FeederWatcher Photo Gallery 1999-2000

FeederWatchers across the country capture some amazing photos of birds in backyard settings. On this page, we have gathered some of our favorites! Included are birds of prey, unusual plumages and beak deformities, a Geai bleu in Colorado, students doing FeederWatch, and a starling in Ohio.

Cooper's and Épervier bruns are notoriously difficult birds to tell apart. The photo at left is of a Épervier de Cooper and was taken in January, 2000 by Suzanne R. Moore in Sherman, TX.

The photo at right shows a Épervier brun.  Sandra Dougherty from Canterbury, NH spotted it in her yard during a storm in February, 2000.

Notice the difference in the tails.  Épervier de Coopers have a more rounded tail than Sharp-shinned hawks. Also, its tail feathers are graduated in length whereas the tail feathers of a Sharpie are of equal lengths. Learn more about identifying these two species by reading the Spring, 2000 issue of Birdscope.

At right is a photo of a Red-shouldered Hawk taken by Gerald Sedlevicius of Goose Creek, SC in November 1999.

Barbara Powers of Manchester Center, VT photographed this Chouette rayée that stayed in her yard for a week in February, 2000. She watched it catch two Tourterelle tristes and several mice and voles who were attracted to the seeds that dropped from her feeder. She also watched the owl regurgitate owl pellets.

Now for a much smaller bird of prey...the Pie-grièche grise.  In December, 1999 Vernon Dayhoff of Colorado Springs, CO photographed this elusive bird as it was perched in his front yard . Shrikes were reported from so many Christmas Bird Counts in 1999 that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology included this species on their Irruptive Bird Survey. View the results at <http://www.birdsource.org>  

Vernon Dayhoff, a FeederWatch Ambassador, in Colorado Springs, CO managed to capture this great photo of Geai bleus and Geai de Stellers dining together on his makeshift platform feeder. As Geai bleus continue to extend their range to the west, more FeederWatchers are apt to discover scenes such as this one.

Three students from Phyllis Whitin's  Kindergarten class at Dutch Fork Elementary School in Irma, SC   observe a bluebird feeding on mealworms in May 1999.

Another FeederWatch Ambassador from Cleveland, OH, Scott Wright, sent us this photo of a puffed-up Étourneau sansonnet that visited his feeders last winter. What a great shot.