John McAllister
@johnmcallister.bsky.social
Former teacher and geologist (trilobite geochemistry and microstructures) and now a birder, photographer, genealogist, and car restorer.
A few honeycreepers for you from Costa Rica. Two are male red-legged honeycreepers, one mature and one immature, and the third is a male shining honeycreeper. Telling them apart is easier than you think. Look first at the legs and then the plumage. #birder #birdwatcher #ornithology
February 22, 2025 at 3:11 PM
A few honeycreepers for you from Costa Rica. Two are male red-legged honeycreepers, one mature and one immature, and the third is a male shining honeycreeper. Telling them apart is easier than you think. Look first at the legs and then the plumage. #birder #birdwatcher #ornithology
Just back from a birding trip to Costa Rica. Just under 54K photos, so this will take some time to wade through! First off, though, a shot of a rufous-tailed hummingbird and a rufous-browed peppershrike both taken at the Hotel Bouganvillea. #birdwatcher #ornithology #birding
February 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Just back from a birding trip to Costa Rica. Just under 54K photos, so this will take some time to wade through! First off, though, a shot of a rufous-tailed hummingbird and a rufous-browed peppershrike both taken at the Hotel Bouganvillea. #birdwatcher #ornithology #birding
January 22, 2025 at 3:39 AM
It's always a thrill to spot and photograph a Cuban emerald hummingbird! #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
January 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
It's always a thrill to spot and photograph a Cuban emerald hummingbird! #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
Continuing with the trapping of song birds, we came across a pair of female Cuban grassquit with no male. It made us wonder if the male had been trapped too. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
January 22, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Continuing with the trapping of song birds, we came across a pair of female Cuban grassquit with no male. It made us wonder if the male had been trapped too. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
One issue that came up on our trip to Cuba is the trapping for sale of song birds. We came across a man who had captured a male painted bunting and was taking it to sell. We offered him money, but he thought we would report him as it is illegal to trap them. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
January 22, 2025 at 3:32 AM
One issue that came up on our trip to Cuba is the trapping for sale of song birds. We came across a man who had captured a male painted bunting and was taking it to sell. We offered him money, but he thought we would report him as it is illegal to trap them. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
The nice thing about photographing the Cuban gnatcatcher is that it tends to make an effort to give you interesting poses to capture. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
January 22, 2025 at 3:29 AM
The nice thing about photographing the Cuban gnatcatcher is that it tends to make an effort to give you interesting poses to capture. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
A close runnerup to the Cuban Tody for perhaps the cutest tiny bird, IMHO, is the Cuban gnatcatcher. It gives off a muppet feeling. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
January 22, 2025 at 3:26 AM
A close runnerup to the Cuban Tody for perhaps the cutest tiny bird, IMHO, is the Cuban gnatcatcher. It gives off a muppet feeling. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
For those that haven't had the pleasure of meeting a Cuban Tody before, they are inquisitive wee beasts, to say the least. Oddly they make a sound similar to that of a rapid camera shutter, so taking their photo actually attracts them. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
January 22, 2025 at 3:21 AM
For those that haven't had the pleasure of meeting a Cuban Tody before, they are inquisitive wee beasts, to say the least. Oddly they make a sound similar to that of a rapid camera shutter, so taking their photo actually attracts them. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder
One of my all time favourite birds is the Cuban Tody. Here are a couple of closeups taken last week near Holguin, Cuba. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birders
January 22, 2025 at 3:17 AM
One of my all time favourite birds is the Cuban Tody. Here are a couple of closeups taken last week near Holguin, Cuba. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birders
So we just got back from a two week trip to Cuba. For those who can't get there (for political or financial reasons), I will be posting some of my bird shots over the next few days. Why days? I shot just under 19 000 photographs, so it takes a little time to get through them all. Stay tuned!
January 22, 2025 at 3:13 AM
So we just got back from a two week trip to Cuba. For those who can't get there (for political or financial reasons), I will be posting some of my bird shots over the next few days. Why days? I shot just under 19 000 photographs, so it takes a little time to get through them all. Stay tuned!
Hooded mergansers flying by down by the waterfront in Parry Sound this afternoon. A little late in the season for them here. #birds #birding #birdwatcher #ornithology
January 2, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Hooded mergansers flying by down by the waterfront in Parry Sound this afternoon. A little late in the season for them here. #birds #birding #birdwatcher #ornithology
We started our day interacting with a small colony of tree sparrows. It is always a thrill to have them all around you! #birds #birding #birdwatcher #ornithology
January 1, 2025 at 2:27 PM
We started our day interacting with a small colony of tree sparrows. It is always a thrill to have them all around you! #birds #birding #birdwatcher #ornithology
Not to be outdone, some trumpeter swans shots from New Year's Eve at Collingwood Harbour. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology
January 1, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Not to be outdone, some trumpeter swans shots from New Year's Eve at Collingwood Harbour. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology
Mute swans in a flyby - running the circuit around Collingwood Harbour on New Year's Eve. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology
January 1, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Mute swans in a flyby - running the circuit around Collingwood Harbour on New Year's Eve. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology
A goldeneye taking off and doing a flyby of the local mute swans before setting down again at Collingwood Harbour yesterday. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology
January 1, 2025 at 2:15 PM
A goldeneye taking off and doing a flyby of the local mute swans before setting down again at Collingwood Harbour yesterday. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology
The main reason for our trip was to see if we could get some photos of snowy owls. We managed to spot a few late in the afternoon, and at a good distance, so no worries about stressing them.
January 1, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The main reason for our trip was to see if we could get some photos of snowy owls. We managed to spot a few late in the afternoon, and at a good distance, so no worries about stressing them.
There were plenty of common goldeneyes in the Collingwood Harbour yesterday - always a treat to see them take off and land.
January 1, 2025 at 2:07 PM
There were plenty of common goldeneyes in the Collingwood Harbour yesterday - always a treat to see them take off and land.
Yesterday we headed off to Collingwood for some birding. A great day for it with plenty to see, but what caught my eye was this mallard hen sporting a tracker. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #ornithology
January 1, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Yesterday we headed off to Collingwood for some birding. A great day for it with plenty to see, but what caught my eye was this mallard hen sporting a tracker. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #ornithology
We did some birding in Barrie the other day - got some nice shots of the local mallards. #birding #birds #ornithology
December 30, 2024 at 10:59 PM
We did some birding in Barrie the other day - got some nice shots of the local mallards. #birding #birds #ornithology
A few barred owl shots from yesterday's excursion. We saw and photographed three barred owls. No baiting-these were spotted in the brush by the side of the road in a relatively desolate region of northern Ontario opposite open fields, so obviously they were hunting. #birds #birding #ornithology
December 23, 2024 at 1:13 PM
A few barred owl shots from yesterday's excursion. We saw and photographed three barred owls. No baiting-these were spotted in the brush by the side of the road in a relatively desolate region of northern Ontario opposite open fields, so obviously they were hunting. #birds #birding #ornithology
Yellow-faced grassquit taken in January near Guardalavaca, Cuba with Karlos Ross. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
November 25, 2024 at 1:43 AM
Yellow-faced grassquit taken in January near Guardalavaca, Cuba with Karlos Ross. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
The Cuban emerald hummingbird - again taken near Guardalavaca last January. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
November 25, 2024 at 1:41 AM
The Cuban emerald hummingbird - again taken near Guardalavaca last January. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
Right up there with the Cuban pygmy owl is the Cuban tody. An amazing, tiny bird, that is quite curious and will come close in to check you out. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
November 25, 2024 at 1:39 AM
Right up there with the Cuban pygmy owl is the Cuban tody. An amazing, tiny bird, that is quite curious and will come close in to check you out. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
A Cuban pygmy owl - photo taken last January near Guardalavaca while birding with my good friend Karlos Ross, a local birder. These are one of my favourite birds! #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher
November 25, 2024 at 1:37 AM
A Cuban pygmy owl - photo taken last January near Guardalavaca while birding with my good friend Karlos Ross, a local birder. These are one of my favourite birds! #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher