Today’s post is an avian potpourri.
All 9 of the following photos were taken in the last 16 days. There isn’t a great shot among them but I think there’s at least something of interest in each one. Sorry, but once again I didn’t have time to include image techs.
I don’t think I’ll be taking many more Chukar photos until this fall. This Chukar yesterday morning on Antelope Island was looking pretty ragged because it has already started “wearing to dark” (follow the link if you’d like that process explained, including examples). Until recently they were still looking fresh and handsome but in this bird you can see the changes in some of the feathers wearing and turning dark, especially on the head, lower neck and upper breast. They just won’t be very attractive for a few months.
Soon after sunup this bird was still sleepy and it could barely keep its eyes open.
This loggerhead shrike photo, also taken yesterday morning, had the potential to be a better image if the bird had looked more toward me but it was sidelit so if it had looked more my way the face would have been shaded with no catch light in the eye. With the good detail, attractive perch and the Great Salt Lake in the upper background I still think it’s an interesting shot.
Just a male Mountain Bluebird on a stick, also sidelit. But who doesn’t like bluebirds? This guy and his mate are feeding fledglings right now.
This photo amuses me even though it was an exposure nightmare. The sign the Short-eared Owl was perched on was painted a shiny brown so the morning sun was glaring off of it and making it extremely bright. I played with selective exposure adjustment during processing as much as I dared but the owl is still a little too dark.
I’ve been watching this nest for years now and it produces a lot of Red-tailed Hawk fledglings. Their brood this year seems to be thriving. Because of its location on the side of a cliff the light on the nest and rocks is always extremely contrasty (when there’s any light at all) so the only photos I take of the chicks are so I can monitor their growth and well-being.
The female parent of these chicks is probably the most gorgeous dark red Red-tailed Hawk I’ve ever seen so I’m curious to know what these birds will eventually look like in their adult plumage.
A male Broad-tailed Hummingbird surveying his kingdom in the Wasatch Mountains. His gorget was nothing short of spectacular when he was looking directly at me but then we couldn’t see his eyes so I chose this image to post because it shows at least some of that beautiful iridescent color.
A Cedar Waxwing launching from its perch in the dead portion of an otherwise thriving hawthorn tree in a lush mountain valley. The waxwings are nesting in the living part of the tree, probably at least in part because of something we can see in both this image and the next –
those fearsome-looking hawthorn thorns. This Yellow Warbler was in the same dead part of the tree. I imagine most predators would think twice before attempting to raid that waxwing nest.
I’ll conclude with a Turkey Vulture in flight. The bird had just taken off from the fence post at lower left but I’m glad there’s not much of it in the image because in order to get the almost black vulture exposed properly I had to overexpose the sun-bleached post.
As I said there isn’t a great shot in the bunch but I hope you enjoyed the variety and found something of interest in at least a few of them.
Ron
Wow!!! These are excellent!
“As I said there isn’t a great shot in the bunch.” I disagree! The shot of the turkey vulture is great! I’ve never seen such an exciting shot of a TV. I think people/photographers tend to neglect them unjustly,
Justine, I like that TV shot a lot too. To be honest that’s why I posted it last, which I tend to do in posts like this one. I don’t think it’s “great” (an overused term IMO) because I have a few minor nits to pick with it but I think it’s pretty good. Thank you.
What a wonderful time of year! All this abundance of beauty!
Yup, it’ll be behind us again much too soon!
Ron, I like all of the shots and in particular the Bluebird and the Hummingbird – both with beautiful coloring.
I checked out the link to the Red-Tail Hawk – mother of the fledglings. You are right, she is a very beautiful bird and the photo of her back is amazing.
Thank you Ron, for today’s treats.
I’d sure like to catch her in good light one day, Alice. Thanks.
All interesting Ron. Like the Vulture in flight and the Waxwing taking off. Very nice. The owl looks like he has just had a bad night and needs to get back home to sleep it off.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Thank you, Everett.
What a spectacular, richly scented potpourri you have strewn our way.
And you have also summed something up for me. I have DEFINITELY worn to dark. And new plumage won’t help.
“I have DEFINITELY worn to dark”
I know the feeling, EC! Thanks.
All wonderful shots and magnificent birds (I would say beautiful but that last face…)
Ha, well said, Lyle – that made me smile.
Ron, thanks for these photos which seem fine and interesting to me! The photo of the Turkey Vulture is spectacular and so unusual due to the detail in the downstroke. I am so used to seeing the vultures from below.
Thanks, Pat. Yes I like that downstroke flight pose at the angle the bird’s in because it allows a good look at the underside of one wing and the top of the other one.
Love the array of images today! Thanks so much for sharing once again.
Thank you, Joanne.
I absolutely love your birdpourri posts! There is, indeed, something wonderful in each and every shot. You make it look so easy and I appreciate all the hard work you put in to make it look that way! 🙂
The owl acting as sentry on the sign made me laugh as did the chukar who looked like he could use some coffee and a chocolate donut. Thank you for an update on the red tail nest — those chicks are scruffy-cute! Plus a gorgeous turkey vulture to end the post.
“You make it look so easy”
Ha, if you only knew how many of my images are garbage, Marty. I get some good ones at least partly because I’m persistent…
Wonderful series Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
What can I say? I love your shots, but as much as they all are great, I really like the Short-eared the best along with the Broad-tailed. The Short-eared probably because of the humor and the fact that no matter what signs, artifacts or buildings humans put up, birds/animals will use them in some way. The hummer because I like to pull for the little guy, and hummers are just fantastic!!
Thanks, Dick. Most birds would be in tough shape if they couldn’t adapt to us at least to some degree.
Very interesting set of photos. I like all of the shots for different reasons. I like seeing the white underwings of the Turkey Vulture, even though it’s a species where I have a really hard time looking at the face – it’s just so very ugly to me. I really like the stark background in the Mountain Bluebird shot, but also really like the busier background of the birds in the hawthorn bush. Somehow those birds stand out from their background as much as the birds do against a plain background. Must be some kind of photography magic…
Thanks, Susan. I’ll take that kind of magic anytime I can get it!
How fun! The owl looked like a door guy at a club.
🙂
OMG, Ron!! I’d kill to get just one of these photos!! You have your standards though so I totally understand. This is a wonderful variety of our avian critters. I guess the Turkey Vulture is my favorite but they are all terrific to me. Hmmm – wonder what my choice says about me?!! I thoroughly enjoyed your blog today!! Oh – I’m curious to what photos you have of the female dark red Red-tailed Hawk who hatched the 2 eyas!!
Thanks, Jo Ann. That female can be seen here:
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2018/04/02/another-encounter-with-the-very-red-red-tailed-hawk/
She looks even better in good light but so far I’ve never been able to photograph her in those conditions.
Wonderful variety of bird this morning, Ron! 🙂 🙂 🙂 The one of the vulture attracts me and the “wore out” Chuker also extra appealing this morning. All are interesting/fun. Slept in a bit – 6 a.m. 😉 “Birds in motion” practice yesterday – Night Hawks over the creek – HA! Lots of trash there! I do enjoy watching them even if not trying to photograph them.
Nighthawks in flight are tough, tough, tough! Bordering on impossible. Thanks, Judy.
Good morning Ron. Always appreciate your posts and nice variety here. FYI, been watching a Pied Bill over the last week or so on one of the lakes on our golf coarse taking food back into the reeds. Day before yesterday the brood came out. 5 of them. Day 1, the chicks wouldn’t get more than 3 feet away from Mom (?). Yesterday they ventured further from Mom but when she dove and surfaced with food the chase was on. Fun shots with chicks on Mom’s back with heads popping out. Hopefully will get some more opportunities this AM. When I finished yesterday I could only find 4 chicks. Perhaps some mortality going on here with the presence of a very aggressive coot. I guess I should consider this normal, but I am not a big fan of coots and hate to see the loss of these adorable little grebe chicks. Hope they make it.
Thanks, Frank. I love photographing PBG’s at any age.
Most enjoyable post! A potpourri is always good. That Chukar is funny…I don’t know why but they always remind me of those Parisian ‘mimes’ you see on streets entertaining you with the mask on and black and white shirts. 🙂 Love those hawthorn trees…never did see a Cooper’s dive into one of those! Great post and glad to see the ShortEar…still waiting patiently.
Thanks, Kathy. A Cooper’s would likely be torn to shreds attempting to get at that nest at the speed they usually use on such occasions.