Picture Of The Day

bside123 · « **Reply #4160 on:** 23 Aug 2015, 03:39 pm »

Quote from: PeteG on 16 Aug 2015, 10:31 pm

Great detail, what lens.

Thanks Pete.

On a lark, I picked up a new, "budget" Tamron 70-300mm Telephoto Macro on a recent trip to Europe. I wasn't expecting much, but the it was SO cheap I couldn't resist. A very large distributor in Germany was liquidating this lens, because Tamron announced that they were going to replace it with an upgrade in the next two years. They were blowing them out for 99 Euros with a 5 year warranty! Giving the fact that I was taking it out of the country, I was also refunded the VAT tax, which put me into a new Tamron lens for less than 90 bucks.

The lens has its limitations, but once in a while... it can really hit the mark. Well... I've enjoyed it.

Jon L · « **Reply #4161 on:** 25 Aug 2015, 06:12 pm »

Bought this fortune cookie on 8/23 Sun and just opened it today 8/25

Stock Market Crash 8/2015 by drjlo1, on Flickr

JakeJ · « **Reply #4162 on:** 26 Aug 2015, 12:54 am »

May we take it, from your emoticon, that you didn't follow the cookie's advice? The cookie knows all, sees all, and hears all.

Don_S · « **Reply #4163 on:** 28 Aug 2015, 08:27 pm »

OK, Not the best pics but that is not why I am posting. Can anyone identify this bird?

Clues:
1. California 2. Hangs around my pool and occasionally flies down and does a touch-and-go on the surface. I am not sure if it is getting a drink or picking up bugs from the surface. 3. Sometimes I think I see a small crest. Maybe it is on the males only.

Mag · « **Reply #4164 on:** 29 Aug 2015, 12:32 am »

Based on my bird book (All the Birds of North America) my best guess would be a Western Wood Pewee. I don't see any other candidates other than a Vaux's Swift, but it doesn't have the bill of a Swallow or Swift.

JerryM · « **Reply #4165 on:** 29 Aug 2015, 12:47 am »

Looks like a Black Phoebe. I'm in So Cal and over the past several years there are more and more of them. They flit around over the top of my lawn near sunset and catch little bugs.

Have fun,

Jerry

Jon L · « **Reply #4166 on:** 5 Sep 2015, 02:38 am »

DSC03328bw by drjlo1, on Flickr

Mag · « **Reply #4167 on:** 5 Sep 2015, 03:07 am »

Black Phoebe appears to be a better match, which is in my bird book. But the photo above didn't appear to match the drawing.

Whereas this picture of a Western Wood Pewee does.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #4168 on:** 5 Sep 2015, 04:35 pm »

Don_S · « **Reply #4169 on:** 5 Sep 2015, 04:39 pm »

JerryM and Mag,

Thanks for the help. You have thoroughly confused me.

I would have said Black Phoebe until Mag posted the last photo. My birds are definitely gray with a slight crest. My web-search on the Western Wood Pewee showed olive coloration which does not match the one Mag posted.

Mag · « **Reply #4170 on:** 5 Sep 2015, 05:09 pm »

Quote from: Don_S on 5 Sep 2015, 04:39 pm

JerryM and Mag,

Thanks for the help. You have thoroughly confused me.

I would have said Black Phoebe until Mag posted the last photo. My birds are definitely gray with a slight crest. My web-search on the Western Wood Pewee showed olive coloration which does not match the one Mag posted.

From what I read grayish is their fall color. The Western Wood Pewee is also a flycatcher. And I'm wondering if in that photo above the bird was wrongly identified as it looks more like the Black Phoebe.

Don_S · « **Reply #4171 on:** 5 Sep 2015, 05:32 pm »

Quote from: Mag on 5 Sep 2015, 05:09 pm

From what I read grayish is their fall color. The Western Wood Pewee is also a flycatcher. And I'm wondering if in that photo above the bird was wrongly identified as it looks more like the Black Phoebe.

I agree. I think the photo is mislabeled. I am going to stick with the Black Phoebe classification.

I wonder if my birds are getting sips of water or picking off floating insects. I get a fair number of insects on and around my pool especially dragonflies and honey bees. All summer I rescued honey bees and put them in the shade to dry. Yesterday one repaid my kindness by stinging me.

It was in a clump of floating redwood debris. I thought the bee was dead. It looked thoroughly drowned. I picked out the clump by hand and ZAP.

bside123 · « **Reply #4172 on:** 8 Sep 2015, 05:56 pm »

Here's a shot of the World War ll Monument from a recent trip to the nation's capital.

WW II Monument

viggen · « **Reply #4173 on:** 8 Sep 2015, 08:32 pm »

bside123 · « **Reply #4174 on:** 10 Sep 2015, 12:41 am »

The new Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial on a bright, sunny day in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial

bside123 · « **Reply #4175 on:** 10 Sep 2015, 01:42 am »

Remembering Loved Ones - Vietnam War Memorial - Washington, D.C.

Remembering Loved Ones

hifi12002 · « **Reply #4176 on:** 10 Sep 2015, 01:46 am »

Melbourne, AUS , at dusk

thunderbrick · « **Reply #4177 on:** 10 Sep 2015, 01:50 am »

Quote from: bside123 on 10 Sep 2015, 01:42 am

Remembering Loved Ones - Vietnam War Memorial - Washington, D.C.

Remembering Loved Ones

bside123 · « **Reply #4178 on:** 10 Sep 2015, 02:29 pm »

Apparently the United States government is still under construction

Expect Delays

PeteG · « **Reply #4179 on:** 11 Sep 2015, 12:32 am »

Great shots everyone, bside awesome series from the nation's capital.