My good luck charm.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Two days ago this American Pipit allowed me to get close enough for some interesting photos. ‘He’ was on a small dirt mound in good light near a parking lot and he was cooperative enough to go about his everyday activities as if I wasn’t there.
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
He did a lot of scratching. What was unusual about it was that he never closed his eye to protect it while those needle-like toenails were flailing away right next to his vulnerable eye. In my experience, birds virtually always close their eyes while they’re scratching their heads but I have a half-dozen shots almost exactly like this one where his eye is wide open. I notice little things like that.
Almost immediately after this shot was taken he ran across the ground to the base of a large, flat rock along the edge of the parking lot and…
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
flew up to the top of it. He’d barely landed when he spotted something of interest.
Did you notice the tiny black ant on the rock? He sure did.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
He got it too.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Then he went back to his scratching. This time he didn’t scratch quite so close to his eye and once again, he kept it wide open without closing his regular eyelid or his nictitating membrane.
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Twice, while he was on the ground and on the rock, he reacted aggressively toward what must have been another pipit flying in close to him. I never saw the other pipit because I had my eye glued to my viewfinder but this is typical pipit behavior when another one comes in too close for comfort.
1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Then he ran to the edge of the rock and took off without warning. I missed the takeoff and flight shots because he was just too fast for this old bird photographer’s reflexes. It wasn’t even close.
I’m grateful to this bird because he was the beginning of a string of good luck. Before I found him I’d spent an hour and 20 minutes looking for interesting birds to photograph, with no luck at all. Zilch.
Then this guy came along and he happened to be the first pipit I’ve photographed in two years. Ten minutes later I photographed my first Rough-legged Hawk of the season and 21 minutes after that I photographed my first dark morph Red-tailed Hawk since the summer of 2021 (I posted photos of both of those hawks yesterday).
So, after an extremely slow beginning and middle it ended up being a morning of three firsts. I’m not superstitious but if the pipit brought me good luck, I’ll take it.
Ron
Thanks for this series of photos and your accompanying descriptions. I am always in awe
Thanks very much, Deedee. And to think, your influence was part of the beginning of my bird photography journey 15 years ago on that merning we spent together at Farmington Bay WMA. That morning really opened my eyes.
Wonderful photos, Ron, and SO glad your bird luck is turning in this direction. That pipit is most entertaining! I have to go back to see yesterday’s “two-fer hawks,” was in airports & jets most of the day, now in the woods of North Idaho where internet & cell service are VERY spotty. And waaaay colder than SoCal (it snowed this morning, my first in many years)! 🥶☃️
Chris, for me, going from “airports and jets” to “woods” is akin to going from agony to ecstasy – no matter how cold the woods might be.
We may get snow tonight too. It’s been raining off and on for much of the day. Enjoy your Thanksgiving in the woods!
Wonderful pix! I especially like the one with the ant on the pipit’s tongue…. great!!
Thank you, Robert.
How fascinating that he didn’t close his eye while wielding those very dangerous looking weapons so close to it. I like your possible explanation to Michael but he wasn’t (to my eyes) showing any other signs of wariness.
EC, I was only guessing but I think it’s a reasonable explanation.
Lovely series, Ron. I only see Pipits in migration and it’s always a treat to hear the first one calling as it flies over. Then the real fun begins- searching for the brown bird in the brown field! I may think I see four or five, until a Harrier flushes them and two dozen take flight. Thanks for giving them the spotlight today.
I only see them in migration too, Diane. And I agree, in their typical habitat they’re very difficult to see.
A Pipit of luck. Nice shots. Sometimes if I come upon them against a dirt background like that and if the light is poor I can barely see them.
I appreciate that you took photos of them because I would include them among the most ignored by photographers.
Everett. in some cases photographers may ignore them. But a lot of photographers never even see them.
Rarely answer back – but that is good and you are so right – and the older we get the more we will miss seeing them
So relieved you are seeing more birds, Ron! Fun ones, too. Thank you.
I hope it lasts, Ellen.
Wonderful series, Ron….. 🙂 When it comes to grub not much gets by birds…… The scratching without closing the eye is a puzzle – you’d think that would be “automatic” – apparently not! Love the aggressive behavior to a perceived threat. Good day for you! 🙂
“you’d think that would be “automatic””
I agree, Judy. Like a reflex.
Super series, thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
Great series of various behaviors. Your Pipit totem?
“Your Pipit totem?”
Brett, if it works, I’ll take it!
Amazing photos! Very curious how it scratches around the eye without taking some protective measures.
I think so too, Michael. It’s highly unusual for them not to close at least one of their three eyelids while scratching their heads. Maybe this guy didn’t trust me being as close as I was and wanted to keep an eye on me…