Tag: birds

Mondays are for the Birds – Great-horned Owl Nest

birds, Mondays Are For The Birds, wildlife

This image was taken of a GHOW nest this year that was located in a park not too far from my house.  The owlets have recently left the nest, but will be dependent on mom until near the end of this summer.  This pair of “Cat-Owls” have used this cavity in this snag for their nest site for at least the past three years.  I will be sharing more images taken from the nest over the next week or so.

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“Three Owlets”
Technical details: Canon EOS 7D camera, EF500mm f/4.5L USM lens, ISO 640,  f/6.3, 1/160 sec

Mondays are for the Birds – Red-tailed Hawk

birds, Mondays Are For The Birds, wildlife

Today’s photo is one of the Red-tailed Hawks that make a home in St. Louis’ Carondelet Park.  This is indeed, a wild bird.  Of course Sarah was with me on a Sunday when we arrived here looking to photograph some of the Crossbills that visited us this year.  While keeping my eyes peeled on the hemlocks for the Crossbills, I heard Sarah whisper, “Do yourself a favor and slowly look up”.  I did and found this hawk perched ~15″ from me!  Even once it discovered I was there it did not flush immediately but stayed and looked around a while.

Oh yeah, the MO chapter of The Nature Conservancy has prepared a slide show containing some of my bird photographs along with some pathetic creature.  Please feel free to have a look by clicking: Missouri Birds: Images From Bill Duncan

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“Happy Birds!”

Technical details: Canon EOS 7D camera, EF500mm f/4.5L USM lens, ISO 640,  f/5.6, 1/320 sec

“It is delightful to observe the assembling of these feathered people from the woods and reedy isles; herons white as wave tops, or blue as the sky, winnowing the warm air on wide quite wing; pelicans coming with baskets to fill, and the multitude of smaller sailers of the air, swift as swallows, gracefully taking their places at Nature’s family table for their daily bread.  Happy birds!”

-John Muir-

Mondays are for the Birds – White-Crowned Sparrow

birds, Mondays Are For The Birds

Compared to it’s close relative in the Zonotrichia genus, the White-throated Sparrow, the White-crowned Sparrow is a bravado.  These guys, especially the juveniles like the one pictured here, are quite curious and bold.  They will readily fly to the tops of the vegetation they are hiding in to get a better look and are quite responsive to pishing.  I find White-throats to be cowardly in comparison and quite a bit more difficult to get a clear photograph or looks at.  Happy snowy Monday.

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“The Unstoppable Coppertop!”

Technical details: Canon EOS 7D camera, EF500mm f/4.5L USM lens, ISO 640,  f/5.6, 1/800 sec

A Couple of Different Birds at Riverlands

birds, Uncategorized, wildlife

I spent the AM hours at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary and Columbia Bottom C.A. yesterday.  I mostly ran into lots of the usual: waterfowl, American Kestrels, Harriers, Eagles and an assortment of Sparrows.  Two birds at RMBS were a bit unusual.  The first was this juvenile, “Krider’s morph” light phase Red-Tailed Hawk.  I watched him at this perch for a while until one of the resident Eagles decided it was time for him to leave the tree.  I looked for him the rest of the morning, both at RMBS and CBCA, but never spotted him again.

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Technical details: Canon EOS 7D camera,  EF500mm f/4.5L USM lens, ISO 800,  f/6.3, 1/640 sec

The other bird that drew my attention was this guy below.  I am making no sure statements as to what this one is.  It mostly reminds me of an aberrant Canada Goose, i.e. partial leucistic.  However, the orange legs remind me of a Greater White-fronted Goose.  Perhaps a mix of some kind?  Hopefully the experts can shed some light…

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Technical details: Canon EOS 7D camera,  EF500mm f/4.5L USM lens, ISO 400,  f/6.3, 1/2000 sec

Three Fuzzballs

birds

“No important change in ethics was ever accomplished without an internal change in our intellectual emphasis, loyalties, affection, and convictions.  The proof that conservation has not yet touched these foundations of conduct lies in the fact that philosophy and religion have not yet heard of it.  In our attempt to make conservation easy, we have made it trivial.”

-Aldo Leopold-

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Technical details: Canon EOS 7D camera,  EF400mm f/5.6L USM lens, ISO 400,  f/6.3, 1/160 sec