Birds in the viewfinder
Greetings Earthlings; I come in peace.
I've been meaning to post a promised photo essay for quite awhile but master procrastinator that I am here it is April already and I haven't posted so much as a thumbnail for several months. But thanks in part to Boriscleto's beautiful bird pic essay I was inspired to finally put something together tonight. I introduced myself here with a similar photo essay a few months back but for the new members here who don't know me, I'm here because I followed some of my favorite people over here from DK last year. Those of you that followed Backyard Science may remember that a few years ago I posted nature related diaries pretty regularly. Although I continued to read BYS and the Daily Buckets I pretty much stopped writing a couple of years ago. I haven't written much here either, leaving that to the better informed and sharper minds of the more talented writers here. I'm an ace reader though!
I retired a few years ago but raising a grand-daughter keeps me and gramma pretty busy and also keeps us engaged in the world. We also have a few acres on top of an Ozark ridge that keeps us pretty busy too. Were trying to manage it primarily for the benefit of the native wildlife that we're so privileged to have around us. This also keeps us pretty busy. The soil up here on this ridge-top is about as poor as soil can be but we are slowly figuring out which native plants do well here and we're ever so slowly making progress in turning this small piece of an old worn out farmstead into something more natural. Our hard work is rewarded via a nice variety of wild critters that find our changes agreeable and grace us with their presence.
Whenever we get the chance to get away we spend most of our free time running around the rest of the state trying to sneak up on wildlife so we can get a photograph or two of it. Neither of us are professional photographers and have never sold a picture and never hope to but it gives us a lot of enjoyment and we're proud to have been asked and given permission for several of our photos to be used by various people and agencies for such things as presentations and educational pamphlets, etc. But by far the best part is that it gives us something to do together in our old age that we both love and enjoy.
Present Missouri politics suck in the worst way but what we lack in decent representation we make up for in the beauty of the land and the wonderful variety of wildlife that lives here. Both of us are avid birders and have been nature lovers all our lives so our simple life style suits us to a T. It's extremely difficult to choose which pics to post since there are so many marvelous birds to pick from but here are a few that I hope you'll find as beautiful as we do.
American Goldfinch, in full breeding plumage.
Common Grackle
American White-Pelican
Barred Owl
Adult Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher with a trout fingerling.
Dickcissel singing his heart out.
Dark-eyed junco, common winter visitors here.
Green Heron stalking it's prey.
Horned Grebe
Indigo bunting
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-headed Woodpecker
Prothonatory Warbler
Tufted titmouse
Yellow-bellied Chat
White-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-headed blackbird
Northern Cardinal
Peace
Comments
Awesome photographs!
There are several birds that I have not been privileged to see. Do you just stake out a spot and wait for the birds? All these pictures are just incredible, but my two favorites are probably the dickcissel singing and the kingfisher with the trout fingerling.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Morning gg, and thanks.
Our tactics vary all the time, depending on the circumstances. If we're after a particular critter we sometimes string up some kind of camouflage in a likely area and try to wait it out, but these days we aren't overly energetic and typically we just take a leisurely stroll through an area where one could expect to find wildlife and shoot whatever we happen upon. State parks, State forests, Conservation areas, Wildlife refuges and reserves, etc. are all good. We're very lucky to have many such places within reasonable driving distance from here. One of my favorite methods is to just float along a river and shoot right out of the boat. You never know what might be around the next bend. We've even been known to shoot right out of the car window if we see something cool in an area where it's safe to stop or pull over.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
I dig that
Having seen the great wildlife along the boundaries of land and water, it's a magnet for more than humans. I have desired a kayak to slip in without sound, but size/weight (for me) and cost is a problem, plus not having anything image-acquiring that is waterproof.
We sound like similar souls, trying to adapt woodland from field or altered woodland (Bring in those zone 6 and 7 trees) for me.
Lovely bird pix! Like the grebe and the heron (latter heard but not seen).
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Thank you!
Always very enjoyable to see birds, especially from areas other than my own.
Neighbors have a Cherry Tree that's completely Overgrown, and all winter it was the hang-out of a group of Robins that didn't want to move on. Even when it snowed. (Lost one to the cold, but kids understood.)
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Thanks dmw,
Robin migration is a bit confusing. For instance, here in Missouri our resident summer robins normally go south for the winter but about the time they are leaving us they are replaced by more northern robins that come down and take their place and it's not unusual at all for us to have robins all throughout the winter months. In fact we often have more of them around during the winter than we do in the summer. And they flock up in the winter so they are much more noticeable then too. Their diet completely changes in winter, from worms and insects to weed seeds and whatever berries are available. Juniper berries survive the winter intact and many birds take advantage of them when not much else is available. They are plentiful here.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Cornell's Lab of Ornitholgy has great information on robins, etc
Like many bird spp the non-breeding behavior is almost opposite what most are used to. Robins get in gangs for the winter, much like the mixed winter flocks of chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, maybe Downies but the robins go after berries exclusively when the worms and ground insects have fled. So much to enjoy.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Wow - beautiful work
We have a pair of cardinals and a pair of American goldfinches that return year after year to our feeder but the rest are all knew to me - stunning photographs.
I would never normally ask this question as the expertise is 100% with the photographer but am interested from a professional point of view -what lens do you use?
Thanks for posting these.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Thank you Steve,
My wife and both shoot Nikon D-7100's. We love them. They aren't truly professional grade cameras but come fairly close, close enough for our needs anyway, and we didn't have to take out a second mortgage to buy them. We have a variety of lenses but my favorite is my Tamron 600 and Shirley usually shoots a Nikon 400. She actually does as well or better with it as I do with the bigger Tamron on all but the most extreme distances. In fact out to about thirty or forty yards her pictures are often sharper than mine. Plus it's quite a bit lighter for her to carry, a fact which I'm very envious of by the end of a long day afield. ( : We also have some shorter lenses that we use for scenery and such, and a micro Nikor 105 lense for close ups of insects, flowers and such. It does an excellent job but with my shaky hands I have to set it on a tripod or else I end up with blur.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
I've only ever heard good things
about the D7100. The cameras I use the most are a Nikon D3100 and an ancient D40X which are way behind the D7100. I did own a D75 for a time but ending up selling it. I have used a Tamron 600 (a friends) and was really impressed. That is definitely on the shopping list. Seeing these photos has moved it to the top of said list.
I am currently getting used to a Tokina 11-16mm that I bought recently for a real estate job - that is taking a lot of getting used to.
Can definitely relate to the shake thing - my tripod is getting more outings than it ever did before.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Fantastic this, burntout. Our front yd is filling up with birds
now and it's so nice to sit and watch them outside our window. My "Sparrow TV" is back :=)
and hte photos are exquisite. TY, I've been wondering about finding a bird chart or something for southern Ontario. I'd like to stick it up beside the window, so I can know their names better and discuss world affairs more respectfully with the first nations of Earth.
Thank you so much for this. Best wishes,
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.
Thanks Gerrit,
Our sliding glass door looks right out on the back porch where our feeders hang so we can sit right in the living room and watch them all day long. We've been feeding them for thirty plus years so we've acquired quite a flock of regulars with a good variety. It's fun to watch the species come and go as the seasons change.
You might want to invest in a bird field guide. There are some really good ones out there and not overly expensive. You can find them for the entire continent or for specific regions. Stokes makes a very good one, so does Smithsonian, there are many others.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
wonderful
“There are moments which are not calculable, and cannot be assessed in words; they live on in the solution of memory… ”
― Lawrence Durrell, "Justine"
Thank you pfiore8!
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
These are great! Thanks for this and do more :)
There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams
Thanks kharma, wasn't real sure how bird pics would be received
here but no one seems to be objecting and Jtc has promised not to ban me for posting bird pics so I'll try to post with a little more frequency in the future. ( :
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
The Daily Bucket refugees
are hopping up and down. Let's put on a play!
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Thanks riverlover! Sounds like a plan!
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Ha!
If JtC decides to ban you for bird pictures, then we might have to ban JtC!
Just kidding JtC!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Just a few more weeks
But it's hard to not be depressed when you look out the window and see several inches of snow.
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
I have a good friend in Northern Wisconsin who always comes down
with a bad case of cabin fever about this time every year, so I know what you mean. Spring will come eventually and will be all the more sweeter for the waiting.Hang in there.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
So beautiful
They are mesmerizing. I keep going back to make sure I didn't miss anything.
'Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years, Doctor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd "
Thanks so much for the kind words magicsister.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Joyful!
Thanks pl!
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Can You help Us? Sparrow vs Finch
Thanks for the beautiful birds.
You must be the perfect person to show us Bernie's little birdie. Many first thought it was a sparrow but someone more knowledgeable said it was a finch. Do you have photos of each species so we can see for ourselves?
See how we need everyone's skills in politics?
Thanks, Diane
It was a female House Finch
There was some confusion over the color in some of the video streams. But if you look at a HD stream you can tell it is a House Finch.
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
There was no doubt
The bill was a give away. It definitely was a female house finch. Every year the house finches try to nest in my ferns. If I hear them chattering in the trees or see them flying around the ferns, I take the ferns down for a week so they will look elsewhere. There is plenty of great nesting sites and foliage cover in my yard. They do not need my ferns.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks Diane,
Looks like boriscleto beat me to it.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
There are so many species of sparrows and many of them are very
similar looking but here is a picture of a female House sparrow followed by a female House finch, both are easily confused with one another but I agree with boricleto that Bernie's bird is a house finch.
House sparrow/female
House finch/female
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
yes, note
the difference in the bills.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
One quibble
It's Yellow-breasted Chat, not Yellow-bellied.
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
Heh, I stand corrected.( :
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Love it ! I prefer to photograph leopard, wild dog, lions,
and elephants, but when none are those are around birds are a big fav as well.
Thanks for posting this!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
I'll never pass up an opportunity to photograph a lion or
leopard but haven't come across any here in Missouri yet. ( : No wild dogs but we do come across coyotes once in awhile. We have a very small but steadily increasing population of black bears here now and we're always hoping to stumble on one but no luck so far. One was spotted about twenty miles from us two years ago which got us all excited and hopeful but evidently it moved on and hasn't been seen in this area since. Our most ferocious critter to date was a bobcat that we shot several years ago but it was quite far away and before we had stepped up our camera equipment so the pics aren't great. We're hoping to get a second chance now that we have better equipment but they are very elusive and understandably fearful of humans since they are often shot on sight.
Thanks! Here's a shot of our one and only bobcat.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Several years ago
I saw a Florida panther crossing a busy highway in central Florida just south of Haines City as I was driving to visit my parents. I crossed in front of the car that was in front of me. It was built very low to the ground with a very long body and a tail that was as long as its body. I will never see one again, but I feel lucky just to have seen one once.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
That's really cool, every so often there are reported sightings
of mountain lions here in Missouri. Several sightings have been verified by the Mo. Conservation Dept. and tracks and scat have been found too. But they don't believe there is a breeding population in this state and the sightings are believed to just be wanderers that eventually make their way back home, where ever that may be. We are always hoping we might someday be in the right spot at the right time but the chances are slim to none that we'll ever see one in the wild. But it's kind of neat just knowing that the possibility exists.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Great pick me up!
Loved the pictures and the story of how you get all these wonderful shots! Have just gotten a new spotting scope and was checking it out using the birds on my backyard feeder as subjects. Made a great difference looking at them through the lens of the scope.
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
Thanks jakalbessie,
Spotting scopes, zoom lenses, binoculars are all wonderful inventions and well worth carrying afield. Being able to zoom in on the wildlife really helps to bring out the finer details. Much of the intricate beauty or wildlife goes unseen without the aid of a scope or big lense.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Love the birds, burnt out!
We've got finches all year round. The Phoebe's are back and we have a curved billed thrasher. Our mockingbirds will be arriving soon, too. Many more that Raggedy Andy can identify. I look in wonder - love to feed them - but he's the bird-mad and can identify so many just from song or flight pattern. Yours are beautiful!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Thanks Raggedy Ann,
Our phoebes are back too. Mockingbirds stick around all winter here unless we get an unusually extended and severe cold spell. No long billed thrashers here but we have brown thrashers and we had FOS one singing in the front yard two weeks ago. They are fantastic singers, having a very big repertoire. I love to listen to them.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
We love the song of the thrashers, too!
They are so dramatic!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Beautiful! Thank you, burnt out.
The winged ones are just now returning to us here in southern Oregon.
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire
Thank you thrownstone,
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Thanks so much for the beautiful bird pictures!
We have been feeding the birds here for twenty-four years and they never fail to bring us good cheer. The titmouse and nuthatch are particular favorites. Of course, the squirrels drop by for their share of the goodies, too. Although we live in town (in central IL) we have also had occasional visits from deer and foxes, and once had a coyote trot through the yard at midday. Yet another reason our cats are strictly indoors!
Hope you will post more in the future.
"As long as there is a lower class, I am in it.
"As long as there is a criminal element, I am of it.
"As long as there is a soul in prison, I am not free." Eugene V. Debs
Thanks Hollyanna,
It's surprising how many wild critters make there way into towns all across the country. I used to work in a small town not far from here and over the years I saw lot's of different animals that you wouldn't expect to see there including raccoons, opossums, skunks, chipmunks, groundhogs, and deer, oh, and squirrels of course which apparently thrive on city life.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Beautiful shots, the lighting
Beautiful shots, the lighting is perfect! I have a flock of American Goldfinches that take over the thistle feeders from November to May, and then the Lesser Arkansas Goldfinches come back in May and resume ownership. I've just put out the Hummingbird feeder and expect the first visitors will be showing up during the next snowfall. Springtime in the Rockies, indeed!
Thanks arachnet,
We haven't put our hummingbird feeders back up yet but it's getting close to that time so I need to make sure they're ready to go. Thanks for the reminder.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Love to see you here
And I enjoyed your photos very much. Especially your Red-headed Woodpecker. Not a bird I see here.
I have been lead organizer for Bernie in my area. I take a look for birds when I can. More so now that AZ PPE is over. A flock of Cedar Waxwings, about 30, have been hanging around the neighborhood. I always enjoy watching them. Barn Swallows and Cassin's Kingbirds arrived this week. Spring is here. I here a phainopepla dewerping outside my door. A beautiful day in SE AZ.
Thanks spinxmoth, I'm guessing your're AZ Sphinx Moth from BYS?
Good to see you too. Been awhile since I talked to you. I love Cedar waxwings, they have almost a golden glow about them when you are close enough to see them clearly, beautiful birds. Never saw, or heard, a phainopelpl in my life, but from the pictures I've seen they're pretty cool looking birds, or a Cassin's Kingbird either, although we do have Eastern Kingbirds which are similar but not quite as colorful I don't think.Thanks for commenting.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Just a quick shot out the front window.
The forsythia wants to bloom, but there's 6 inches of snow
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
Stunning shot boriscleto!
Forsythia started blooming here about two weeks ago. Looks like your's aren't far behind.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Happy birding, burnt out
Love your gallery of MO feathered friends and I'm glad you are posting your nature observations.
I have to avoid political wrangling cuz it's bad for my health, which is why I stick to nature postings both here and over at DK. I continue to participate at BYS because I learn so much from the conversations and enjoy hearing about other parts of the country I'm not likely to visit. But I understand your reluctance to hang out at DK - it's very contentious atmosphere (which I ignore by staying totally out of the politics) - still, I miss your voice and unique eye. Having lived close to the land for so many years you are able to see things most people can't, how the critters change over the seasons and years, and their interactions when untroubled by hooman interference, their natural wild lives, like that fantastic image of the kingfisher with her fresh meal and your heron in stalking mode. So I hope you'll keep posting here at c99% at least, and I'll swing by to see what you're finding out on your ridge. Hopefully other nature lovers will too and there will be good learning convos.
I'm amazed you're able to use a 600 all day - but you're stronger than me. I've settled on a Nikon 18-300 which is a compromise, but something I can carry for hours at least. Nice also to have the wide angle to capture the setting, even if the birds are tiny dots in the image lol.
Great colors you've captured, like the bunting and the grackle. wow.
Your Horned Grebe - do they nest in your area? It's in breeding plumage, but maybe in migration? I have lots of H grebes here but only wintering, and they are shades of gray and white until spring. Right now I'm seeing about half molting into their summer colors, but they are also rafting up into big flocks, 30-50 or so, which means they are getting ready to depart north. So are the swans and most of the ducks, so sad to see them go. But our summer breeders are gearing up, lots of courting displays - it's a busy season!
Glad to hear things are well with Mrs bo and LB. Peace to you all. and happy birding