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Bird of the Day, theme 'Bird Naps'

natureSep 4, 20261969,296

Today's Bird of the Day is the daily community event themed #BirdNaps, inviting any bird caught snoozing, napping, or looking incredibly sleepy. The gallery is full of quiet, close-up wildlife photos and backyard sightings: a hummingbird photographed sleeping in Costa Rica, a mute swan napping on a bright frosty lake, and a dozing mourning dove and cygnet among others. The alternate theme #BrightAccents surfaces alongside the naps, with posts highlighting puffins' very bright beaks and feet, an Evening Grosbeak's yellow eyebrows, and sandhill cranes' red skin patches. Look for waterbirds resting on the surface, owls and nocturnal species mid-day asleep, and colourful accents called out by contributors under the alt theme.

Helen Bennett 🌿
@helenbennett.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay is #BirdNaps Any bird caught snoozing, napping or just looking incredibly sleepy! 😊 💤 Here's a lovely hummingbird I spotted sleeping In Costa Rica 📷 🪶 💚 Alt theme: #BrightAccents birds with vivid, contrasting patches of colour that stand out against the rest of its plumage!

A close-up photograph of a female White-necked Jacobin hummingbird seen in side profile sleeping while perched on a slender, textured twig. The bird is facing to the right as viewed and is nestled among the tangled branches of an out-of-focus shrub. Her tiny, needle-like black beak points slightly upward, and her single visible eye is completely closed, revealing a delicate, dark grey eyelid. The hummingbird’s plumage displays a stunning gradient of shimmering metallic colours. Her head and upper back glisten with deep teal and emerald green feathers that catch the soft light. In contrast, her throat and breast feature an intricate, textured pattern of dark green and white feathers, giving her chest a beautiful "scaled" appearance. Her lower underbelly transitions into soft, fluffy white down feathers that slightly cover her tiny feet grasping the branch.The background is a soft, completely blurred wash of bright yellowish-greens and pale browns. Taken in Costa Rica
56717h ago
Get To Know Nature3

This is a lovely shot! So much detail on those gorgeous green feathers

Neil Cameron3

What a beautiful little bird having a snooze. Lovely shot, Helen.

Tony Ramsden2

Great shot Helen great bird 👏

Kathy 💙1

Of all the birds at my feeders hummingbirds are my favorite. What a beautiful capture, Helen. 🪶 📸😍

Mr Garden1

Beautiful shot and bird. 👌😍

alisonwillis1.bsky.social1

How wonderful. Beautiful capture 😍

Lori Batchelor🇨🇦
@lorichirp.bsky.social

Helen has said: Today's #BirdOfTheDay is #BirdNaps Any bird caught snoozing, napping or just looking incredibly sleepy! 😊 💤 Alt theme: #BrightAccents #birds #photography #ECK 2 young Pacific Great Blue Herons having a nap at the third nest.

4868h ago
Cool Xenu 86472

Did someone say nap? #BirdNaps

Justine Jones2

So cute! I love your GBH photos.

swandiveswim.bsky.social
@swandiveswim.bsky.social

#Birds Helen Bennett 🌿 @helenbennett.bsky.social says today's #BirdOfTheDay is #BirdNaps Any bird caught snoozing, napping or just looking incredibly sleepy! A pair of Hooded Merganser from May 2022. The hen, seemingly unimpressed with the drake's display, is snoozing on the water's surface.

2 ducks on metallic looking water. On the right, a stunning drake with its black trimmed white crest fully opened. Its body is golden brown, black and white. The hen on the left, has her head tucked into her wing, eye closed. She has a rich warm toned brown crest, the body is more of a taupe shade of brown.
3339h ago
Aj d'Wit (Audrey)
@audjde.bsky.social

I have a very small file of bird photos, but somehow I can post what I have every now and then. You've seen my wondrous #KingParrot before, however, I did happen to get one of him snoozing. So I just make it again, thanks Helen. #BirdOfTheDay #BirdNaps Alt: #BrightAccents #ECK #Birds #Australia

An Australian King Parrot takes a nap. The Parrot has a bright red head, and body, with green wings. He has an orange beak, black eyes with a yellow trim around the eye. He is facing left and in sitting on a light brown tree branch. A patch of sunlight lights up his back. He's a relaxed fella. The background is a mix of out of focus tree trunks and a green fence
32216h ago
Graham Jones1

He's still watching you, though, Audrey, in the way that animals always do. They never quite take their eye off a potential threat. Dogs are masters of this art but mainly because they don't want to miss you surreptitiously eating a biscuit while they nap. 😁

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Aww, great capture, Audrey.... I love your wondrous King Parrot! 💚❤️🦜

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

Awww this is so cute and lovely Audrey 😍 Have a fine evening and weekend ✨️🤗

Den 🇮🇪1

So very beautiful. Lovely to see Audrey.

jen 💙🤍🕊️1

So cute, Audrey! I think they’re nicer when resting. Less noisy. 😁🤍

TARA SMITHSON -Wildlife & Nature Photographer 📸1

Perfect! Just a little rest.

Alan H
@alan678.bsky.social

Good morning. Late start for me, I’m going with Helen’s main theme for #BirdOfTheDay which is: “ #BirdNaps Any bird caught snoozing, napping or just looking incredibly sleepy!” What do Swans dream about?🤷‍♂️ #birds #photography #ECK

A close-up of a mute swan resting on the water, its head tucked against its body. Its striking orange-and-black bill contrasts beautifully with its soft white plumage, while dark rippling water surrounds the bird.
29414h ago
Neil Cameron9

Given how many of us have posted them sound asleep, I'm gonna guess they dream about having their very next nap immediately after finishing this one! Lazy buggers, the lot of 'em! Lovely shot, of course.

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)5

They dream of the ballet of course. 🙄 Fabulous photo. 👍🏼🤍

Den 🇮🇪1

Looks like this guy was out late. Swan parties can get quite boisterous I'm told.

Amy Gann1

Very nice, Alan! I love all the sleepy swans!

Sue Ibrahim1

They dream of being left alone 😂 Beautiful shot, though, Alan. 🌟

Matt 📷♿️🐈1

Baryshnikov? 😬 Very nice shot Alan Good morning to you and g’night for me (hopefully)

Christina Evans
@christinae.bsky.social

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) male showing off his yellow shafts is #BirdoftheDay for the alt theme #BrightAccents. #birds #BackYard #Florida

A male Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) perched on top of a large gnarly tree snag in a vertical frame. A good-sized brownish woodpecker with striking barred upper parts and a bright red nape back of the head. The black malar stripe indicates a male bird, and the bright yellow feather shafts are characteristic of this species in the east and north. (Western birds are "red-shafted")
26011h ago
TimBert1

Great picture of a cool bird. Did not think of this bird for BOTD. Thanks.

gridflay1

Oh that's a great shot! They're so skittish, I rarely get to see them in such detail ☺️

linda2.bsky.social
@linda2.bsky.social

A cygnet having a nap! #BirdOfTheDay #BirdNaps #UKWildlife #Photography

A cygnet with beak buried in down feathers have a nap. This is a side profile image.
20813h ago
Helen Bennett 🌿1

Gorgeous capture Linda 👏🤍. Hope your time in Yorkshire has or is going well! 🙏

Cordoba Luis Photographer1

@linda2.bsky.social this is my new account — would love a follow here!

Jamara1

absolut great capture of the fluffy texture👍

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

This is a special photo. So lovely. Good work. 👌🤍

Shantha Mohan, Ph.D., DTM1

Makes you want to take one! Beautiful! Does this mean you have arrived in Yorkshire? Have a lovely rest of the day and weekend, Linda!

Climb To The Clouds1

Lovely work, Linda. This is so wonderful ✨

Rina
@rina2012.bsky.social

"Today’s #BirdOfTheDay is #BirdNaps Alt theme: #BrightAccents" Sleeping Beauty and her touch of blue 🦆 #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Germany #wildlife #photography #nature #thelittlethings #ECK #Scape #MallardMonday

A female mallard is resting on one leg on a wooden jetty, whilst tiny raindrops glisten on her brown-patterned plumage. She has turned her head backwards and buried it in her feathers. A bright blue speculum glints on her wing. In the background, a dark expanse of water can be seen in the rain.
18516h ago
Helen Bennett 🌿1

Lovely shot Rina... perfect for the theme 👌🫶🦆

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

Good morning dear Rina, what a lovely photo from this beautiful lady✨️🤗

Glynis R1

Lovely colour capture Rina 😍

TARA SMITHSON -Wildlife & Nature Photographer 📸1

You killed two birds with one stone! Wonderful shot.

JenHenders1

*whispers* that is beautiful & serene 💜

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

What a pose! It must be good carrying your own pillow. Great photo, Rina. 😍👍🏼💫

Get To Know Nature
@gettoknownature.bsky.social

A dozing Mourning Dove from my yard for #BirdOfTheDay. #BirdNaps #birds 🌿

A round beige bird sits on a horizontal branch making an almost perfect sphere, resting its head against its breast with eyes closed.
18912h ago
Cri 🕊🐝🐜📝🎭⚽😷2

I cannot think of a single photo (of tens of thousands) of mine where I caught a bird sleeping. I'm amazed so many folks have these!

Amy Gann
@amygann.bsky.social

A close look at the red patch of sandhill cranes. The patch is skin rather than feathers. While their feathers are grey, the patch of skin is bright red. For the #birdoftheday (alt) theme of #brightaccents #birds #crane #sandhillcrane ##protectnature

A sandhill crane close up. One side of its face is in shadow while the sun is striking the other side. This highlights its bright eye and the red skin that tops their head
17115h ago
Doug Engstrom3

That's an awesome shot. I feel like the crane is coming right through my screen.

Alan H2

Superb photography Amy. What a beauty.

Helen Bennett 🌿2

Stunning capture Amy 👏 Your image has a wonderful intimate feel to it, as if the Crane is going to pop out of my screen! ❤️

Grumpy 💙 European 🪶2

Mmh. That‘s a great image, is that really only skin? It‘s not regular feathers for sure, but it looks like it‘s rather some short red feather stubbles. Could you get closer? Probably not on a living bird…

Marjo Slingerland-Boks2

What a beautiful crane and lovely photo Amy ♥️ have a lovely day and weekend ✨️😊

Neil Cameron2

Amazing. Even looking closely, I would have sworn that was feathers. Short, Marine buzz-cut, but feathers nonetheless. TIL!

Aintright
@aintright.bsky.social

Bobbin the Robin #BirdOfTheDay #BirdNaps #Birds #UKbirds

17516h ago
Hel Jel1

Not one you often see sleeping! Lovely…

Atlantic Birding
@atlanticbirding.bsky.social

🪶 Helen has chosen #BirdNaps as #BirdOfTheDay theme, birds napping, sleeping etc. Alt. is #BrightAccents; birds with vivid, contrasting patches of plumage. A Mute Swan napping on a lake on a bright, frosty morning. #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #nature #flyday #scape

A Mute Swan sleeping on the lake in the early morning. The bird is bottom centre of the frame, in side profile with the left side of its body showing. Its head and neck are tucked into its body. The bird is all white, the sunshine is coming in from the left and highlighting the birds chest and neck. Its eye and and end of the beak can be seen above its wing. It is a winters morning and a thin layer of fog is covering the lake surface and giving the bird a hazy appearance, its reflection is partly visible in front of it. The foggy lake surface takes up most of the shot with some reeds visible in the top right of the shot and a dark line of trees in the top left.
16917h ago
Helen Bennett 🌿1

Wonderful serene capture AB 👌🕊

Neil Cameron1

Nicely done, AB. Seems we both managed to post Mute Swans sleeping. Hmmm, I think there's a rhyme in there somewhere. 😁

Froure1

Gorgeous! The fog adds so much!

Doug Engstrom1

I love the fog in that shot; it gives it such an ethereal feel.

Connect2Nature 🇨🇦
@invisitech.bsky.social

#Connect2Nature #Birds #BirdoftheDay This Eastern Screech Owl apparently had a busy night. Time for #BirdNaps, today's BOTD theme. Burlington Ontario #Nature #Photography

17212h ago
Be The Change2

I ❤️ these lil guys!

simmcewen.bsky.social
@simmcewen.bsky.social

Barred owl #BirdNaps #BirdOfTheDay #ShowHeart #wildlife #NaturePhotography

A color photograph of a barred owl perched on a thick bare branch in a tree, with green big leaf maple leaves in the background. Its eyes are closed. There are heart-shaped dark markings on the feathers at the base of its torso.
1438h ago
simmcewen.bsky.social13

Close-up photo of the heart-shaped markings on the owl feathers

charlee49.bsky.social1

Do I see TWO HEARTS down at its tail??? How precious!!

Original Brat 🇨🇦 🇱🇻 🐕‍🦺1

We have one in our bay (at the cottage). They have a very terrifying squawk, scream, call.. in the middle of the night…

Dave Meredith
@davemeredith.bsky.social

Today's alternative #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BrightAccents. A male Evening Grosbeak with its yellow eyebrows. Also a post for #FinchFriday #BrucePeninsula #BruceCounty #ECK #photography #birds #nature #wildlife #TenMinutesFromHome #BackyardPhotography #VintageLens #ManualFocus

14416h ago
Alan H3

Great Dave. Pretty birds. 😍

Justine Jones2

Wonderful shot. I saw my first Evening Grosbeaks this week. Beautiful birds, your shot does them proud.

Jason1

The captures of this wonderful bird are just sublime Dave!! Beautifully captured my friend🤩👌🏼

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