Including my first Osprey of the year.
First, an explanation of how I was able to go shooting while I don’t have a reliable vehicle.
Last week I was told by my Ford service advisor that they have another pickup just like mine in their shop that has the same engine problem as mine. When they figure out what’s wrong with that pickup, and get it repaired, they’ll have me bring mine in for the same repair. Both pickups are a mystery to them – they have the same symptoms but they’re not throwing any codes.
So I wait, in limbo. I’ve been told I can drive my pickup for short trips around town (my larder was becoming bare so I finally stocked up on groceries) but I’d be taking a big chance if I drove it further, to places like my typical birding spots. So I continue to be grounded from birding trips with no end in sight and I’m not happy about it.
Three days ago, mostly out of frustration, I visited one of the several local ponds I frequent and found a few birds.
It happened to be during our biggest snowstorm so far this winter, so conditions were challenging to say the least. I’m only including this photo of a Double-crested Cormorant in flight to document those conditions. Needless to say, I won’t be including any more photos taken that day.
But the next day at the same pond was different. What a difference a day can make.
It was cold with lots of snow on the ground but skies were clear and blue and the light was excellent. I even found a few interesting birds, including this cormorant. Normallly, cormorants on the pond are very shy but that afternoon several of them came in close, almost too close.
Following are photos of a few more pond birds taken that day.
A male Common Goldeneye that surprised me (we surprised each other) when he swam out from behind some shoreline vegetation. He quickly skedaddled.
The only male Redhead on the pond came in close a single time.
This Mallard drake and his mate were flying about 30′ above the pond when the female suddenly dropped almost straight down and landed on the water. This flight posture was his reaction as he tried to follow her, also nearly straight down. I like his posture.
But I had my most consistent luck with cormorants.
Same behavior, different angle.
Normally I’m not a fan of other birds photobombing my shots but for some reason I like this one. It almost looks like the cormorant is reacting to the close presence of the Redhead. Maybe it was.
I love the bejeweled eyes of cormorants this time of year.
Near the end of my stay at the pond, this Osprey made one pass over the water and then disappeared. I’d been photographing other birds so I wouldn’t have seen the Osprey if hadn’t noticed a couple of hikers looking skyward at something, which turned out to be the Osprey. I didn’t get any photos that were very good, but I was excited to see my first Osprey of the year.
Most of the birds in today’s post are pretty typical pond birds but because of my vehicle issues it had been 19 days since I’d been out shooting so they helped to scratch my birding itch. For which I’m grateful.
Ron
PS – In case you’re curious, yesterday I took the advice of several of my readers and ordered prints of both birds, (Short-eared Owl and Burrowing Owl), to hang in my new camping trailer. I plan to rotate them. I knew there was good reason to ask for advice from my readers. I hadn’t considered the option of printing them both before I asked for help.
Wow!I really enjoyed all the different water fowl! What a great day for you. Thanks for posting
Glad you were able to get out – and – your shots were beautiful.
Thanks, on both counts Judy.
Utah has a Lemon Law; you might want to explore that. Insist on a loaner. There must be more Ford trucks in SLC. Good luck and happy birding. We had a beautiful adult Peregrine Falcon on our Thursday Birder walk yesterday in Albuquerque. Everyone got to see her (she was pretty big). That was the day I decided to leave the camera home.
“That was the day I decided to leave the camera home.”
Sounds like something I’d do.
Glad you could get out and visit the local pond. Nice to see the Osprey in your group of pictures. Waiting for a favorite Osprey Iris and her new mate Finn to make it to Missoula HellGate Nest in the next couple of weeks.
Trudy, I was very surprised to see that Osprey. I’ve seen them at this pond several times in the past but never this early in the year. I hope Iris and Finn show up safely and soon.
Love that marbled beaked jeweled eye Cormorant shot!
Good. Thanks, Burrdoo.
Fun and beautiful series Ron. “Bejeweled eye” and “marbled beak are great! Also like the male Mallard trying to catch up with the female.
Truck sounding more like a lemon all the time! Scarey they can’t figure it out. Of course, the dependency on “codes” these days can not always be useful………
Thanks, Judy. I got other shots of the Mallard that would have been really good if they’d been a little sharper.
All fun shots – especially like the in-flight Mallard. Something you rarely see photographed. Looks like you had a fun day vehicle or not. Why did they not give you a loaner?
Thanks, Everett. They’re trying to line up a loaner for me when I take my pickup in.
19 days. Geez. And they are all puzzled at the dealership. No good.
Well, you made the best of it with these shots.
Never seen a cormorant’s eye close up like that. Amazing. And on that second photo the way the feathers seem to be highlighted with outlines. Don’t think I have ever noticed that before either. Thanks for the morning fix.
Here’s wishing you a repair of your vehicle sooner than later.
Michael, this pickup thing is becoming a major PITA. Last night I had nightmares about it.
Not only has the cormorant a “bejeweled eye”–lovely turn of phrase,
that !– he also has a “marbled beak”-what surprises in a bird….
as for photo #1, I can imagine a cormorant-shaped silhouette,
opening onto a sky full of tiny stars……
Kris, I thought of “marbled beak” but didn’t use it. I wish I had.