And some ‘birds’ without feathers.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I didn’t find many birds in Box Elder County three days ago but as I was about to head for home I found this Eastern Kingbird on an exposed perch, so I stopped for ‘him’. I had very little time with him because a couple of loudly jabbering bikers came up behind me and scared him off before I got any pose variety. When this photo was taken, he could see and hear them coming.
By then it was later in the morning so the light was beginning to get harsh. But it’s been nearly four years (7/20/20) since I’ve posted any Eastern Kingbird photos, so I figured it was past time.
I’ve been laying low and staying home for most of this week because of holiday crowds and the fireworks that I despise. But yesterday I decided to try to photograph a different kind of ‘bird’.
The 419th Fighter Wing out of Hill Air Force Base flew low over 17 Utah cities in celebration of the Fourth of July and they were scheduled to pass over Murray, where I live, at 8:55 AM. So I set up my gear in my back yard and hoped to get lucky with lighting and shooting through my neighbor’s tall trees.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
They were right on time at 8:55 but they turned to go back north before I hoped they would so the F-35A Lightening ll’s were always backlit. The upside to the back light was that it allowed me to capture both wingtip vortices on all three fighters.
Hopefully I’ll get back to photographing birds with feathers in the next day or two.
Ron
On an unrelated note:
I did have one major success yesterday. Recently, our neighborhood rat (Rattus norvegicus) has become much more brazen and annoying. And maybe careless. I’ve been trying to trap him for weeks and late yesterday morning I finally got the little bastard. Today is garbage day. He’ll be on his way to the dump within the hour.
Great shots – though I much prefer the feathered variety.
I hope the fireworks in your area were minimal.
Thanks, EC. They weren’t as bad as they’ve been some years. But they were plenty bad enough.
Wow we had a couple of Fighter jets fly in my area also. Thought they were flying around the VA Hospital for the patients to enjoy. They were pretty low and must have been on the back side of my house, I was out front. So missed them.
Trudy, assuming you’re in Utah I’ll bet it was the same 419th Fighter Wing.
Nope Sheridan, Wyoming.
Happy day after Ron. Good shots of those F35’s. Wonder at what speed they were going over your house. When we lived in Irvine CA we were near the El Toro Marine air station and always enjoyed the many jets that went right over our neighborhood during their air shows that sometimes included the Navy’s Blue Angels.
I have never seen an Eastern Kingbird.
“Wonder at what speed they were going over your house.”
They weren’t going particularly fast, Everett. No afterburners, literal or figurative.
I don’t see Eastern Kingbirds nearly as often as I do Western Kingbirds.
Nice! We have a few Eastern Kingbirds this year – they’ve been declining in recent years. Also, these are in the yard as opposed to being out in the field on the fence line.
Nice capture on the wingtip vortices – that’s a “win”.
Did a 10 minute “gully washer” (.35″)with small hail yesterday – not wind driven so garden damage is minimal and wheat didn’t get blown over. Of course, othe damage to the wheat will take awhile to show up. Prior to this the storms were going around us. Could be worse!
Judy, I have so many vivid memories of those MT hailstorms and the damage they do to crops. Hailstorms are so capricious…
That is a nice photo. Another bird that you do not see in So Cal.
Since following your website, whenever you post birds that I have not seen in my area, I like to go the the Audubon interactive migration map to see if I’m just not looking hard enough, and just where I might be able to spot that bird. I am always surprised to learn about the many birds that have a surprisingly long migration. The Eastern Kingbird is one of them.
Thanks, Michael. I’m always pleased to know when my blog inspires further research and learning.
Very regal, all of them.
Thanks, Sallie.