Another effort to give common species their due.
Just because a bird is common (or abundant if you prefer) doesn’t mean they don’t deserve our respect and admiration. After all, where would we be without common birds? A spring without robins? A fall without flocking blackbirds? Summer without singing meadowlarks. Winters without flickers and juncos? I simply can’t imagine.
1/4000, f/5.6, 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
As I mentioned in a previous post they’ve recently burned vast areas of phragmites at Bear River MBR where these photos were taken four days ago. The burned areas provide both an unusual backdrop for bird photography and apparently plenty of feeding opportunities for pipits because they’re the only places l found them foraging. These light-colored LBJ’s certainly stand out against that charred background.
1/2500, f/5.6, 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 caught this bird in a wing stretch as it was foraging among the partially burned phragmites stalks.
1/2500, f/5.6, 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 this one in the middle of a rouse. My shutter speed wasn’t fast enough to freeze some of the fast-moving primaries but this is one of those situations where I think a little motion blur enhances the image.
Sorry, not much text today (maybe that’s a blessing for blog followers…). After everything involved with yesterday’s post and the frustration of being photo-skunked in the mountains yesterday morning I was tuckered out last night.
Ron
PS – I didn’t get my email notification of this post this morning. Subscribers, please let me know if you did. I hope WordPress isn’t screwing up again…
These birds are beautiful. I’ve never seen them before. Thank you for sharing such incredible photos.
Hi Ron, I appreciate the common birds. They are just as beautiful as the rare species. And I have never seen a Pipit so they are totally uncommon to me and I’d love to see one. I also go for those LBJs and your pictures of them! Especially the last one with the blowing wings.
I only see them during migration, Joanne. Thank you.
Hurray this one finally went through. I have trouble for several posts. Glad it worked today.
Good.
Got the email. Love this post and yesterday’s as well. Great work and enjoyable comments. I am having trouble leaving a message tho because the service is all of sudden not recognizing my email address.
That happens to some folks sometimes, Betty. Don’t know why. It usually doesn’t last long.
I got my post at 5:17 this morning, but could not look at it until afternoon due to early obligations. I’ve never seen a Pipit before and might not recognize one if I did see it. 🙂 I’ve never thought of Juncos as common before, and have always enjoyed them. After yesterday’s post I’m not at all surprised that you were worn out. From the comments I read, it would appear that most of us are with you and supportive, something I’m glad to see.
Yeah, it was definitely a strong consensus, Susan. I was happy to see that too but I was prepared for something different if that should happen…
Nice series.These little guys are almost as good as their name, pipit, which is fun to say…they look good against the dark(burned?) background…still, I wonder how many small critters paid a high price for that “improvement”…ex. Cover, foraging,nesting location and material gone…
I’m sure a bunch of them did pay the price, Patty. I definitely have mixed feelings about the process but maybe it’s the best choice available once the phrags are established.
Common birds are too often ignored, or at least not closely examined. Your photos help prove how much one misses by doing so. I had to visit your website as I didn’t get notice of your post in my email as usual.
Thanks, Dan. You’re the third person that happened to today…
What a charmer. Adapting to a changed landscape with panache.
“Adapting to a changed landscape with panache”
Perfectly said, EC.
Got the email….wonderful shots of a bird that I don’t see too often around here…I particularly like the last shot…something about the color and those little upturned feathers …
Thank you, Steve.
Ron, great photos of a common bird.
I bet you are tuckered out after yesterday’s blog. I have a great deal of respect for you and the way you handle potentially “touchy” situations.
Thanks for all you do, Ron
I appreciate that, Alice. I’m a slow learner sometimes but eventually I did learn not to overreact… 🙂
Great shots of a rare bird around here. Love to have this bird be common!!
Dick, they’re common here but only during migration.
Got the email, Ron. And glad I did!
Thanks, Nancy.
Yes, the email came thru to me. Cute pictures.
Good. Thanks, Trudy.
I was tuckered just reading all the replies from yesterday. Had to be a record setter or close to it.
LBJ’s do deserve our consideration. They can challenge one’s (at least my) ID skills and even experienced birders I’ve been out with can be flummoxed.
I didn’t get an email this morning so came to the website. Thought you might be passed out from exhaustion after the “gender incident”.
It wasn’t very close to a record but it was a bunch, Lyle. Kept me busy for much of the day.
So far you and I are the only ones who didn’t get the email that I’m aware of. Puzzling…
Got it. Yes, yesrerday’s post caused a firestorm of its own, which you handled with your usual parts kindness and straightforwardness. Thank you!
Thanks, Mary. I appreciate the kind words.
Yay for LBJs! And a big yay for the photographer to get such great shots — the light and the charred background must have upped your degree of difficulty. I am drawn to the second shot, not only for the interesting wing position and feather detail, but also for the play of light and shadow.
Got the email today.
“light and the charred background must have upped your degree of difficulty”
Getting the exposure right in that situation wasn’t as difficult as I thought it might be, Marty. Sometimes it’s hard to predict. Thanks.
Good morning, Ron. To my delight, the email notification was in my inbox this morning, as usual. I love the Pipit photos. We don’t have them around here in NYC.
Good. Can’t figure it out. Apparently most people got it but not everyone, Thanks.
“Got it” 🙂 Beautiful background for the pipit – REALLY show of this “common bird”:) Smiled at the “flocking blackbirds” and the juncos (had a VERY large number of the dark eyed juncos for about a week for us). Northern Flickers are pretty much gone as are the Meadowlarks. Tho “common” these birds do tell of the passing of the seasons for us…… 🙂 Hope you are refreshed this morning……….
Good, must be my email service. Thanks very much, Judy.
Love the darkness of these photos…gives that adorable bird his day in the stage-lights! I especially find the third photo captivating. The little one looks as if a wind hit him from behind and nearly toppled him! Lovely series this a.m.!
Yes, it does look like that pose might have been caused by wind. That’s part of the reason I like the motion blur – I often don’t. Thank you, Kathy.