On Tuesday morning I made my first trip to the mountains this year. At that elevation I knew it would still be a little too early in the season for many birds and I was right. But I was itching to go and check on things up there, so off I went.
Results were mixed, in more ways than one.
Many readers seem to enjoy my “potpourri”-themed posts and that’s what this one will be – photos of several species, some significantly better than others, all taken on the same morning and presented in the order they were taken. An illustrated avian travelogue of sorts.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
By the time I found this Great Blue Heron in a stream I was pretty discouraged. I’d already been looking for birds for nearly 40 minutes with no luck at all. The heron was far away and in fairly harsh light so I’m not particularly happy with any of my photos of this bird.
My only hope was flight shots but the heron didn’t take off until it was spooked by an approaching huge cement truck. So it took off away from the truck, and away from me. So much for the heron.
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I normally don’t photograph peacocks (Indian Peafowl) on those rare occasions when I see them but with the bird in this light against that nearly black background, how could I resist? The peacock was in a barnyard with the deep shade of the barn in the background. We can just make out one of the barn windows in the upper right of the frame. I like his iridescent colors against the black, almost featureless background. Those blues are intense.
After the peacock I drove slowly on the dirt road for 46 minutes before getting another bird in my viewfinder. It was discouraging.
I was within five minutes of getting on the road to home before I came upon a treasure trove of birds in a mixed clump of bushes and small trees that included several birds of four different species. I struck out on the Yellow Warblers but I got at least a few photos of the other three.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
But dang they were hard to get clear shots of. Some of the bushes hadn’t leafed out yet but nearly all of the birds stayed partially or mostly buried in thickets of bare branches and twigs, like this male Western Tanager. In this shot I like the colorful lichens on the branches almost as much as the partially blocked tanager.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I spent a full ten minutes trying to catch this male Black-headed Grosbeak out in the open and only got two photos of him I like, out of the 180 I took. He was very active as he foraged for food in the leafless bush and except for those two shots there were always twigs in front of him. Usually lots of them.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I did manage to catch him upside down once, just after he’d bitten off a piece of what looks like emerging leaf. When I took this photo I believe his nictitating membrane was partially closed, which made the catch light in his eye look a little funky.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Finally, this Western Kingbird was the most cooperative bird I found all morning. ‘He’ was perched in one of the bushes in the clump that was fully leafed out so in my first shots of him he was mostly blocked by green leaves. I had no choice but to pull forward in an attempt to get a clear look at him. I was almost sure that he’d take off when I got that close but he didn’t even twitch with me less than 20′ from him. He seemed to be trying to stare me down so he didn’t give me many poses but since he allowed me so close I can forgive him for that.
One of the several reasons I like this shot is because it’s so different from most of my Western Kingbird photos. Usually I find this species in much drier habitats, with them perched on fenceposts or barbed wire or high on utility poles and wires. I very rarely photograph them in a leafy green setting like this.
So that was my morning. If it hadn’t been for that single birdy clump of bushes I’d have been damn near skunked. You can bet I’ll be checking out those bushes again.
Ron
Great job Ron. You hung in there and you were rewarded. Really like the Grosbeak and although the Western Kingbird pales in comparison to the Grosbeak it is still a very handsome bird and shows up very well in your excellent shot.
Thanks, Everett. I was almost as happy to see the kingbird as I was to see the grosbeak. Maybe because the kingbird let me get so close.
‘At least’ you got my favorite, the western tanager. Bravo!
Next time, can you get a mountain bluebird? 🙂
Patrick, three days ago I actually had a male tanager at my back yard feeder. First time for that, ever.
I haven’t seen any Mountain Bluebirds yet this spring. I was looking for them yesterday too.
Nice images, I love the grosbeak and kingbird images. I think with the wet cool temps the birds are still lower. My yard is still full of lazulis. They have stayed longer than any other year. It’s now going on two months from the first arrivals.
April, you’re lucky to have had lazulis for that long, especially that many of them. I’ve only had one in my yard ever and that was just recently.
Count me in as another who really likes your pot pourri. And the lichen. ‘Our’ lichen is almost always green.
And hooray for finding a birdie bonanza bush.
EC, the majority of our lichens around here come in shades of orange and red. But we get some of the light green stuff too.
Nice pictures of all the native birds once again. Love them all and agree with all the comments others make too. Ended up with snow in the Bighorn mountains the last two days, so sure not good for the wildlife for a few more days.
Thanks, Trudy. We’ve had a cold spring but thankfully most of our snow has been in the mountains recently. I’m tired of it down here in the valleys. As far as I’m concerned, it can warm up a little anytime…
Am a big fan of your potpourri posts and this is another winner. Am Team Western Tanager as first place. Those colors of the lichen with the bird are really special. And I’m a softy for yellow. 🙂
Glad you like the tanager, Kathleen. I guess I shouldn’t let a few obstructions in front of a bird bother me so much.
Kudos to you for persevering! And for getting such great shots of the three busy-in-the-thickets birds. Western Kingbird one of my favorites, and such a lovely pose.
Thanks, Kathryn. Kingbirds, both species we have around here, have always been favorites of mine. Years ago I partially cut my photographic teeth trying to get kingbird takeoff shots on the Montana farm.
Funny tale of the habits of a peacock… at a nearby county park (Buford Recreational area) near Eugene, there used to be a pair of pea fowl residing on the property manager’s home grounds. Once, when Dan and I were there with a birding group, we had to come to the assistance of a fellow park user who was trying to leave the park. He had huge, tall new and very shiny flat (I.e, like a mirror!) chrome bumpers on the front of his truck. And boy, the peacock was having none of that “other” peacock he saw in that bumper on his territory! The peacock attacked the bumper, flying up a couple of feet, attacking the shining “other” peacock he saw in that bumper, over and over! The poor guy driving could hardly get into his truck much less drive away! So, a few of us birders got between the peacock and the truck, having to do so over and over, so the fellow could make his escape, as the peacock kept running around us to get to that “other” bird!
Love the Black-headed Grosbeak and Western Tanager shots, too… they are in our neighborhood, ascertained by sound, but notoriously hard to spot in the leaves!
We are glad we mostly left the herds of turkeys behind in our old neighborhood, though, since they were tough on our bird feeders and garden… especially when there are 72! (Dan counted one morning as he went to get our paper.)
Loved that story, Barbara. There were actually two peacocks near that barn and they made an amazing amount of racket when I showed up. I was glad to leave them behind.
I really enjoyed the shots of the grosbeak and the kingbird, and
as a scouting/prospecting expedition I think it was quite successful–
you found that clump of bushes for a future visit !
I agree, Kris. I’m glad I went, for a few of the shots I got and to find out what it was like up there.
Super series!
Thanks, Charlotte.
Well, it may not have been the best of days for you, but it was a day. I am one of those who enjoy the potpourri.
Good. Thanks, Michael.
Fun! 🙂 Luv the upside down black headed grosbeak and, of course the peacock – he REALLY pops against the dark background! 🙂
Appears we have a wild hen turkey in the yard this morning both in appearance and sound! A first since I’ve been out here. Was a “what-the-hell-is that!” when I first saw it through the kitchen window. 😉
Thanks, Judy. I don’t recall ever seeing Wild Turkeys in Montana, on our farm or elsewhere in the state.
There used to be a flock down near Belt. Joe says his mother raised some and they watched them fly away…… 😉 Suspect there is more than one “listening” for a bit.
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FWP warns residents about aggressive urban turkeys in Billings
Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are not native to Montana, but were introduced in 1954 as a game bird. Montana has a large wild turkey population of around 120,000, and is a top destination for western turkey hunting.
I learned something – that Wild Turkey’s aren’t native to MT. They are native to Utah.