Bird Sightings 2014 - 2015

[NwMtGardener]

Wheeee, new camera came today!! Unfortunately the weather was crap, but we tried to get some pics of birds anyway in between snow squalls. Enjoy!

Tundra swans in the mud

Tundra swans flying in the snow


Our lovely Western Bluebird

Here's his profile

Pintails coming in for a landing, there were probably 500 pintails in this marsh/pond


The Fairview Marsh

 

[thistlebloom]

Wonderful! Love the flying swans. And the rest. The reflected clouds in the marsh are cool. Congratulations on your new camera!

 

[digitS']

I'm very pleased to see that the bluebird of happiness has already arrived in Montana! That should be an inspiration for all of us.

Your swans are wonderful, also.

We will be very interested in seeing your pictures, Heather. You are surrounded by phenomenal sights and experiences and we are lucky that you would want to share them.

Steve

 

[buckabucka]

Wow, NwMt, you live in paradise!

 

[NwMtGardener]

Wow, NwMt, you live in paradise!

Thanks, it is paradise for a few months of the year but YOU know what i'm talking about living up there in lovely Maine. BTW have you seen the TV series Aerial America?? Smithsonian channel makes it, we just watched the Maine episode because DH used to live there, in Rockport. Gorgeous!!

 

[digitS']

Well now Heather, you do know that there is a Paradise, Montana?

I've never been to Paradise myself but see the sign and know that you get there by turning off the Freeway and going north from St. Regis.

St. Regis, of course, was named for the saint who dedicated himself to the guidance of wayward women.

Steve

 

[Lavender2]

Congrats on the new camera... great shots! What kind of camera did you get?
Looking forward to lots and lots of wonderful photos!

I love the bluebirds! We get the eastern bluebirds, who for some reason like other peoples nest boxes more than mine.
This hard winter has really taken a toll on the waterfowl here. I bet that marsh attracts dozens of different species!

In all of our travels I think the mountains are the hardest to say goodbye to.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Well now Heather, you do know that there is a Paradise, Montana?

I've never been to Paradise myself but see the sign and know that you get there by turning off the Freeway and going north from St. Regis.

St. Regis, of course, was named for the saint who dedicated himself to the guidance of wayward women.

Steve

Yes I go through Paradise on my way to Idaho! It is beautiful there, we keep meaning to take a camping trip down there with our canoe. I did not know that about St. Regis though, Steve! You always have interesting local trivia!

Oh - @Lavender2 - the camera is a Canon Powershot SX50, it belongs to a newer classification of cameras called the "megazooms" and it is seriously amazing! Its smarter than DH and I combined!! And you can zoom it UBER far, but its still small enough to carry comfortably. Unlike those gianormous telephoto lenses that are like 4' long and weigh 40 pounds.

 

[buckabucka]

I just got the Olympus SH50. Sounds like a similar camera.

 

[NwMtGardener]

ah cool Buckabucka! Looks like you have more megapixels, and I have more zoom. You have a touchscreen (cool) fixed LCD, mine is not touchscreen but it articulates. The Canon also has the ability to shoot in RAW, I don't know if I'll use this - may be a bit advanced for what I need, but maybe I'll play around with it and see if I like it.

Does yours have the ability to wirelessly transfer photos? I think that's the one thing I wish this Canon had. I can buy a memory card that does this: Eye-fi cards? They're a bit spendy, so I haven't gotten one yet. Maybe down the road when I upgrade my ipad.

 

[Lavender2]

Oh - @Lavender2 - the camera is a Canon Powershot SX50, it belongs to a newer classification of cameras called the "megazooms" and it is seriously amazing! Its smarter than DH and I combined!! And you can zoom it UBER far, but its still small enough to carry comfortably. Unlike those gianormous telephoto lenses that are like 4' long and weigh 40 pounds.

They are nice little cameras. I'm using a Canon Powershot SX130 that I got about 4 years ago, (and still learning how to use it), but I like it! I wasn't thinking about upgrading quite yet, but Dad and Mom need a new camera, and I'm sure my 130 would suffice for birthday snapshots.. then I would need a new camera ..