Haven't posted here for some time. Made some time and took advantage of the fine weather today and went for a walk with the K5, monopod and my old M 400/5.6.

It's sort of my walk around lens.

A Common Flicker (I think)

I've not seen many Flickers around of late but this one was kind enough to pose for a moment.





and my old friend a North American Goldfinch



They do love those thistles.

Tom G

[charliezap]

Very sharp vibrant shots Tom.--charliezap

[8540tomg]

Thanks for looking Charlie.

Those Goldfinches really pop with that green background.

Tom G

[Frogfish]

Beautiful shots Tom !

[gifthorse]

Nicely done! I did notice that your flicker has black cheek stripes. Down here the stripes are red.

[8540tomg]

Thanks Kevin

Most kind,

Tom G

[8540tomg]

Thanks Gifthorse.

I think yours is a "Red-Shafted" Flicker if I can believe my Peterson Field Guide. Any Flicker experts out there to confirm or refute this thought?

Tom G

[Bob Harris]

Sure enjoyed the views here Tom, beautiful color on the finch. The flickers remind me of woodpeckers that we have in the s/w.

[joe.penn]

Good stuff Tom - I really like the goldfinch. I had a finch sock out earlier this year and at one time had around a dozen of them guys hanging in the dogwood where the sock was hung - the sock ran out of seed and my local store was out of seed; Long story short, the sock was left empty for about three days and that's all it took, the sock has now been sitting filled for about 3 months without a single finch feeding on the sock [what a bummer]...

[8540tomg]

Thanks Bob.

I'm no ornithologist but Flckers are a Woodpecker species if my field guide is to be believed. Good looking birds. I wish I saw them more frequently in this area.

Tom G

[8540tomg]

Thanks Joe,

I wouldn't worry about it. If there is a free meal to be had you can be assured the Goldfinches will find it eventually.

Tom G

[slowpez]

Ok guys, to the best of my knowledge and Roger Tory Peterson, all three flickers are northern flickers. They come in yellow and red shafted. The feathers under their tails and wings are either yellow or red. The male has the red cheek and the female the black cheek. There is also a gilded flicker but we won't discuss that one. Those are great shots Tom and I really love the goldfinch. I have missed them this year.

[8540tomg]

Thanks Susan.

You just got your ornithology badge.

Tom G

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Tom, all three of them are very good images but I do love that American Goldfinch, this year we have none where last year we had lots of them. Go figure

[8540tomg]

Thanks Heinrich,

All your Goldfinches must have moved to SW Ontario. One of the most common of birds in my area.

Tom G