Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Blue Grosbeak - 2 Exciting New Visitors!

You just never know who's going to show up to your party, so you better have your camera ready! A lesson I re-learned while sitting on my deck attempting more hummingbird images. That is when the 1st new visitor flew into the tree above me. I never would have imagined that a Yellow-billed Cuckoo would come my way even though I'm clearly in their summer range. After these captures, I have new found respect for the images Luis posted of the Mangrove Cuckoo

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Well done Steve.

Excellent, and much more than "documentary images", Steve, and congrats on seeing them and getting in photos. We've had the odd Yellow Billed Cuckoo up here, though not in my immediate area. And the Blue Grosbeak, same comment, but they're real lookers! Here's hoping you get more chances at both of these new -to-you birds.

Top-notch photos of a couple of very desirable species, Steve; well done.
Al

They are fun to shoot , are they not. Only comment I might add is that you must be very careful when post processing birds. It is really easy to overdo it. Much better to under process than over when it comes to dealing with feathers.

Really great catch.

Lucky captures Steve. Bet they made you forget all about the Hummingbirds! Well done!

Beautiful shots

well done- congrats on adding to your life list

These are fantastic! I never would have guessed you took any of these through a glass door! fabulous captures!

Congrats Steve on the firsts and nicely done with the images too! Those Cuckoo's are elusive birds. I hear them a lot more than I see them.

Well captured Steve, great details.

Great shots Steve.

2n10 wrote in post #17131936
Well done Steve.

Thanks John. A bit of luck involved I'm sure you know.

Wallace River wrote in post #17131938
Excellent, and much more than "documentary images", Steve, and congrats on seeing them and getting in photos. We've had the odd Yellow Billed Cuckoo up here, though not in my immediate area. And the Blue Grosbeak, same comment, but they're real lookers! Here's hoping you get more chances at both of these new -to-you birds.

Always appreciated Ian and I too hope to prove that the Blue Grosbeak does indeed have legs and feet.

CDMOOSE wrote in post #17131941
Top-notch photos of a couple of very desirable species, Steve; well done.
Al

Your kind comments are appreciated Al and I'm certainly glad to add these 2 to my photo list.

Didereaux wrote in post #17131961
They are fun to shoot , are they not. Only comment I might add is that you must be very careful when post processing birds. It is really easy to overdo it. Much better to under process than over when it comes to dealing with feathers.

New birds are in part what keep it exciting Didereaux. Thanks for your comment and insights into image processing.

bigjohninva wrote in post #17131968
Really great catch.

I got a little lucky John, but I'll certainly take `em! Thanks for your nice comments.

SJC from VT wrote in post #17132075
Lucky captures Steve. Bet they made you forget all about the Hummingbirds! Well done!

What hummingbirds?
You know I'm kidding Sandy, but you nailed the mentality. Thanks for the comment and the chuckle.

akhan wrote in post #17132196
Beautiful shots

Thank you akhan! Hopefully more and even better to come.

CaptBob wrote in post #17132268
well done- congrats on adding to your life list

Thank you much Bob! I'm certainly hoping to keep adding new ones all the time.

butterfly2937 wrote in post #17132278
These are fantastic! I never would have guessed you took any of these through a glass door! fabulous captures!

So Carol, you're saying that the investment in an L-glass sliding glass door was worth it? Haha, I wish! Always appreciate your generous comments.

txcanon wrote in post #17132789
Congrats Steve on the firsts and nicely done with the images too! Those Cuckoo's are elusive birds. I hear them a lot more than I see them.

One of the first things I did when I realized what images I had Brad was go to my Stokes and see if I had been missing the call. Can't say that what I heard jogged any memories though. Thanks so much for the nice comment.

Red Dexs wrote in post #17132837
Well captured Steve, great details.

Thank you Red. That's very nice of you to say.

Peter2516 wrote in post #17133725
Great shots Steve.

Always appreciate you checking in Peter and leaving your kind comments.

Very nice little fellow there Steve, I could use a little new comer in the yard, I can hear the Rose Breasted all around but none in the feeder right now. I'm really hoping the Evening's come back to my neck of the woods this fall and a red pole or two would be nice. The leaves are starting to turn and today felt like a hot fall day. I'm not sure if I'm dead or I really do enjoy it that much.