11. Andrea Willingham, Odessa Florida

I am an 18 year old college freshman, and I have been birding for about a year and a half. I have always loved art, so when I discovered the joys of birding, naturally I began to sketch and paint the birds I saw. This video is a result of an experiment I did one day to see if I could actually make a time lapse of my bird paintings.

12.  Lisa Harris, Freeport, New York

These birds have been chosen for various reasons.
1- A white bird is so graceful in all its beauty
2- the parrots represent  how we must care for each other
3- These ducks are just enjoying each other's company
4- The peacock when waiting for love shows his feathers
5- Man must share his world with nature
6- We must be able to stand on own two feet

13. Jane Hilbert, Denver, Colorado

I am an artist who loves to include birds in various forms in my mixed media projects, art quilts, paintings, etc. This particular bird is part of an art quilt called "Bird's Eye View." It is sewn, fused, quilted, and embellished.  I always wonder how things below look to the birds watching from their high perches, and am a little envious of their vantage point.

14. Charlie Heidecker, Coopersburg, Pennsylvania

15. Beverly Saltonstall, Cape Coral, Florida

Living with nature is something many people have never experienced and others take for granted. Two years ago, I was given the privilege of sharing my lawn with a most wonderful family of Burrowing Owls. I live in Cape Coral, Florida home to the largest population of the Florida species of the Burrowing Owl in the world. We have over 1000 nesting pairs within our
city limits.

Being very active with Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, a grassroots organization that was formed to protect the Burrowing Owls and other wildlife in the city, I was thrilled to have a pair of owls take up residence on my front lawn. I was even more thrilled when they hatched a brood of seven chicks.
Watching these precious little owls grow was an experience I will never forget. I watched as the baby chicks first ventured out of the burrow and instinctively looked skyward to check for their nemesis; the Coopers Hawk.
Then watching them grow under the careful eyes of their parents was a daily ritual. The chicks were terribly impatient waiting for Dad to "bring home the bacon" and would pester mom to the point of her whopping them on the head to settle them down. Then they got digging lessons. The parents lined the chicks up behind the nest and showed them how to dig a burrow. Watching those baby chicks dodging the flying sand was a Kodak moment.

Flying lessons were begun when the chick developed their wings. First off they would run and flap their wings, not getting off the ground. Finally as their wings became stronger, they would gain some air. Now mind you there were 7 little ones learning to fly at once. Crashing into each other was a frequent event, and it wasn't unusual to see one of the little guys rolling down the incline in front of the house after a crash.

One day, two of the chick ventured off to a house down the street. The homeowners had a pile of mulch in the front yard and the chicks had a wonderful time using it as a sliding board.

One of the benefits to having these birds on my lawn is the many wonderful people I met who came to see the owls. They were quite a neighborhood attraction. Professional photographers, parked in their cars with huge lenses hanging out the window, were a common sight, and walkers going by the house always stopped by to see how the chicks were doing.

The first photo I submitted is one I call determination. This little chick was just learning to fly, and had managed to get himself up on a small pile of rocks. He was looking down at the ground only inches away with such a determined look. I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, seemed to be what he was saying. He was bound and determined to overcome, what to him, were insurmountable odds.

The chick overcame those odds and hopped off the rocks, but lost to his nemesis the hawk. A Cooper's hawk took up residence in a neighbor's tree and either killed the owl family or they left for safer territory. The children next door were heartbroken to lose the owls, but it was a lesson in the web of life for them.

The second photo is a mother's love. How could anyone ever harm these beautiful birds after see such a tender moment? Living with these owls makes you laugh, tugs at your heart, makes you cry and gives you a greater understanding of why the wildlife of this world is so important.

Everyone asks if I have my owls back. I didn't last year, but this year a
pair has been scoping out the nest. Maybe this year I will have another pair
moving in for nesting season. I can only hope.

16.  Sarajane Troxel, Washington, DC  (Gloucester County, Virginia)

On a trip to Washington DC in early December 2008 we walked along the old C&O Canal route.  My daughter saw this Cooper's Hawk with its recently-caught lunch. I quickly took several photos and this is the best of the hawk and pigeon. We often see hawks and eagles in Gloucester County, but to see this one close up in the middle of Washington, DC was just amazing. It is good to know that we haven't chased all the wildlife away.

17. Margaret Curren, Powell, Missouri

18.   Jenna and Steve Cloutier, St Clair, Michigan

My daughter found this bird this past summer in a tree in Lexington, MI.  She begged me to take a picture of the bird and she was so excited when the pictures were printed because they turned out so good.  Every time we show these pictures to family and friends she has to remind everyone that she found the bird.  This was a nice experience for all involved and it definitely made her appreciate nature even more. (juvenile American Goldfinch)

19. William N. Moseley, Fairfax, Iowa

This picture of a Northern Cardinal was taken in my front yard. I started taking pictures of the birds on the 3 bird feeders. My dream picture would have been with my cat staring at the birds on the feeder (impossible shot) - but I liked the detail on this shot so and hope you do as well !!  Thanks for the opportunity, glad I found your article in the newspaper! PS My neighbor pointed out that its a bit weird that the number of bird feeders is the same number of cats I own.

20. Heather Watts, North Miami, Florida

Here is a picture of a bird that lives in Florida; some sort of strange duck that everyone complains about all the time. Most people hate them I am not sure why. I think my picture shows just how beautiful this ugly duckling is. He knows he is a good looking guy and I bet he has had his picture taken before. (Domestic Muscovy Duck)