A Chukar Amongst Wildflowers
This Chukar was one of the most cooperative birds of any species I’ve photographed.
Tag: sounds
A “Swananza” At Bear River MBA Yesterday
Yup, a bonanza of swans! And many were finally in areas where they could be seen up close.
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Chukar Calling At Dawn
A Sora Actually Out In The Open
Sandhill Crane Take-off Sequence
On a beautiful spring morning in May of 2011 we found a small group of Sandhill Cranes on a pond as we approached Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. We were some of the first folks on the access road and our careful approach made two of the birds a little nervous so they decided to vacate the area. I believe they were a mated pair. I got my pickup stopped and my lens aimed just after the first bird began to take off. 1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc I believe this to be the slightly larger male who took off first. The unconventional composition is meant to highlight the water splashes behind the bird. If you’ve never heard the distinctive, penetrating and very loud bugling calls (also called “trumpeting”) of this species you’re really missing something. As is typical of these cranes, these two were calling during lift off and just looking at these images has that haunting sound bouncing around in my head. These cranes have an unusual throat anatomy that allows them to make such resonating sounds. The trachea extends and coils down the long neck and well into the sternum. This unique anatomy “expands the amplitude and alters the pitch of the voice by the addition of harmonies”. Until these birds are 9-10 months old they can produce only a series of trilled whistles and peeps but as they mature their tracheas elongate and coil intrasternally which allows them to develop the adult voice. If you’re curious about their call, check out both the “unison call” and…
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A “Swananza” At Bear River MBA Yesterday
Yup, a bonanza of swans! And many were finally in areas where they could be seen up close.
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Chukar Calling At Dawn
A Sora Actually Out In The Open
Sandhill Crane Take-off Sequence
On a beautiful spring morning in May of 2011 we found a small group of Sandhill Cranes on a pond as we approached Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. We were some of the first folks on the access road and our careful approach made two of the birds a little nervous so they decided to vacate the area. I believe they were a mated pair. I got my pickup stopped and my lens aimed just after the first bird began to take off. 1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc I believe this to be the slightly larger male who took off first. The unconventional composition is meant to highlight the water splashes behind the bird. If you’ve never heard the distinctive, penetrating and very loud bugling calls (also called “trumpeting”) of this species you’re really missing something. As is typical of these cranes, these two were calling during lift off and just looking at these images has that haunting sound bouncing around in my head. These cranes have an unusual throat anatomy that allows them to make such resonating sounds. The trachea extends and coils down the long neck and well into the sternum. This unique anatomy “expands the amplitude and alters the pitch of the voice by the addition of harmonies”. Until these birds are 9-10 months old they can produce only a series of trilled whistles and peeps but as they mature their tracheas elongate and coil intrasternally which allows them to develop the adult voice. If you’re curious about their call, check out both the “unison call” and…