The numerous catbirds at this location in the mountains have been nearly impossible for me to photograph but three days ago this one let its guard down momentarily and gave me an almost literal ‘window’ of opportunity.
1/4000, 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
The Gray Catbird’s preferred habitat of dense, shrubby vegetation makes them a challenging quarry for the photographer. It’s such a strong preference that their genus name, Dumetella, literally means “small thicket.” I see and hear catbirds at this location often but they almost never come out into the open. Their taunting, mewing call makes my trigger finger itch.
But this bird screwed up. For just a few moments I had a clear view of ‘him’ through all the twigs and leaves as if I was shooting through a long, narrow tunnel. If my lens location moved just a few inches in almost any direction my view of him would have been partially or completely obstructed.
I don’t consider these great shots of a catbird but they’re not bad, especially given the challenges.
1/4000, 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
He didn’t pose much but this shot is probably my favorite, despite the twig in front of his face. I like the puffed up droopy wing look, the even light fore and aft and the sharpness of the bird. The setting is a bit cluttered but on the other hand it’s certainly an accurate representation of their preferred habitat. Thicket indeed.
Things are looking up for me to be able to spend more time in the field. The forecast calls for partly to mostly sunny skies for at least the next week and there’s a significant cooling trend downward from the 100° weather we’ve been having for so long. And I finally got my new pickup out of the Ford shop yesterday afternoon so I’m no longer grounded.
Now if the smoke only cooperates. And the birds.
Ron
I like both of your photos. I think the mostly all grey is handsome. I’ve never heard a Catbird so I’ll have to find a site that has the sound.
As for your new pickup – congratulations – same license plate?
Thank you, Ron
Yup, same HARRIER plates, Alice. But I can’t put them on until I receive my new tags.
Funny – catbirds are one of the few I can often get decent shots of! Maybe just because there are so many more of them than other birds in my area.
Lovely photos! As all of yours are.
“As all of yours are”
Well… maybe most of them that you see but you don’t see most of them, Barbara. 🙂
I love both of these pictures! The first one is my favorite because of his expression. Great pictures!
Great detail. The rectal bristles really stand out.
It’s a blistering 69º here right now.
Lyle, ‘rectal’ bristles would be a pain in the butt. Rictal bristles, not so much.
Sorry, couldn’t resist… 🙂
Your 69° sounds delightful.
Wish I could blame it on spell check🥴
He’s flirting in the first shot. 😘 I’d love to get such a “not-great” shot of anything. 😉
Happy motoring in your now decked out ride!
Marty is right. I would probably sacrifice small unimportant body parts to claim your not very good shots.
Thanks, Marty. I try to reserve the word “great” for for very extra special photos. I actually like both of these shots quite a bit.
So far I’m enjoying the new pickup very much.
A big, big hooray for co-operative birds. And weather.
We are moving rapidly into Spring now (and have been promised that it will be warmer than usual). I am dreading Summer – and we already have had fires burning out of control.
EC, I sure hope you have a better summer than you did last year!
Besides their mewing, I really like the catbird’s Mohawk-like haircut. And love this one’s perky look in the first image. And the rusty butt in the second. For a gray bird, he’s got a lot going for him. 😉
I agree, Chris. When’ they’re not molting I think they’re pretty classy looking birds, despite all the gray.
I was fascinated by them for some reason this year. They can be a challenge to see in the open.
They surely can!
Nice catches! Love the ‘mewing’! Such a tease of a bird. You even managed to get a bit of the rufous butt here. I was lucky enough to have a pair nest nearby this summer…they even brought the young in. Hopefully they or some will return next year, It’s good to live next to a heavily wooded ravine. Cooler weather on tap for us here also next week but hopefully we will get some rain first. I’ve never seen the corn this dry this early…the stalk’s leaves are brown and crisp nearly 2/3’s up.
Kathy, I’m curious about your catbird nest. I read yesterday that they usually build their nest within 6′ of the ground. Was that the case with ‘your’ nest?
We have a mix of native red dogwood and grey dogwood along with hazelnuts and hawthorns along the edge of the ravine behind us. Most of these are a mixed height of 4, to 6 & 8ft and very dense. I’ve watched them fly in low and can see the rustling at about 5 ft. I’ve seen the nests along my biking trail in grey and red dogwoods at that same height. They come in to my chokeberry shrubs right now and rip the berries off which are pretty bitter.
Your and Arwen’s comments about their “noise” made me curious enough
to go to the Cornell site to have a listen–it IS an odd little song ! From the
2 photos you post, it looks as if the middle claw on their feet is extra long–
Is that a special adaptation, if you know ? Feathered Photography is always
an interesting start to my day…….
Kris, lots of perching birds have that very long middle toe. Even though it’s a common trait it always grabs my eye and it did with this catbird too.
Beautiful and fun. 🙂 They ARE a “tease” at times…. Love the rusty rump in the 2nd photo.
Cool 45 for sleeping last night and could see the stars well for a change – YES! Cooling trend here tho we may get some smoke back……
Thanks, Judy. So far our smoke isn’t bad at all. But the pessimist in me fully expects it to get much worse.
That bird is giving some sassy attitude in that first shot!
Sassy, or maybe curious. Either way I think it’s a cute pose.
Cooperating birds and smoke 🙂 Hope it happens for you so that we get to see more great photos. Really good photos of the Gray Catbird this morning. Good that you tell the story of how you are getting the photos because to just look at these makes you think they are out in wide open space.
Yes, it’s deceiving especially with a long telephoto lens with such a narrow field of view. Thanks, Everett.
The rusty rump caught my eye. I like catbirds if only for their noise.
Arwen, I like them for quite a few reasons but their ‘noise’ is one of them.