Uploads from jannagal, tagged jannagal

#164 Least Sandpiper

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:20 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

Least Sandpipers, (Calidris minutilla), true to their name are fairly small shorebirds (6"; 15cm). This one shows breeding plumage.

Life Bird Photograph #164 seen at Lake St. Clair Metropark, Michigan.

A Mother to Watch Over Them

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:47:55 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

This Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) was followed by SIXTEEN baby geese. This "landing party" followed her every cue. But what is the cue? This picture shows her bending her head forward, and pointing her bill in the direction she wants the babies to follow. She may repeat this two or three times, and the babies will line up quickly behind her.

Canada Geese usually have 5 or 6 hatchlings, sometimes 7-8. But this "Mother Goose" tended a "flock" of 16 geese. While possible, it is unlikely that she laid and hatched 16 or more eggs of her own. It's more likely that she is "babysitting" strays or other babies acquired when a large group of geese families intermingled. Whatever the reason, that's a lot of babies to be tending!!!

Seen at Lake St. Clair Metropark, Michigan.

Ovenbird

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Sun, 19 May 2013 05:33:43 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

Ovenbirds (Seirus aurocapilla) are very handsomely colored/patterned birds, but they can often be overlooked. When they are scavenging in the forest litter, they can be so totally camouflaged that they will not be seen unless you are specifically looking for them.

Their unusual name comes from the small domed nest they build on the ground.

Life Bird Photograph #163 seen at Magee Marsh, Oak Harbor Ohio.

Cerulean Warbler

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:09:12 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

This Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) was seen in the first tree that I came to, on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh. It drew a big crowd because this sought after bird is becoming very hard to find. It's population seems to be declining in many parts of it's range.

It's a tiny 4.5 " in length, and it was flitting about at the top of a very tall tree . So consequently this picture has a huge crop, and the quality is not what I would hope for. After it flew off, it wasn't seen again the entire day.

Though it's a poor quality picture, I'm still happy to have it until I can get a better one. Life Bird Photograph #162.

White-throated Sparrow

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:01:41 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

There were two White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) churning the leaf litter at Magee Marsh in Ohio. They are typically ground-feeders, looking for seeds, fruits and insects.

"I'm Really Shiny!"

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:26:22 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

In full sunlight, the blue-colored backs of Tree Swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, are strongly iridescent. This one seen at Magee Marsh, Ohio.

161. Black-throated Blue Warbler

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:56:26 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

Not a great shot of the Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens), but it is:

Life Bird Photograph #161, taken at Magee Marsh, Ohio.

"Gator Hole" Baby

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:09:58 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in the marshes of the Everglades excavate holes, sometimes 8-10 feet or more in diameter. The holes, called "Gator Holes", fill with water in the rainy season, and retain water when the sawgrass marsh dries up during the dry season. Many small animals, insects, and birds may populate these holes, which the alligators welcome as future meals.

This picture shows one of several juvenile alligators seen in a gator hole at Shark Valley, Everglades, Florida. Adult alligators are blackish in color (crocodiles are green), whereas babies and juveniles show banding as in the picture.

"The Birders"

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:50:07 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

It can become very crowded when a tiny, bright-colored bird is spotted high in the trees. For many birders, there is great enjoyment in watching pretty birds that can only seen in large numbers during Spring migration. Generally, there is a spirit of sharing the uplifting experience and mutual assistance in identifying the transient birds.

Photographing birds can become difficult at times in the crowded conditions. Arriving very early, and leaving early are the remedies for that.

160. VEERY

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:03:53 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

I was trying unsuccessfully to take a picture of another bird, when this Veery (Catharus fuscescens) flew to this branch about 3 feet from me.

Looks best in largest size.
This Life Bird Photograph #160 was taken at Magee Marsh, Ohio.

Reunion: Mother Woodcock and Babies

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:36:23 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

After another couple of hours of unsatisifying search for migrating warblers, I returned a final time to the Woodcock hatchlings. What I found the first two times is explained in the first two posts below.

This time, the hatchlings eyes were opened and reunited with Mother Woodcock in a crevice between two logs about 3 feet away from where they were initially seen, and about 33 feet away from the sighting of the hatched eggs. The other babies are protected, underneath their mother.

So concludes the saga of the American Woodcock nest on May 6, 2013 at Magee Marsh, Ohio.

Welcome to the World Woodcock Hatchlings

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:00:27 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

In the previous post I explained the nesting American Woodcock, and what I found a few hours after the initial sighting.
About 30 feet away from the nest with the hatched eggs, there was a larger taped-off area with a couple of people pointing at a log. A volunteer was there pointing at something. None of us could make out what she was pointing at. Finally, looking through my camera lens, out to 400mm, I saw these babies, eyes still closed sitting perfectly motionless neatly camouflaged amid the leaves and twigs. The volunteer explained that the mother was nearby. All I could find was her eye poking through a gap in a log behind this scene.
Though some one must have seen how they got to this point from the nest 30 feet away, no one was there who had seen it.

In the next shot, I will show a happy reunion about 3 hours later.

Something Happened in the Woodcock Nest

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:39:03 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

A remarkable thing happened on this day. I arrived very early, before sunrise at Magee Marsh. There were already quite a few cars in the parking lot. Some people were standing across the parking lot near a taped-off area. An American Woodcock was flattening herself amidst the forest litter, making for a very poor photograph, so I didn't bother trying.
I went out for a couple of hours to look for warblers, and when I returned this is what I saw. Mother and baby were nowhere to be seen.
The next picture I post will show what I found then.
Seen at Magee Marsh, Ohio.

Song of Spring

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:20:27 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

Not the most colorful songbird, but one of the most reliable, this Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) will sing beautifully throughout the spring and summer.

This one seen at Lake St. Clair Metropark, Michigan.

"What happens in Vegas..."

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Sat, 04 May 2013 21:13:08 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

I'm the one in the middle ; -))

(p.s. My wife and brother are taking the pictures.)

I Love Spring Migration

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:05:05 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

Spring migration of birds from warmer wintering areas to Northern summer breeding grounds is the most exciting time to photograph birds. During this time they are in their fresh breeding colors and are singing beautifully.

This beauty is a male Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina ) in his breeding plumage.
Seen at Magee Marsh, Ohio.
Life Bird Photograph #159.

Pretty Prothonotary

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:01:01 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

The bright yellow of the Prothonotary Warbler really lights up the scene.

Seen at Magee Marsh, Ohio

Blackburnian Beauty

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:50:23 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

This small bird (5", 13 cm) became the star of the day, as his bright breeding colors lit up the scene.

This Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca) was one of the early arrivals in the Spring migration of songbirds at Magee Marsh, Ohio.

Life bird photograph #158

A River Runs Through It

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:58:33 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

This is the Colorado River, downstream from the Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam). In this stretch of the river, it roughly runs through the Eastern border of Nevada, and the Western border of Arizona. This desolate landscape, the Black Canyon is part of the Lake Mead Recreation Area.

Taken from the new Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (Hoover Dam Bypass/US Route 93 Bypass).

Venice Gondola Fantasy

nobody@flickr.com (jannagal) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:11:44 -0700

jannagal posted a photo:

This is not Venice; it is Fantasy Venice. Since it's "Venice" there are gondolas that traverse this canal that runs through the upscale shopping mall at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The ride proceeds under bridges, through short tunnels and to the outside where the canal continues around the enormous Venetian grounds.

40-60 million people a year visit the adult playground fantasy land called Las Vegas, and the Venetian is a luxury "theme hotel" in the middle of the Las Vegas "Strip" of hotels and casinos.