Some Williamson’s Sapsucker Behavior
In early July I photographed a mated pair of Williamson’s Sapsuckers in Clark County, Idaho. As usual I was fascinated by their behaviors.
Tag: nest
Female Sapsucker – A Miscalculation At The Nest-hole
Sapsuckers must be nimble fliers to negotiate access to their nest-hole several hundred times per day during the nesting season – especially if the tree their nest is in leans toward the hole. Usually it’s no problem for them but one time I did photograph the female as she stumbled.
Red-naped Sapsucker (not a Williamson’s this time…)
On each our Montana trips we try to explore some new country. We found this Red-naped Sapsucker and its mate at their nest-hole on July 1 near a small lake at the end of a long dirt road.
Fledgling Yellow-headed Blackbird, Begging For And Then Receiving Food
I’ve been stuck in the house for what seems like an eternity because of the gloomy weather and lack of light. It rained all day yesterday (which is unusual for us here in the semi-desert) and I keep thinking of all the early summer bird activity I’m missing so this morning I reached back into the archives for some shots that would remind me of what I’m not seeing and photographing. I’m a glutton for punishment…
My Favorite Image From My Time With The Nest-building Kingbirds
Earlier this week I spent several mornings photographing a female Western Kingbird as she was constructing her nest. Out of the many hundreds of shots I took of her the third image in this post is my favorite.
Red-tailed Hawk Chicks (and my emotional attachment to them)
We’ve been keeping an eye on this Red-tailed Hawk nest in the west desert for about three years now.
Nest-building Western Kingbird
Yesterday morning we photographed an industrious female Western Kingbird as she worked at constructing her nest. In this species the sexes are similar but only the female builds the nest. The male hung around nearby as he watched over the laborious construction process and offered his mate encouragement (that was good of him don’t you think?).
Horned Larks Attending To Domestic Duties
It’s not easy to get photos of Horned Larks with insects in their beaks. The diet of adults of the species consists largely of seeds year-round but they do feed insects to their young so if you can catch them at the right time of year it’s possible to get photos of them with insects. Yesterday morning in the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains I photographed both a male and a female with their beaks full of insects.
Structural Colors In Birds – Black-billed Magpie
The cause(s) of plumage coloration in birds isn’t as straightforward as it might first appear.
Magpie Hip-shot – An Interesting Experiment
Photographing birds as they take off is tricky but with a little luck and perseverance it can be done. Landing shots are much more difficult and often require creative innovation.
It Must Be Spring – Magpies Are Beginning Nest-building
Around here Black-billed Magpies are among the first species to begin nest-building activities. It tickles my fancy to see another sign of spring after this miserable winter.
Black-billed Magpie – Paying The Price For An Ethical Stance
By definition there is often a price to be paid for ethical nature photography since the image you get may not be the one you envisioned or hoped for.
A New Beginning – Ferruginous Hawk Chicks
It’s only January 1 and I’m already becoming weary of snow, cold, bleak landscapes and the dirty air of winter inversions. So I choose to welcome the New Year with a touch of Spring – Ferruginous Hawk chicks on the nest.
Ferruginous Hawk Nests
This past summer I photographed several active Ferruginous Hawk nests and was impressed by their size differences and the variation in elevations of the nests from the ground. Each of these nests was photographed in southwest Montana in June of this year.
Cliff Swallow In Flight
For years I tried to photograph swallows in flight, usually without much strategy – just shooting them wherever I might find them. That typically meant while they were freely flying overhead or buzzing the surface of a pond or stream as they picked off insects and it always meant failure on my part. They’re just too fast, too small and too maneuverable for my autofocus and reflexes.
Then one day I decided to change strategies…
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Female Sapsucker – A Miscalculation At The Nest-hole
Sapsuckers must be nimble fliers to negotiate access to their nest-hole several hundred times per day during the nesting season – especially if the tree their nest is in leans toward the hole. Usually it’s no problem for them but one time I did photograph the female as she stumbled.
Red-naped Sapsucker (not a Williamson’s this time…)
On each our Montana trips we try to explore some new country. We found this Red-naped Sapsucker and its mate at their nest-hole on July 1 near a small lake at the end of a long dirt road.
Fledgling Yellow-headed Blackbird, Begging For And Then Receiving Food
I’ve been stuck in the house for what seems like an eternity because of the gloomy weather and lack of light. It rained all day yesterday (which is unusual for us here in the semi-desert) and I keep thinking of all the early summer bird activity I’m missing so this morning I reached back into the archives for some shots that would remind me of what I’m not seeing and photographing. I’m a glutton for punishment…
My Favorite Image From My Time With The Nest-building Kingbirds
Earlier this week I spent several mornings photographing a female Western Kingbird as she was constructing her nest. Out of the many hundreds of shots I took of her the third image in this post is my favorite.
Red-tailed Hawk Chicks (and my emotional attachment to them)
We’ve been keeping an eye on this Red-tailed Hawk nest in the west desert for about three years now.
Nest-building Western Kingbird
Yesterday morning we photographed an industrious female Western Kingbird as she worked at constructing her nest. In this species the sexes are similar but only the female builds the nest. The male hung around nearby as he watched over the laborious construction process and offered his mate encouragement (that was good of him don’t you think?).
Horned Larks Attending To Domestic Duties
It’s not easy to get photos of Horned Larks with insects in their beaks. The diet of adults of the species consists largely of seeds year-round but they do feed insects to their young so if you can catch them at the right time of year it’s possible to get photos of them with insects. Yesterday morning in the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains I photographed both a male and a female with their beaks full of insects.
Structural Colors In Birds – Black-billed Magpie
The cause(s) of plumage coloration in birds isn’t as straightforward as it might first appear.
Magpie Hip-shot – An Interesting Experiment
Photographing birds as they take off is tricky but with a little luck and perseverance it can be done. Landing shots are much more difficult and often require creative innovation.
It Must Be Spring – Magpies Are Beginning Nest-building
Around here Black-billed Magpies are among the first species to begin nest-building activities. It tickles my fancy to see another sign of spring after this miserable winter.
Black-billed Magpie – Paying The Price For An Ethical Stance
By definition there is often a price to be paid for ethical nature photography since the image you get may not be the one you envisioned or hoped for.
A New Beginning – Ferruginous Hawk Chicks
It’s only January 1 and I’m already becoming weary of snow, cold, bleak landscapes and the dirty air of winter inversions. So I choose to welcome the New Year with a touch of Spring – Ferruginous Hawk chicks on the nest.
Ferruginous Hawk Nests
This past summer I photographed several active Ferruginous Hawk nests and was impressed by their size differences and the variation in elevations of the nests from the ground. Each of these nests was photographed in southwest Montana in June of this year.
Cliff Swallow In Flight
For years I tried to photograph swallows in flight, usually without much strategy – just shooting them wherever I might find them. That typically meant while they were freely flying overhead or buzzing the surface of a pond or stream as they picked off insects and it always meant failure on my part. They’re just too fast, too small and too maneuverable for my autofocus and reflexes.
Then one day I decided to change strategies…