Sheldon's Follies Autumn 2010

Black-capped Chickadee

an immature Cooper's Hawk

A Great Egret

A Common Grackle

Red-winged Blackbird

another shot of the Red-winged Bb.

a female Red-ringed Bb doing a lil preening..

Here's a new one the Winter Wren.

A Northern Flicker

still lots of berries to eat...

A Cape May Warbler

Been looking for 2 weeks...their a little late but the Rusty Blackbirds have arrived.

my shot of the day...really happy with this one.

Like the kool little mask they get in the fall....last shot for today. I think I have a Marsh Wren for another new bird..that would be No.190 on my list. Also may have a new warbler...I will update if so. Till next time.

My God, Burd. What a day you had! Fantastic shots. There's a couple I don't think I've seen photos of before, the well-named Rusty Blackbird and the American Tree Sparrow. The first shot of the Myrtle Warbler is sensational.

Thank you Margaret! Yes it was crazy busy at Sheldon's and it was quite loud at times...large flocks of Starlings, Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds...with the Rusty's mixed in.

Edited to say: the 400mm did not do justice capturing the true size of these flocks.

This message was edited Oct 10, 2010 12:23 AM

Wonderful shots Burd! Great day indeed!

I am moving in next fall Burd!! LOL

Fantastic day there!! The American Tree Sparrow is one of my favorites! Rusty Blackbird shot is waaaayyy cool! Hope to see one someday!

Congrats on your new birds too!!

Thanks Pelle and nanny! nanny the Rusty's are almost always near water...my field guide states they are uncommon and declining, but I seen a flock of about 50 or so at one time on Saturday...if you live near a marsh or bog you may find them...if there are berries.

Sometimes my visits to the marsh (before work) produce very little. It depends on what I,m looking for most of the time and lately it has been Warbler's and migrants...but after taking many photographs of those birds it gets old unless of course you have a cooperative bird who is not your typical local bird. Sometimes I like to keep my eye's to the sky for a Bald Eagle or a Red-tailed Hawk photo opportunity. Today I got both. First up though are just a couple of shots of Rusty Blackbirds flying by. I will be working on flights shots more often as the Warbler's are starting to thin-out and both Kinglet's are starting to move on.

Shots are nothing to brag but I caught enough for them to be decent.

While approaching the marsh area of Sheldon's I see a Bald Eagle soaring.

Then a Red-tailed Hawk comes in....these birds were high-up and I couldn't get on the other side of them (for sun) but the shots were better than I expected.

Thought it was kool that I got a shot of these two together...but it would get better.

Both bird's are juveniles...

the Eagle never flapped his wings the whole time...(riding a thermal) the Hawk look's to break his glide but the Eagle pays him no mind.

Or is it more raptor play like 2ndcousinDave's Cooper's Hawk.

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I,m shooting like the wind trying to time the shutter slowdown so I don't miss too much...I doubt I'll ever capture somethings like this again but..

you never know what nature will show you next.

I can't wish for more than I got (better shots)...today.

till next time..

Nice action shots Burd!

Goodness, I don't know how you kept snapping these photos. I can only imagine how excited you were just to see this! I've watched similar instances here with our eagles, but have never managed to get photos. Pat yourself on the back for these! Great job.

Thanks gang! I had to hold the 400mm straight up...I can't imagine trying to hold a 500mm or better and keep a steady aim on the bird's. Only camera setting I would have changed would have been the metering. Even after I pooped-out from holding the lens the Hawk was still hanging around the Eagle...and they went higher and higher and faded away out of sight. Must be a great time riding a thermal.

Nice Burd! I agree it does all get old unless you come up with new challenges for yourself. I have been going thru that myself lately so have shifted my focus a little for right now.