wildlife – Page 33 – A Thousand Acres of Silphiums

2021 White-tailed Rut

The upcoming rut season brings mixed feelings. I’m definitely looking forward to shooting the brutes in a couple months or so, but I also know they’ll be trying their best to rub on my establishing trees and bushes in the yard. I have most everything protected but still have some trunks that I need to cover before the first of September when they’ll begin rubbing the velvet off of their antlers. We lost a flowering dogwood to one of them last year and hope not to have that repeated.

Here are some photos that I took on an outing with Miguel last autumn. All images were taken with a 500 mm lens.

Fishing Eagles (and a Herring Gull) – Clarksville MO, January 2022

Bird Species of Conservation Concern, birds, Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

Northern Harrier

Bird Species of Conservation Concern, birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

Snow Raptors

Bird Species of Conservation Concern, birds, Short-eared Owls, wildlife, wildlife photography

A few from a couple snow days this past January. Some of the first outings with the Canon R5. On one day, light levels were quite low and birds were at a great distance. Tried shooting with and without teleconverter to get more light. Difficult circumstances.

Short-eared Owl cruising over snow-covered grassland.
Settings: 700mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/5.6, ISO-3200.

Short-eared Owl shortly after leaving perch.
Settings: 700mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/5.6, ISO-2500.

Short-eared Owl with prey.
Settings: 500mm focal length, 1/800 sec., f/4, ISO-2000.

Male Northern Harrier
Settings: 700mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/5.6, ISO-2000.

Female Northern Harrier with prey.
Settings: 500mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/4, ISO-3200.

Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl
Settings: 500mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/4, ISO-3200.

Squabbling Short-eared Owl and Northern Harrier
Settings: 500mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/4, ISO-3200.

Whenever a Short-eared Owl tried and missed its intended prey, it would immediately shake the snow and other materials from its talons.
Settings: 700mm focal length, 1/2500 sec., f/5.6, ISO-1000.

Short-eared Owl skimming snowy landscape.
Settings: 700mm focal length, 1/2500 sec., f/5.6, ISO-1000.

A great catch!
Settings: 700mm focal length, 1/2000 sec., f/5.6, ISO-1600.

Ozark Bill

Eastern Bluebird Nest – 2021

Backyard Gardens, Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

In the spring of 2021, I finally put up a couple of nest boxes in the yard of the new house. Both boxes were built and gifted by my father, Bart Duncan. Much appreciation! One box was designed specifically for bluebirds and a pair quickly staked their claim. They had an initial successful clutch, fledging three chicks, but on the next attempt, tragedy struck. During my monitoring visit, where there had been four half-developed chicks the day before I found not a single one. I believe the neighborhood racoons made a meal of them sometime during the night, leaving no evidence. It was early enough in the year that I wasn’t surprised that the pair tried again, but what surprised me was that they did not build a nest in the bluebird box, but used a box that was designed for Carolina Wrens that was bolted to the side of our screen porch. It made for some great photo opportunities that I am sharing here. I learned from my mistakes and have installed a baffle around the pole to the bluebird box along with a wire cage over the nest entrance. If a brood predator wants to get at them now they will really have to try hard. I am happy to say that to date, in the 2022 season, the pair successfully fledged two clutches – one of six and one of five chicks. Eleven new bluebirds this year, flooding the subdivision with bluebirds!

Here dad brings a green and juicy caterpillar for one of the four chicks in the box. I realized that this could be a great way of doing an entomological survey of the neighborhood!
Settings: 1,120 mm focal length equivalent, f/8, 1/400 sec., ISO-800.

Here dad brings what looks to be a Hemipteran bug of some kind. I supplement the adults with dried mealworms in a special feeder but the chicks need fresh grub. I am happy to live in a neighborhood that can support the nesting of these birds.
Settings: 1,120 mm focal length equivalent, f/7.1, 1/320 sec., ISO-1250.

Mom brings in a tiger moth. In my short time making observations, I found this to be the most common prey brought to the nest.
Settings: 1,120 mm focal length equivalent, f/7.1, 1/320 sec., ISO-1250.

Dad brings a tiger moth.
Settings: 1,120 mm focal length equivalent, f/7.1, 1/320 sec., ISO-1250.

Mom, looking a little well-worn. It was late into a rather busy nesting season for her.
Settings: 1,120 mm focal length equivalent, f/5.6, 1/250 sec., ISO-640.

All four chicks waiting for the next visit by a food carrying parent.
Settings: 1,120 mm focal length equivalent, f/8, 1/400 sec., ISO-700.

Ozark Bill

One more Connecticut

birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

Mondays are for the Birds – Connecticut Warbler

birds, Mondays Are For The Birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

Coming Soon…

Bird Species of Conservation Concern, birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

The Sweetheart

macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

One day I would love to know how many of our moths received their common names. So many of them are interesting and perfect, like this, the sweetheart underwing (Catocala amatrix). In this case, the Latin binomial agrees. Catocala referring to the namesake, hidden underwing and amatrix meaning lover.

This moth was found in Franklin County, MO.

*Catocala amatrix* (sweetheart underwing) – Hodges #8834

I’m never really fortunate enough to get a good image with their hindwings exposed, but here is a glimpse of the beauty they keep hidden, apparently useful for startling would-be predators upon their taking flight.