Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2023/09/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've made a few photos since the start of the year, beginning in January with a vagrant Snow Bunting that found its way to the coast of the San Francisco peninsula, well south of its usual winter haunts: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/calcariidae/plectrophenax/nivalis/pleniv.html While I was nearby I visited a marina in Sausalito north of the Golden Gate where a vagrant Yellow-crowned Night-Heron has taken up residence, far north of its usual range: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/ardeidae/nyctanassa/violacea/nycvio01.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/ardeidae/nyctanassa/violacea/nycvio02.html What doesn't show in this photo is the contortions required to get a clear view of the bird; squeezed between a telephone service box and a chain-link fence on a decrepit dock suspended 2 meters above mud flats with enough gaps in the dock's decking to drop the camera and a large portion of myself through, while crouched low enough to clear the bottom of the chain-link fence. Extracting myself from this location was "interesting". During February and March I was occupied with planning for an April/May road trip but I noticed that a pair of Downy Woodpeckers had found the suet bribe I had placed where lighting and backgrounds were suitable for portraits: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryobates/pubescens/drypub.html#drypub07 In April I began my road trip through Arizona where I found numerous bird species not ordinarily observed near my Northern California home: Cactus Wren: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/troglodytidae/campylorhynchus/brunneicapillus/cambru.html#cambru10 Gambel's Quail: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/odontophoridae/callipepla/gambelii/calgam.html#calgam01 (several photographs, scroll down) Curve-billed Thrasher: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/mimidae/toxostoma/curvirostre/toxcur.html#toxcur04 (several photographs, scroll down) Painted Redstart: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/myioborus/pictus/myipic.html#myipic04 (several photographs, scroll down) woodpeckers: (several photographs, scroll down)http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryobates/scalaris/drysca.html (http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/melanerpes/uropygialis/meluro.html) orioles: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/icterus/parisorum/ictpar.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/icterus/cucullatus/ictcuc.html#ictcuc05 hummingbirds: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/cynanthus/latirostris/cynlat.html#cynlat05 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/lampornis/clemenciae/lamcle.html and others: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/aphelocoma/wollweberi/aphwol.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/cardinalidae/cardinalis/cardinalis/carcai.html#carcai02 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trogonidae/trogon/elegans/troele.html en route to the continent's midwest for spring migration I found in Oklahoma a cooperative Carolina Wren: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/troglodytidae/thryothorus/ludovicianus/thrlud.html In Ontario Canada I found a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers excavating a nest cavity: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/melanerpes/carolinus/melcar.html a Rose-breasted Grosbeak: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/cardinalidae/pheucticus/ludovicianus/phelud.html#phelud01 Horned Grebe near the shore of Lake Erie: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/podicipedidae/podiceps/auritus/podaur.html#podaur04 The stars of the midwestern spring migration are the wood warblers: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/virens/setvir.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/citrina/setcit.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/petechia/setpet.html#setpet17 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/pensylvanica/setpen.html#setpen01 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/fusca/setfus.html#setfus01 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/caerulescens/setcae.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/setophaga/palmarum/setpal.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/protonotaria/citrea/procit.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/parulidae/mniotilta/varia/mnivar.html On the return trip west I stopped to camp at Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, where I was reminded why I prefer camping over any other overnight accommodation. This Loggerhead Shrike, a predatory songbird, was at my campsite trying to add Gopher Snake to the dinner menu. The snake objected and eventually the shrike left to find a more cooperative meal: http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/laniidae/lanius/ludovicianus/lanlud.html#lanlud03 Also at Antelope Island http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/hirundinidae/hirundo/rustica/hirrus.html#hirrus02 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/hirundinidae/petrochelidon/pyrrhonota/petpyr.html#petpyr07 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/scolopacidae/numenius/americanus/numame.html#numame05 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/laridae/leucophaeus/pipixcan/leupip.html http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/tyrannidae/tyrannus/verticalis/tyrver.html#tyrver09 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/bovidae/bison/bison/bisbis.html#bisbis05 note that the bison wander freely through the campground; important to remember when visiting the outhouse during the dark hours. My final stop on the way home was Marble Hot Springs Road, where I've often visited for nesting birds typical of the Great Basin. http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/spatula/cyanoptera/spacya.html#spacya14 http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/xanthocephalus/xanthocephalus/xanxan.html#xanxan20 There were many adventures along the way, and these photos represent the 'low-hanging fruit'. I'm looking forward to my next road trip and the adventures and wildlife it may bring. As usual, all comments are welcome and please feel free to share with those who may be interested. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.com