Birds!

[Chippy]

Well I finally blew the dust off the camera at the weekend, with the intent of going out and having a go for a "water" shot for the current challenge.

 

I went for a walk around the local pond and couldn't find anything worth shooting (wind was ruffling the water so no chance of any reflections, etc) except for a couple of robins, which seemed to follow me everywhere!

 

 

[Newt]

Not my picture (but will get some soon I hope) but the difference in the UK robin vs the US robin is interesting. Any bird experts know if these are related?

 

Typical male US robin

[RobStubbs]

Not my picture (but will get some soon I hope) but the difference in the UK robin vs the US robin is interesting. Any bird experts know if these are related?

 

And of course the US blackbird v the UK one. I have some old pics of the US one but none of the UK one. I suspect there are loads of others.

 

Rob.

 

P.S. I recon the UK robin is the prettier one

[rabster]

Chippy, terrific Robin shots, very sharp focus. Your one looks so much prettier than that brash American one Newt has posted.

 

the difference in the UK robin vs the US robin is interesting. Any bird experts know if these are related?

I think not Newt, I'm no expert but had a quick google,

 

The larger American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is named for its similarity to the European Robin, not because they are closely related. The similarity lies largely in the orange chest patch in both species, which has led to the common nickname "robin redbreast"

[Newt]

LOL @ rabster.

 

Buzzard is another one that had me going for a while. Other than both being large and both having feathers, the UK vs US buzzard are very different critters. Yours is a raptor while ours eats only carrion.

[Guest Jaybee]

And the goldfinch - so different.

[Bobj]

Chippy, terrific Robin shots, very sharp focus. Your one looks so much prettier than that brash American one Newt has posted.

I think not Newt, I'm no expert but had a quick google,

 

The larger American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is named for its similarity to the European Robin, not because they are closely related. The similarity lies largely in the orange chest patch in both species, which has led to the common nickname "robin redbreast"

 

It appears that the thrush family (blackbird, ouzel, fieldfare, redwing, chats etc) is closer to the American Robin; the european redbreast (erithacus rubecula) is a distant member of the turdidae family.