h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Congratulations on seeing and photographing so many birds.

I particularly like long tailed tits.I think a pair nested in the pine tree in the garden of our house in France. When we came back there in mid May, we found a nest of moss, lined with feathers, on the lawn. It looked as if the young had fledged and flown.

Thank you!

Yes, long-tailed tits are very cute, with their fuzzy bodies and tiny beaks That was good that you could study the nest - sounds very soft and warm for the little chicks

The Kingfisher doesn't look very big. Is it bigger than it looks, or does it have to settle for very small fish?

The Egret is gorgeous. Is it heading for the Egress?

Nice shots, Sasha. You are lucky to be close to so many bird sanctuaries! I never knew there actually are snipes ---here they are are sort of legendary entities that you send people around campfires to go and hunt!

The Kingfisher is smaller than one might think - about 6-7ins in height - so it is the king of fishing small-ish fish...

Looks like the Egret was heading for the Egress, yes!

Thanks Elektra! Yes, I am very lucky to live in an area that has varied habitats and reserves that wildlife can enjoy and that I can enjoy visiting, too

That is funny about the mythical snipe hunt arising because there aren't any snipe birds in North America! The brown speckled birds aren't as exciting as legendary entities, but they are still tricky to find

The trailer park I live in is a bird sanctuary in the opinion of the birds that come here. We have so many different kinds f tasty berries and fruits and grapes that I would come here if I were a bird. I'be planted blueberry plants and a plum tree, so I'm definitely in the bird-admiration club. The sunflowers in my back yard provide lots of tasty seeds, and the Echinachea in my front yard attracts pollinators as well as Goldfinches (which eat the seeds).

I'm lanning another minigarden, in a spot where no gardens exist.

I'm thinking of a centerpiece consisting of False Indigo (Baptisia), which is deep blue. I already have one on hand. I'm just waiting for Butterfly Weed (orange or yellow) to become available, to put on either side. In the Fall, I will look for red or pink irises to plant along the edges.

You made it to 200!. I know how hard it is, since I have been trying to do the same thing since I heard of it from you. Trouble is that mostly I see interesting birds when I have no camera readily available, or they fly away too quickly. The "plastic" birds are much easier, as they stay put.

Sounds lovely, paulh

Not 200 this year (yet) but I beat my last year's non-plastic total, so that's an achievement

"The "plastic" birds are much easier, as they stay put."

Yes indeed... I'm still trying to photograph a nuthatch, which should be 'easy' - I've seen some twice this year, but the first time I wasn't quick enough on the draw with my camera, and the second time my camera wasn't readily available...

Glad you're still tackling the challenge yourself - have you taken any photos that you're particularly pleased with so far?

I have two nice shots of great cormorants, one juvenile (I think) with a different colour scheme.

It's probably just as well that you're photographing birds, not dogs, Sasha. Dalmatians are said to be hard to photograph because they won't sit still. I used to know a tan Labrador that was just as antsy.

Birds are tricky, hence I haven't taken a photo of a nuthatch, yet, because it sat on the bird feeder for a few seconds, but not long enough for my camera to find it!

I wouldn't be able to sit still in a room with a Dalmatian or Labrador in it, thanks to a number of unpleasant experiences plus allergies, so dog photography is not something I would consider...