French Flamingoes

As far as I know, Van Gogh never painted flamingoes. But he did spend a few years (although unhappy ones) very close to the best place in Europe to see them. The South French city of Arles (where Van Gogh painted some of his famous pictures) is about 20 kilometers north of a vast Mediterranean marsh called Camargue, which serves as a staging ground for about 10,000 flamingoes every spring and fall. We timed our visit there to the peak of their migration - with these pictures as a result.

State birds

These pictures show state birds of the countries and states of the readers of this post, plus a smattering of others. Do you know (or can you guess) which is which?

Here is list of all countries/states represented. Answers are on the bottom (no googling!).
New Jersey
New York State
Pennsylvania
USA (according to Ben Franklin)
India
Indian state of Kerala
Indian state of Tamil Nadu
Israel
France
Russia

Birds:

Wild Turkey


Tundra Swan


Ruffed Grouse


Rooster


Peahen


Eastern Bluebird


Great Hornbill


Eurasian Hoopoe


Emerald Dove


Eastern Goldfinch





Answers:

New Jersey: Eastern Goldfinch
New York State: Eastern Bluebird
Pennsylvania: Ruffed Grouse (picture source: Wikipedia)
India: Peacock (the picture is of a female)
Kerala: Great Hornbill (picture source: Wikipedia)
Tamil Nadu: Emerald Dove (picture source: Wikipedia)
Israel: Hoopoe
France: Gallic Rooster (picture source: Wikipedia)
Russia: Tundra Swan (picture source: Wikipedia)
USA: Wild Turkey (Ben Franklin's choice; he called the bald eagle "a bird of bad moral character")

Final set: India birds nature

Glossy Ibis:


Striated Heron:


Little Cormorant


Little Cormorant getting away:


Great Egret:


Purple-Rumped Sunbird (why no purple? because female):




Little Egret


Stork-Billed Kingfisher:


Black Drongo:


Indian Pond Heron:




Blue-Tailed Bee-eater:


Cattle Egret:


House Crow family:


Malabar Parakeet family:


Painted Stork:


Purple Heron:




Spot-Billed Pelican family:


Somehow I never thought pelicans can fit on wires... but here they are:


Brahminy Kite vs House Crow:


Black-Winged Stilt:


Southern Coucal: