But there was method in his madness.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Three days ago I found this immature White-crowned Sparrow in a mixed flock of songbirds that included a few Dark-eyed Juncos and a single American Goldfinch. It was the coldest morning I’ve seen so far this year (16° F. at sunrise) so at first the birds were more than a little lethargic. But it didn’t take long for hunger to trump the freezing temps, so they soon began to actively forage for food in the bushes.
Normally I wouldn’t post this photo because it’s rather run-of-the-mill and the setting is busy and not particularly attractive. But I like to post a photo that shows what the bird was doing just prior to the beginning of the action (these three shots are sequential in a burst, with a cumulative elapsed time of less than 3/10ths of a second).
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Suddenly and without warning ‘he’ raised his wings to take off. I get a kick out of this posture because the only portion of his body that seems involved in the strenuous activity of takeoff is his wings. The rest of his body looks like his intention was to remain perched for the foreseeable future.
But his actual intention was to take off vertically, so this seemingly relaxed body posture didn’t last long.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
His legs sprang into action and, along with his wings, launched him straight up. I suspect he took off vertically to avoid twigs in front of him. Either that or his intended next perch was above him.
In this photo I had oodles of room in the frame above him but in the next shot in the burst he was completely out of frame – not even the tip of his tail remained. It was as if he’d been launched from a slingshot or shot from a gun.
Whatever his motivation for taking off vertically, I really like that second shot because his wing position seems to contradict his body posture. It’s just different enough to tickle my fancy.
Ron
PS – Just so you know, I now have my primary computer back from the shop. All it needed was a deep cleaning (they performed a “tune-up” on it while they had it).
I had no idea that dusty, dirty innards in a computer could cause the “blue screen of death” but that’s what happened. I always thought that blue screen, along with the error message “Inaccessible boot-up device”, meant that the hard drive had failed. Live and learn.
I love these sequence pictures you often provide, along with your interpretation of the behavior. So often it is something that occurs so fast we would never see it in normal observation. The R5 does an amazing job of capturing that detail, helped of course by your hours of preparation and lots of experience. And willingness to withstand 16 degree conditions!
The second shot makes me think of the song “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash. (A much better ear worm to have than the “I’m ‘enery the 8th, I am” from earlier today
Glad you and your computer are reunited and the issue was dust-related, not dead-hard-drive-related.
Thanks, Marty. I’m relieved too, although when they “scrubbed” my computer for malware and other “junk” they trashed some files that were far from junk to me. I’m pretty pissed about it.
Sorry, but your attempt to implant that particular earworm failed with me. Punk rock never much appealed to me, especially from The Clash when I heard that they billed themselves as “the only band that matters”. I may be in the minority but that turned me off and tuned me out.
That said, I’ll admit that I’m out of my league when it comes to punk rock in particular and The Clash in particular.
Oh, no!! Marty, I read your post – now I can’t get “enery the 8th” out of my head! Will be a long day…..
I miss having white-crowned sparrows in my yard, one of the many changes in the last 10-12 years.
Yes dust is a problem. We have a compressor and Eric blows his our regularly. I am hopping, now he will not be working after this weekend, he will take care of mine and put in a new photo processing card. He buys new cards for his gear and I get the old ones. Usually still top notch cards and upgrades for me.
April, I’m sure it’s handy having Eric around for a lot of reasons, computers among them.
I am so glad that your ‘puter is back in the land of the living. Since the ambiance of our home could often be described as cluttered and dusty there is a lesson in that for me.
This series (yet again) adds meaning to the phrase ‘split second action’ doesn’t it?
Thank you.
I’m glad to have it back too, EC. In some ways I was struggling with the backup computer.
I love White-crowned Sparrows! That second photo reminds me of an orchestra conductor getting ready for the next… movement. Thanks, Ron.
Glad you enjoyed it, Ellen.
WOW! They always have a surprise in store for us – luv it! 🙂
I have to get in my computer with a vaccuum at least once a year (our old house is “leaky”. Never got the “blue screem of death” from it but would keep freezing up. The dust/dirt collection was amazing the first time it happend with some of it REALLY packed in. As I said – “annual maintenance” now!
““annual maintenance” now!”
Good plan of attack, Judy.
Stupid me bought two cans of “canned air” about six months ago with every intention of cleaning out the guts of my computer. Didn’t do it…
I like the intensity of his stare – as if he’s preparing mentally for blast off. And it’s interesting that there isn’t a whole lot of visible change in his leg position prior to the push off.
Kenneth’s comment is very helpful, too – now when I see the ripples in the plum tree I’ll picture Rocket Man taking off, and focus the binocs elsewhere!
Thanks, Carolyn. Once you begin to follow Kenneth’s advice, I predict that “Rocket Man” will escape your gaze far less often.
Ah, this is what I like about FP. You so often give us very interesting kind of offbeat posts that are both entertaining and educational. You have thousands of just knock out beautiful photos that you could post day after day, but you don’t, and that to me is what makes your site so interesting.
PS – I am the lowest of low tech people at 85 years old and not too long ago had my computer guy tune up my computer and explain the same thing to me.
“You so often give us very interesting kind of offbeat posts that are both entertaining and educational. That to me is what makes your site so interesting.”
That part of your comment is particularly gratifying to me, Everett. Sometimes I might go over the “offbeat” line, but I love the fact that you enjoy those kinds of posts. Thanks very much.
It took a while for me to realize that when a small bird attracted attention by disturbing a branch it was usually not coming into a landing, rather it was launching off. Your sequence explains why there is usually no bird when I focus at that spot. The leg action is quite vigorous.
“Your sequence explains why there is usually no bird when I focus at that spot”
That’s an important lesson for the bird photographer to learn, isn’t it, Kenneth.
Even an ‘ordinary’ sparrow reveals extraordinary behaviors to us, thanks to your hard work and your camera. Thank you.
“Even an ‘ordinary’ sparrow reveals extraordinary behaviors to us”
Well said, Cheryl.
When I first looked at the second photo I was struck by the oddity of it but could not put my finger on what it was. And then I read your narrative. Bingo, that was it! If anyone would have painted this image, most would think it to be completely unnatural.
16° F! Yikes.
Happy the computer just needed a cleaning. Giving me pause about my own. Perhaps some preventative cleaning is in order.
Michael, thanks for affirming my interpretation that his body posture seems contradictory to his wing position. I was afraid that I might be the only one to think so.
Yes, it was cold!
“Preventative cleaning” beats the hell out of expensive and highly inconvenient repair, says me after not doing exactly that.