Photo potpourri – six photos of six species.
This is another one of my posts that includes photos that would never win any prizes, but they do document some of the ‘other’ birds and critters I’ve been seeing recently. I think each one is interesting in some way or another and the quality of several of them is pretty good. Two of them are of species I almost never see but wouldn’t you know, those are the two with the poorest image quality (the last two photos below).
The first photo was taken in Box Elder County on August 28th and all of the rest were taken on the same trip to Bear River MBR on August 25th.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Soon after sunrise I drove over a hill only to see the largest flock of Chukars I’d ever seen lounging on the remote road in front of me. As soon as they saw me they ran into the brush on the right side of the road so I passed them to turn around and come back in the remote possibility that I’d get a clear shot at one of them in the thick vegetation. I drove up to where they’d disappeared off the edge of the road and waited for one or more of them to make an appearance.
No Chukars appeared but I happened to look slightly behind me and there on a rock was a Sage Thrasher I hadn’t seen, watching me and apparently enjoying my frustration with the Chukars. Unusual for this species, the thrasher posed for me out in the open for quite a while on two different rock perches. And yes, that’s a tiny insect flying above the tip of its tail.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
A Killdeer in typical, rather unattractive, habitat for them. But I think the well-lit bird stands out nicely against this background in mottled light. I photograph this species most often in the spring when their eye ring is much more vividly bright orange.
1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
An Eastern Kingbird atop a phrag plume. This is one of only a handful of Eastern Kingbirds I’ve seen this entire summer and it’s the only one I’ve photographed this year.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
A pair of Greater Yellowlegs foraging in the shallow water. The bird on the right is sharper than the other one but I like their similar poses and their muted reflections.
While I was photographing one of these Yellowlegs I noticed something red that was moving as it entered the extreme upper left-hand corner of the frame. It was far away and tiny in the frame but I was curious enough to check it out so I focused on it to see if I could tell what it was.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I turned out to be a Virginia Rail, a highly secretive species that is far more often heard than seen. By the time I got focused on it I had time for only a single sharp shot before it disappeared. I was lucky to get that.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The first and only Long-tailed Weasel I’ve photographed this year. It was on the right side of the refuge road and even though my pickup was angled across the road as much as was practical I still had to shoot between my folded driver’s side mirror and my windshield pillar. The diameter of my lens, including lens hood, is more than 6″ but I had less space than that between my mirror and the pillar so they cut off some of my field of view.
And apparently that interfered with my autofocus mechanism, so every last photo of the weasel was soft. I applied a little extra sharpening to this one during processing.
Anyway, a gallimaufry of photos this morning. I hope my readers enjoyed at least some of them. And that I didn’t jabber on too much about them.
Ron
Gallimaufry = a hodgepodge. Sorry, I couldn’t resist using that word. I stumbled across it recently and for some reason, liked it.
Gallimaufry is a fabulous word. I’m going to tuck it in just after coddiwomple and right before kerfuffle.
How fun that you got that one shot of the Virginia Rail!
I hope I remember it, Arwen. Time will tell…
Even the Virginia Rail’s posture fits their elusive description – keeping low to the ground/water, just slipping on by.
I realize it’s been a couple days but I hope you’re feeling better from that “medical test gone bad”. Your story is a good reminder that you need to use both common sense and the tools on hand, and not rely completely on machines.
In the end they’re just tools to help you help people.
Thanks for your concern, Amy. It took me both days but yes, I’m feeling better in that regard.
Glad to hear that and also very glad it wasn’t actually something serious!
Everett said it all for me. The only difference is I’m only 82…
Then you’re still a youngster, Burrdoo!
A totally delightful potpourri – which doesn’t cause my eyes to bung up and an instantaneous headache (which many potpourris do). Thank you.
I don’t like the smelly ones either, EC. I actually prefer what we call “lake stink” around here…
These are wonderful, I like the eastern kingbird on the phrag head a lot. I never get good photos of weasels they are always in front of my car and by the time I try to maneuver they are off in the grass.
” I never get good photos of weasels they are always in front of my car and by the time I try to maneuver they are off in the grass.”
Exactly, April! That almost always happens when I see a weasel. I think they plan it that way.
The variety (backgrounds and critters) is wonderful! I feel like I’ve just spent a day at Bear River MBR. It looks like a fabulous place. Is it being impacted by drought/development as badly as GSL and Antelope Island?
A day at Bear River MBR is always a good day, Carolyn – in person or vicariously.
Nice assortment of species to see. It’s nice to be able to photograph a Virginia Rail. When I’m out in our local marshlands I always encounter them – by voice. They do come out occasionally but briefly and mostly when I don’t have a camera, so it seems. One of my best experiences with them was many years ago when I had my Ornithology class out on a morning trip to the marsh. At the end, and on either side of the roadway we were on was thick marsh with many cattails. We heard rails calling, including the equally secretive Sora. Suddenly two Virginia Rails came out on the roadway and then proceeding to mate in clear view for the whole class to see. Certainly a big treat for all of us. They walked across the road and into the marsh. Not two minutes later, a rail came back out. Much to my surprise it was followed by two chicks. If you have ever seen baby rails you know that they are just a fuzzy ball with two enormous feet. I assured the class that the time from mating to chicks is usually much longer. Certainly a rare experience with rails and lots of fun.
Dan, there must have been some amazed looks on your students faces when those babies appeared! What a fun story!
That’s a great story, Dan. And a wonderful teaching moment.
Loved your “assurance to the class”.
I know you said none were prize winners – but your weasel is fantastic!!!
And Congrats on nice photo of the virginia rail. They are so hard to spot – even when they aren’t in the middle of vegetation their camoflauge and secretive movements make them almost invisible.
Kent, I don’t think I’ve seen more than a handful of Virginia Rails in my life. That’s saying something when you consider how much time I’ve spent in their typical habitat.
Interesting and fun collection this morning Ron. Good job. I have never seen a Sage Thrasher, really like the Killdeer against that dark background, have never seen an Eastern Kingbird, reflection photos of Shore and Wading birds are big favorites with me, and I really like this one with the Yellow-legs. I have had the same situation with a Virginia Rail about 3 years back. I was lucky to have gotten about five shots before it disappeared. Possibly not rare, but a very unusual visitor here and as you say, highly secretive. Pop goes the weasel, but add it to my list of never having seen.
And have no recollection of ever seeing the word gallimaufry before, and I am 84 years old and one who reads at least 50 books per year.
I’m envious of you reading that many books, Everett. I used to read a lot but can’t much anymore until I get my eyes ‘fixed’. That comes after my back. At 75 I’m still a work in progress.
Very nice to see your collection of the beautiful wildlife in their natural settings along with your informative descriptions! And I am glad you included the long tailed weasel in spite of the difficulty in getting the photo.
Great way to start my day and learn a new word or two!
Thank you!
Good to know, Janis. Thank you.
I enjoy the “Gallimaufry” – had to look that one up! The commentery adds a great deal to the photos and love seeing all in their natural habitat……. 🙂 Weasel on the edge of the road a bit of a surprise tho – cute even if nasty critters. 😉
Judy, when I was a kid a weasel got into my uncle’s chicken coop on the farm and… well, you can imagine the mess.
Well done on the Virginia Rail and weasel. Not easy, and a bit of luck can always come in handy.
Don’t know if I will remember that new word though.
I don’t know if I’ll remember it either, Michael. I figured that using it in today’s post might be a step in the right direction.
I only ID’ed four of the six, but with every one of your posts I get a little better, even for those I’ve never seen and/or probably never will. It’s fun and informative and two of the reasons I come to class every day.
Thanks very much, Lyle. Delighted to have you in class!
Gallimaufry, that is a awfully lavish turn of phrase for an ancient agricultural curmudgeon!
Speaking of turning a phrase, you didn’t do too badly yourself, Ken.
The curious expression of the weasel is priceless, even though the road is hardly a great background. The lack of sharpness in the photos is unfortunate as most have other admirable qualities like great the great reflection and the unusually attractive old phrag plume.
Nancy, agreed that the road is unfortunate. But I’d rather have the weasel there than in the thick vegetation where I couldn’t see it.