Tag: rouse
Snowy Egret – How The “Little Things” Can Make Or Break A Shot
It goes without saying that the appeal of a photo isn’t always universal. After all, viewers have varying tastes and tolerance for imperfection. I suspect this image will be one of those but I like it even though it’s far from perfect.
Rustic Scenes Of A Short-eared Owl In Cool Light
Generally I prefer warm light on my subjects but you don’t have that option when it’s cloudy and occasionally I like the results anyway.
Bear River Barn Owl, Perched And In Flight
When it’s this cold and snowy Barn Owls are flying during daytime over much of northern Utah. They’re often not easy to find but when you do locate one they can be fairly cooperative.
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon Along The Antelope Island Causeway
A Western Sandpiper, Shutter Speeds And Another Quirk Of Reflections
Here’s another reason I like to use relatively fast shutter speeds when photographing birds..
Red-tailed Hawk – A “Rousing” Take-off
Rough-legged Hawk Signaling Impending Take-off
Knowing behaviors of your subject can be a great help in anticipating raptor take-off and bird photographers need all the help we can get.
Western Meadowlark Posing In The Snow
Western Meadowlarks can be quite approachable when they’re singing on territory in the spring and summer but they’re generally shy at other times. So I was quite surprised yesterday morning when this one allowed a close approach as it preened on a snowy perch.
Barn Owl Looking Even Goofier Than Usual
In my experience Barn Owls can look pretty goofy, even on a good day. With their conspicuous facial disc, small (for an owl) deeply set eyes and their long, ivory colored bill pointing almost straight down, they look, well… different. But I certainly don’t say that disparagingly. They’re magnificent birds and I love’m to bits.
Some Interesting Poses From A Rufous Hummingbird
Yesterday morning I spent more time with the hummingbirds on Antelope Island. This female Rufous Hummingbird perched close and gave me some interesting poses.
Birds Befuddled By Stray Feathers
Nothing serious this morning – just a couple of interesting and slightly amusing observations.
Plumage Development Stages Of Male Mountain Bluebirds
While photographing a juvenile male Mountain Bluebird in Montana last week I was struck by the interesting variation in color and patterns of the adult male in breeding plumage as compared to those of the juvenile male. I thought some viewers might be interested in a photographic comparison of some of their development stages.
Horned Larks
Horned Larks aren’t one of the “glamour species” for many, probably partly due to the fact that they’re so widespread and common. They’re found throughout most of North America and much of Eurasia. One of my scientific heroes, Carl (Carolus) Linnaeus, assigned the Latin name Eremophila alpestris (meaning “lark of the mountains”) to this bird, despite the fact that they commonly inhabit prairies, farmlands and deserts. These were the most common birds, by far, on the Montana farm where I grew up and they always bring back fond memories for me. Many folks think of them as just another “mostly brown little bird” but when you get close their colors and patterns really stand out. I really enjoy their soft, subtle call and have spent many hours watching them up close through my lens. These photos were taken on Antelope Island in the last few weeks. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not set up or called in The sexes are similar, though the colors of the males are more vivid and the namesake “horns” of the female are less evident than those of the male. This is the female. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not set up or called in She posed for me for quite a while before flying off. 1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not set up or called in This is the male, in a setting that shows more habitat. Often the black horns are laid back flat on…
Pied-billed Grebe Showing Off A Little
I’ve always thought of Pied-billed Grebes as sort of the Rodney Dangerfields of the bird world because they just “don’t get no respect”. At least they don’t get as much as I think they deserve from bird photographers. They’re plain little brown birds, very common (in fact they’re the most widely distributed grebe species in North America) and often when they’re seen they’re just sitting calmly on the water so many photographers usually ignore them. But if you spend enough time with them it won’t be long till you see that they’re full of personality and interesting behaviors. They’re pugnacious, aggressive and extremely active in bursts. I enjoy the heck out of them. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in While I was watching this bird float effortlessly on the water it began to rouse (ruffle its feathers). Sometimes rousing is a precursor to a wing flap so this time… 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in I was ready when it happened. When grebes do a wing flap they raise their chubby little bodies out of the water. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in This one didn’t last long and here the bird is already beginning to settle back onto the water. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in…
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Snowy Egret – How The “Little Things” Can Make Or Break A Shot
It goes without saying that the appeal of a photo isn’t always universal. After all, viewers have varying tastes and tolerance for imperfection. I suspect this image will be one of those but I like it even though it’s far from perfect.
Rustic Scenes Of A Short-eared Owl In Cool Light
Generally I prefer warm light on my subjects but you don’t have that option when it’s cloudy and occasionally I like the results anyway.
Bear River Barn Owl, Perched And In Flight
When it’s this cold and snowy Barn Owls are flying during daytime over much of northern Utah. They’re often not easy to find but when you do locate one they can be fairly cooperative.
Juvenile Peregrine Falcon Along The Antelope Island Causeway
A Western Sandpiper, Shutter Speeds And Another Quirk Of Reflections
Here’s another reason I like to use relatively fast shutter speeds when photographing birds..
Red-tailed Hawk – A “Rousing” Take-off
Rough-legged Hawk Signaling Impending Take-off
Knowing behaviors of your subject can be a great help in anticipating raptor take-off and bird photographers need all the help we can get.
Western Meadowlark Posing In The Snow
Western Meadowlarks can be quite approachable when they’re singing on territory in the spring and summer but they’re generally shy at other times. So I was quite surprised yesterday morning when this one allowed a close approach as it preened on a snowy perch.
Barn Owl Looking Even Goofier Than Usual
In my experience Barn Owls can look pretty goofy, even on a good day. With their conspicuous facial disc, small (for an owl) deeply set eyes and their long, ivory colored bill pointing almost straight down, they look, well… different. But I certainly don’t say that disparagingly. They’re magnificent birds and I love’m to bits.
Some Interesting Poses From A Rufous Hummingbird
Yesterday morning I spent more time with the hummingbirds on Antelope Island. This female Rufous Hummingbird perched close and gave me some interesting poses.
Birds Befuddled By Stray Feathers
Nothing serious this morning – just a couple of interesting and slightly amusing observations.
Plumage Development Stages Of Male Mountain Bluebirds
While photographing a juvenile male Mountain Bluebird in Montana last week I was struck by the interesting variation in color and patterns of the adult male in breeding plumage as compared to those of the juvenile male. I thought some viewers might be interested in a photographic comparison of some of their development stages.
Horned Larks
Horned Larks aren’t one of the “glamour species” for many, probably partly due to the fact that they’re so widespread and common. They’re found throughout most of North America and much of Eurasia. One of my scientific heroes, Carl (Carolus) Linnaeus, assigned the Latin name Eremophila alpestris (meaning “lark of the mountains”) to this bird, despite the fact that they commonly inhabit prairies, farmlands and deserts. These were the most common birds, by far, on the Montana farm where I grew up and they always bring back fond memories for me. Many folks think of them as just another “mostly brown little bird” but when you get close their colors and patterns really stand out. I really enjoy their soft, subtle call and have spent many hours watching them up close through my lens. These photos were taken on Antelope Island in the last few weeks. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not set up or called in The sexes are similar, though the colors of the males are more vivid and the namesake “horns” of the female are less evident than those of the male. This is the female. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not set up or called in She posed for me for quite a while before flying off. 1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not set up or called in This is the male, in a setting that shows more habitat. Often the black horns are laid back flat on…
Pied-billed Grebe Showing Off A Little
I’ve always thought of Pied-billed Grebes as sort of the Rodney Dangerfields of the bird world because they just “don’t get no respect”. At least they don’t get as much as I think they deserve from bird photographers. They’re plain little brown birds, very common (in fact they’re the most widely distributed grebe species in North America) and often when they’re seen they’re just sitting calmly on the water so many photographers usually ignore them. But if you spend enough time with them it won’t be long till you see that they’re full of personality and interesting behaviors. They’re pugnacious, aggressive and extremely active in bursts. I enjoy the heck out of them. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in While I was watching this bird float effortlessly on the water it began to rouse (ruffle its feathers). Sometimes rousing is a precursor to a wing flap so this time… 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in I was ready when it happened. When grebes do a wing flap they raise their chubby little bodies out of the water. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in This one didn’t last long and here the bird is already beginning to settle back onto the water. 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in…