{"id":104686,"date":"2021-12-04T05:45:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-04T12:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=104686"},"modified":"2021-12-04T17:52:40","modified_gmt":"2021-12-05T00:52:40","slug":"a-pipit-an-almost-and-a-notable-landmark-about-to-bite-the-dust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/04\/a-pipit-an-almost-and-a-notable-landmark-about-to-bite-the-dust\/","title":{"rendered":"A Pipit, An ‘Almost’ And A Notable Landmark About To Bite The Dust"},"content":{"rendered":"

I finally found some birds yesterday. And I learned some stuff.<\/p>\n

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European Starlings were out in force and even though I rarely aim my l lens their way this large flock weighing down a small tree was pretty impressive. Because of their black color and the time of year it reminded me of a Christmas tree in mourning.<\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

I had a great time with a small group of American Pipits that were scampering around a rock pile. In recent weeks pipits have seemed almost omnipresent in many of my birding haunts but they’ve also been extremely shy and elusive so it was fun to finally find a few cooperative individuals.<\/p>\n

Most of the rocks they were on were about the color of the out of focus rock at lower right so I was watching carefully for one of them to land on this black rock. Finally one of them did and I even captured a nice pose in good light.<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

This is my “almost” shot.<\/p>\n

Because of their photon-sucking deep black color, Red-winged Blackbirds are hard enough to photograph well when they’re perched. So to get a flight posture like this with his red and yellow epaulet displayed so well, excellent detail in the blacks of his entire body and to get him sharp without cutting off any body parts is an accomplishment.<\/p>\n

So I was deeply disappointed to have it all ruined by the phrag stalks in front of the bird. But the photo shows me what’s possible so I’ll keep trying.<\/p>\n

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Cell phone photo<\/em><\/p>\n

Locals will recognize this ancient and decrepit viewing platform near the end of the auto tour route at Bear River MBR. Though it’s rarely used these days it’s been a landmark on the refuge for decades. Yesterday morning I noticed a refuge employee working on it and I suspected it was about to be demolished, just like another viewing platform was fairly recently torn down on the southwest corner of the auto tour loop.<\/p>\n

I’m a nosy old soul when it comes to our refuges so I drove down the short spur road to the platform to ask the worker (bent over with his back to us behind the yellow tape) what was going on. He confirmed that the platform is about to be demolished and removed. It was recently inspected by the state and determined to be unsafe, especially if a large group of people (from a tour bus for example) were on it at the same time.<\/p>\n

I can understand why it has to go but I’m going to miss it. And so will the birds who like to perch on it.<\/p>\n

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Local birders and photographers are likely aware that Bear River MBR has been nearly bone dry for most of the summer due to our ongoing severe drought, so yesterday I was blown away to find more water on the refuge than I’ve seen in a very long time. The canals and the large ponds (units) are overflowing and the water is once again running fast. I suspected I knew why but I had to ask. I got a two-pronged answer:<\/p>\n