I'm seeing lots of nice bird shots in the forums. How about a thread just for the birds?
I'll start:
Went to the beach yesterday and saw some birds I'd never seen before. They were performing some amazing maneuvers and diving from a great height into the water. Of course, I couldn't even dream of capturing a shot with my equipment. I can't even seem to get a closeup in focus!
A ways farther down I found one of these birds sitting on the beach. I walked right up to it and it just opened its long (very pointy) beak at me. I'm a big softy for injured animals and know of a wildlife rehabilitator who handles seabirds.
Hurried back to the car and grabbed a jacket and in few minutes was carrying the unhappy creature back to the car. I dumped a computer printer out of it's box and the bird fit inside perfectly. I got the number for the rehabilitator and called her while I headed her way. Over the phone she identified the bird and told me that there have been numerous beachings recently.
It was a Northern Gannet and probably exhausted from it's migration. Apparently, they don't walk very well; which is why I thought it was injured. She told me that they don't do well in cages and that the best thing would be to let it go in the calmer waters of the lagoon, since the ocean was very rough.
About this time I felt something crawling on my face, and looked in the rear-view mirror to discover that I was covered with little crawly black bugs. LICE! This was unnerving; and I hurried to get to a safe place to release the bird. The rehabilitator assured me that the lice are host-specific and have no interest in biting humans. However, they are very creepy and like to get in your hair. Sure enough, I could see them walking around on my head!
I put the bird in the water and it seemed happy to float around. The poor thing must have been miserable because it left hundreds of lice all over the inside of my car. Yuck! I spent an hour fumigating the car, and everything in it, when I got home. And even after a long shower, I still had the sensation of creepy crawlies.
I wasn't going to let this ruin my day, so I went to the jetties to look for some tame birds at the fish cleaning station. Sure enough, there was a group of pelicans ready to pose for me. I got my camera out and began snapping away. All the sudden one of them came after me! This has never happened before; and I was concerned because they have a sharp tip on their beak and can really hurt you. He chased after me flapping his wings and opening his huge beak. I'm not sure if he was asking for a handout or protecting his family, but it was a funny sight. He did finally settle down and let me get a few shots.
After all that excitement I didn't manage to get anything great; but the story makes up for the lousy pictures.
Northern Gannet (blurry)
"Grumpy" the Brown Pelican
"Grumpy's" Pals
Ewwww, lice! What a story! I've never seen a brown Northern Gannet before. I am a bit of a birdwatcher. I just got back from seeing a Great Egret at a pond in the middle of the city. They are very uncommon here, it must have got blown over from the mainland. We usually see one every year although the last 2 years they have been here in the fall after the hurricanes blew them off course. I don't have my pics uploaded yet, will post one here when I do, although I was a ways away from it, it was out on a marshy area in the pond.
So, I will share a few bird pics from my portfolio.
Spotted Sandpiper
Sharp Shinned Hawk in my back garden
another Sharp Shinned Hawk in my back garden
Had fun on the back deck with the hummingbirds yesterday. I used my kid's play tent as a blind and set up the 180mm macro 2 meters from the feeder. Here is a straight from the camera 100% crop of one of the little guys.
I've been spending my early mornings in a fresh-water estuary system, stalking herons, eagles, woodpeckers and, well, this shy Cormorant. I've got a burst of him flying off, too. His take-offs are quite powerful, and he leaves a nice track of fountainous water, which blow out all too easily unless it's overcast.
I can't tell if this is a Double-Crested and A Great Cormorant. Perhaps, someone else can?
I've been spending my early mornings in a fresh-water estuary system, stalking herons, eagles, woodpeckers and, well, this shy Cormorant. I've got a burst of him flying off, too. His take-offs are quite powerful, and he leaves a nice track of fountainous water, which blow out all too easily unless it's overcast.
I can't tell if this is a Double-Crested and A Great Cormorant. Perhaps, someone else can?
Cormorant take-offs are cool. I try to capture it each time I go out on the water.
Wonderful threat. And love all the shots. Here are my latest shots. While my kids and wife were riding our horse, I was horsing around in a wind row and flushed this barn owl. It flew toward the riders and returned toward and over my head.
Sheesh - my walk consisted of walking across the shop, chasing out a couple of sparrows trying to nest in the metal roll-up doors. As much as I's love to see them nest, I can just see the motion detectors having fits during their flights after the alarm is set at night.
Sheesh - my walk consisted of walking across the shop, chasing out a couple of sparrows trying to nest in the metal roll-up doors. As much as I's love to see them nest, I can just see the motion detectors having fits during their flights after the alarm is set at night.
Hmmm, maybe you need to get yourself one of these guys to take care of your sparrow problem;)
