Yesterday morning I finally got out into the field again and I actually found a few birds.
1/1000, 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 female (I believe) Spotted Towhee was the biggest surprise of the morning. She appeared from out of nowhere while I was photographing other birds near the base of some mountains, in a spot that has been highly productive for birds in years past but this year has been almost completely bird-less every time I’ve been there.
The setting was in dappled light but she was mostly in shade, which made my shutter speed plummet. After this shot she turned her back to me and flew off but…
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
she came back a few seconds later and landed on a different perch where she was in somewhat better light. So my SS returned to a range I’m far more comfortable with when I’m photographing birds.
That long towhee tail can be a bugger to keep in frame when I’m composing my photos in the field.
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
In this shot she looks like she’s taking off but she was only…
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
moving up higher on the same branch to a spot where I had a better view of her. This is the shot I was hoping to get, with her in better light, with almost none of her body blocked by branches, twigs or leaves and with her surrounded by all those fall colors.
As I sometimes do, I’m providing an alternative composition of the same photo. Personally, I slightly prefer this vertical crop.
She kept staring at the same spot to her right so I figured she might be thinking about taking off in that direction.
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
She was, and I got lucky when I fired off a short burst and caught her at the beginning of her sideways launch. I wish we could see her right wing.
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 actually kept her in frame for a flight shot, but just barely. Her wing position is a little wonky, which often happens when birds are taking off. I was happy to get the flight shot but it was the last perched photo that pleased me most, especially when cropped vertically.
When she took off she left the area but within the next ten minutes or so she came back, twice. But she was always buried in the bushes so I never got another clear shot of her.
Ron
We have them often at our house — any time of the year. So I know how hard it is to get good photos of them in bushes. Inspiring.
Thank you, Kent. I can tell that you “get it” when it comes to the challenges of photographing this species well.
Nice shots and story Ron. Handsome birds. We often have them in the back yard and so much fun to watch them go under shrubs and rake up everything looking for insects etc. Twice we have had a pair produce offspring somewhere close by and then we get to see the little Towhees running around.
Sounds like you see them far more often than I do, Everett. If so, I’m jealous..
Lovely – and the way that her colours reflect the season adds to them immeasurably.
I am so glad that you got out, and that you (and we) were given a treat. And I agree with you about the vertical shot.
Thanks, EC. Most folks agree and prefer the vertical composition.
I think she must have heard you were contemplating semi-retirement and wanted to disabuse you of the idea! What a little beauty, and that vertical crop captures her essence in such a lovely fall backdrop. ♥️
Chris, the “semi-retirement” you refer to didn’t sit with with me. Going that many days without photographing birds, and posting photos to my blog, was depressing. I hope it doesn’t go for that long again.
Gorgeous! Perfect setting. Great photos.
Thanks, Kathryn.
She’s beautiful! Interesting to see her perched, too. They appear in our yard occasionally, jump-scratching in the leaf litter under our juniper bushes, but I don’t ever remember seeing them perched. They are such fun to watch, and it is always a special day when they visit. Glad you got to see a few birds!
Carolyn, I only rarely see them perched so this little lady was a treat for me.
In numbers four and five, she is so demure, and so much apart of the background. I love these birds, for that very reason. They are colorful, but the colors blend with the leaves and dapples of light. Love her eyes and prim mouth.
Sallie, they’re easy to love, for a lot of reasons – despite their shy ways when there’s a photographer nearby.
Beautiful and fun! Besides being buried in brush/shade they can be a little on the twitchy side so they are a challenge. 🙂 Takeoff was a bit “wonky” with leg position and, it appears, a twig trying to grab a few feathers on her wa out. Glad you were able to capture her. 🙂
Ours have mostly left for the winter this past week.
“they can be a little on the twitchy side”
A little? I’d say a lot… 🙂 Twitchy is their middle name.
So happy to see a Towhee again…..although it must be a devil for a photographer to deal with, “dappled light” is the medium I’ve always
associated with them, “buried in the bushes” as they usually are, making that characteristic “jump-scratch, jump-scratch” sound…..
thanks ! I’ve missed them, and loved your image #1…….
” making that characteristic “jump-scratch, jump-scratch” sound”
Exactly, Kris. I far more often hear that sound, so I know they’re there, than I actually see them.
Nice series! It has been my experience that these birds are almost always “buried in the bushes”. Remarkable that you got the shots, and the Fall colors in the background really complement the colors of the bird and make the whole composition so great.
Photo #5 – vertical for sure.
Fascinated by the feet position in photo #6. Looks like the left foot crossed over to the right to have both legs optimally assist in the launch.
Michael, for me they’ve most often been on the ground, jump-scratching. I’ve found a few perched in bushes, like this one, but wherever they are they’re nearly always hidden by vegetation or debris of some kind.
Saw the first one and thought “ooh, nice photo”, then went down through them all. Once again i’m so glad you show us several of your shots, because on this bird it was striking to me how different the eye color appeared from the shadowed photo to the sunlit photo. Beautiful. Thanks, Ron.
Nina, good to know that you appreciate multiple photos, even though some of them are significantly better than others. My original intention was to post only the perched shot I like best.
Love the shots!
Thanks, Dick.