wildlife photography – Page 41 – A Thousand Acres of Silphiums

In the Land of the Blind the One-eyed Man is King

Hooded Mergansers - Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary - St. Charles Co, MO — Hooded Mergansers First Year Males – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary – St. Charles Co, MO

The one-eyed man referred to in the title of this post is, of course, the photographer with a telephoto lens sticking out of a well-placed blind. Yes, we are all aware of and use to good effect the mobile blind – our warm vehicles. However, shooting from a car in a place like RMBS leaves a bit to be desired.

6a1a5722 — Common Goldeneye – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary – St. Charles Co, MO

From a car, the angle at which the birds are photographed will always be at the same downwards angle that in my opinion is less desirable than being close to eye level, which sitting low in a a portable ‘bag’ style blind can afford.

6a1a5316 — Hooded Merganser Hen – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary – St. Charles Co, MO

Although I have owned such a blind for a few years, I have only recently given it some real use with friend and fellow like-minded nature photographer, Miguel Acosta. All of the images from this post were made in our first attempts at this and even with limited light and opportunities, I can already see the potential in using this technique for improving photography of waterfowl.

6a1a5377 — Hooded Merganser Big Boys – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary – St. Charles Co, MO

Getting an eye-level perspective yields more benefits than just a resting duck. Catching birds taking to flight from the water’s surface from this angle makes for a more powerful image than from above.

6a1a5598 — Lift Off! – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary – St. Charles Co, MO

I’m really glad we tried this out. It is something I’ve been wishing to do for quite some time and I guess it just makes sense that this is the way to do it. Now I just need to think of places and opportunities to try more.

6a1a5820 — Trumpeter Swans – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary – St. Charles Co, MO

Until next time.
-OZB

Birds of the Texas Gulf Coast – Willet

birds, texas gulf birding, wildlife, wildlife photography

willet-scolopacidae-tringa-semipalmata-520a3343 — Willet – Scolopacidae – Tringa semipalmata – Anahuac NWR, TX.

It is always interesting to find a bird species you are pretty familiar with in a new location or season. Such was the case and pleasant surprise that Steve and I found when stumbling upon the Willet in coastal Texas in May, 2016. This giant puppy dog of a sandpiper is typically a relatively low-key, almost dull bird when spotted in Missouri during its migration. The individuals we observed in Texas, however, were quite conspicuous as they combined long vocalizations with slow flights that really showed off the contrasting black and white wings. They were a pleasure to watch and photograph.

willet-scolopacidae-tringa-semipalmata-520a3251 — Willet – Scolopacidae – Tringa semipalmata – Anahuac NWR, TX.

willet-scolopacidae-tringa-semipalmata-520a3284 — Willet – Scolopacidae – Tringa semipalmata – Anahuac NWR, TX.

-OZB

Bird #275

birds, Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

Eastern Screech Owl - Strigidae - Megascops asio, Grafton IL — Eastern Screech Owl – Strigidae – Megascops asio – Grafton IL

The 275th bird species I have photographed in Missouri and contiguous states turned out to be a special one. This Eastern Screech Owl is definitely the current most famous bird in the bi-state area. Many thanks to Miguel Acosta for the information. A long time coming.

520a0142 — Eastern Screech Owl – Strigidae – Megascops asio – Grafton IL

-OZB

Yellow + Birds

birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

least-flycatcher-tyrannidae-empidonax-minimus-520a1134 — Least Flycatcher – Tyrannidae – Empidonax minimus – Wild Acres Park, St. Louis County, MO.

I happened to notice that I had a few in the queue that featured the color yellow. In most of them the yellow is featured on the bird, but in the one above the yellow is of a flowering plant, perhaps yellow rocket (Barbarea vulgaris), in the foreground and background.

kentucky-warbler-parulidae-oporornis-formosus-6a1a2298 — Kentucky Warbler – Parulidae – Oporornis formosus, Greer Spring Recreation Area, Oregon County, MO.

Prothonotary Warbler - Parulidae - Protonotaria citrea — Prothonotary Warbler – Parulidae – Protonotaria citrea – Little Creve Coeur Lake Marsh, St. Louis County, MO.

magnolia-warbler-parulidae-dendroica-magnolia-520a0922 — Magnolia Warbler – Parulidae – Dendroica magnolia – Wild Acres Park, St. Louis County, MO.

-OZB

Meet the Slugs – Monkey Slug Caterpillar Moth

macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Monkey Slug - Limacodidae - Phobetron pithecium (4677) - Horseshoe Bend Natural Area, Texas County, MO — Monkey Slug – Limacodidae – Phobetron pithecium (4677) – Horseshoe Bend Natural Area, Texas County, MO

The final and perhaps most stunning of the slug moth caterpillars that we were able to find this past summer was the Monkey Slug, or “Hag Moth” caterpillar. This particular one was first noticed by Sarah on the upper side of a dogwood leaf during a visit to Horseshoe Bend Natural Area near Houston MO. We went on to find two in this particular tree.

monkey-slug-limacodidae-phobetron-pithecium-4677-img_8896 — Monkey Slug – Limacodidae – Phobetron pithecium (4677) – Horseshoe Bend Natural Area, Texas County, MO

A leading thought on why these guys look the way they do is to mimic the shed exoskeleton of a tarantula.

monkey-slug-limacodidae-phobetron-pithecium-4677-img_8968 — Monkey Slug – Limacodidae – Phobetron pithecium (4677) – Cuivre River State Park, Lincoln County, MO

It’s Swan Season!

birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

Trumpeter Swans - Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, St. Charles County, MO — Trumpeter Swans – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, St. Charles County, MO

6a1a3601 — Trumpeter Swans – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, St. Charles County, MO

6a1a3610 — Trumpeter Swans – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, St. Charles County, MO

6a1a3623 — Trumpeter Swans – Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, St. Charles County, MO

Meet the Slugs – Elegant-tailed Slug Moth Caterpillar

macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Elegant-tailed Slug Moth - Limacodidae - Packardia elegans (4661) — Elegant-tailed Slug Moth – Limacodidae – Packardia elegans (4661)

I found only a few Elegant-tailed Slugs this year and all were found at Hickory Canyons Natural Area in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri. The image below documents the only occasion where I found more than one slug on the same leaf, here a Spiny Oak Slug was found on the same curled leaf as our new Elegant-tailed Slug.

Spiny Oak and Elegant-tailed Slug Moths – Limacodidae

Birds of the Texas Gulf Coast – Cowbirds

birds, Texas Gulf Coast Birding, wildlife, wildlife photography

bronzed-cowbird-icteridae-molothrus-aeneus-520a2809 — Bronzed Cowbird – Icteridae – Molothrus aeneus – Anahuac NWR, TX.

Of course, going to a new region for birding is great for finding those species that you have long-anticipated being able to see. In the Texas gulf coast region the Roseate Spoonbill, the Tri-colored Heron, the Crested Caracara and quite a few others can be fit into this category. I have done enough of this type of birding now to get just as excited by the surprises – finding the species I wasn’t expecting, or had not even heard of. The Bronzed Cowbird was one such species during our trip in May.

bronzed-cowbird-icteridae-molothrus-aeneus-520a2807 — Bronzed Cowbird – Icteridae – Molothrus aeneus – Anahuac NWR, TX.

And the way we got to see this bird for the first time, by performing this hovering display for the ladies, was quite memorable. He kept this position – not moving his head from the chain-link section seen here for several seconds. Check out the bright red iris on these guys.

bronzed-cowbird-icteridae-molothrus-aeneus-520a2824 — Still Performing – Bronzed Cowbird – Icteridae – Molothrus aeneus – Anahuac NWR, TX.

We also saw a few of the more common Brown-headed Cowbirds. It was nice seeing them in open habitat where they actually belonged and not reeking havoc in the fragmented forests back home.

brown-headed-cowbird-icteridae-molothrus-ater-520a2835 — Brown-headed Cowbird – Icteridae – Molothrus ater – Anahuac NWR, TX.

-OZB

Birds of the Texas Gulf Coast – Common Nighthawk

birds, Texas Gulf Coast Birding, wildlife, wildlife photography

The Nighthawks were abundant and cooperative during our visit to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.

Common Nighthawk - Caprimulgidae - Chordeiles minor - Anahuac NWR, TX. — Common Nighthawk – Caprimulgidae – Chordeiles minor – Anahuac NWR, TX.

common-nighthawk-caprimulgidae-chordeiles-minor-520a3427 — Common Nighthawk – Caprimulgidae – Chordeiles minor – Anahuac NWR, TX.

common-nighthawk-caprimulgidae-chordeiles-minor-520a2866 — Common Nighthawk – Caprimulgidae – Chordeiles minor – Anahuac NWR, TX.

Nesting Birds of Missouri – Red-bellied Woodpecker

birds, Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Picidae - Melanerpes carolinus. Wild Acres Park, Overland MO. — Red-bellied Woodpecker – Picidae – Melanerpes carolinus. Wild Acres Park, Overland MO.

Today I watched as park workers cut down this tree at Wild Acres Park in Overland, MO, a municipality in St. Louis County. I estimate they have removed nearly 75% of all standing dead trees in this park during the last six months. This tree, that provided shelter and food to a number of Woodpeckers, the tree I watched and photographed an Olive-sided Flycatcher this past spring, two dead oaks that I watched Great-horned Owls display and duet in numerous times over the past 6+ years, a tree that provided a place for a nesting Great-horned Owl, dead snags near the pond that provided perches to herons and wood ducks that were stopping to rest on their way to somewhere more worthy. Even if the trees must come down due to “safety”, I wish that they would see the benefit that these trees can bring while decomposing in a forest. Lately, they are even hauling away the carcasses.

The original plans for the park when first established seem to suggest that the park was conceived to provide wildlife with an oasis amidst a suburban desert as much as it was to be a benefit to the humans with similar desires. I find little evidence in recent years that the park management has goals to this effect.

red-bellied-woodpecker-picidae-melanerpes-carolinus-520a2644 — Red-bellied Woodpecker – Picidae – Melanerpes carolinus. Wild Acres Park, Overland MO.

Mulberries and insects were what was on the menu when I was at the nest tree to watch.

red-bellied-woodpecker-picidae-melanerpes-carolinus-520a2618 — Red-bellied Woodpecker – Picidae – Melanerpes carolinus. Wild Acres Park, Overland MO.

As seems to be pretty typical of species that provide bi-parental care, the ratio of female to male visits seemed to be ~ 3:1… 😉

red-bellied-woodpecker-picidae-melanerpes-carolinus-520a2663 — Red-bellied Woodpecker – Picidae – Melanerpes carolinus. Wild Acres Park, Overland MO.

I’m not sure what the next couple of years might show me in the park. It sure looks as though there will be fewer resources for feathered friends.

red-bellied-woodpecker-picidae-melanerpes-carolinus-520a1750 — Red-bellied Woodpecker – Picidae – Melanerpes carolinus. Wild Acres Park, Overland MO.

-OZB