It sounds to me like GW has installed new software to downsize any photos posted that are over a certain size, but the program was not initially smart enough to keep the correct aspect ratio (relationship of height to length of an image) resulting in "warped" pictures. None of the photos look "warped" to me, so perhaps this has been corrected. I doubt this has anything to do with the servers that photos are stored on, but with what GW does with the images when we upload them to GW forums.

I notice that photobucket and other servers now only offer smaller sized images for posting on other forums, but each photo will open into a larger picture if clicked on. At least we can still still share larger images if the viewer wants to take time to open them, but gone are the lovely series of 600 x 800 pixel photos of before. Commercialism has sucked the life out of many things: much of music, art, movies, and the web, including now the NE Gardening Forum.

Molie: You posted while I was fussing with the checkerboard. It's true that you can often click on a pic and get directed to the web-hosting site for a larger pic, but that's not true with TinyPic. Click on a TinyPic image and all you get is the tinypic.com home page, no larger image.

I like TinyPic because it's the fastest way to get a photo online - no intermediate uploading to a site (although the latest security protocol can be annoying).

I'm stuck with two inferior choices - use TinyPic and get the photo with the right configuration but too small, or use Flickr and get a larger photo but warped. I don't want to use GW's upload feature because you can only do one at a time and can't edit after you choose the Image file or you have to reenter it.

I don't like this.

Claire

I wouldn't doubt that GW has also taken it upon themselves to "dumb down" our photos, aka lowering resolution. I'm thinking that I will instead be posting direct links/urls to my photos, using ftp space on my email's server, so that my pictures can be seen full sized and at their original resolution. Since we have to click on the photos anyways to see them, might as well post a link to the original photo and dispense altogether with the alloted sized pics that are little more than thumbnails now. It's a pity that GW was sold to iVillage. It's been all downhill since then.

I don't know why birds and critters in my yard like to balance things on their head, but they do.

Trying this picture specifically because it has not been cropped, and compared to the screen shot I posted above, it displays significantly smaller. I certainly am in agreement with the dissatisfaction stated above and hope that this site is not considered completed by the webmaster. The 'clickable' photo enlargement ability simply doesn't cut it with me. Furthermore,(not that they care) I don't understand the spacial opportunity rationale of this new format over the old. I'm failing to understand any cost reduction of this redesign opportunity, if, indeed, it is an economically motivated change. ???
Jane

A dove trying out Easter bonnets! Spring is coming!

I saw another sign of Spring early this morning when I looked out the window and saw a turkey tom displaying. I just went to Flickr and changed the sizes back to original 640 x 480.

This hen doesn't look at all impressed.

How can she resist my magnificence?

She noticed me!

The old magic still works....

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Fri, Feb 22, 13 at 18:47

Those are impressive photos, Claire. I don't believe I've ever seen a photo of a wild turkey doing a mating display. I would think any hen would be impressed by Mr. Magnificence! Spring must be on the way!

Great turkey shots, Claire! The colors are magnificent and you really captured the turkeys' "personalities"â¦.. the female is playing the field for sure. (Of course, I had to go on Flicker to realize all of that.)

Jane, your shot of the dove is really indicative of what's wrong with this new GW photo formatting. The size of the image makes it hard to tell exactly what is on that bird's head? However, the enlarged shot I saw when I "clicked" made perfect sense of the text. I don't think it is too much to ask of GardenWeb NOT to make communicating difficult among users!

Molie

Amazing, Claire. I don't think I have ever seen a Tom displaying this early around us.

I do hope that GW works out this image issue. These small images just don't cut it.

The turkeys are splendid! The pictures are great and very clear, Claire. I'm resisting so many lines about males being early...but I'm glad this chap was. Does seem early in the year to be strutting his stuff, but yesterday when I was outside, suddenly I heard a bird song that was noticeably different. I knew it was a Spring song! No mistake about it - I think it was an Am. Goldfinch. Funny, it was as startling as hearing a fire alarm, but definitely it was a pleasant awakening.

Also, Mr. Eastern Blue Bird was checking out the bluebird house.

And, this is the first time this winter that I've seen a Mockingbird. Had trouble discerning if it might be a White Eyed Vireo, but, it is probably a regular Mockingbird.

Sure hope GW reverts back to previous photo size. Did they answer you Claire?

Jane

Probably a mockingbird, Jane. I saw one last weekend on the side of the road as I was driving by and I reported it to GBBC (I made a lot of reports to GBBC).

GW hasn't responded yet. It particularly annoys me that I can't even use a medium size pic to link to Flickr. GW warps the medium size so I have to go to small.

Claire

Now I have half a page that is pale green and the photos are not clickable. Webmaster at work maybe.

Bigger news: Claire's boy turkey's timing is probably right. Two days ago I noticed that there were 14 Juncos feeding in one area under the feeder, but they were acting a tad quirky. This morning they are chasing each other and the males appear to be in pursuit. I think I detected a faint scent of Spring this morning. You know how suddenly one day around this time of year your nose suddenly gets whacked awake with a whiff of a new freshness, a kindness in the air that has been absent for so long? Well, there was a misting of hope this morning - and the Juncos are still jumping.

I did not know that plants have a negative charge. Found this article interesting, perhaps someone else will too.

Here is a link that might be useful: ChristianScienceMonitor.com

It's definitely been feeling Springy lately, but I figure it's a trap. Mother Nature has a few more gobsmacks to come.

The first real horde of Red-winged Blackbirds showed up today (fifty-plus) and were making an awful lot of noise up in the trees. Two Common Grackles a few days ago and I think the White-throated Sparrows are beginning to head north. At least I saw a sudden increase in white-throats, up to more than 20 one day, and then the number dropped way down so I suspect that might have been a migrating flock. There's still a few around though (one of my favorite sparrows).

I'm not surprised that plants have a negative charge, but it's interesting that they vary the charge to attract or repel insects. Now if we could just use a charge to repel mosquitoes.... a human bug zapper!

Claire

GW enlarged the photos! And the medium size Flickr photos aren't warped! Thanks, GW!

The only photos that stayed small are the ones I posted at Flickr small size to avoid warping, and I just went in and edited those to link to the original size.

Yee-haw!

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Fri, Feb 22, 13 at 18:55

YES!!!! Soooo much better. Thank you web person. :)

My fat little squirrel, Henry, found the Indian Corn that I hung on the clothesline a few months back. How many ways can a squirrel eat corn?

A titmouse also found the corn.

A blue jay can't be bothered!

And a pair of cardinals are enjoying the kernels that dropped to the ground.

I love seeing squirrels hanging nonchalantly from their toes and showing such admirable flexibility. Squirrel yoga?

No wonder Henry is so 'well-fed'.

Claire

Pixie - did you cover the post with netting to make Henry's life easier? How kind! He is one lucky squirrel.

I was driving home this morning on a semi-rural road and perched on a sturdy branch over the road was one fully dressed, mature, perfect bald eagle. White head stood right out -- and I had no camera. Lesson learned; small camera with zoom now in purse. This at least confirms what I thought I saw last summer - an eagle flying over my house. Today's sighting was only about 2 miles from my house. Next time...
Jane
P.S. - just curious, does everyone else have 1/2 a white page on this thread?

A mature bald eagle on the drive, now that's impressive. All I saw, or rather heard on today's drive were two fish crows on utility poles. Nice to be able to distinguish them from American crows, but somehow doesn't have the cachet of an eagle.

My page (besides the small greenish borders) is 2/3 white with text on the left and 1/3 white with nothing on the right. Although if I added in the small white borders in the text column it would be a bit more. Visually, the text column is much larger than the empty ad column.

Claire

Jane - how wonderful - an eagle. I *think* I saw one fly overhead a few years back. And I have been told that there is a pair that nests on a pond in the northern part of town.

The netting is there for morning glories to cling to in the summer. But yes, Henry is very grateful. In fact he thanks me by eating all my corn and bird seed.

Even though dh's camera weighs 100 lbs, I was thrilled to actually be able to photograph the gold finches on the thistle feeder a couple hundred feet away, down by the pond. I was surprised to see a cardinal on the ground on the backside of the pond when I was looking at the photos. (it's the red blob behind the shepherds hook) I definitely cannot see either with the naked eye.

Claire, I should have been more specific and said horizontally, half way down the thread, the page becomes 1/2 white, 1/2 margin color. The text is easier to read on the margin color for me, so I'm not complaining.
Jane

Nope, my page stays white all the way to the bottom.

Claire

Claire - Noticed on the momentarily resurrected 2012 thread, that one of your male turkeys was perky Feb. 1st, 2012. So the initial strutting time is in keeping with last year's. You caught him on Feb. 8th this year. So if one is gathering sights of Spring now, e.g., crocii, snowdrops, et al, seems that your turkey is a far better prognosticator of Spring than Philadelphia Phil. But I wouldn't tell the press.

Jane

That was fast! This morning I reported advertising to GW on the Birds and other mobile features 2012 #1 thread and they deleted that post (and my post saying it was reported). Thanks, GW!

A media event starring a turkey as Spring prognosticator.... now that would be exciting and very unpredictable. The usual show features a cute furry critter being held by a newsperson and looking rather unhappy. I don't envy the person who tries to hold a randy tom turkey facing the camera. Hee-hee.

Claire

Looks like the Am. Goldfinches have begun their Spring sartorial swap, and naturally, there's one that is way ahead. There were maybe a dozen of them this morning noshing nyjer, and one little fellow just popped out of the crowd:

These two look like 1st year babes

The crowd is still dull:

And then there is Mr. Early:

Jane: Nothing like that here, the goldfinches are still wearing their drab winter coats - when I see them. I haven't seen many goldfinches lately - I figure that the snow melted and exposed all sorts of other food (I can't stand to eat another beakful of yucky nyjer this year..."

Claire

I may not have showy goldfinches, but the grackles in the sun are magnificent! They're just starting to appear here, some with a big flock of redwings and some alone. Interestingly, the big flock of starlings has disappeared, which is good news for my peanut/suet feeder.

Claire

The fact that you have sun is showing off. A shadow is very rare and short lived these days. But I agree, their iridescence is beautiful.

Another grey day. This is a color shot at 8:16am of about the only mobile beings in view. I think we had a partially sunny day once...so long ago now, I forgot when it was. The brightest thing in the garden lately was that little Goldfinch that jumped the gun. It can't be just me who needs a trip to a greenhouse today.

Finally, a sunny afternoon and this Tufted Titmouse seems quite shocked.

Titmice and birches go well together - nice sunny shot - and the geese-in-grey have their own charm.

The titmouse needn't worry, the sun was fleeting and should be gone for a few more days while the grey returns with a vengeance.

Claire

I saw a large Blue Jay on Monday morning, and this morning a hawk was dining on a Blue Jay under the holly tree. I'm guessing it might be the same Jay. Hawk left after nearly an hour dining, and all that's left is a pile of blue feathers. Nature taking its course.

{{gwi:5901}}

About a week ago I saw a Cooper's Hawk flying off with a Blue Jay it had just caught. I cringed because I really like the jays, but I always tell myself not to take sides - the hawk has no choice, it has to eat.

The neighbor's cats, on the other hand, are very well fed and hunt for the fun of it, so I yell at them and chase them if they stalk birds in my yard.

Claire

Update: The victim's feathers appeared blue through the window in early morning light. However, upon walking out to the scene of the crime later, it appears that it was a mockingbird that met its demise by the holly.

And, yes, I know the hawk isn't being bad, just being a hawk. It's nature's way.

{{gwi:5901}}

Speaking of hawks, I got up a moment too late this afternoon to capture him in flight, but he stayed perched out back long enough to capture him and maybe tell the difference in the species. I had been thinking that I was seeing a pair of Broad-wing hawks and that this one was that. But now I wonder if he's a Red-shouldered Hawk. He looks young. Any guesses?

All I can say is that it certainly doesn't look like an accipiter (Cooper's or Sharp-shinned) but I don't know enough to identify it otherwise.

I suggest you post the pictures on the Bird Watching Forum. There are some raptor experts there who really love hawks and will happily give you a clear identification.

Claire

I just checked the Bird Watching Forum and I see you got your ID of a Red-shouldered Hawk. I figured TMFF would jump in quickly with good tips.

Claire

I just got a new bird guide, The Crossley ID Guide of Eastern Birds, which I really like. The birds are shown in context so they look like real birds, not a beautiful stuffed creature. The guide also show different stages of the bird all in one habitat.

This is the page for Red-shouldered Hawk:

It's a big book so not something you'd carry in the field, but it's fine sitting next to the computer.

Claire

Yes, thank you, I did get back to TMFF.

What a beautiful book, Claire. I looked at it on amazon and it is a beauty-- I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I hope to photograph some of those Eastern Shore birds mid-March on the coast of Charleston and Savannah. Spent the day booking hotels and designing my self-directed Gardens, Birds & Food trip. Have to find out how many photos will fit on a class 10, 16GB SD card...might need another back up.

Funny, as I was booking a Charleston hotel, this little Carolina Wren was outside my window singing up his own storm in the snow storm.

Jane

That's a very inspiring picture of an indomitable little bird!

Carolina Wrens are amazing - I also heard a bird song out on the porch today, although not as enthusiastic as usual, and looked out at a wren. It was raining, though, as the snow hasn't been able to get a good grip in the air (she says as she looks out and sees a few solid white raindrops flying by).

March is a fine time to go south, Jane. Maybe you'll even intercept a hummingbird or two on their way north.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Thu, Mar 7, 13 at 16:30

the sun came (happy dance)

Hi guys, cute pics on this thread. Still feeding but not watching the birds too much this winter.

About a half dozen Bluebirds have been hanging around this winter. Yesterday I didn't feel like forging through the snow to give the Bluebirds (and other birds) their nuggets, so I just put the container out on the deck.

Excellent, terrene! Which one uses the spoon?
Jane :)

First they use snow shovels, then they eat with a spoon.... soon the Bluebirds will be calling for delivery and knocking on your door.

Demanding little birds, they are, and very very beautiful.

Claire

LOL! Yes the pretty Bluebirds do seem to have us humans wrapped around their little toes (talented enough to use a snow shovel and spoon!).

Yesterday I was getting lunch for myself and glancing out the kitchen window at the Red-winged Blackbirds having their lunch, when a Sharp-shinned Hawk pounced on one of the red-wings. I guess it was lunchtime for everyone.

I felt very sorry for the red-wing, but you can see from the hawk's posture that this catch was very important for it. It seemed to be looking around to see if another predator would take the bird away. The hawk soon flew off with the red-wing. I was glad not to have to see the meal.

I took twelve photos out my windows before the hawk flew away (I was kind of hoping the red-wing would escape but it didn't). Here are some of the photos, the rest are in my Flickr account - I have a Hawks set now.

Claire

I so enjoy these threads. The quality of many of the photos is amazing. Thanks to all of you who add your images.

I just noticed there are 83 follow-ups on this thread, which is too many to load easily. I also just happen to have some new turkey pics so I'll start a new thread. As always, people can still post on this thread if they want.

Claire

I'll just post a short message to say those photos are extraordinary, Claire, of the hawk with the fallen red wing blackbird. That will be one red-wing that won't be showing up in the wetland area of our land this summer. Sigh... my favorite bird, but their species is far from endangered and the hawk had to eat.

Also your new bird guide has lovely illustrations. That book is a treasure.