It appears to be a cardinal with a bald head! Yikes!!! I was afraid he might have some weird bird disease, but a quick search turned up this bit of information:'For most birds, molting is a process where a few feathers are lost and replaced at a time—the bird looks a little scruffy, but it always has a covering of feathers. In some species, however, particularly Blue Jays, cardinals, and possibly grackles, a few individuals seem to lose all the feathers on their heads at once, resulting in a very odd looking bird.
When birds become bald this way, it’s temporary: new feathers soon grow and the bird looks normal once more. Some bird experts believe this is a rare (and insignificant), molting pattern seen in particular individuals year after year. Others wonder if the phenomenon is caused by a health problem.'
This bird has made me realize that if vultures had feathers on their head, they would probably be considered beautiful birds. He acted normal enough, I hope he gets his feathers back soon. He needs a name. Any suggestions? I'm thinking 'Igor' or 'Rogaine...'
My obsession with photographing hummingbirds is still going strong, and I was rewarded big time today - I finally got some pictures of male hummingbirds! And not just any photos, but some fantastic ones! :-D This one was taken through the kitchen window. You can clearly see his ruby throat. I quickly set up outside for the rest of the sequence. It was an action packed hour with many different birds. Migration?
The color of the throat patch seems to vary depending on the way the light hits it. In these photos it is gold, orange and even black!
Grabbing the perch.
Nice still shot w/gold.
Love this picture!
This guy was very acrobatic!
Flying treasure!
It looks like he's falling but he's really flying upside down for a moment.
Cool photo, reminds me of an airplane coming in for a landing.
I spotted this girl in the tree. Good practice for my powers of observation!
Nice shot of a female, and her little feet.
Hello there!
Pretty girl!
