I hadn’t yet visited the Wasatch Mountains this year so yesterday morning I figured it was way past time to do so. It was a beautiful mountain morning and I encountered far less traffic and fewer “walkers” than I expected but I had mixed results with birds. I got some photos I like but every time the possibility of getting one of those “special” shots came around, my old friend Murphy put the kibosh on it. Something special wasn’t to be.
But I thought a collection of some of the photos I like that included some of the “almosts” might be interesting to my readers as a representation of what my morning was like. The twelve photos below are my attempt at such a presentation.
The first bird I had a chance with was this Song Sparrow on a nearly vertical dead twig. I kept hoping “he” would break out into song but when he eventually did…
I never got his head in full profile.
Don’t ask me why we can see the spider silk to the right and just below his head in this photo, but we can’t see it in the previous photo. Spider silk being spider silk, I guess.
A Black-billed Magpie taking off that I’d have liked much better if I’d been closer.
A young Uinta Ground Squirrel that was extremely reluctant to come out of its burrow. I waited a long time before…
‘he’ eventually came completely out except for anchoring his tail inside the burrow. Somehow he must have felt safer with his tail sticking down his hole like this. Maybe he was afraid of…
the killer chickens that were just down the road. Like many other birds that morning, the fiendish fowl never did come out where I could see them.
A male Black-chinned Hummingbird guarding his territory. This is the only hummer I saw or even heard that morning.
I love photographing warblers in flight but when this Yellow Warbler took off for a higher perch his entire flight path kept the nearly vertical branch in front of his eye. Ol’ Murph up to his old tricks.
A Gray Catbird that was as curious about me as I was about it.
When it took off the catbird took a trick from the warbler and kept twigs between us.
This American Goldfinch was feeding on seeds from a variety of spent wildflowers. This is as close as I ever got to the bird.
A male Green-tailed Towhee peering out at me from his secluded perch. This is the last bird I photographed that morning.
At least I ended my morning with my spark bird, where it all began.
Ron
Enjoyed the set. By the way, I do see the spider web in both pictures.
Lots of great shots – in my opinion. Birds I would probably never notice. Keep entertaining!
Thanks, Judy. Knowing you, I’ll bet you would notice at least some of them.
Despite the persistence of Murphy it looks like a delightful morning. Seeing these birds would have my face hurting as my grin spread wider and wider.
You’re right, EC. You didn’t say as much but I should be more appreciative of just seeing them, instead of wanting so badly to get high quality photos. Photographer’s greed I guess…
A fun if (in your view) imperfect collection of critters …and, were it not for the aggravation of occasional twigs or branches interfering with the view, your “special” shots might become so commonplace as to not be special, right? Note that I think that Green-tailed Towhee is a VERY special shot❣️
Thanks, Chris. I consider it to be at least a special occasion whenever I see my spark bird – decent photos or not. And I think this one is decent enough.
Nice to see a few that we never have here in the Midwest. I love towhees but we don’t have those. And the Magpie is stunning.
Thanks, Connie. I sure wish I’d been closer to that magpie. I like the setting and I got several flight shots of it.
Great collection of sightings and pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Keith.
Looks like a fun morning. Love the Killer Chickens. Nice shots of the Catbird that have me wondering if I have ever seen one.
Everett, I checked the range map for Gray Catbirds. In Arizona they’re only found in the northeast part of the state, which leaves Prescott out of the picture.
A great collection, even with “Ol’ Murph” along for the ride! Love the catbird. And I second Nina’s “not quite special” book comment – you’d better get cracking on that book – we’re waiting…😄
Thanks, Caroline. It’s gonna be a long wait… 🙂
Nice! Folks don’t realize how aggressive rooster chickens can get! 😉 Glad your “spark” bird showed up. Luv the ground squirrel.
Magpies have vacated the yard – Grackles and Robins now fledging – UGH!
Came upright about 12:30 a.m. to “something” screaming in the trees. Turned out to be a coon – maybe 2. Don’t know if an owl was trying to get it or, if 2, they were fighting. Flashlight shut it down. GEEZ!
Thanks, Judy. Good luck with your raccoons. We had a family living in an old barn loft on the farm. Eventually they got into the old house. What a mess!
Coon(s) are a real PITA. One has been around now and then but not in trouble so far unlike previous coon issues we’ve had. Have a live trap that I’ll dig out and set up as it seems to work well and I don’t have to spotlight/shoot….. 😉
Well, Nina took the words right out of my mouth. You never disappoint.
American Kestrel – my spark bird.
Thanks, Michael. For many of us, that spark turns into a raging firestorm.
I like them all, Ron. If you were to publish a book with only your “not quite special” photos of birds (and critters), I would buy it in an instant. Those photos have a special quality of their own, allowing us to see an unseen world. Magic.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Nina. Don’t hold your breath for the book though.
No, not holding my breath. I figure if you were gonna put out a collection, you would have tackled that long ago. But… one can hope!
Just too much work. And you know me and work these days…