![\"sage](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/sage-thrasher-6433-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMost of my photos of Sage Thrashers show them on elevated perches so I appreciate the variety when I can catch one on the ground in a flowery setting.<\/p>\n
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\u00a01\/4000, f\/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In some areas of the island Redstem Filaree is blooming profusely right now.\u00a0 The flowers don’t open until the sun’s been up for a while and I’m usually on the island at sunrise so the timing was good when I found this thrasher later in the morning five days ago\u00a0as it\u00a0foraged for insects.\u00a0 I\u00a0took a few shots of this bird\u00a0among the flowers but then it must have decided that it was tired of\u00a0all the clicking and that huge\u00a0metal\u00a0“eye” being pointed at it so…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a01\/4000, f\/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n it hopped up onto this large, ugly\u00a0and very old “buffalo chip” (bison poop) and almost dared me to continue taking its picture.\u00a0 I obliged the bird.<\/p>\n Actually I enjoy buffalo chip perches and will photograph a bird on one at every opportunity.\u00a0 I think it’s because of my intense interest in western and Mormon history combined with my fascination with birds.\u00a0 My great-great grandfather Oliver Hunt Dudley\u00a0and his family were Mormon pioneers (no, I’m not Mormon)\u00a0who crossed the plains to\u00a0follow Brigham Young to “Utah” (Mexican territory\u00a0back then)\u00a0in 1850.\u00a0 I have\u00a0old letters and other records that document their trip across the plains and Rocky Mountains and their difficult life after they arrived here.\u00a0 Like other\u00a0pioneers, during their arduous\u00a0and treacherous trek they relied on buffalo chips to fuel their\u00a0campfires when firewood wasn’t available, which was often the case.<\/p>\n It’s probably a huge stretch to say that I owe my very existence to bison poop.\u00a0 But then again, maybe not…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most of my photos of Sage Thrashers show them on elevated perches so I appreciate the variety when I can catch one on the ground in a flowery setting.<\/p>\n![\"sage](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/sage-thrasher-6441-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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