Paydirt!!!

Switching gears again, I anticipated a rather nice weather day and so decided to drive up to the Reifel Refuge in BC for a few hours.  While the weather initially looked promising it wasn't that good by the time I arrived.  Just outside the refuge there was a large group of birders pointing very large scopes/cameras into a muddy field.  I chose not to stop because it appeared that whatever they were watching had to be too far in the distance and since it was just a muddy field it didn't appear to be any kind of background in which I would be interested. 

When I parked at the preserve the woman who parked next to me asked if I had seen the "Hawk Owl" at the corner of the road.  I hadn't but realized that must have been what was attracting the attention.  I birded the preserve and took a lot of duck photos and saw two Northern Saw-whet owls but neither was in a location where I could get a good photo, although both were almost withing arms' reach. 

When I left the refuge there was again a large assemblage of birders with cameras and lenses that gave me an inferiority complex.  However I dutifully set up my camera on my new carbon fiber monopod and began taking photos of the owl.  It had moved across the street to trees in the yard of a house and was only about 50-60 feet from the road.  I took probably 50 or more shots of the owl. 

The owl entertained the assemblage for at least 20-30 minutes, carrying around a mole and stashing it here and there, then eating on it, then going into a hunting posture like there was other prey in the bushes.  It was extremely entertaining and active and totally ignored the rather large crowd gathered at the edge of the roadway. 

It seems the bird, properly named a Northern Hawk owl (which I had never heard of and only learned the proper name upon arriving back at the house) is a very rare visitor to SW BC but had been hanging out in the area for at least several weeks. 

So here it is... the Northern Hawk owl...

Back to Skagit County

I'm going to temporarily interrupt my New Mexico odyssey for a return to the 'neighborhood' (in a wide sense).  We had about half a day of good photography weather last week so I set out with my camera to see what I could find. 

FIrst up, a Great Blue Heron.  I have found these birds to be relatively shy and difficult to photograph.  As soon as they see any indication of a vehicle slowing they are off and away.  This one, presumably the same one I've been seeing at this location for at least a couple of years, was more cooperative this day. 

This Red-tailed hawk was also more cooperative than most.  It's an incremental improvement that it was on a post rather than power pole or power line!

A first-year, White-crowned sparrow...

And a very cooperative Double-crested cormorant...

There are still more New Mexico photos forthcoming!   

Bosque Sunsets and Sunrises

It's been my experience that it's difficult to find a day in the winter when you don't get a good sunrise and sunset in the winter.  I guess such days happen, but just not on my watch.  I'm going to take a short break from the birds (a very short break... there are more) and provide a couple of photos of the sunset (taken on 12/23) and the sunrise on Christmas Eve. 

As I might have previously stated, the Snow geese and Sandhill cranes return in the late afternoon to the Bosque preserve to spend the night where they are safer from coyotes and other predators.  The fly-in is much more sparse and lasts longer than the fly-off (out) that occurs in the early mornings.  I'm not sure how much you can appreciate this first photo, but the sunlight in the foreground contrasts sharply with the dark sky.  But if you look carefully (click on the photo to enlarge it) you can see the birds returning to the preserve for the night.  They are slightly illuminated by the sunlight. 

This photo was taken just before the sunrise but after the flyoff.  A few of the ducks that will spend the day at the preserve are foraging for food in the shallow water. 

Next up... more birds! 



A Note Concerning Posts at this Site

When I started this post I assumed that when you signed up as a follower you would be automatically notified of new posts via email.  That apparently isn't the case. 

I don't update the site on a regular basis since my photography is hit or miss depending on PacNW weather (notoriously low-light conditions, especially in winter), how much time I devote to birding (weather can also be a discouraging factor) and what I happen upon in the field. 

To help 'followers' know when I've posted new material I'll send an email to all who want a notification.  I may also, from time to time, send an extra photo or two in the email.  If you want to be included in this email notificaiton email me with the subject line, 'Birds of Different Feathers' and I'll include the email from which you sent the request in a distribution list.   Send your request to:  joehalt@aol.com

 

More from the Bosque del Apache NWR

I was really surprised when my wife told me that she saw a White-throated sparrow near the HQ building in the Bosque.  The only members of this species I have observed, and there haven't been many, have been around water.  In retrospect I was surprised to note a rather wide range for the bird, but it's a relatively rare bird here in the PacNW.  There seemed to be only one in the area and I was lucky enough to be able to photograph it. 

I found a Curve-bill thrasher hiding in a cactus, also near the HQ building.  Nothing I could do would entice it out of it's comfort zone deep within the cactus patch, but it would sit and look at me for extended periods of time.  This is a beautiful bird and I regret that I couldn't photograph it in the sunlight! 

The Snow geese in the Bosque fly out in in the mornings to feed in the surrounding farm fields during the day.  The morning exodus is generally over in a couple of minutes.  However when the geese (and Sandhill cranes) return in the evening they come back in small groups ranging from two to three all the way up to maybe 20.  This small group was returning to the refuge in the late afternoon.  In this photo a group of Snow geese appears to be escorting a dark phase adult. 





Brought to You by the Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico

First up, a female Northern shoveler.  These birds were very common in the preserve in December, perhaps sharing the bottom of the population pyramid with Northern pintails. 

The preserve is the home to several thousand Sandhill cranes in the winter.  This family group was foraging through natural habitat (as opposed to the managed farm fields) when they weren't eyeing us. 

 While this is a real photographic rarity in Skagit Country (WA), all of the raptors we saw in the Bosque del Apache (including this Red-tailed hawk) were perched in REAL TREES!!!

This is a first winter White-crowned sparrow, probably the most abundant sparrow species on the preserve. 

And finally, for this post but not for the blog as a whole, this is a Pyrrhuloxia, a close relative of the Northern Cardinal but limited to the dryer habitat of the Southwest.  I felt very fortunate to be able to photograph this bird! 

There are still more Bosque del Apache NWR photos to follow!  And don't forget that I think you can click on the photographs to enlarge them and reveal more detail!  



I mentioned the beautiful sunrises and sunsets at the Bosque del Apache in a prior post.  This is a photo of the sunrise on our first full day at the Bosque...

A cooperative American coot... 

And a group of Northern pintails...  

I have a lot more Bosque photos to post, then other selected photos from the Randall-Davies Audubon Center just outside of Santa Fe!   Stay tuned! 

Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico

My wife and I visited New Mexico over the Christmas holidays as we have in several past years. One of our favorite activities there is to visit the Bosque del Apache NWR located a few miles south of Socorro. This, in my opinion, is one of the premier birding locations in the American west. The preserve is managed for wildlife, and in the winter thousands of Snow geese and Sandhill cranes stay at the preserve. During the night the birds usually stay in flooded farm fields to thwart coyotes, but in the daytime most fly off to feed in surrounding farm fields. The morning “flyoff” is a spectacular event when most of the birds leave the fields in one great cloud. The views are enhanced by what are often spectacular sunrises and sunsets which I'll post later, bur first some bird photos.


From the standpoint of those who live in the PacNW, the Bosque is an opportunity to experience bird species that we don’t have in our region. I’m going to post photos of some of the birds I was able to photograph while at the Bosque. If you are interested in more information on the Bosque you can link to the following web site… but don’t leave before you view some of these photos!

Female Red-winged blackbird...

Meadowlark, Eastern or Western?



 Sandhill cranes...

Sandhill cranes preparing to land... 

Snow geese landing...  



Hermit Thrust et al

During the week of Christmas my wife and I traveled to New Mexico and birded the Bosque del Apache NWR south of Socorro and the Randall-Davies Audubon Center on the outskirts of Santa Fe. I had intended to publish some of the photos I took while on the trip but I had such a remarkable day on Monday, 1/3 that I’m postponing posting the New Mexico photos in favor of showing some that I took in the neighborhood.

As a little preamble the area had its annual Christmas Bird Count (for 2010) on 1/2/2011. I had a lackluster day but during the course of the count I encountered a holly tree full of berries… and American robins. We’ve had a several day run of clear (but cold) weather and I returned the day after the count to photograph the robins eating the holly berries. I probably took at least 20 photos of a robin in the holly tree. 

While I was monitoring the holly bush I noted what I thought was a Fox sparrow about 30 feet away. Not having taken any Fox sparrow photos with my new camera I decided to shift my focus (no pun intended). After changing my position in my car I looked up to see what I thought was the Fox sparrow only about a dozen feet from me. What luck… I didn’t even have to move the car!

I began taking photos of the new bird but as I got further into the task I realized that the new bird didn’t look exactly like a Fox sparrow… and I realized that it was a Hermit’s thrush, a bird I have seen in the PacNW only a handful of times, and even then not in photographable situations. I took probably 20 photos of the Hermit thrush in full light and only about ten feet from the car!

I then realized that there was yet another bird in the area where I had seen what I originally thought was a Fox sparrow, and upon closer examination I realized that this second bird was indeed a Fox sparrow! At this point I moved the car forward about 20 feet and began trying to photograph the Fox sparrow, but it proved elusive. However it was soon joined by the Hermit’s thrush and I was able to view (but not photograph) the two birds virtually side by side!

As more time passed I photographed a male House finch and a Song sparrow at the same location, but missed (due to hyperactivity on the part of my potential subjects) a Bewick’s wren and a Ruby-crowned kinglet… with its crown showing. It was a great morning… but stay tuned for photos from New Mexico!