Tag: birds

photography

Africa, Part Two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Here is the second installment of my four-part African posting spree. Enjoy!

The Double-banded Sandgrouse, like the Burchell’s Sandgrouse featured in the previous post, is known for its aerial trips to drink at watering holes. However, they are not necessarily tied to water sources.
We saw multiple flocks of mousebirds before one landed and allowed us to identify them as Red-faced Mousebirds (shown here). Upon looking back at this photo, I realized that the main bird featured is supporting half of its body weight with one toe. I do not know why it did this, but it sustained this position for the entire time we saw the flock.
White-backed Vultures are a close relative to the Cape Griffons of the previous post. Although much more common in southern Africa, the White-backed is listed as Critically Endangered compared to the Endangered status of the Cape.
Over the course of our entire trip we constantly admired the adorable shaggyness of waterbuck, which we saw quite a lot.
The Secretarybird is one of the most distinctive raptors in the world. It is identified by its long legs, orang face, strange tail, and floppy crest. It is the only bird in its family, and is sadly growing quite rare in parts of Africa.
In the Makgadikgadi Pans there is a small reserve called Lekhubu Island. It has lots of birds, and one of the many distinctive species we saw was the Scaly Weaver, which travels around in large flocks, so you will see either none at a time or many.
A close relative to the Blue Waxbill and Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, the Violet-eared Waxbill is one of Africa’s most stunning birds. In fact, this is not a very zoomed in photo; a pair of these birds came to within a foot of me.
The Cape Starling is a ubiquitous bird of southern Africa, and is easily identified from the similar Burchell’s Starling by the orange eye, shorter tail, and absence of black ear coverts.
Another iconic bird of Africa, the Lilac-breasted Roller proved to be relatively common, yet still always amazes us when we see this rainbow of feathers.
In this photo you can see the lilac breast that gives the roller part of its name. The other part comes from the wild display flights given by each species in the roller family.
We also saw a different roller from the one pictured above in a tree directly in front of the setting sun. There could not be a more fitting photo for a bird with as many colors as the sunset behind it.
We saw many prime sunsets in Botswana, but I still could not resist taking a close-up of this one.
During our Botswana safari we had a full day to just relax (and in my case, bird) at the Pelican Lodge. One of the first birds I sighted was this Southern White-crowned Shrike. It was quite calm, and allowed me to get this photo.
One of my favorite birds we saw on this safari was this Bradfield’s Hornbill. Our guide, Kabelo, argued that it was a Southern Red-billed Hornbill, while I said it was a Bradfield’s. We eventually got to the point of betting sodas for who was right, and this bird won me a Fanta.
Another of the birds seen at Pelican Lodge was this Red-headed Finch. I was birding and would never had noticed them if a bulbul in the same tree called, drawing my attention until I noticed two birds sitting perfectly still and watching me.
One of the most beautiful birds seen at the lodge was this Marico, or Mariqua Sunbird. It was the first sunbird we had seen, and posed for a while, allowing me amazing views of this African equivalent of a hummingbird.
Because we remained stationary and I was on foot I was able to get much better photos of the birds seen at Pelican Lodge than in various other locations. A flock of these noisy Black-backed Puffbacks had flown into a tree also containing Burnt-necked Eremomelas, Marico Sunbirds, and various other species.
This is one of the birds mentioned in the previous caption, one with the incredibly strange name of Burnt-necked Eremomela. It is called that because of its rufous collar, but I do not know about the eremomela part. This photo was a very lucky occurence, as the bird was moving about extremely quickly in the tree.
Pelican Lodge was much more successful in terms of birding than I expected it to be; it even provided me with a large flock of Red-headed Weavers hiding behind some water tanks (although I probably wasn’t supposed to be there).
At one part of Pelican Lodge there was a small puddle with some sticks crossing it, and due to the current drought in Botswana there was much activity around it. Although not a new bird, I was still excited to get this look at the beautiful Pied Barbet, one of the many visitors to the puddle.
The day after Pelican Lodge we drove to Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans National Park, and on the way we got this wonderful view of a zebra, allowing me great photos. The one difference between the southern African zebras and Tanzanian zebras is that the zebras in Tanzania are completely black and white, whereas the ones we saw had some brown stripes as well.
photography

Africa, Part One!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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As many of you know, we are now in Africa! Currently we are in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, after doing a 12 day safari in Botswana with our guide Kabelo. As we are in Africa, I have seen over a hundred new species of birds and taken many photos of them (and a couple of the more interesting mammals). Because of this, today’s post may be a bit long. However, I think you will enjoy it! (Due to the large number of photos I would like to post I will be posting four installments, each with 21 photos. Because of this, the photos in this post are from August 3rd to the 5th, our first two days of the Botswana safari).

This is a Familiar Chat, seen on the drive to the town of Otse in Botswana, south of Gabarone. The chat was very familiar, and did not fly away, allowing me to get this, and some other, photos.
This is a Cape Griffon, or Cape Vulture, which is very rare and declining, a victim of poisoning. Its current global status is Endangered, and in the whole of Botswana there are only two colonies. This picture is from the colony at Otse, the reason we went to that village.
The Gray Go-away-bird, one of the most common birds in the region, is very endearing and comes close to you, allowing good photos. This one flew into our camp at Khama Rhino Sanctuary and perched on a tree with its crest raised, providing a perfect photo.
Along with the go-away-bird, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills are also very common in central Botswana. I saw this one just after we had started a game drive at the rhino sanctuary and the sunrise light on it provided an amazing view.
Helmeted Guineafowl are some of the more common game birds in southern Africa, and congregate in huge flocks; we saw some reaching an estimated 50 birds!
Springbok were the first large mammals we saw, easily distinguished from impala by the different shape of the horns and the dark brown stripe on the side.
Although similar in appearance to sandpipers, Crowned Lapwings are not closely tied to water; we saw many out on the open pans, with no water nearby.
Impala were the second large mammal we saw, after Springbok. They turned out to be more common, and soon became like mule deer in Colorado.
Our first mammalian predator to be seen was the Black-backed Jackal, one of the most doglike creatures you can find. We particularly enjoyed how they run, described by many as “trucking“.
At one particular water hole we saw jackals, impala, Martial Eagle, White Stork, warthog, and Red Hartebeest coexisting together (which makes sense, because a jackal couldn’t eat any of those).
This Burchell’s Sandgrouse was the second sandgrouse species we saw. Sandgrouse are well-known for their habit of flying varying distances to watering holes to drink at various times of the day.
Crested Francolins turned out to be surprisingly common, much more common than any game bird in the U.S. We quickly began seeing large flocks moving about everywhere.
The Dwarf Mongoose is southern Africa’s (south of the Cunene and Zambezi Rivers) smallest carnivore. We saw several of these tiny mammals, at first thinking they were baby Banded Mongooses due to their size: full-grown ones are just 20 cm long!
Red-billed Oxpeckers frequent all types of large mammals; we saw them foraging for insects on kudu, impala, zebra, donkeys, and cows!
On a hike up the Goo-Moremi Gorge (not to be confused with Moremi Game Reserve) we saw an unexpected Verreaux’s Eagle, a very large raptor that we have only seen that one time.
On our second evening at Khama Rhino Sanctuary we witnissed a spectacular sunset over a watering hole filled with impala. This was one of the most iconic African scenes we have observed.
At that same time we noticed a herd of giraffe walking towards the watering hole, and I realized that this was a moment I could not miss. (Actually, I pulled out my camera to find out that I had used up my memory card space, so hastily deleting a video and some photos got me the ability to capture this photo).
This is a Natal Francolin, the second francolin to be seen by us. I noticed it just after I got up at the campsite at Khama Rhino Sanctuary.
I have compared the brilliant color of the Crimson-breasted Gonolek’s underparts to those of a Vermillion Flycatcher, one of our Southwestern birds in the U.S., some of the most admired birds for their color.
Fork-tailed Drongos are some of the commonest birds in this region, and are easily seen sallying to catch insects in flight.
Although their appearance is similar to cows, Blue Wildebeest are actually large antelope, and we saw many of them, sometimes in large herds, but never as many as in the documentaries where somebody with David Attenborough’s voice is grandly describing the “great migration” that occurs in Kenya.
poetry

Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl

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Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl

on a bare branch
directly along our path
in the last sunset light a camera needs
beneath the blue-white glow
of a nearly-full moon
he perches casually
as if we’ve conjured him
as if there were anything else we needed
as if we hadn’t been awed enough

our pink eyelids blink back at his
and our jaws hang open
our lips forming a wowed o
for owl

poetry

Saddle-billed Stork

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Owen took these photos

Saddle-billed Stork

out of the world
of tribal masks
and dances from the spirit realm
comes an ancestor
tall on thin black legs
with a bright white body
like a spotlight
then a long brilliant bill
orange-red like a night fire
off in the bush
then a shaman’s face
black, bony, banded
with ceremonial pigments
the same fire engine red
but also taxi cab yellow

he stands two hands higher
than the tallest reeds
herky-jerks his way
through the shallows
shaking his magnificent head
like a melodramatic puppet
bends low
comes up awkward
with more fish than he can swallow
manages anyway
ends up with a bream-shaped bulge
in his long smooth neck

when we drive past him the second time
I’m just as awed –
again he appears as
a fierce young warrior
long-limbed
and all adolescent elbows

photography

Many Birds

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As some of you know, I am doing a Big Year: a competition or personal challenge to see the most species of birds within a certain region in one year. It is customary to start on January 1st, but since that would not encompass all of our trip I started July 8th. In this case my region is the world. I am aiming to see 1,000 species of birds and to do that I need to maintain an average of 2.7 additional species per day. Currently my average is 5.46 and I have seen 71 species of birds in 12 days, 2 of them being my first ever. Here are some photos of some of those 71 species.

This is a Green-tailed Towhee, one of several birds that I suspect may be seen only once during the course of my Big Year.
Western Tanagers, on the other hand, are not as uncommon as the towhees; we saw an estimated 6 in a period of 2 hours.
This Calliope Hummingbird is one of the two new species for me that have been seen during the Big Year period. It is the smallest bird in North America.
This is an adult male Hairy Woodpecker, due to the red patch on the back of the head. We have seen adults feeding a juvenile so we presume they have nested here recently.
Pygmy Nuthatches are very hard to get a photo of, as they move extremely quickly, are very small, and do not visit the feeder for prolonged amounts of time.
This Bald Eagle was seen at Lagerman Reservoir in Longmont. It calmly perched on a telephone pole while we looked on from our car parked adjacent.
This is not special sunset light on this adult male Baltimore Oriole; it looks like it is about to burst into flame perpetually.
This sighting of a Dusky Grouse was my first view of the species, and as it was a species I had been trying to see for literal years (my “nemesis bird) I was elated to get a good view and get good photos on my first sighting of it.
I found this Yellow Warbler nest in Buena Vista. It was before I had started my Big Year, so it didn’t count towards the total, but it was an photographic opportunity I could not miss.
photography

Chipmunks, Chickadees, Chiming Bells (and hummingbirds)

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Yesterday we realized that the Mountain Chickadees have almost definitely taken up residence in the house on the deck. They may not yet have chicks, but we have observed them frequently flying into the hole, staying there for a minute, and exiting. They do this quite commonly even when we are having lunch on the deck, only several feet away! The hummingbirds have also put in many appearances at the feeder, and also visit while we are sitting there. With such close proximity, I have been able to get several good photos of both chickadees and hummingbirds. While watching the chickadees and hummingbirds, a small chipmunk made an appearance on a log below the deck. We also went on a short walk where we found several flowering Chiming Bells. I was able to get some close-ups of these, which was easy as they don’t fly away immediately. Here they are!

The chickadees commonly flew up to the nest hole, although we did not see them carrying anything.
Before entering the hole, the chickadees would often look around several times, as if making sure that no one knew about their nest.
After these procedures were accomplished, the chickadee would then enter the nest and stay inside for around 30 seconds.
Only very rarely did the chickadees pause before leaving; they would normally exit on the wing without pausing.
Several times, the chickadees and the hummingbirds would both be visiting their respective places at the same time, and the chickadee would chase off the hummingbird and attack it, presumably defending its nest.
The hummingbird would often perch to feed, yet it would sometimes hover, and would quickly transition between the two.
The chipmunk stayed in one place for a while, allowing me to get good photos. It was eating something, but we could not identify the food.
The Chiming Bells are some of the first wildflowers to be seen up here, and are quite beautiful.
Some clumps of Chiming Bells are bigger than others; this was an especially large bloom.
photography

Bears and Buena Vista

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Yesterday we took a trip down into Buena Vista, where the weather was a lot warmer and there were different birds! We saw a Yellow Warbler, my first in a while, and a yellow form of a Pine Siskin, along with a Wyoming Ground Squirrel. Before that, however, we saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in our driveway. I managed to get a photo that shows the kinglet’s crest, rarely visible. On our way back from Buena Vista, we got quite a surprise. On the road in front of us was a Black Bear! It turned and ran, so I couldn’t get any direct photos of it, but Cedar found some fresh tracks that I got shots of. Two of the photos have my hand in them for comparison. Here they are!

This is a zoomed-in image of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet that was in our yard. You can see the brilliant scarlet crest that offsets the rest of this drab brown bird.
I have already posted photos of Pine Siskins, but in Buena Vista, I found a yellow morph Pine Siskin, meaning one that has more yellow than others.
Along the Arkansas in Buena Vista we saw this Yellow Warbler. They are one of the few western warblers, and it was a nice surprise treat.
In this photo you can see some of the rufous underbelly streaking and the uniform yellow tone to the bird.
Also in Buena Vista we spotted this Wyoming Ground Squirrel, which is rather like a mountain prarie dog.
The ground squirrel posed nicely for us, and we were able to identify it easily.
This is a track left by the hind paw of a black bear, because it is very big and oval shaped, not round.
My hand can easily fit inside the track, showing that it was a very big bear!
Some estimates say that the bear was almost 300 pounds!
photography

Birding and Errands (but mostly birding)

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Yesterday we went on a short walk on the Mineral Belt Trail. The trail provided many opportunities for birding and provided excellent views of Mountain Bluebirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Pine Siskins, and many more. Additionally, the birds around the cabin were particularly active, such as Violet-green Swallows fighting for food, and Mountain Chickadees visiting a potential nest site right on the deck! Here are some of the highlights.

For some reason, the Violet-green Swallows around the cabin all desire this one little ledge, and repeatedly fight for it. This one is holding on to the side of the apparent “prime real estate”.
It is extremely difficult to get good pictures of flying swallows, but as they landed frequently, I was able to acquire several good shots.
Mountain Chickadees are some of the most charismatic birds there are. One flew up on to the deck and perched on a hole right in front of me! We now think that there may be a nest located in that same hole.
Chickadees are also very noisy, and, despite their small size, their sound can carry far.
We did not just have birds for visitors; this is a Golden-mantled Ground-squirrel, one of the most common high elevation mammals.
This is a Dark-eyed Junco, a common winter bird, and one of the most variable bird species in the world. This is either a “Slate-colored” Junco or a “White-winged” Junco.
Pine Siskins are classic high-altitude finches. They look a lot like female House Finches, but the golden wing bars and the sharper bill separate them.
Pine Siskins usually inhabit, as their name suggests, pine forests, but this one was out of character and posed on an aspen.
Adult male Mountain Bluebirds are some of the most beautiful birds in Colorado. Their coloring is glacier blue getting darker on the wing and the head.
Mountain Bluebirds are rather skittish, and since the light was not favorable, I couldn’t get as good photos as I wanted to. However, the bluebird let me get a few.
This small bird is a White-crowned Sparrow. They are very common in the mountains, and are very trusting, allowing close views.
On the Mineral Belt Trail, there was a huge flock of these Brown-headed Cowbirds, maybe numbering in the forties or fifties. These birds are actually nest parasites, laying their eggs in other birds nests, and kicking out the other eggs.
photography

Pine Grosbeaks in the Backyard

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Yesterday I posted some photos of a pair of Pine Grosbeaks that visited our yard. The grosbeaks stayed far away, and I wasn’t able to get good pictures, but they returned yesterday evening and provided great views, mainly of the male, and I was able to get better photos. Here they are!

The female grosbeak in a deciduous tree, unlike the name would suggest.
A female grosbeak eating the flowers of the deciduous tree.
The female with the flower in its mouth.
The male grosbeak displaying its beautiful colors while foraging for pollen and flowers.
The male posed wonderfully on a branch for several minutes, resting from foraging, and allowed me to get several good photos.
A zoomed-out view of the male perching on the branch.
photography

Coulson Gulch & Leadville Arrival

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A Sand Lily on the trail out of Coulson Gulch
A Delphinium also on the trail out of Coulson Gulch
The trail into Coulson Gulch with a view of the foothills
A weird ice formation off the side of the shed in Leadville
A male Pine Grosbeak in a pine tree in Leadville
A female Pine Grosbeak in the same tree in Leadville