For a few seconds I was as confused as I’ve ever been with a camera in my hand.
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This summer I’ve seen and photographed fewer Green-tailed Towhees than usual so yesterday in the mountains I was delighted when this male (I believe) flew in from out of nowhere and landed on a pretty close perch in good light. He only gave me about five seconds and he didn’t pose much for me but I like the one good pose he did give me and the fact that there isn’t much clutter in the frame. Green-tailed Towhees are one of the most secretive and least understood birds in North America so I’m pleased whenever I can get good photos of one.
But he made his appearance in a pretty spectacular way, one that for a few seconds had me about as confused as I’ve ever been with a camera in my hand. I’ll try to explain but it might be that you have to be a photographer, maybe even a bird photographer, to fully understand.
One of the many things that I really like about the Canon R5 is that I can check my exposure so easily and quickly. When I have a bird in my viewfinder, all I have to do to check my exposure is push a button and the last photo I took appears in my viewfinder without me having to take my eye away to look at my screen. Another push of that same button makes my viewfinder active again. The entire process takes less than half a second so I still have the bird in frame and probably in focus and I’ve missed very little with the bird.
The two photos below are not good ones but they document what happened. The first one is cropped weirdly so that the viewer sees the same part of the perch in both photos. The two photos are sequential, #0122 and #0123.
This Chipping Sparrow had been preening. That’s some pretty fast action so I took a lot of photos of ‘him’ without having a chance to check my exposure. When he looked away from me, I took that opportunity to check my exposure. So I pushed that button twice with my eye still at the viewfinder (my exposure was fine).
Less than half a second later, when I could see through my viewfinder again…
the Chipping Sparrow had magically transformed into a Green-tailed Towhee. To say that I was momentarily confused is an understatement. What in the hell just happened?
Given a few seconds to think about it, the explanation became pretty obvious. As birds are prone to do for reasons of dominance, in that half a second while I was checking my exposure the towhee had flown in and displaced the much smaller Chipping Sparrow on the perch.
But for about three seconds I wondered if I was losing my mind.
Ron
My marbles are all cracked, so I’m not much help. I’m thinking these two birds were rehearsing their magic act for next season’s Fool Us with Penn and Teller. Looks like even birds want to get in on a Vegas act. (Like I said, cracked marbles.😉)
Love the bird(s). On the loosing my marbles front how I wish that I had such easy explanations. I am pretty certain that the cats have been batting mine round on the floors and that they are now secreted in a dusty corner and out of my reach.
You made me smile again EC, but I’m pretty sure your bag of marbles is overflowing.
Nice catch!
I can understand your confusion. Can only imagine the mind scramble that must have happened in those few seconds.
Green-tailed Towhees are supposed to be year-round birds where I live, but I do not recall ever seeing one.
“but I do not recall ever seeing one..”
Further evidence of their legendary secretive nature. Thanks, Michael.
Bird magicians, that’s a thought. Popular branch or stage.
Could be…
Love your Towhee, Ron! I was birding recently and caught motion out of the corner of my eye. I turned quickly and caught a split second view of a Double Crested Cormorant soaring high in the sky, just as a Southwest jet flew out of a cloud behind the Cormorant. From one “bird” to another!
Thanks, Diane. Sounds like you and I experienced different versions of “bait and switch”.
TOO funny tho certainly not at the time! 😉 DOES happen fast tho often we catch it or get a hint at least……
Judy, for me it wasn’t confusing for long. Then I immediately thought it was funny.
“Secretive” indeed! Presto Chango! He’s a handsome bird. Love his green coloring.
Thanks, Kathleen. I got a lot of shots somewhat similar to this one but I chose to post this particular photo because it showed more of the green. So thanks for noticing.
Wow – that would be very confusing and for sure a rare occurrence. Thanks for sharing this and also I appreciate your opening paragraph that explains possibly why I have never seen one.
Thanks, Everett. I expect you have them in your area in the right habitat but it’s that “secretive” part that can make them difficult to find.
Reminds me of the magicians trick of changing places with his assistant.
Me too, Brett. I actually researched that trick to see if it has a name but if it does, I didn’t find it.
Quite a bit can happen in a split second. Empty perches are most common. Only this week I was focusing on a goldfinch and yellow turned to blue when a male Indigo Bunting displaced it. The shot of the bunting was distant and not in good focus, although it did come in closer and I included another rather poor photo of it in this week’s blog.
“Quite a bit can happen in a split second”
Exactly, Kenneth. Especially in bird photography.