Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2022/03/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]What a wonderful feast for the eyes first thing in the morning. On Tue, Mar 1, 2022 at 5:33 AM Douglas Herr via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote: > February this year started with the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca), a > bird which, up to this point, had almost completely eluded my lens. On 03 > February I found a location where a few of these birds responded well to > bribery and made up for lost time: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/passerellidae/passerella/iliaca/pasili.html > > among these it's not easy to pick a favorite but for today I'll go with > this one: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/passerellidae/passerella/iliaca/pasili06.html > > The same day I found the Fox Sparrow site the colors of a male Mallard > (Anas platyrhynchos) caught my attention: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/platyrhynchos/anapla26.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/platyrhynchos/anapla27.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/platyrhynchos/anapla28.html > > Also a nearby American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) with sand on the tip > of its bill sat for a portrait: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/corvus/brachyrhynchos/corbra06.html > > a stray Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) has joined a flock of Mallards at > the river's boat launch. I first spotted this bird at the end of last > November when he was in the nondescript eclipse plumage > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/acuta/anaacu27.html > > and have followed the bird's progress from ragged to gorgeous as he molted: > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/acuta/anaacu28.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/acuta/anaacu29.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/acuta/anaacu30.html > > The Fox Sparrow site also has Spotted Towhees (Pipilo maculatus), a > species which, like the Fox Sparrow, prefers to hide in dense brush and > forest understory: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/passerellidae/pipilo/maculatus/pipmac35.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/passerellidae/pipilo/maculatus/pipmac36.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/passerellidae/pipilo/maculatus/pipmac37.html > > The bird bath in my yard attracted the usual Anna's Hummingbird > (Calypte anna) and a couple of surprise visitors, Hermit Thrush > (Catharus guttatus) and a Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana); > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anna/calann58.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anna/calann59.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anna/calann60.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anna/calann61.html > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/catharus/guttatus/catgut05.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/catharus/guttatus/catgut06.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/catharus/guttatus/catgut07.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/catharus/guttatus/catgut08.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/sialia/mexicana/siamex38.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/sialia/mexicana/siamex39.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/sialia/mexicana/siamex40.html > > At the nearby Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, a Western Meadowlark > (Sturnella neglecta) was a welcome treat: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/sturnella/neglecta/stuneg09.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/sturnella/neglecta/stuneg10.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/sturnella/neglecta/stuneg11.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/sturnella/neglecta/stuneg12.html > > Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cuculatus), a duck that dives for fish and > crustacean meals, has until this year been quite elusive. I found that > sitting quietly for an hour or so increses their comfort level enough to > swim nearby: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/lophodytes/cucullatus/lopcuc15.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/lophodytes/cucullatus/lopcuc16.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/lophodytes/cucullatus/lopcuc17.html > > ripening berries brings Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) and American > Robins (Turdus migratorius) to the feast: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/bombycillidae/bombycilla/cedrorum/bomced07.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/turdidae/turdus/migratorius/turmig22.html > > and to finish off the month, White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), > California Quail (Callipepla californica) and California Scrub-Jay: > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/sittidae/sitta/carolinensis/sitcar16.html > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/odontophoridae/callipepla/californica/calcaf34.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/odontophoridae/callipepla/californica/calcaf35.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/odontophoridae/callipepla/californica/calcaf36.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/odontophoridae/callipepla/californica/calcaf37.html > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/aphelocoma/californica/aphcal30.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/aphelocoma/californica/aphcal31.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/aphelocoma/californica/aphcal32.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/aphelocoma/californica/aphcal33.html > > all photos: mostly Sony a1 with Sony 600mm GM, with a few a7rIII & 100-400 > GM. All comments are welcome. > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -- Don don.dory at gmail.com