{"id":30045,"date":"2015-03-13T06:12:16","date_gmt":"2015-03-13T12:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=30045"},"modified":"2015-03-13T06:12:16","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T12:12:16","slug":"yearning-for-sage-thrashers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/03\/13\/yearning-for-sage-thrashers\/","title":{"rendered":"Yearning For Sage Thrashers"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the species whose return I most anticipate in the springtime is the Sage Thrasher. These images are from last summer because I’ve yet to see one this year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"sage<\/p>\n

\u00a01\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

As suggested by their name, Sage Thrashers are sagebrush obligates so they’re one of the species threatened by the drastic decline in sagebrush steppe habitat.\u00a0Their numbers have been dramatically reduced and local populations completely eliminated where there has been widespread conversion of sagebrush rangeland.<\/p>\n

I get a kick out of their antics.\u00a0Photographing their\u00a0exaggerated, undulating courtship flight is one of my goals and they often assume amusing\u00a0poses, as\u00a0in this image.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"sage<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a01\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

They have a long, melodious song<\/a> of great variety (their original common name was Mountain Mockingbird) and they may sing those soft but complex notes continuously for between 8 and an amazing 22 minutes which can give the photographer plenty of time to catch them in a singing pose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"sage<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a01\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the last Sage Thrasher photograph I took last summer (7\/31\/14).\u00a0To me the take-off pose with the bird leaving\u00a0is\u00a0somewhat symbolic of the almost 9 months its been since I’ve\u00a0photographed one of these birds. I usually start seeing them again on Antelope Island\u00a0about the first of April so my extended wait for them should be just about over.<\/p>\n

I look forward to the reunion.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the species whose return I most anticipate in the springtime is the Sage Thrasher.<\/p>\n

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