Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Conspicuous

My best shot for the year of the Phoebe
You never know.  You never know.  I am finding that once I have that obligatory "snapped an excellent to alright shot" out of the way of a bird, I can relax a bit.  And then there are eyes.  They become sharper at spotting most of what would otherwise remain hidden from the public eye. Things that were hidden are now easier to find.  My birding skills are getting better and here is what I discovered on this particular day.......
Night Heron
I have wanted badly to spot a Night Heron and today I got that shot.  It took me minutes of scanning reeds before I found this little gem hiding.   What a beautiful bird!
Hispid Cotton Rat
And then there are the ears.  I hear something scrabbling in the reeds and think, "Warbler, Flycatcher, Sparrow?"  Nope. Just a rat.
Great Blue Heron rookery
And the rustle above your head, "Owl, Hawk?"  No!  A heron rookery!!!! And there they were....4 nests! FOUR!  It looked as if the parents were dropping fish into the nest and the young ones were feeding.
Most people walk by.  But not me:).
Your eyes will strain and your hands will get heavy from holding the binoculars or camera...
But if you're patient, you'll see this below!!!!  Look very very closely.  I'm not going to tell you what to look for.....be a birder.  Look closely.  Patiently.  And maybe you'll see it:)
 What?  You can't see it?  Look closer.  Hint.  My favorite kind of bird.  And another amazing capture without tips etc.  All I can say....exciting.  More tomorrow....
The Great Horned Owl nesting


16 comments:

  1. I love the Phoebes, they are so funny to watch as they fly catch things you can't possibly see from a lookout perch. I use to see them on the same perch everyday at the same location in some of the landscapes we maintained.

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  2. Great photos Chris - lovely to see all the herons and the Great Horned Owl nesting. Sounds like you had a great time :)

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  3. looks like a better location for the nest than the last one!

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  4. Nice to have that nest to follow the growing of the chicks!!
    Greetings from Spain, a wonderland in birding!

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  5. Yes, one needs sharp eyes and ears to capture the elusive of nature.

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  6. Sometimes it is all about slowing down and enjoying a slower, quieter pace. I think nature responds.

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  7. Hi Chris,
    Getting those senses honed in now eh? Camera skills coming along nicely too I see :-)

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  8. NIce shots Chris. It's funny how that works with vision/spotting. Eyes can't be exercised in quite the same way--staring at things doesn't actually improve our vision. And yet, birding helps one develop such a greater eye for detail, for movement, and whether we like it or not, an appreciation for grace and beauty.

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  9. Great photographs, and my fave is the Night Heron, it's wonderful.

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  10. Hi There, I'm trying to catch up a little today... IF I have missed any blog posts which you want me to see, please email me... I'll try to read them all --but it may take awhile... Thanks!!!!

    Wow---great photos of your birds, Chris. I never see Phoebes here... AND I've never seen an owl... You are so lucky!!!!! WOW--thanks!

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  11. Kocham obserwować przyrodę, tak jak Ty. Mieszkam jednak w mieście i na co dzień nie mam takiej możliwości :-(. Pozdrawiam.
    I love to observe nature, just like you. But I live in the city and every day I do not have that option. Yours.

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  12. Nice clear shot of the phoebe and I like the nesting owl. I hear owls at night, but I've never seen one in the daylight.

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  13. Great post and beautiful shots.
    I know how you felt about spotting a heron, I haven't seen one for years. But the other day I saw one, but it was too late in the evening to get a proper shot. I do hope I'll see one again soon, I just have to photograph one.

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  14. great sightings!! even the rat! :)
    love the night heron...but the OWL!! my favorite!!

    it's nice to be one of those who can keep those ears & eyes open...and catch the INconspicuous things of nature.

    perfect shots!

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  15. Great shots, seeing an owl is really special.

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  16. Anyone who can tell a Hispid Cotton Rat from an ordinary RAT is amazing.

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