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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Egret and ducks. |
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I'd seen the egret land here from 1/4 mile away, so I was ready for him. The ducks were an unexpected bonus. |
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Great Egret, 9/11/09 |
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Alfie flushed this character and for reasons known only to it it flew toward me and landed on a perfectly placed branch. |
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Another Green Heron, this time from 7/31/09. |
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Great Egrets cooperating for a change. |
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Female Cardinal on snowy pine |
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Great Blue Heron from this spring. |
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A Great Egret from Ottawa Nat. Park on Lake Erie. Even tho it's not local, I loved the way the wind was ruffling his feathers. |
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Still up in the trees. Not quite spring, I guess. 3/04/09 |
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Great Egret from 7/21/09 |
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7 flew away, but 2 stuck around for my viewing pleasure. |
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Great Egret, 7/21/09 |
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Posing nicely. |
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Great Egret, 7/21/09 |
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Incredibly cooperative. |
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Great Egret, 7/21/09 |
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Watching the dogs and forgetting about me. |
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D'Arcy's favorite male cardinal pic. Fluffed up against the cold. |
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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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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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The perennial favorite male cardinal caught against a perfect winter background. |
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Great Egret approaching splashdown |
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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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Ring-Billed Gull (probably) |
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A few visiting sandhill cranes. Taken Nov. 23 |
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Chickadee |
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One of my favorite snowstorm shots. |
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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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Competition for landing space. |
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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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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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Immature Red-Bellied Woodpeckers |
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Battling Brothers. |
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Immature Red-Bellied Woodpecker |
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male and female house sparrows |
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D'Arcy's favorite male cardinal, puffed up against the cold |
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Female Cardinal in a snowstorm |
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