Antelope Island Mockingbird

This is the time of year I start watching for Northern Mockingbirds on Antelope Island. A week ago today I found five mockingbirds and photographed two of them.

 

1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

One of them was on an unattractive, unnatural perch but I found this probable male (based on behavior) perched on sagebrush in the early morning sun.

At this angle he was sidelit and he seemed comfortable in my presence so I decided to risk moving my pickup further to the north in an effort to get a better light angle on him and, if possible, get Great Salt Lake in the background. I usually like the deep blues of the lake in my backgrounds and I also wanted more variety back there in my photos of him.

 

 

1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

It worked, kind of. He didn’t fly off when I moved my pickup, I got a better light angle on him and the lake was now in the background. But changing my shooting angle meant that I now had a head-on view of him. Generally I prefer more of a side view so we can see the tail better.

It was at this point that I finally realized that my ISO was too high and I had too much shutter speed so I made some camera adjustments.

 

 

1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

After a while he moved to the top of a different sagebrush with a busier setting. This is the moment when he spotted a potential food item on the ground next to the road.

 

 

1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

So he took off after it.

 

 

1/250, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

He landed in deep shade next to the road and picked something up with his bill. I can’t tell for sure what it is. When I zoom in on it, one end of it looks like a small insect grub and the other end looks all fuzzy. I suppose it’s possible that it’s nesting material but I think that’s unlikely.

At this point another mockingbird (that I didn’t even know was in the area) flew down and buzzed this guy so both of them flew off. My time with mockingbirds was over.

I didn’t get any great mockingbird shots that morning but it was nice just to find them and spend time with them again. After so long without them, I consider that a win.

Ron

 

16 Comments

  1. Ron: “Look, is that a mocking bird?”

    Mocking Bird: [said sarcastically] “Is that a mocking bird? Is that a mocking bird”

    Ron: [with sad music playing walks away with his head down]

  2. DEFINITELY a win. For you and for us. I don’t even have a favourite, though I am intrigued by the how different the colours of his plumage appears in different light/angles.

    • ” I am intrigued by the how different the colours of his plumage appears in different light/angles”

      That often surprises me too EC, especially when they go into deep shade. That last shot is a perfect example.

  3. What a nice series. Thanks, Ron

    I particularly like the foraging photo. I wonder what it grabbed.

    We have them year-round on our street and often in our yard. My wife loves the singing.

  4. I like the flight shot! I often try to capture the black and white flash of Mockingbird wings… as of yet I haven’t got the definitive photo but I’m still trying.
    I look forward to the mockingbird mating displays around here soon too! I know just the place…

  5. Love the ‘side eye’ you are getting in the second shot! We have mockingbirds year-round here in AZ. Their constant singing – usually from the top of our chimney – drives my husband nuts! I love their singing 😀

  6. In shot #1, I was taken by the soft, almost “rainbow-like” gradation
    of hues in the background–sky-blue down to dusty rose, and
    thought that the very low sidelight gave beautiful, rounded
    definition to his body–it’s a subtle, yet very strong portrait of him…..

  7. Pretty little bird tho I’m also guessing they’re hard to spot when “buried” in the brush! Luv the detail in his eye in the 1st shot.

  8. Michael McNamara

    We have those fellows year round here. Looking forward to the midnight concert series that should come into full swing pretty soon.

    Like that takeoff photo.

    The black and white of their wings always reminds me of the stripes painted on the Allied aircraft for the Normandy invasion. Don’t know why. Probably just the vestigial remnants of my boyhood fascination of that era and its aircraft.

    • Michael, what I’m looking forward to is their spectacular aerial displays during mating season. A week ago they hadn’t started to do it yet but it won’t be long. Maybe it’s already begun.

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