Evening Grosbeak -life list bird

Evening Grosbeaks are not seen in this part of Virginia generally but due to the bird “irruption” of 2020/21 thousands have come further south in search of food.  My friend Michele went with me to Pony Pasture to search them out and wouldn’t you know after almost 3 hours or so of hiking throughout the park searching, as we were headed down the path to our cars we found them.  I thought I only had a picture of the female but then when I looked closer on the computer I found I had both male and females.  They are really pretty in person and its to bad they don’t spend their winters here more often.

Pony Pasture Park, Richmond VA USA

Olympus OMD-EM1X with 100-400mm + MC-14

Milly the Mockingbird

This particular Mockingbird hangs out on the 2nd overlook dock at Dutch Gap.  I see him every time I go, fluttering around, not afraid of people at all.  I can only assume he was born and has grown up there as he has zero fear of people, noises and fast movements all around him.  

On this particular day he jumped from branch to branch just asking that I take his photo so when he started posing I had to do it.  Those brown eyes just pull me in.  Such a handsome one he is.

Olympus OMD-EM1X,  Olympus 100-400 lens + MC-14

Yellow-bellied SapSucker

This Yellow-bellied Sapsucker proceeded to leave its signature line of small drilled holes in one of our backyard trees.  The Sapsucker drills these holes to capture the sap and hopefully insects.  

As the red feathers do not appear to continue down it's throat this is most likely a male.  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker are the only woodpecker in eastern North America that are completely migratory.  They live mostly in Canada and northern part of the east coast and travel south each winter looking for moving sap in trees and warmer weather.

King William County, Virginia
Olympus OMD-EM1X with 300mm + MC-14

Top Model - Junco Style

This little Junco looked like he was putting on a modeling session with all his/her poses.  Even had the head til down to perfection LOL.  Another from the backyard, took this from the laundry room door, yes I got distracted again LOL.

Anyone know how to tell the Male from female?  They all look the same to me.

Olympus OMD-EM1X with 300mm f4.0 +MC-20

Bown Thrasher

The Brown Thrasher is known as a “spirit” bird.  According to Wikipedia many believe  that the Brown Thrasher is a symbolic representation of stability, balance, and harmony.   I hope so because I saw several this particular day and with the craziness that was 2021 and how 2021 has started stability, balance and harmony is exactly what this world needs right now.

Dutch Gap Conservation Area, Chester VA
Olympus OMD-EM1X with 300mm + MC-14

Pileated Woodpeckers in Holly

These Pileated Woodpeckers climbed through the high holly bushes we have mixed in with hardwoods near our yard/woods line to do their bark digging looking for insects during a warm January day last week.  While the first two pictures are of the same Pileated, the last is the 2nd of the three I sat at watched.  I was not able to get a shot of the third as she stayed on the other sides of the tree for during the visit. 

King William, Virginia
Olympus OMD-EM1X,  Olympus 300mm lens + MC-20