clearwater?
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Oldsmar.
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Close enough! That is about 4 hours or so away depending on traffic. Not too bad! Okay, so when covid goes away, you can come see me & then your mom or vice versa! Plan at least a couple of days here so we can go birding! 🙂
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January or February for the best birding month?
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March/April best spring migration!
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OH! I’m in! Hopefully, we can do that next year! I really do want to see my mom, and I’ve wanted to do some serious birding there for years!
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You might need more than a couple of days. End of March beginning of April, we are birding almost every day. At least we did this year after I lost my job. It was incredible! There are about 5 hot spots we would need to hit to scratch the surface. That’s 5 different days! Well, you work out how long you can visit and we will work around it. You can stay here as I have room! 🙂
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I’m talking to my mom via text about the possibility right now! Waiting for her reply…She said, “sounds wonderful!” 5 with her and 5 with you birding sounds wonderful to me too! Remind me what town are you in? She’s asking too.
You have me email right?
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Jacksonville
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😀
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Lisa when you’re ready to see it. I posted the game page. 😊😉
https://jengoldie493473930.wordpress.com/2020/09/29/its-a-big-day-today-the-first-game-of-a-3-game-series-yes-its-baseball/#comment-11903
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I looked for your page before I saw this. 😂🤣😂 I’ll hunt you down! LOL!
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😂 Big game hunter!!!!! 😁ooooooooo
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LMAO!!! 🤣😂🤣
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Well you said it!!! 😂🤣😂🤩
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Yes I did! Open mouth…insert foot! Good game so far! 😊
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It seems to be a pitcher’s game so…….oops
triple!! UGH!!!!!!
We changed pitchers……..hmmmmm
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Well, it’s bottom of 7 and you got runners on 1st & 2nd. 1 out.
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It ain’t over til it’s over 😜
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That’s right! 😉
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OUCH!!!! What a homer!!!! Wow!
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Yeah that wasn’t where he wanted that pitch.
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I guess not!!!!
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2 outs.
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Who’s counting? 😀
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OKAY! Time to let the big guns out!!!!!!!
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Yep. Got 1/2 an inning! Getting ready to eat some popcorn and an apple for a snack. Get something on my stomach. We have the presidential debate after game. Stressful!
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HORRORS! I couldn’t watch a presidential debate
oopsy 1 out double!!! 😁
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Congrats! Lisa! Enjoy your debate! lol
Tomorrow. 😊
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Thanks! Enjoy and debate don’t even belong in the same sentence. 😂 not sure how much of it I can watch. I can’t stand listening to Trump. Guess I could mute him when he speaks.
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I’d mute him!!!!! How can you have a debate with an A…. They’ll have to stuff something in his mouth .sorry YUK!
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I saw about one to two minutes of the debate. GOOD GOD won’t that man SHUT UP and let someone else get their point across!!!!
He’s such a self righteous son-of-a-bitch!!
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I’m so damn stressed out right now. He is a f*%#ing idiot!!! Yes, I’m still watching! 😡🤯
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https://jengoldie493473930.wordpress.com/2020/09/30/its-a-big-day-today-the-second-game-of-a-3-game-series-yes-its-baseball/
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[…] This post inspired by Lisa’s Weekly Bird Challenge #16: Short-Legged Birds. […]
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My post for this week
:https://www.helenbushe.com/weekly-bird-challenge-short-legged-birds/
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[…] The Bird Weekly – Photo Challenge: Short Legged Birds […]
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So loved all of your short legged friends Lisa 🙂 Never understood why there are cabinets that high in kitchens. I only have one above the fridge which houses my cookbooks.
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Storage! When we remodeled, I had a choice. I’d never have enough cabinets if I didn’t have them over my head. 😉
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You have too much stuff.
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Of course I do! 😂
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[…] The topic for this weeks bird weekly photo challenge is short legged birds. […]
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[…] couple of weeks ago I gave you a male American Redstart for Short-legged Bird Weekly and this week I am featuring a female American Redstart. Young male American Redstarts have gray […]
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[…] Bird Weekly Photo Challenge – Short legged birds […]
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