On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
Albatrossity
I enjoyed seeing images of Christmases past, and am looking forward to seeing more of those this week. In the meantime, I’ll go back to birds! In the spirit of the holiday season, there will be a couple of Mondays featuring Birds Who Should Be Christmas Ornaments. To be fair, ornaments resembling some of these probably already are hanging on trees somewhere, maybe even in your house. But all of them ought to be!
Also in the spirit of the season, the captions for these images will be short and sweet, because we all (including me) have a lot to do during these shortest days of the year!
First up is my favorite bird, Buller’s Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri, aka Toroa. Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
Next up is a favorite North American bird for many, the Wood Duck (Aix sponsa). Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
Many South American birds are quite colorful, simply because many of them are hummingbirds. Here is a Green-crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica). Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
And our North American Hummingbirds are no slouches either. Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae) is one of those. Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
Africa also has some gorgeous birds, including these Lilac-breasted Rollers (Coracias caudatus). I’d be surprised if there are not Christmas ornaments of this bird, since it is the national bird of Kenya. Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
Another stunning African species, the Helmeted Guinea-fowl (Numida meleagris) can also be found wandering about farm and ranch yards in the USA. Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
If you like rubies, you’d want one in this color. Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus). Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
I would be criminally remiss if I left out Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), although as an ornament that long tail might be too fragile to last through multiple Christmas seasons. Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
Our North American wood warblers also come in some bright colors. This Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) is no exception. Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
And even sparrow-like birds come in some nice colorful versions, like this Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena). Learn more about this bird here! And click here for larger image.
Dangerman
Excellent pics, especially the Riverside Hummingbird. My Mother was into Hummingbirds and purple was her favorite color. That she (and Father) are interred at Riverside National is an added bonus.
I think we need some Celestial Pics, too; someone turn on the Bill in Glendale signal.
Merry Christmas if you celebrate. Merry whatever if you don’t.
Don
For Xmas, I gave my 86 y/o mother a bird feeder with a solar-powered WiFi camera which can download to her phone and even capture video, so she can watch her beloved birds while doing jigsaw puzzles. Perfect. Merry Christmas, everyone, and thank you for the wonderful bird pictures.
OzarkHillbilly
I am probably an outlier but I find Guinea Hens to be rather ugly. And they regularly make quite a racket. No thanx to having them.
MagdaInBlack
@OzarkHillbilly: I am not a fan either. Although “I’ve been told” they’re great bug and tick eaters.
OzarkHillbilly
@MagdaInBlack: They have that reputation, but so do chickens.
There go two miscreants
Love the small colorful birds! I can see those being ornaments. But the Helmeted Guinea-fowl looks like a genetic experiment gone awry!
sab
Such a great idea. Thanks.
What, no puffins?
My mother had several boxes of Christmas ornaments with little clip on hummimgbirds.
Dangerman
@There go two miscreants: I’m thinking the helmeted guinea fowl needs a spa day. Hell, we all need a spa day. Or a float day (isolation chamber). Highly recommended.
ETA: Float? Wear swim goggles. That stuff burns.
SiubhanDuinne
Wonderful photos, Albatrossity, each more exquisite than the last. Thank you again for sharing your gift and passion with us.
SteveinPHX
Thank you for photos. I had a Costa’s Hummer hover & inspect my face from about 18″ the other day. I may have been too close to the feeder.
My best wishes for the holidays and thanks again.
Manyakitty
Really beautiful 😍
MazeDancer
How lovely!!
SkyBluePink
A Christmas tree with bird ornaments from Albatrossity’s pictures would be so festive.
Layer8Problem
Some seriously lovely birds there. Thank you for sharing them with us!
Albatrossity, if you’re still around how was Stewart Island? Looking at it on a map always gave me a sense that it was on the edge of the world, with the Roaring Forties and nothing to the south but stormy ocean and Antarctica and all that.
Eunicecycle
@Don: I received a bird feeder/camera as an early Christmas present from my son. It’s great fun!
Barbara
“Criminally remiss?” As if I didn’t already know, you hold yourself to rather high standards! Great pictures!
pieceofpeace
Visual candy on the 25th – sumptuous!
Albatrossity
@Layer8Problem:
Stewart Island was lovely. The ferry from Bluff to Oban was wretched, into a roaring wind from Antarctica and some very big waves. I’ve never been seasick in my life, but this was very close, and I think there may have been only a handful of passengers who did not avail themselves of the barf bags under every seat! But the trip back on the same route was calm and delightful. Lots of birds in the ocean around the island, of course!
Winter Wren
Beautiful Pictures of beautiful birds – Merry Christmas! A few years back, I gave one of my sons a Harlequin Duck ornament. We are fortunate to be able to see them nearby at rocky shores in MA (like Halibut Point on Cape Ann).
BigJimSlade
Great set! I love the white markings on the wood duck, and the pastel colors of Kenya’s national bird :-)
Miss Bianca
That Bunting photo will never not crack me up. Thank you, Albatrossity!
WaterGirl
Albatrossity, I forgot to ask you yesterday, is Harley in your calendar this year?
Chat Noir
Your photography is always beautiful!
SFBayAreaGal
Beautiful pictures Albatrossity. Thank you.
Albatrossity
@WaterGirl:
Yes, but you have to wait until December 2024 to showcase him!
rosalind
Morning. Back from my walk along the water where I was divebombed by a crow (think it liked my Xmas necklace) and greeted our neighborhood Great Blue Heron tucked into its wings on its branch as a light rain fell. The Barrow’s Goldeneye Ducks have also arrived for their annual visit. All in all a lovely Xmas morn.
WaterGirl
@Albatrossity: I thought that was him!
stinger
Such gorgeous photos! Thank you!
KSinMA
Thank you, Albatrossity!