A cross section of some of the subjects I’ll aim my lens at while I’m in the field. With varying degrees of success.
Each of the following photos was taken within the last week.
A Rock Wren. On a rock of course.
And speaking of wrens.
This spring I’ve been watching this nesting cavity in an aspen tree in the west desert mountains for any signs of nesting activity. Until a few days ago I’d seen no activity and no nesting material was visible in the cavity entrance but on my last trip to the area nesting material was actually spilling out of the opening. I’m pretty sure the current residents are wrens, probably House Wrens.
I’ll photograph House Wrens nesting in a natural cavity in the mountains any ol’ day of the week so with any luck I may be posting some interesting photos of them sometime soon. Or maybe not, you know how bird photography goes.
An adult Red-tailed Hawk perched on a gnarly old fence post soon after sunrise in the west desert. Here ‘he’s’ in the midst of a rouse signaling imminent takeoff. I had high hopes of getting quality takeoff and flight shots of this bird because I was at a good distance for flight shots, I liked both the background and the perch and the light was exceptionally nice.
But the hawk had other ideas. In mid-rouse he turned on his perch and took off away from me, effectively putting the kibosh on my plans. .
Yesterday I posted a photo of a lizard that I hoped my readers could ID and said I took that photo while I was “waiting at a flowering bush” for hummingbirds to show up. This Wax Currant is that flowering bush and hummingbirds never did make an appearance but this raggedy California Tortoiseshell Butterfly did so I snapped a few photos.
Life is hard out there and this beat-up butterfly is ample evidence of that harsh reality.
A subadult Peregrine Falcon that took off at a higher angle than I anticipated so I amputated body parts in most, though not all, of my flight shots. I sure wish I had a do-over on this bird.
Some fungi growing out of an old cottonwood tree in the west desert mountains. In my usual birding haunts I rarely see this many ‘shrooms growing in one place so of course I took some photos. I estimate that this cluster, slightly past its prime, was about 2 1/2’ tall so it was hard to miss on the side of a large tree.
A Song Sparrow about to enjoy a drink from a shallow pond. I just like the ambiance of the image.
So that’s about how the last week went for me in the field. If I include some of the other photos I posted recently I got a few hits (mostly singles but also an extra base or two), quite a few strikeouts and foul balls and no home runs.
But collectively some runs were scored, I enjoyed the game and home runs are always possible so I keep playing.
Ron.
Catching up, they all look wonderful to me. Are the tree ears edible?
I especially like shots of the fungi and the Song Sparrow. For some reason, I’m imagining them making the most lovely notecards, as well as being eminently wall-worthy.
If that was the week that was, it was pretty damned good. Despite the frustrating exceptions.
I’ve definitely had worse weeks, EC. But much better ones too.
Time well spent. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Lyle.
What a fun series (and I do like baseball as long as my Dodgers are winning). Ha. But really, these are such interesting glimpses into life “out there” that happens whether or not we’re paying attention — so glad you do that and photograph it, too. Adore the Little Rock Wren “on a rock” and Song Sparrow getting ready for a drink.
Thanks, Chris. I might have overdone the baseball analogy…
Very nice series of photos. Truly the song sparrow photo is a beauty! Love the scene. It always surprises me how raggedy butterflies can get and they keep going. Such a short life span for something so beautiful.
Thanks, Kathy. I don’t think those butterfly wings have many beats left in them.
Raggedy but very beautiful butterfly – c’est la vie, eh?!
I’m in Texas (home is Massachusetts) and enjoying the change in flora and fauna. My young grandson takes me on hunts lifting up rocks to see what we find. Several scorpions among other creatures – some benign and some nasty!
Enjoy you trip, and your grandson, Mary.
The best laid plans of bird photographers when trying for take off photos. I think Robert Burns said that. Nice series Ron. You missed the Peregrine, but the ones you showed us recently were spectacular. I have taken photos of House Wrens nested in a cavity just like that.
Thanks, Everett. Tale off shots are shots in the dark, almost by definition.
I enjoyed the “game” too! More please . . . 🙂
Thanks, Terri.
The expression on the face of that Peregrine Falcon is priceless. I enjoyed seeing the wren’s nest, too. It’s always fun to find those hints of activity when out and about.
“It’s always fun to find those hints of activity when out and about”
It also can be rewarding if you’re a bird photographer and you pay attention.
Fun! 🙂 Nest cavity materials look like a House Wren – I’m always impressed with the size of the twigs they collect – except when I lower an outdoor shade and get a shower of them! 😳 The Song Sparrow shot IS exceptional. 😀
Still off/on rain tho not a great accumulation – giving the plants recovering from the freeze a break.
Yes, seeing twigs too long for the nest cavity is a fairly reliable clue that the cavity is inhabited by wrens. I think wrens are dimensionally challenged.
Your snow and freeze must have been hard on birds. For example I’m thinking that many of the Mountain Bluebirds up there will have to re-nest this year.
Yes, it’s slowed some “frantic” activity other than searching for grub tho some “bathing” yesterday. Don’t have the Mountain Bluebirds down here – they must be “early nesters”. Of course, the wind showed up yesterday – NOT helpful.