I look for Mountain Bluebirds nesting in natural cavities every spring but rarely find them. Yesterday I finally did but the shooting was tough.
Both the male and female were often very close, sometimes too close, but in those situations the shooting angle was typically too steep and the birds were side lit. The only shooting angle I could get on the cavity entrance was straight-on so I couldn’t get any side view exit shots, the kind I lust after most at nesting cavities. The entire area was thick with branches and twigs so most of the time I couldn’t get clear shots of the birds while they were perched.
And then there were those damn shadows!
Shadows were everywhere and a few of them (very few) were actually kind of fun. Here we see the shadow of one of the bluebirds, probably the female, cast on their nest tree. The twig she’s on was one of their favorite perches while they kept an eye out for a marauding House Wren who kept trying to take over their cavity.
A vertical crop of a different photo shows how close their shadows always were to their nest cavity entrance when they were perched there. The actual perch was so close to the opening that the shadow moved very little in the long time I was there.
So when I was trying to photograph the bluebirds at the cavity entrance the bottom of the twig’s shadow was always bad news..
Here’s an example of why. That damn shadow pretty much ruined every shot I took of the bluebirds at the cavity entrance.
Another example where the shadow is even more aggravating. Here we can actually see part of the female’s back inside the cavity.
Out of the many photos I took of both birds at the cavity I managed to get a single one I liked where the shadow couldn’t be seen but ol’ Murph of Murphy’s law managed to put the kibosh on that one too. When this male took off he was in front of that aggravating shadow for a split second and my shutter clicked at just the right moment to catch him in a beautiful flight posture.
I’ll bet you can guess what went wrong.
1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Yup, I clipped the very tip of his right wing.
I still like the photo quite a lot. He’s sharp and he’s beautiful and the shadow on the tree of his little feet hanging down tickles me. But oh for a few more pixels on the left of the frame! Thanks a lot, Murph.
Despite all the shadows and other challenges I did manage to get a few pretty nice shots of these bluebirds so I’ll likely post some of them in the near future. But I have something like 1400 photos of them to review and hopefully cull before that can happen.
I’ll close with a little background on this nest cavity. I suspect it’s an old Northern Flicker cavity and I’ve been watching it for nesting activity for a couple of weeks now. Until yesterday the only bird I’ve seen near it was a single flicker over a week ago but yesterday morning the bluebirds were hauling nesting material into the cavity.
But the bluebirds are still duking it out with the House Wrens and another pair of bluebirds over nesting rights to the cavity. So far I haven’t seen any Tree Swallows attempting to join in the fray but that could happen too. It often does.
My next trip to the nest tree should reveal who the eventual winner was. I can’t help rooting for the bluebirds.
Ron
Beautiful,l fantastic series Ron!
Charlotte
The silhouettes look great but yes, I empathize with the shadows across the bird. To see a Bluebird is always something special.
So BEAUTIFUL…..NO APOLOGIES ACCEPTED…
Thanks, Patty.
Great photos Ron. I see Mt. Bluebirds a lot at my place in Central WA. A couple of years ago I video taped a mated pair who found my side view mirror on my F350 objectionable. They spent all weekend pecking the mirror, I presume, thinking another pair had moved in on their territory. It was a bit of a mess to clean up on the side of my truck, but it was funny to watch, and reorienting the truck did nothing to dissuade them.
Yes, both sexes take nest/territory defense seriously. I watched as this pair battled another pair of bluebirds in the air just a couple of feet off the ground. The fight was intense.
Oh those bluebirds , Ron.
Oh those bluebird feet….. there is something so attractive about that photo. It might be the contrast of the crisp, vivid, bright blues versus the silhoutted shadow of the bluebird. It reminds me of some fine art photo renderings I have viewed recently. But those feet though….. I have developed a fascination with birds feet. A favorite for me around here is the feet of the Tufted Titmouse, those feet are Gi-normous for such a petite little cutie.
I love this bluebird story……I always keep the bluebird in my heart.
Thanks for sharing yet again…..amazing!
Suzy, I’m a little surprised that so many folks like the shadows of his feet in that last shot as much as I do. Another example of how much the “little things” can enhance our photos. Thank you.
I hope that this particular pair wins the bidding war for this fixer-upper. 🙂
Haven’t seen (or heard) my “window knocker” for a few days, so I hope he’s doing like these beautiful bluebirds and making a nest.
I hope so too, Marty. They’ve already invested a lot of time and effort in it so they deserve to “win”. Good luck to your window knocker too.
I think the eye catches and shadows cancel each other out, so you win the Bluebird of Happiness award. Bonus points for the shadow birds.
Thanks, Lyle.
I love the shadow shots on the tree (particularly those feet) but feel for you.
I will be very interested to learn who is successful in claiming squatting rights on the cavity.
I hope to know soon, EC. I’ll report back.
Oh that’s a shame on that last one! Loved the shadows. Very nice.
A shame indeed, Arwen. That one hurt.
Mountain bluebirds are soooo beautiful, and you caught that exquisitely.
Thanks, Nancy.
Beautiful birds and you get a Mulligan and total forgiveness for that little bit of clipped wing. That takeoff photo is remarkable.
Ahh, a photo Mulligan. A concept I hadn’t considered, Everett. But probably will in the future! 🙂
I agree with Laura and everyone else. And like you, I really like the shadow of the bluebird’s legs in the last shot!
Those shadows of his little legs and feet add a special something don’t they, Cathy.
Gorgeous. The blues are unbelievable.
Thank you, Sallie. Sometimes the blues of the males of this species are even more intense than this.
First, Murphy was an optimist.
Secondly, your nits just aren’t worth the picking (for me) in these LOVELY images! Trust me on this. Even the slightly clipped wing doesn’t matter. These are just flat BEAUTIFUL!! Seriously BEAUTIFUL!!
Thank you!
Yes, what Laura said!
Thanks, Mary.
Thanks very much, Laura. I wouldn’t agree that the clipped wing “doesn’t matter” but it doesn’t matter so much it keeps me from enjoying the shot. A lot.
Same with me Ron! These images are just spectacular and yes, it helps a lot that the birds are spectacularly beautiful, but that’s ALWAYS the case 😉 Birds are a special gift to us humans, as are critters and we humans need to take better care of them!
Thank you for your time, effort and expertise!
I love the shadow photos, too–they’re unusual and sort of “mysterious”.
Also, the color of the bluebirds is just thrilling to see, especially after this
very depressing winter–life is waking up, and it’s lovely !
“life is waking up, and it’s lovely”
What would we do without that, Kris – especially this dreadful year!
This has indeed been a dreadful year. However, the nearest National Park to my home is showing signs of regrowth after the appalling fires of December/January. Hopefully the birds and animals are also in recovery mode too – and none of the regrowth is being hindered by human activity since Covid 19 keeps the park closed.
Beautiful including the shadows! 🙂 I will be interesting to see who “wins”…. 🙂 Haven’t heard any Northern Flicker pounding so far tho I know a few are here! Can be MOST annoying when they pick a metal chimney/auger etc.! 😉
Judy, I know what you mean. My neighbor’s chimney is close to my big bedroom window and flickers sometimes pound away on the metal flashing (I have no idea why). They always seem to do it when I’m trying to nap… 🙂
I love those shadow photos! They’re very mysterious and evocative and unusual. Thank you for doing what you do, Ron.
I’m pretty pleased with those “shadow photos” for the same reasons you mention, especially because the shadows of the birds are so close to the nest entrance. Thanks, Stephanie.
Hi Ron,
You probably know this very well, but the amount of pleasure that your photographs inspire in us is vast, regardless of shadows. So, thank you so very much for posting these exquisite views of nature, even when nature isn’t fully cooperating with you!
What a nice thing to say, Alison. Thanks very much.