Today is the first day of Spring so it was appropriate that I got my first decent photos of a Sage Thrasher yesterday. When Long-billed Curlews, Lark Sparrows and Sage Thrashers show up on Antelope Island I know the seasons are changing and yesterday I saw or heard all three species. Willets can’t be far behind.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I have better photos of thrashers from previous years (this one is a little cluttered, with “stuff” in front of the bird) but for me this image reeks of Spring because of the singing pose and the fresh sprigs of sagebrush. And I really enjoy the fact that I caught the thrasher in its namesake habitat rather than the rabbit brush I often catch them on.
This bird was singing continually but not very enthusiastically – perhaps it was still resting up from migration. But it won’t be long before the males are performing their Undulating Flights and Bilateral Wing Displays and I can hardly wait to begin photographing these courtship displays once again. Photographing them well can be a real challenge for the bird photographer.
Sage Thrashers are the smallest of the thrasher species and their original name was Mountain Mockingbird because of their resemblance to that species and their song which is reminiscent of a mockingbird’s song (both species are also accomplished mimics). They’re a sagebrush obligate so like Sage Grouse they’re generally dependent on large expanses of sagebrush steppe for successful breeding.
Because of what we’re doing to sagebrush habitat I worry about both species.
Happy Spring Equinox everyone!
Ron
We have them here too. They have a pretty song. Love your pic!
A very happy equinox to all. Our autumn is finally flirting with us. We have had a couple of cool(ish) days though the heat will ramp up again next week.
Loved that thrasher of sage – and his song.
Thank you.
EC, I’ll bet you Aussies will welcome the relative coolness of autumn after your hot summer. Enjoy!
I love the name “Mountain Mockingbird”…glad you not only saw this bird but got to hear it sing…good for a winter-worn soul! Happy Spring, yourself!!!
“good for a winter-worn soul”
It was exactly that, Patty. Thank you.
Ron – here in Eastern Colorado the real sign of Spring is the arrival of Blue-winged Teal and Western Greebes. Saw both this past week for the first sightings this year. Yeah -Happy Spring!!!
Mark, I saw (and photographed) a bunch of Western Grebes at Bear River MBR this morning. Happy Spring indeed!
Nice shot. You mentioned the Curlews – are they the big ones as in 2′ tall that are, in theory, extinct mostly or the smaller, sometimes called Alaskan Curlews? We haven’t seen a large one in years! Farming the main culprit on that me thinks since they used to nest in the wheat fields. Habitat is everything! Happy Spring Equinox to you also. 🙂
Thanks, Judy. This is the curlew species I refer to:
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2014/05/20/long-billed-curlew-chick-and-the-length-that-bill-must-grow/
That would be the larger ones it appears 🙂 Glad there are still some around. 🙂