Bird Weekly Round-Up – Week #21

Week #21 challenge was Birds with Black Feathers.

Disclaimer: If anyone has an issue with me using their photos in the round ups, please kindly let me know. I haven’t had anyone say anything, but I don’t want you to think I’m using your photographs for personal gain. I’m here to show what great work you are doing with your photography by showing you off in these posts.

What is the blackest black feathered bird in the World?

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It is the Birds of Paradise and according to scientists, they can trap 99.95% of incoming light. 39 species that primarily dwell in Papua New Guinea rival the blackest materials on this earth. The feathers of these birds are said to absorb almost as much light than the darkest man-made substance called Vantablack which was invented by British researchers in 2014. It absorbs 99.965% of incoming light. Vantablack was developed for military technologies and the artist, Anish Kapoor made an agreement with NanoSystem to which he is the only person allowed to use it for artistic purposes. Since that time, artist Stuart Semple created his own Superblack (Black 3.0) that is even blacker. Everyone is allowed to use it except Kapoor. Let the birds compete with that! Bob Ross would be right in there with the best of ’em!

• V.J. – One Woman’s Quest II
• Cathy – Picture This
• Terri – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
• Deborah – teleportingweena
• WoollyMuses
• Glenys – AT PATHO
• Brian – bushboys world
• Maria – KAMERAPROMENADER
• Lisa – A Day In The Life
• Xenia – Tranature
• Marilyn – Serendipity Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth
• Cee – Cee’s Photo Challenges
• Amoralegria – Wanderlust and Wonderment
• Anita – 100 Country Trek
• Aletta – nowathome
• Rita – Heart to Heart
• Beth – Wandering Dawgs
• Margaret – Crossing Cultures, Finding Freedom
• Joanne – Joanne’s crafts and adventures

I encourage you to visit their blogs and see what amazing things they have going on. If I missed your post or there was a problem with a pingback, please let me know and I will be glad to add you to the list. Remember to pingback from my post of that week and not my page. Liking my page is encouraged!

So many lovely song birds this week!

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How about all the iridescent colors in the starlings? How would you begin to paint that bird?

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Puffins are just the cutest things ever! I guess no one told Margaret’s Puffin that gluttony is one of the seven deadliest sins. Maybe this Puffin was bringing some to a family or friends?!? Maybe to Beth’s friends?

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The Ostrich is the largest extant bird species in the world. Meaning they are the largest still in existence.

Neither of these birds are related, but I love have they have a mix of black in their feathers.

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Our two resident Aussies give us the Black Swan!

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It is unknown if Cee’s Scaup is a Lesser or Greater. They are hard to identify because they look the same. The Lesser Scaup is smaller at 16.5″ (42 cm) & the Greater Scaup is 18″ (45.7 cm). This appears to be a Lesser to me because the beak is shorter. Again, they are difficult to identify.

Welcome Glenys to Bird Weekly! Her Australasian Darter is related to the Anhinga that we have here in North, Central & South America.

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Both of these birds are found on the west coast of the U.S.

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There are 3 Grackles in the United States. The Great-tailed Grackle which is more in the midwest and southwest coast. The Boat-tailed Grackle on the east coast and the Common Grackle which is found in the central to eastern parts of the United States and Canada.

The Blacksmith Plover is also known as the Blacksmith Lapwing & is found from Kenya through central Tanzania to southern and southwestern Africa.

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Both of these birds can only be found in North America.

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As a bonus: Margaret really outdid herself this week. Please go admire all the birds she posted this week and be sure to give her a pat on the back. She had so many birds that I couldn’t decide. Her Puffin photo had to make the cut as did her King Penguins here. To see both of these species in the wild would be a dream come true for me!

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Next up: Week #22: Shorebirds

VISIT MY BIRD WEEKLY PAGE FOR A FULL LIST OF UPCOMING CHALLENGES AND RULES!

I look forward to seeing your creations this week!