Marian Mendez
Marian Celebrates Urban Birds by taking photos of birds in her neighborhood every day!
"Birdwatching is free, easy, time-flexible and often full of wonderful surprises. I go out to look and listen for birds several times a day. Mostly I don't even leave my yard, but still find them. First I listen. Many birds not only have distinctive cries you can identify them by, but they use them for specific purposes. I have boat-tailed grackles who make quite a racket before coming down to drink from my swimming pool. Courting doves are lovely to watch, all bowing and cooing. Sometimes I'll hear something new and different, and go out to discover a bird I'd never seen before. Sometimes I'll see a common bird, doing something uncommon. Sometimes a bird will pose dramatically and the light will turn it into a masterpiece."
Eurasian-collared Doves
"I have learned which places birds tend to perch on, where they like to hunt for bugs and where they like to display themselves so other birds know their territory, so I usually go out and look first at the 'popular' places."
Click on the links below to see many other photos by Marian Mendez:
House Sparrow
Starlings on a wire
Loggerhead Shrike
"I have a digital camera with a good zoom which makes birdwatching much more fun, and enables me to share the beauty and excitement with others. With the zoom, I'm far enough away not to affect the birds' behavior. I like to single out one bird and watch it for a while, trying to see the personality and mind behind it. And I'm out in the fresh air, getting sunshine and a new perspective on life. Staying cooped up is only good for chickens! "
- By Marian Mendez, Hialeah, FL
Mourning Dove
Boat-tailed Grackle softening dog food
Northern Mockingbird
