Last week's SMAP contest was about sparrows, and being sparrows such a common species, it prompted me to get the camera, get out of the house and do a little urban birdwatching. The main idea of course, was trying to get some fresh sparrow focus, but at the same time I was curious about how many different species would I be able to see.
I live in an urban area, and although it has a few patches of green and a terrain with wild vegetation nearby, buildings and concrete is the main landscape. And yet, there's no shortage of #featheredfriends to be seen! Most people would be amazed at how diverse life is even in an urban setting, and how just a little attention can go a long way in discovering that "hidden world".
So here's an example. I spend maybe near half an hour outside, and I went maximum 200 meters away from home; remember, no huge gardens or forests nearby!
Without much surprise, the common blackbird was the first species I spotted, perched in a nearby tree. Not the best photo to admire the species, but not long after I was able to get clearer shots.
There he was, on top of a building, beak stuffed with food. He even posed for the camera!
Sparrows were the next species to appear. Funny enough, only spotted male blackbirds and sparrows. We're probably still in mating season, and they tend to be more vocal, hence easier to spot.
Their cheeks are white, so I'm guessing they went searching for food in the nearby terrains and got dirty!
Finally females appeared, and from a species I now see on a daily basis too.
It's amazing how this species grew in numbers over the last years. I remember not that long ago, that these guys were a rare sighting; now they're everywhere! I see them more commonly than sparrows nowadays. Although they're called black redstarts, females are lighter in color; they also share the red tail males have.
The male was nearby, playing peek-a-boo with me, near a street sign.
He let himself be seen a couple of minutes later. Black small bird with some white on the wings and a red tail, easy identification!
Three species in just a few minutes, follow by a fourth a couple minutes later.
The punk blackbird is a recent species on the block. They listen to heavy metal/punk rock everyday, and find the normal black plummage boring, so they have a mohawk just for the style.
Naaah!
They're actually an invasive species from Asia, probably escaped from captivity that grew in numbers and now have feral populations. I see them more often nowdays, and I was finally able to snap a few photos of them!
They are a gregarious species, so it's common to see more than one when they appear.
And no, apart from the black colour and the relatively similar size, they don't have any relation with the common blackbird (although I have a suspicion blackbird like heavy metal too!)
And of course, there's yet another species hard to miss in an urban setting; can you guess which one it is?
Five species in just a few minutes outside! I did see a few species more flying by, but was unable to capture them on photo. In an urban park, chances are we can find well over a dozen diferent species, without that much effort. I do have some urban parks nearby... will probably test my theory one of these days! ;)
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