![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/eurasian-collared-dove-3623b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"eurasian-collared-dove-3623b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nIt’s past time for me to put up or shut up. Today’s post is my attempt at redemption.<\/p>\n
When I’m asked, as I often am, “What is your favorite bird to photograph?”, my typical response is to say “If it has feathers I’ll photograph it” which is my way of attempting to avoid showing favoritism and it’s pretty close to the truth. However, I’ve realized for a long time that that response is hypocritical because there are two species I virtually never aim my lens at – House Sparrows and Eurasian Collared Doves. European Starlings come close to being on that list too. All three species share the dubious distinction of being introduced to North America.<\/p>\n
But two mornings ago I decided to sit in my back yard, with my camera on my tripod in front of me and coffee in hand, and practice flight shots on any bird that gave me the opportunity and of course Eurasian Collared Doves became one of my subjects. Collared doves nest in my catulpa trees and some of my neighbor’s trees and they occasionally come to my feeders.<\/p>\n
So, this morning I (reluctantly) decided to share one of the collared dove photos I took that morning. Maybe doing so will make me feel a little less hypocritical.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
1\/8000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, possibly baited<\/em><\/p>\n I caught this one soon after takeoff. ‘He’ was facing slightly away from me but as compensation he turned his head my way and gave me eye contact. I also like his flight posture, he’s sharp and I even have good detail in his shaded parts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/8000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, possibly baited<\/em><\/p>\n In the interest of full disclosure, here’s what the image looked like before I dinked around with it. He had been perched on my fireplace insert cap atop my fireplace. My shutter speed was exorbitant because I knew that he was likely to fly in front of darker trees out of frame to the left which would dramatically slow my SS.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sometimes I have to remind myself that introduced species can be just as beautiful and interesting as any other bird and besides, it isn’t their fault they’re here. Eurasian Collared Doves were first introduced into the Bahamas in the mid-70’s when several of them escaped from a pet shop during a burglary. From there they made their way to Florida and then rapidly spread across much of North America.<\/p>\n And like many other birds, native or not, they have some unique and fascinating traits, including this from Cornell about Eurasian Collared Doves:<\/p>\n Eurasian Collared-Doves are one of very few species that can drink \u201chead down,\u201d submerging their bills and sucking water as though drinking through a straw. Most birds must scoop water and tip the head back to let it run down into the throat.<\/em><\/p>\n OK, I feel a little better now. Maybe someday I’ll post photos of House Sparrows but I’m not there yet.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/eurasian-collared-dove-3623-with-perch-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"eurasian-collared-dove-3623-with-perch-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n