![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-headed-blackbird-0058-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"yellow-headed-blackbird-0058-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nThe Neil Young bird.<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Yesterday morning at Bear River MBR I made multiple attempts at photographing Yellow-headed Blackbirds as they were singing and\/or taking off, with this adult male being my best result overall. I got dozens of shots of him singing in a setting that appeals to me.<\/p>\n To describe the sound the males of this species make as “singing” is a huge stretch. Their song has\u00a0been described as sounding like “a screeching buzz, rather like a heavy door swinging on a very rusty metal hinge” and I’m of the opinion that that’s a reasonably accurate description.<\/p>\n When I hear males of this species singing in springtime, I usually (always?) think of Neil Young and his “whiny, nasal voice” that made me wince the first few times I heard it. It’s an association that has almost invariably played out in my mind for decades, even though today I’m a big fan of Neil Young and the undeniable authenticity and emotionality of his grating voice that has endeared him to generations of fans.<\/p>\n More about that in a minute.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n When the blackbird finally took off I wasn’t particularly fond of the first launch shot because there wasn’t much detail in many of the blacks. But for my tastes, the next shot in the burst is…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n what I call the “money shot” because I like most everything about it, including his flight posture, the exposure on most of the blacks and the sharpness of the bird. I got two more photos of him in flight but I’m not including them because they were a little soft.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Back to Neil Young and why I nearly always think of him when I’m hearing Yellow-headed Blackbirds “singing”. One Irish Neil Young fan, who almost certainly has spent too much time in Irish pubs, had this to say about Young’s voice and its authenticity and appeal:<\/p>\n “He’s a folk singer and I sure as hell wasn’t ever told you needed to sound good to sing folk.<\/em><\/p>\n You should hear some of the grannies belting out waillies as the bar comes to closing time here in Ireland. Fuck me it would veneer your teeth, some of that singing.<\/em><\/p>\n But hell it’s beautiful.”<\/em><\/p>\n I feel the same about Neil’s voice. And about the “song” of Yellow-headed Blackbirds.<\/p>\n As I type this I’m hearing Neil’s “Four Strong Winds<\/a><\/span><\/span>” in my head. When you’ve spent as much time in Alberta as I have, in winter and in summer, it’s a strong association that brings back many fond memories.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Neil Young bird. (3 photos)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-headed-blackbird-0096-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"yellow-headed-blackbird-0096-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/yellow-headed-blackbird-0097-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"yellow-headed-blackbird-0097-ron-dudley\\"")
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