Red Wing Blackbirds & A Few Turtles

I love observing and photographing the red wing black birds!

A Female Red Wing Blackbird

 A Male Red Wing Blackbird.

I was really surprised to see so many turtles!  They are usually really skittish and slip into the water if you get anywhere near them.  I was able to get a few shots.  At one time I could count 10 or eleven of them near this little mound of plants in the water.  The temp was in the 80's for the first time this spring so I think they were all trying to get out of the water and into the sun.

 There are only 5 visible in this picture.

This little guy was all by himself.

Birds

I love to walk on the paved walk way near my house that runs along a river bank.  I find so many interesting things to photograph as I walk along.  The red wing black birds like to nest in the little trees along the river.  I don't think they had eggs in the nest yet on the day I was shooting them (March 23, 2012).

 This little dove was gathering material for her nest, she wasn't by the paved walkway but she was by the river in a different area.

 Male Red Wing Blackbird

 A Robin

 The males perch up high in the bushes and make a lot of noise.

 I am not sure but I think this is a red wing black bird nest.

 Just some pretty berries in the area.

 Female Red Wing Black Bird

The females are quiet and stay lower in the bushes and are much harder to spot and get a good shot of.  They are also much duller in color, making them blend in to their environment more.  I am sure this helps them when they nest.