Summer of '07, because of the drought, was a particularly great time for access to
shore birds. Even with my limited equipment I could get close enough often
enough to get some pictures I really like of these critters in some beautiful
settings. A close-up of a bird is one thing, and necessary occasionally to
appreciate feather texture, or just because the bird is too small to appreciate
any other way, but placing them in their environment both in terms of location
and action is the most satisfying thing for me.
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Great Blue Heron, Hank's Field Pond |
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Solitary Sandpiper at North Fork |
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Great Egrets |
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I love this one. |
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Great Egret approaching splashdown |
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Ring-Billed Gull (probably) |
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another day along the water's edge |
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Great Egret |
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Yes, that's the name of the bird, not my self-congratulatory comment. |
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A few visiting sandhill cranes. Taken Nov. 23 |
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Bald Eagle |
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Interesting birds. This one even seems to get by without a head. |
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Great Egret |
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He's up in the high, small branches, and yet his minimal weight makes very little impression. |
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Another egret, from Sept. 12th. Low water from the drought has been wonderful for the shore birds. |
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Great Egret, early morning. |
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It looks like I was in a helicopter, but actually just got him against the hillside. From this Friday, Sept. 14 |
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Beautiful when they're not under foot. |
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Green Heron from Aug. '07 |
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Green Heron |
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June 6th, '07. Luckily, the dogs were off chasing some deer - which allowed me to surprise this heron. |
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Out of the Valley of Death (it's hunting season) |
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Light and shadow. |
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I found where the geese were hiding from the hunters. |
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Red-Headed Woodpecker |
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Territorial deep-woods loners in my experience, these guys are difficult to photograph. I got this one this morning, March 4 of '07 - only my second decent pic of one. |
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Taken July 28 of '06 |
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An immature Green Heron, taken in a marsh next to Salt Creek |
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Taken 9/20/06. Turkey Vulture |
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Mates |
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The birds wouldn't pose in front of the moon (no matter how I pleaded), so I took the moon shot separately and put the two together. |
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Tufted Titmouse |
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Another fave. |
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Red-Bellied Woodpeckers |
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Bickering brothers. A specialized division of labor; their father teaches them, their mother teaches their sister. |
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Male Cardinal |
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My wife's favorite cardinal picture. |
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Downy Woodpecker (female) |
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Nuthatch |
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Eastern philosophy probably has something to say about hitching rides on stone turtles, but I haven't looked it up yet. |
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Cardinal (male) |
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Looks very much like a fellow I play soccer with. |
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Cardinals |
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Could be the same pair as in the moon shot. |
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Cardinal (male) |
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Nicely outlined against the blue. |
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Cardinal (male) |
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Wonderful winter colors. |
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Cardinal and Sparrow |
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Birds are such sweet critters. |
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Fox Sparrow |
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I love these winter brown tones. |
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Turkeys |
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In a severe thunderstorm. |
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Hummingbird (Ruby Throated) |
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Chickadee |
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One of my favorite snowstorm shots. |
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%20on%20branch.JPG "Tufted Titmouse")
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Tufted Titmouse |
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A particularly clear shot. |
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Red-Bellied Woodpecker (female) |
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Sparrow (House) |
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In the rock garden. |
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Red-Bellied Woodpecker |
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A great view of the male colors. |
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Cardinal (male) |
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I really like the dark, rich tones in this one. |
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Daddy Red-Bellied Woodpecker, springtime |
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Downy Woodpecker |
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Starting to worry about what I'm up to. |
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Red-Bellied Woodpecker on lookout perch |
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t%20landing.JPG "\"Ti(gh)t Landing\"")
%20on%20branch.JPG "Tufted Titmouse")
