Ten photos of ten species.
Occasionally I post a collection of photos that in my view don’t deserve standalone status on my blog but collectively I believe they’ll be of interest to viewers. All of these photos were taken in the morning five days ago at Bear River MBR.
A side lit adult Black-crowned Night Heron. There was a juvenile heron right behind this bird that was spotlit nicely in the reeds but that bird was partially blocked by vegetation.
A White-faced Ibis in flight with the Promontory Mountains in the background. I wish I’d been closer to this bird.
A rooster Ring-necked Pheasant following another rooster through the grass.
A surprise Muskrat that swam by as I was photographing a nesting Western Grebe. I seldom post photos of these guys but this time I thought, why not?
The nesting Western Grebe I was photographing when the Muskrat showed up.
Since Western Grebe chicks leave the nest immediately after they’re all (or mostly all) hatched, this bird would have been incubating rather than brooding young. I like the way the nest is set back into the reeds but still provides an open “window” for the incubating adult (both sexes incubate).
A Gadwall taking off from a small floating island. At first I thought there was a nest on the island but I don’t believe there was. At least not an active one.
A male Clark’s Grebe, on the left, feeding a small feather to his chick on the female’s back. Grebes are notorious for eating feathers, their own feathers or those of other birds found floating on the water. Once again I wish I’d been closer to these birds.
A drake Cinnamon Teal being chased off the water by another drake that’s out of frame to the left. For some reason, I seldom see (or at least notice) reflections of water splashes in my photos when a bird takes off from the water. This time there is one and I noticed it.
An adult American Coot with one of its three chicks. This is the same chick I posted two photos of a couple of days ago. Several readers gently chastised this old coot (the photographer) for calling the chick “ugly”, so today I’ll refrain from doing so. But it won’t be easy.
I’ll close with some interesting behavior from an obviously mated pair of Black-necked Stilts. When I first approached them they were both foraging for food but they were more than 50′ apart from each other. Suddenly I noticed that the female was performing her pre-copulatory display by holding her body in this solicitation posture and stirring the tip of her bill in the water.
Her mate noticed it too. He immediately began walking briskly toward her. This photo was taken as he reached her. I fully expected them both to go through their pre-copulatory rituals that would culminate in mating.
But mating never happened. The female held this solicitation posture, while occasionally stirring her bill in the water, for what seemed like two full minutes. During that time the male circled around her several times while he was sometimes doing what’s called “sexual preening”. But he never mounted her. Eventually he just turned his back to her and flew away.
I felt sorry for the female. Talk about rejection. And sexual frustration.
Ron
Late to the party today. Love a good bird-and-muskrat-pourri! This is a wonderful collection of shots! I feel bad for the lady stilt and the baby coot (I know you wanted to call it ugly 😉). Delighted to see a baby grebe hitchin’ a ride too. 😍 The pheasant is a looker as is the iridescent ibis.
“Late to the party today.”
Your timing is impeccable, Marty. I had my hand on the mouse to shut my computer down and go to bed – and your comment came in.
Thanks for chiming in – even late to the party.
A wonderful collection! The light on the nesting Western Grebe is beautiful – that little cave would make an excellent hiding place for all kinds of creatures, little humans included!
That’s a pretty neat little alcove for a nest, isn’t it Carolyn. Thanks.
It’s not easy for me to comment at all. I’ll say this though, the American Coot baby is as cute as can be. Thanks for the picture!
Lovely collection, Ron.
Thanks, April.
A plethora of riches. Thank you – this is a wonderful start to my day.
Good. You deserve a good start.
Love every photo – and thank you for including the Muskrat. VERY difficult to pic a fav – but am going with Team Cinnamon Teal. That is such an interesting shot with the off-set teal and the gorgeous water capture!
Am enjoying 5 Black-chinned hummers – they will certainly be chased off by the migrating Rufous next month. We also have a red-tail fox that has decided our property is good hang out spot! Love our time here in the AZ white mountains.
Thank you, Kathleen. I’ve had sporadic visits from a male Black-chinned but so far he and others seem to be spending more time at my neighbor’s feeders than at mine.
Last year I didn’t see a single Rufous in my yard which was very unusual. And highly disappointing.
Sensational series!!
Thanks, Charlotte.
“Rich environment”, indeed ! I’m happy for you to have had a
day full of variety of visual riches ! And equally happy that you’ve
the mastery of the craft that enables the sharing of them. I really
enjoyed all the beauty you’ve presented this morning….thanks !
“And equally happy that you’ve the mastery of the craft that enables the sharing of them.”
Kris, I doubt that anyone ever truly masters bird photography. I certainly haven’t but it’s fun to try. Thanks very much.
Fun and beautiful series, Ron. The Ibis is particularly striking with it’s irridescent coloring! 🙂 Baby Coot still has me shaking my head…. 😉
No Night Hawks/King Birds/Kingfishers so far. Most of the summer compliment of birds is complete…
Magpies(s) made a tactical error yesterday with one getting knocked off the branch it was sitting on and it (or another) getting hammered into the ground by a half doze Grackles – GEEZ!
Thanks, Judy. Wow, your grackles must be super aggressive.
Outstanding collection Ron. Really like the shadowy Night Heron and the Pheasant. I have not seen a Pheasant since leaving Pennsylvania for the west 46 years ago. As a kid during WW2 I used to run through the fields in our semi-rural suburban area scaring the Pheasants and making them fly off.
Not knowing the geography of your area there near GSL how long does it take you to get to the Bear River MBR.
Thanks, Everett. Getting to Bear River MBR is a 60 mile freeway drive north for me, and then another 10 miles or so west on a paved, two lane road.
A nice collection of odds and ends photos. Very nice and the stories to go with the photos. Thanks for the share.
Thank you, Trudy.
Really enjoy starting my day with your visually and intellectually rewarding posts. Really appreciate the time, effort and skill you so consistently donate to our enrichment.
Very much appreciated, Burrdoo.
Fantastic. Bear River MBR must be a rich environment. Would love to go there some day.
Great potpourri of wildlife, and a lesson as well. Never knew about the Grebe feather eating (enjoyed the photos on the linked page too).
As always, thanks for sharing your excellent work.
Michael, Bear River MBR is a very special place. We’re extremely lucky to have it.
Glad you enjoyed the post I linked to. I’ve published several posts about grebe feather-eating so I just kinda picked one of them at random.
I guess she just “wasn’t [his] type”—-as some “real men” would say.
You have me chuckling, Sue. “Real men” indeed.