Plus my first bobcat sighting on Antelope Island.
I nearly always strike out when I try to photograph Mourning Doves in flight, largely because their takeoff is so fast and their flight so erratic. But two days ago I had a change of luck.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, 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 was leaving the area where I’d been photographing Red-tailed Hawks I spotted this Morning Dove perched on an old wooden fence rail. While perched it was sidelit and its feet were hidden so my only chance for any shots I liked were at takeoff or in flight. I figured my chances were slim for two reasons – usually I can’t keep them in the frame when they take off because they’re so fast and the direction of flight would have to be just about perfect for me to have pleasing light on the bird.
But this time things finally worked out. When it took off I was able to keep the dove in the frame, I had excellent light on almost the entire body and I have good eye contact including a catch light. As a bonus I really like the flight posture with the raised left wing and that beautiful flared tail tipped toward me.
I may not have clipped any body parts but it was close so I had to add canvas for a pleasing composition.
I need to change my ways and attempt to photograph Mourning Doves more often. In recent years I’ve found myself ignoring doves more often than I should and that may be because of the invasive Eurasian Collared Dove that seems to have replaced many of the Mourning Doves in my area. The two species are similar-looking and sometimes I think I unconsciously assume any doves I see in the distance are the invasive variety so I ignore them. Bad habit.
Ok, my Mourning Dove experience was two days ago but I had some excitement yesterday too. As I was driving the gravel road near White Rock Bay on Antelope Island early in the morning a bobcat appeared on the road no more than 100′ in front of me. Damn, talk about a rush and instant buck fever! I attempted to maneuver my pickup to get off a shot or two but the cat moved into the sagebrush on my right and quickly disappeared over the small hill. I got out of my pickup with my big lens and walked to the top of the hill but never spotted it again.
Over the years there have been rare reports of bobcats on the island, especially near the visitor center, but in almost eleven years of visiting the island 2-3 times per week I’d never seen one. The sighting was unusual enough that I figured Antelope Island State Park manager Jeremy Shaw would appreciate knowing about it so I stopped in at his office and reported it. Jeremy told me that in his eight years of living on the island he’d never once seen a bobcat.
In all my years of wandering the hinterlands looking for birds I’d only seen a bobcat once before. I may not have been able to get any photos of this one but the memory is almost as good.
Ron
Beautiful photo of the mourning dove, Ron. I love the colors and smooth silky background.
Congratulations on seeing the bobcat too! Now you must have enhanced motivation to keep an eye out for them. They are so elusive, just when I give up and start thinking they have been trapped or killed, something that happens way too much in New Mexico, I usually see one and my outlook on things resets, and improves.
Someday, hopefully soon, you will get that chance and I am sure you will get some awesome bobcat photographs. I look forward to see those photos — now the pressure is on 😉
Ron,
Well, crap! I have been calling the Collard Doves Mourning Doves for year. Now that I look it up I see that my yard is full of the invasive variety. Rats. Thanks for another educational post.
Stephen
Sensational flight shot Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
Nice to see a still photo of a bird that is common at my feeders and that I can hear cooing as I write. They are a blur when they scatter, as if a hawk is nearby, but I rarely see one. I think they may just be very easily spooked. Catch light and fan-tailed. Wow. Very nice.
“They are a blur when they scatter”
I think I’d call it a blur and a whistle, Lyle. I’ve always been fascinated by their whistling wings. Thank you.
Ron, nice photo of the Dove. Actually, my husband saw a bobcat pass through our backyard a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, I missed the event. We live on the benches, so have to think they live ‘up the canyon’ somewhere. Maybe he’ll head on over to your house one of these days.
Thanks for photo and story, Ron
Ha, I think he’d be pretty much out of his element in my neighborhood, Alice. – there’s no suitable habitat anywhere near me. Wish he would though…
That’s a very pretty shot of the dove, beautiful colors on a nice background.
We have lots of Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves around here and I have never seen our resident Cooper’s Hawks go after them, so far.
Long ago I was lucky enough to witness a Cooper’s Hawk bring down a Band-tailed Pigeon, crashing through the forest canopy and then scoot-chasing off into the understory, very exciting. Mighty big prey.
Bobcat excitement, what a treat! Glad you got to be there. Last fall I got to watch from afar as two coyotes put a squeeze play on a Bobcat in an open pasture. The Bobcat was not pleased, to put it mildly. The cat was able to maneuver to safety after a tense waltz of about a hundred yards as the Bobcat worked her way over to the dense brush of a draw.
Thank you, Dave. “My” Cooper’s seems to specialize in Mourning Doves and pigeons but I’ve never seen it with a Eurasian or hunting them. I actually have photos of what I think is the same hawk with a dove or pigeon (can’t remember which it was).
Ooooh.
The mourning dove is an exotic to me, and I would LOVE to see a bobcat.
What a wonderful morning you had.
I surely did. Thanks, EC.
So excited about the Bobcat sighting. I would have been right behind you with my binocs! 🙂 Beautiful Mourning Dove shot. They are such lovely birds. Thanks to you and Mia, I have a much greater appreciation for the plentiful birds in my yard — MDs, crows, LBJs, gulls, etc.
You might be happy to know that — at least in my neighborhood — the MD population will be increasing this season. There is a nest next door in my neighbor’s backyard (on top of an old door leaning against the side of the house under the eaves). I’m more than a little jealous, but at least the parents perch on top of my garage when they take a breather. Plus, with the way our houses are situated, I get to see the occasional flyby through the clerestories. These are the same neighbors who had the jays nesting in their bamboo.
Marty, last spring I had Mourning Doves building their nest right outside my window where I could see them about 8′ away when I was sitting at my computer just by turning my head. Sadly, for some reason they eventually abandoned the nest after it was completed but before they laid any eggs. I was looking forward to watching them raising their family.
I recall you mentioning that last year — was the nest in the tree you took out?
According to my neighbors, mom and dad are already taking turns brooding, so it is looking good for the next generation over here. 🙂 Everyone’s trying to stay away from the nest, even though it is in a relatively high traffic area and right next to their doggie door. I guess this couple is used to people and very large dogs. 😉
No, it was in a Catalpa tree on the other side of my house. That tree is still there.
What a special experience!
It sure was, Shelley.
The Eurasian Collared -Doves vocalize frequently and sit prominately making them easy targets for Cooper’s Hawks.
Every time I’ve seen a bobcat it has been a thrill. I know they are common in our area but people seldom see them.
Interesting, Dan. Eurasian’s haunt my neighbor’s spruce tree and we have at least one resident Cooper’s Hawk in the neighborhood but I’ve never seen that hawk go dove hunting. I can easily see that tree through my living room window so I keep an eye out too.
But there’s no question that the hawk is getting plenty to eat so who knows…
I’m sad about the, as I call them, damned doves. The Eurasians here are so plentiful. And they are obnoxious at the feeders. I’ve seen them land on top of other birds.
Cool about the bobcat!
I’m not particularly fond of the Eurasians being here either, Arwen. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s not their fault.
A good reminder to me and possibly others that a Mourning Dove can indeed provide a beautiful photo. I almost completely ignore them because they are in my backyard from morning till night. From time to time when I am out I will take a photo of one when in an attractive setting, but for the most part ignore them. Along with House Finches they are so common that they are easy to forget about, but on occasion I have taken very nice photos of each. Your in-flight photo is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
PS: thanks for the info on the Eurasian Collard Dove – we get those in the backyard as well – did not know they were an invasive species
I have some of the same bad habits, Everett.
We never saw Eurasian Collared Doves around here until less than a decade ago but now I believe they’re more common than Mourning Doves.
Well, you may have missed the Bobcat, but you really got the dove and to me that is really a success story in itself. One can typically have luck with them when perched, and for me I only take that shot when I am being skunked by everything else. But to get one at takeoff is really a challenge because they are so fast and erratic. You gotta be happy with this one. Great shot!
Yes, I’m very happy with this one, Frank. I only have two other flight shots of this species I like.
Wonderful capture, Ron!! When I 1st moved to Florida, Mourning doves calls were one of the things I really enjoyed. I’ve got three feeders in my yard & the overwhelming types of birds I get are doves!! And not just one type – I have Mourning Doves, Ground doves, White-winged doves & the invasive Eurasian-collared Dove. I do get the occasional, Painted Bunting during migration & Red-bellied Woodpecker, a few Common Grackles & Blue Jays & Cardinals to add color but my Doves FAR outnumber the rest. I love them all but the White-winged are my favs – especially when they fly since you see all their white at that time. I can image how “Over the Moon” you were to see the Bobcat – WOW!! I just LOVE all the big cats & it breaks my heart to see their numbers shrinking due to the “invasion of the “Human” kind!!
Jo Ann, Cornell’s BNA online says that one of the primary reasons Eurasian Collared Doves have been so successful in colonizing the Americas is because of back yard bird feeders. I found that to be an interesting tidbit of information.
Yup, “Over the moon” I was. Interesting that Prince Harry used that same phrase to describe his feelings about being a new father on the same day I spotted the bobcat…
Beautiful shot, Ron……. 🙂 We have the Eurasian Collared Doves in Highwood and, this year, a pair in the yard. Had a pair last year but they left early on which didn’t break my heart…… 😉 Had a skinny Bobcat strolling down the creek last year – of course, by the time I got the camera it was in the brush and lousy shot. Had never seen one around here tho Joe says they were common at one time. Neat creatures…… 🙂
I’ve never seen a bobcat in MT either, Judy. And I’ve never seen a cougar anywhere, even though that’s been a huge goal of mine for decades. I heard one screaming early one morning in Dry Creek Canyon outside of Vernal, UT but never did see it.
Mountain Lion used to be common here and only once bothered a calf. They’re still around but tend to stay more in the mountains. I have never seen one in the wild either……
This is such a beautiful photo! Thanks for the inspiration, especially since I shoot with the same gear!
I hope you like your gear as much as I like mine, Tina.
Ron, as always a beautiful picture. They are pretty similar to “our” Eurasian Collared Dove here in the UK. In the mid-60s my wife’s aunt who lived on the Isle of Wight was very pleased to see a rare bird, the Collared Dove. Now we they are ubiquitous. We have two pairs in our street that spend a lot of time on the road. They can’t be getting stones for their crops because based on the time they are there they wouldn’t be able to take-off.
David Elkin, Hampshire, UK. Although we don’t seem to be united at the moment. Perhaps the country should be named “The Disunited Kingdom of …..”
David, EUCD’s spend a lot of time in my neighbor’s Blue Spruce, they probably nest there, so I see and hear them regularly. Personally I find their call irritating. I’m not sure why and it’s not their fault but that’s my reaction to it.
Beautiful dove picture! I think they are splendid birds who are often overlooked because of being common – so kudos to you for revealing this species’ subtle beauty in your photograph. Also congrats on the Bobcat siting! I have never seen one but I hear they are being spotted more and more in southern New England so maybe I’ll will get a chance!
Thanks, Joanne. I thing they’re beautiful birds. Their beauty is more subtle when they’re perched but in flight it really stands out.
What a beautiful photo…sometimes we overlook the obvious. The pose is ideal and the gray background works well. You are right about their take-off…whoosh-they’re gone! Congrats on the bobcat siting…the memory will sustain you until possibly the next time.
Thank you, Kathy. Seeing that bobcat was pretty darned special.