A Wild Turkey, a Bald Eagle and many thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds.
Yesterday morning, New Years Eve Day, I was itching to get out after being stuck at home for so long so I decided to take a chance with our soupy inversion and unreliable weather forecasts and head for the west desert.
Following are my last birds of 2023.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
A Wild Turkey keeping an eye on the rest of the flock from a very tall perch. The post he’s on was next to a rancher’s corral and it was at least 12′ tall, which was ideal since this bird was obviously on sentry duty. I was hoping to get flight shots when the turkey took off but in the sidelight that didn’t work out.
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
An adult Bald Eagle, one of at least 25 adult and immature eagles perched in a grove of tall trees on the southeast side of the dirt road. They were all side lit and most were blocked by branches and twigs. This is the one I had the clearest shot at.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 400 mm
A small part of perhaps the largest flock of Red-winged Blackbirds I’ve ever seen. I’d estimate that this full frame photo includes significantly less than 25% of the flock. The sound of their wings as the entire flock went through their choreographed aerial maneuvers is still etched in my brain.
It wasn’t a great morning for birds but once I got away from the Wasatch Front the air was clear, the views to the west were often beautiful and for the nearly three hours I was there I didn’t see another human being or moving vehicle. The quiet was immersive.
I’ll take it.
Ron
Thanks for the wionderful visual feast of birds……be well!,,,
Wonderful, wonderful! The sidelight on the turkey may not have been good for takeoff photos, but it sure is beautiful for sentry duty.
So glad you are feeling better! Your 3 hours of birds and solitude sounds like really good healing medicine.
Wishing you and all your on-line community a good 2024!
I like what you said about sidelight on the turkey, Carolyn. Thanks.
What a delight! The photos and the descriptions just shot my mood up – and it was already fine. Thanks, Ron.
May the New Year bring you as much happiness as your photos and stories bring to all of us.
“The photos and the descriptions just shot my mood up.”
Good to know, Nina. And to think I almost didn’t post any photos today, which partially explains why I published so late in the morning.
I think the image of the Turkey is wonderful – well done.
Turkeys are an introduced and common species down here in NZ and judging by their laid back demeanour I assume not too many end up in the pot.
Best wishes for 2024
Glad you like the turkey, Gary. Thanks.
Great series Ron!
Thanks, Charlotte.
Happy New Year, Ron! I am so glad you were able to get out and enjoy almost 3 hours of uninterrupted birding. Of the 3 photos the Bald Eagle is my favorite! Reminiscent of the BE that used to visit the tree in your backyard.
Thank you, Melanie.
Happy new year, Ron. Hope you see lots of good birds in 2024. And thank you for sharing them with us. Cheers!
I hope so too, Thanks, Ellen.
What a truly wonderful end to a very mixed year. I hope this sets a precedent for this one.
Happy New Year.
Thanks, EC. And no, I didn’t luck out like you did and have no fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
I am so sorry to hear that. Unsurprised but sorry.
Looks like a perfect day and way to say goodbye to 2023, Ron. Beautiful photos, the flock of red-winged blackbirds sounds like it was an amazing experience.
Thanks, Ed. It certainly was.
Love them all Ron – especially the eagle even though surrounded by a hundred branches. And a couple high fives for heading out in those questionable conditions. Thanks for all the outstanding 2023 photos and interesting and educational posts. We were blessed to still have you for another year. Best wishes to you and all your followers for a very happy and healthy 2024.
Thanks for the good wishes, Everett. I hope both you and Margaret are feeling better this morning.
Happy New Year, Ron!
Your blackbird flock is interesting in timing. Yesterday morning, at dawn, the largest number of pink siskins I have ever seen showed up in our backyard. Several hundred animals. It looked like the ground, oaks and feeders were writhing in motion. We have had quite a few of this irruptive species overwintering here this year but that New Year’s Eve party was remarkable! I love the murmurations that a massive flock of blackbirds can fly. The siskins don’t really do that but their combined wing sounds when they spook are truly awe inspiring.
“that New Year’s Eve party was remarkable!.”
I’ll just bet it was, Art. That’s the only kind of New Year’s Eve party I can tolerate any more.
Like that turkey shot.
“…for the nearly three hours I was there I didn’t see another human being or moving vehicle.”
This describes my favorite kind of bird outing.
“This describes my favorite kind of bird outing.”
Mine too, Michael. Even when I don’t find many birds.
Ron– I wish you a year–2024– of clear skies, interesting cloud formations, brilliant raking light, a great variety of species of
birds to focus upon, and a healthy, cooperative body to make the
most of the afore-mentioned goodies !
Kris, I count 5 good wishes for me in your comment. I’ll take every last one of them!
Beautiful all! 🙂 Glad you could get out and find some birds as well as fresh air – glad we rarely have inversions here…..
Happy New Year to you and all who visit here – you are definitely a bright spot it an often dreary, frustrating world. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, Judy. We both know why inversions are rare in your neck of the woods. Wind has its advantages…
Happy New Year to one and all. Great shots, am partial to the turkey.
Thank you, Sarah.
Happy New Year, Ron. The good news is that these may have been the last birds of 2023, but they won’t be your last birds. I’m looking forward to seeing the delights you share in 2024. (And, yes: that blackbird flock is flat impressive. I can hear the noise from here.)
Shoreacres, those blackbirds were amazing. And I saw three other flocks that morning that were almost as large as this one.