The two birds that kept me from being skunked yesterday morning.
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
Scrub jays have been one of my more difficult subjects over the years, to the point of being a near-nemesis. In some suburban neighborhoods along the east bench of the Wasatch Mountains they can be relatively tame and easy to approach but in the more natural areas that I haunt they’re incredibly spooky. Cornell’s Birds of the World refers to them as “reclusive” for very good reason.
But yesterday morning in the west desert mountains this one let its guard down and landed reasonably close to me for several seconds before it realized its error and flew the coop. I had a good chance for a takeoff or flight shot but I stopped firing a burst at exactly the wrong time and missed it.
In other words the bird faked me out.
If you prefer here’s a vertical composition of the same image.
For years many of my readers would have known this bird as the Western Scrub Jay but in 2016 the species was split into the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay and the California Scrub Jay.
1/1600, f/5, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 263 mm, not baited, set up or called in
Earlier yesterday morning I was at the Douglas Fir tree where I photographed a male Red-breasted Nuthatch a few days ago. The nuthatch never showed up but this Wild Turkey put in an unexpected appearance when it walked by very close to the tree. In this photo last year’s fallen cones can be seen on the ground.
The turkey was so close this shot was taken with my ‘baby lens’ at only 263 mm.
Other than these two birds yesterday morning was a bust. That’s bird photography for you.
Ron
Note:
One of the reasons birds are so scarce right now is because it’s been so incredibly dry for months. I realize that I live in a desert but this is getting ridiculous. Yesterday the incredibly bumpy ride on the dirt/gravel road up into the mountains and back was more dusty than I’ve ever seen it.
In my post two days ago I included a photo of the dusty instrument panel of my pickup. In his comment on that post Lyle Anderson chided me for having such a dirty pickup.
- “Now you can use the money you saved on a more expensive device to get the inside of your cab cleaned. Just look at that display panel.”
Well Lyle, you oughta see it now.
Really like the vertical crop. I also hope the turkey’s leg won’t be too much of an impediment to success. And I hear you about DRY.
Thanks, Marty. I’m thinking this turkey will be fine. it was only a slight limp.
But there’s another turkey I’ve seen twice recently a few miles north of this canyon with a severe limp that I’m more concerned about.
Fantastic shots Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
I love the Jay’s. Such a vivid blue. Nice Turkey shot as well.
Thank you, Jean.
I really like the vertical scruby.
Thanks, April.
Nice detail on the Jay. The supercilium, I believe it’s called, gives a wise and grizzled look.
The Turkey appears to be giving a bow or a curtsie, as I am not sure of the gender.
To paraphrase Emerson, “a bit of dust is the hobgoblin of little minds…”
Hmmm, that’s a pretty loose paraphrase, Lyle. 🙂
That bow or curtsie may be the result of a bad leg or foot. The turkey was limping slightly.
Great shots Ron! Beautiful!
Relative to one of your comments, I know a lot of species that won’t allow me to get very close, but I’m trying! Less so today than yesterday.
Stay safe everyone, and Vote!
Thanks, Dick. Voting is a given in my case.
A ‘relative’ bust but definitely NOT a wasted morning. I prefer the vertical crop on the Scrub Jay, but seeing either would have had me smiling.
I feel for you on the drought front though. We have had more rain this Spring than we have had in years and I am thankful for every drop. Thankful and hoping that it doesn’t crispify when summer comes round and increase the fire risk.
I prefer the vertical too, EC.
You’re up early again. Sometimes I worry about you…
It’s always interesting to. see how different Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay is from our California Scrub-Jay which is a much deeper and richer blue and has a prominent, but incomplete necklace. It seems odd to me to hear them referred to as reclusive. Here in the southern Willamette Valley they are a common yard bird. Even in rural areas, agricultural and oak woodlands, they are vocal and easily seen. Their loud, raucous calls and somewhat aggressive nature makes them disliked by many people, but I try to encourage people to watch and enjoy them. They are highly intelligent and show some fascinating behaviord.
I guess it all depends on where you live, doesn’t it Dan. They’re one of the 3 or 4 toughest species for me to photograph well, mostly because they just won’t allow me to get close.
Many fond memories of Western Scrub Jays in our little urban canyon in Los Angeles. Not so many Corvids here in Maryland for some reason. (Except Crows.)
I’m fond of them too, George. But man are they ever a challenge to photograph.
I like both compositions of the jay. They are an attractive looking bird. Do they have an annoying call the way our blue Jays do? Do you get the blues there? First thing in the morning when the peanut rings get put out there is one scout that starts calling the others in…at least 7 or 8. They can empty a whole ring pretty fast. The woodpeckers sneak in in-between the jay fly-ins. The jays do sound the alarm though when a hawk is near…guess they do take care of their own and friends. 🙂
Kathy, I’ve never found their call to be annoying but then I’ve seldom been close enough to one that it would bother me even if it was.
We had several Blue Jays in the valley a few years ago but normally they’re not found here.
Lots of busts in bird photography. Nice shots though from what was available. When I first got started in bird and wildlife photography the Jay was indeed the Western Scrub Jay. We have lots of them here so was often getting photos of them and then came the name change. Took me a while to make the change in my mind though. I believe there are a couple other birds Woodhouse is credited with discovering. I have never taken the time to look him up and see what his contributions to birding are or were.
“Took me a while to make the change in my mind though”
Me too Everett. In one of my last posts on this species I mistakenly called one of these birds a Western Scrub Jay out of habit so I had to edit my post after I published it.
I really like the turkey shot. It shows how easily they blend.
Thanks, Arwen.
We have a small flock of Blue Jays at the moment as we’ve had in the fall for a week or so the last few years. Don’t believe I’ve seen a “scrub jay”. Pretty bird! Appears the branch it landed on was a bit borderline in size for it. 😉 Can’t complain about the Turkey…. 🙂 Dry, Dry, Dry, is what it is here also. Much more wind and it will be moving dirt again like it did back in March. 😞 Creek still running tho barely and the land desperately needs moisture. Dust is a fact of life here…..
No, you wouldn’t see them up there in western Montana Judy. Their range map shows them no further north than southern Idaho.
Those jay photos are exquisite and the turkey shot is no “turkey”! I do think your morning’s photography session worked out extremely well even if you didn’t see lots of birds. Fantastic shots!
Thanks, Joanne. “Didn’t see a lot of birds” is an understatement.