Yesterday morning we found a family of at least four Say’s Phoebes in the Wasatch Mountains. The adults were feeding their hungry fledglings.
1/800, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I was never sure how many of them there actually were. The adults were hopscotching the fence posts along the road as they hunted for insects for their fledglings who were following them. I was in my pickup and trying to pop off a few shots when I had an opportunity. I never did see all the birds at one time because as the driver I had to stay on the road and there were vehicles and walkers with dogs coming at me from both directions. I was a busy boy.
This was the first shot I got just after the adult on the left had provided a large grasshopper for one of the fledglings. For some reason both this shot and the next one were soft (especially this one) so I applied some extra sharpening during processing. It didn’t help much with this photo which I think is soft because my shutter speed was relatively low and I had to rush the shot.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This is one of the fledglings on a metal fence post. For me the youngsters are best distinguished from the adults by their prominent gape and rusty wing bars.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This fledgling was perched on a natural perch which I much prefer over metal fence posts (besides, I have a ‘thing’ for sagebrush). I do wish the bird had been a little closer though.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This shot of one of the adults might have been my favorite of the morning if not for that vertical shadow on the bird. I guess it’s no biggie but if I had my druthers…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I was really primed for a takeoff shot with this adult. But even with a slightly larger songbird like a phoebe you’re really pushing your luck if you expect to catch them at takeoff or in flight if you wait for takeoff to begin before you push the shutter – they’re just too fast for mortal human reflexes. If they’re on a really springy, bouncy perch that can slow them down a little and in that situation you do have a chance. I actually looked for that but I expected this perch to have little spring in it and I was right.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
So I reverted to my old tactics of firing some almost random bursts and hoping my timing would work out. At 10 frames per second that can mean a LOT of extra images to cull when I get home (and you know how I feel about that miserable process) but this time it paid off. I say that now, but just wait until I have to cull the damn things.
I quite like this shot with the swept forward wing position that still allows a good look at its dorsal surface, the raised tail and head and the legs trailing behind as they push off from the perch. Notice how little give there was in the twigs the bird was perched on. That small amount of flex would have slowed the takeoff down very little.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
And I even got a bonus flight shot out of the deal. I wish the bird was turned my way a little more but I’ll take it. The wing softness is due to depth of field and not insufficient shutter speed. This photo illustrates just how shallow my depth of field is when I’m shooting at an effective 1120 mm with my gear and with these camera settings.
These adult phoebes look just a little ragged to me but they have a good excuse. They’re just now completing the entire nesting process that includes establishing territories on their return from migration, finding and competing for mates, nest-building, incubation and feeding youngsters from the time of hatching until their independence.
After all that who wouldn’t be a little ragged around the edges?
Ron
I was just contemplating the old days, doesn’t seem THAT long ago, when you had a roll of 24 exposures. Big spenders had roll of 36. And you had no idea if you had captured the image you wanted until the entire roll was finished and processed. Even rolling your own film off a bulk roll of Tri-X involved a lot of working and waiting. So, Ron, no more complaints about culling, OK! Please keep shooting, culling, and posting your wonderful results! I rehab a couple dozen Say’s and Western Kingbird orphans each season. The care is the same, lots of bugs. The Say’s whine when they are hungry, where the Kingbirds demand!
Oh how lovely, despite all your nits. LOL! And how inconsiderate of the other drivers on the road. I mean, really. Do they REALLY expect us to keep the vehicle moving AND centered on the road while we’re birding? REALLY? Harrumph!
Oh and I suspect the other reason the adults look a little ragged is on top of all the other factors, they’re molting!
Delighted you got back out in the field. That’s a good place for you!
Woo Hoo. Not only are you posting you are out there too. Which must feel expletively WONDERFUL. And I thoroughly enjoyed this series on multiple levels.
This morning this happy snapper has been ogling and attempting to photograph the lunar eclipse. It was a delightful sight and I suspect my photos will do it no justice.
That eclipse sounds like quite the big deal, EC. I hope your photos turn out.
Great shots of the Says Ron, both fledged and adult.
Brings back memories when we were out west – a lot of great birds out there!!
Thanks, Dick.
Good to see you about. Lovely photos. Parenting is not easy, it’s amazing any of us do it!
Boy, you’ve got that right, April. Thanks.
Beautiful, beautiful series…love the take off shot with the forward wings….
Thank you, Patty.
Lovely images of lovely little birds! I’ve never seen a Says Phoebe in person, though have had a fair number of the Blacks in my yard until just recently. The combination of their feather coloring, foreground elements (even that rusty post!) and background tones is really pleasing to the eye. Small birds are so fast, it’s good to be able to see the mechanics of legs, feet, tail and wings as they prepare to launch.
And I’ve never seen a Black Phoebe so we’re even, Chris!
Very nice shots, Ron. I’ve just updated to the Mark II, though with the older 100-400 zoom. So I appreciated seeing the camera settings you used to capture take-off shots. I note that juvenile Black Phoebes also have the yellow gape and slightly rusty wing bars–in addition to nice crisp feather edges that the adults lack during the breeding season.
I got quite a few nice shots with that older 100-400, Greg. I hope you enjoy your new camera. And thanks for appreciating the image techs I usually include in my posts. It’s extra work to include them so I’m glad they’re useful to at least some of my readers.
Great shots as always, Ron. I want to second Greg’s appreciation for suppling your readers with camera settings information. Us fledgling bird photographers need all the help we can get.
That’s very good to know, Ron. Thanks.
How great that you were able to get flight shots! Looking at the photo with the grasshopper makes me want to gag, it’s so big. Some of us are pretty ragged around the edges even without going through everything these birds have just been through… 🙂
I was pretty happy to get those takeoff and flight shots, Susan. They were my first of the species.
Your knowledge of all the bird species in commendable and to be ables to spot them while driving is amazing. I learn something so often when reading your blog and the comments as well. I’m sure there are birders who envy your knowledge. Thanks.
Betty, to be honest you probably give me too much credit for bird knowledge. I often do a significant amount of research for some of my posts before I even start writing. So I’m learning a lot in the process. But thanks for your confidence in me.
The Eastern Phoebe nests on our porch every year, always fill sorry for the adults after they hatch…. they never get to rest. Says are a pretty bird with the rusty vest, I have never seen one. Thanks!
While they’re feeding ravenous youngsters their frenetic activities often go on from dawn to dusk, Jo. It would wear me out by late morning. Or sooner…
Looks like another bug shot for Dr. Tallamy. So happy to hear you’re able to be out among ’em again and even more so that you got a “first!” Woo Hoo!
Had lunch with a couple of sparrows yesterday. One had a lot of chutzpah and hung out on the chair next to me, eyeing the bread bowl while I was eating my chowder. He didn’t get any, even after I was done. It was nice eating with avian company and he did keep up his end of the conversation. Fortunately, the restaurant was fairly empty, so I don’t think I’ll end up on someone’s social media as the “crazy lady talking to the bird.”
Sounds like it might have been a House Sparrow, Marty. They’re pretty brazen in situations like that.
I love Says Phoebes!! Probably because they live at my house and are great bug catchers !! Phoebe hatched and fledged two broods successfully 4 in first one and 3 in second one .. from praying mantis to horseflies she’s not particular ..
I’m jealous, Marina. I get very few chances with phoebes.
Well they live here . I’m really lucky living in country . A kestral has been leaving pellets on my back deck ..
Nice! That grasshopper is a mouthful for the fledgling for sure! GEEZ! Photo #3 is beautiful – the sage and the bird blending into the warm background make for a great portrait. The take off shots are great and, hopefully, worth having to cull those that didn’t work.;)
Yes, I sure wouldn’t want to swallow something that big relative to my own size. I’d be SOL if I needed food like that to survive. Thanks, Judy.
CONGRATS! Great find and series Ron!!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.
Love, love, love these! The birds and the background work so well together…positively beautiful color. Your favorite choice and the following one are my favorites also but it is hard to find one not to like though! I like the variances in the background with these photos…some showing more muted blended colors like the first four and then the rest being ‘textured’ a bit differently. Yes, I would say a set of terrific photos. On a side note, I may be imaging it but your writing ‘tone’ today sounds very up-beat this morning. Nice to hear! 🙂
Thank you, Kathy. I think my “tone” was probably due mostly to the fact that I finally got “out there” again and actually found a bird or two. I haven’t been out much recently and we’re in a bird drought (like lots of other folks are).