American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - also known as the Eastern Goldfinch (here in Iowa, anyway), Chardonneret jaune (French), Dominiquito viajero (Spanish), Dominiquito triste (Spanish).

Females in their summer plumage look just like the male’s in their summer plumage (bright gold with black wing bars), but the females do not have the black cap.

Male here.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 1, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - also known as L’étourneau sansonnet (French), Estornino pinto (Spanish), Stæren (Danish), Der Star (German), Storno (Italian), spreeuw (Dutch), Stare (Swedish).

Just monitoring traffic… You can tell this is not the first time he has hung out here.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 4, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Although today was gorgeous outside (sunny and about 70), yesterday was cold and rainy, and downtown was still flooded. This is at the corner of River Drive and Warren Street in Davenport, Iowa

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 4, 2008.

This is a view south from Harrison Street across River Drive (towards the Mississippi River). As you can see, the water has come up over LeClaire Park and the casino parking lot and out on to River Drive.

This is a view looking east down River Drive from the Freight House (is it still called that?) parking lot. The Figge Art Museum (left) and the Skybridge are also in view.

The Davenport Printing Company, sitting on the north side of River Drive, is bracing for possible rising flood waters (the waters were in the parking lot where I was standing and actually on to River Drive just slightly to the east of the photo).

Photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Canon 18-55mm Lens on April 30, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

More images here and here.

American Robin - Turdus migratorius - also known as merle d’Amérique (French), merle erratique, Roodborstlijster (Dutch), Wanderdrossel (German), Tordo migratore (Italian), Robín Americano (Spanish).

Although he is a bit blotchey (the white spots on his back), I do not believe this is a juvenile, as usually their blotchiness is on the breast. In any event, it’s nice to have a bird that has markings that distinguish it from other birds of the same species (you know, you have the cardinal that comes to the feeder a couple times per week, but do you really know it’s the same bird?). This guy hangs out along the back fence (near the lava rock) and can be found there every day.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 20, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - also known as L’étourneau sansonnet (French), Estornino pinto (Spanish), Stæren (Danish), Der Star (German), Storno (Italian), spreeuw (Dutch), Stare (Swedish).

Although messy, loud and invasive (at least in North America), the European Starling can be a very pretty bird (and comes in a myriad of colors and patterns).

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 16, 2008, in Davenport, Iowa.

Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos - also known as the Canard colvert (French), maillard (French), ainette (French), enette (French), Wilde Eend (Dutch), Stockente (German), Germano reale (Italian), Anade real (Spanish), Gräsand (Swedish), Kryakva (Russian).

According to Sibley, the domestic mallard vairations (Pekin Duck) also include the all-white, orange-billed “Donald Duck” mallard.

Another old snow photo, despite the fact that Spring is here.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on February 10, 2008 at Leach Park in Bettendorf, Iowa.

American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - also known as the Eastern Goldfinch (here in Iowa, anyway), Chardonneret jaune (French), Dominiquito viajero (Spanish), Dominiquito triste (Spanish).

American Goldfinches molt twice a year. Males molt once into their bright, black-capped, breeding plumage in the Spring (above), and once into their dull, non-breeding plumage in the Fall. For the male’s non-breeding plumage, which is olive brown and without the black cap, click here. The male in this photo has only a partially black cap, as he has not fully molted.

Females do not have the black cap at any time of the year. In their breeding plumage, females are duller than males but are more easily distinguished by their lack of a black cap. In their non-breeding plumage, the females distinguish themselves from the males (who have lost their black cap in their Fall molt) by their olive-green color (the males, as stated above, molt to an olive-brown).

This male sat for awhile and sang a song on top of the feeder.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 20, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa

Video taken with an Aiptek IS-DV video camera “scoped” through a pair of Bushnell 10×25 binoculars.

Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia - also known as Bruant chanteur (French), Zanggors (Dutch), Singammer (German), Passero cantore (Italian), and Chingolo Melodioso (Spanish).

It’s finally getting warm out and the birds are coming back. The sunsets are nicer during the warming-up period, too!

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 14, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Red-Winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus - also known as carouge à épaulettes (French), Epauletspreeuw (Dutch), Rotschulterstärling (German), Ittero alirosse (Italian), Turpial Sargento (Spanish), Rödvingetrupial (Swedish).

I just realized I didn’t have a photo of a male Red-Winged Blackbird on the blog, despite the fact that, from March until October, they are seemingly the most abundant bird in Iowa! Seriously, it’s like having blackbird in stereo whenever you are walking outside.

Female here.

Photo taken with a Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on March 2, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.