The Coyotes and the Plucky Pronghorn

 Yesterday Mia and I were witness to quite the little drama on a trip to Antelope Island to photograph birds.  It all started when we noticed the frantic calling of a Long-billed Curlew which flew over us several times in obvious distress.    Canon 7D, 1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc At  first we didn’t know what was causing all the ruckus but soon Mia spotted this coyote.  A couple of minutes later we noticed a second coyote nearby.  We suspect that the curlew had a nest in the vicinity and it was disturbed by the foraging coyotes.  Soon both coyotes disappeared into a ravine but we hung around hoping for more flight shots of the curlew.     Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Then, almost a quarter-mile away, we spotted the coyotes again but this time a doe Pronghorn (at least I think it’s a female and not a young male) had entered the scene.  There was obviously going to be a confrontation and at first I assumed that the coyotes would be the aggressors but I was quickly proven wrong.      Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc This doe had pluck!  After a few seconds of staring each other down the pronghorn charged the coyote on the right.     Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc That coyote beat a hasty retreat but the teamwork the coyotes showed was impressive.  They always stayed a short distance apart and whenever the doe would…

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Bald Eagles at Farmington Bay

I paid another visit to Farmington yesterday and while I got some nice shots of a few other species I was reminded of the Bald Eagles that were winter residents out there just a few short months ago.  I miss them.  So when it turned overcast this morning and I couldn’t go out photographing birds I decided to revisit some of the eagle images I got at Farmington three months ago.   Canon 7D, 1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc This carp may have been an easy catch for the eagle because the water was quite shallow and the fish was likely stunned (though it did appear to still be alive) by the rotenone used to control these fish at the refuge.      Canon 7D, 1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Both of these images of the eagle with the  fish were difficult exposures with the white head facing toward the sun but I liked the action and the good look at the carp.      Canon 7D, 1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc This is one of my better exposures on both the white head and the very dark body and wing plumage in the species.  Early morning light certainly helped with that exposure.      Canon 7D, 1/1250, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc I like the unusual head turn from this juvenile bird and the Wasatch Mountain background.      Canon 7D, 1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc (wish I’d had lower ISO in this image…

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Common Raven Disposing of Eggshells

 When this Common Raven landed on a large rock fairly close to me last week on Antelope Island I could see that it had something in its beak and assumed that it was some type of food.  It wasn’t until I got home and processed the images that I could tell what it was.   Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, 1/2500, f 6.3, ISO 500 It turns out that it was eggshell, presumably from its own nest.  In researching Common Raven eggs I found that they have this kind of marking and color (though there is some variability in both) and this shell remnant seemed to be about the right size for a raven so my assumption is that it’s a raven eggshell and not leftovers from a meal from raiding the nest of another bird.  There is a raven nest relatively close to this rock.    Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, 1/2500, f 6.3, ISO 500 Here the raven is very carefully placing the shell in a crevice in the rocks.  At the time I took the photo I couldn’t figure out why the bird would simply abandon what I thought was food.      Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, 1/3200, f 6.3, ISO 500 Here the raven has dropped the eggshell…     Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, 1/2000, f 7.1, ISO 500 and then it hopped to the peak of the rock to “crow” about its accomplishment. Birds of North America Online says this about raven eggshell disposal – “No…

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Marsh Wrens of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

 This week I was finally able to get some decent images of Marsh Wrens.    Canon 7D, 1/2000, f/8, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc In the past these birds have always been buried too deeply in vegetation for me to get shots I liked but a couple of days ago they finally cooperated with me.     Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/8, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Marsh Wrens have incredibly interesting behaviors.  For example, western males must learn up to 200 different songs (eastern birds only learn about 50).  Perhaps that’s why these males sing so much – it would take a lot of practice to learn that many “tunes”.      Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/8, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc These birds are extremely territorial and aggressive.  They are polygynous (males mate with multiple females) and in order to attract females the male builds from 6 to 22 “dummy” nests for every one that is actually used to raise a brood of chicks.  We could see several of these nests buried in the cattails along the refuge road.      Canon 7D, 1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc According to the Bear River Blog many of these nests were destroyed by our recent stormy weather and heavy rains so many of these males have had to start over.      Canon 7D, 1/2000, f/8, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Marsh Wrens of both sexes regularly destroy eggs and chicks of other birds near their territories, including those of…

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American Kestrels – What They’ll Eat and What They Won’t.

 I’ve always found it fascinating to watch these little falcons eat.  A gruesome experience to be sure but so much more interesting than observing a raptor such as an owl who simply swallows its prey whole.  And if you watch carefully there’s a whole lot more going on during the process than first meets the eye.  Kestrels can be pretty picky eaters.  I’ve documented in another post on this blog that they often refuse to eat the intestinal tract of their prey and deliberately discard it.  Kestrels, like other raptors, eject pellets of indigestible materials like fur, feathers, chitin and bone.  All food that is swallowed first goes to the crop.  From there the usable food continues on to the stomach but the indigestibles stay in the crop, are formed into a pellet and regurgitated roughly 23 hours (in the case of kestrels) after the meal was consumed.    Canon 7D, 1/800, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500mm f/4, 1.4 tc The kestrels I’ve watched eating voles and mice typically eat the brain, decapitate the rodent, then go for the soft internal protein rich muscles and other organs (discarding the intestines).   Since kestrels tear their prey into bite-sized pieces they can pick and choose what they actually swallow.      Canon 7D, 1/400, f/8, ISO 640, 500mm f/4, 1.4 tc Pellet expulsion can be difficult and traumatic as I’ve documented elsewhere on this blog with Northern Harriers and I suspect that’s one of the reasons that kestrels try to avoid swallowing as much fur as possible.  When opening up the body cavity they often get a beak-full of…

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