Hey everyone!
I'm back from an amazing 3 day weekend. I'll be catching up with blogs again this week. I have a lot of work from the field stuff ahead and can't wait to share with you all some incredible discoveries. But for now, I leave you with the latest with my birding buddy
Kathie! And to be honest, she's not just a birding buddy anymore. She's my buddy. Period. So on with today's outing a little over week ago! Sometimes you have to stare and wonder. How in the world did this bird end up in the middle of the desert?
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| Red Tail Hawk |
But be quick! A magical window for bird spotting happens at the briefest moments of dawn.....when first light and birds meet together to begin the new day.
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| Western Meadowlark |
And if you don't get up, you can sometimes miss some of the most amazing things around you. Today's post was an early morning at 5 AM.
Kathie and I motivate each other to go searching for.....whatever.
And if you think you've figured out the desert, try not to.
So many surprises are hidden and you have to be ready to get it all on camera....
.....because you won't get another chance to film Lark Buntings on a fence line. They'll be in the bushes hiding for the rest of the day!
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| Lark Buntings |
Sometimes the human eye wonders if it is being tricked. But alas, in the quietest of experiences, one can capture the majesty of Mother Nature. And then like a thirsty desert survivor looking for water, a mirage appears and he wonders if he is seeing things correctly......
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| Great Egret |
Ocean birds in the desert!!! Two American White Pelicans with Double Crested Cormorants!
As they fly, an excitement happens and I forget that I'm bouncing on the car while capturing the birds in flight. It takes Kathie to break me from my reverie to keep still so that we both can get the shots:) Sometimes I get so caught up in the moment that I lose track of my surroundings.
But as this Pelican suggests, it's time to go. And at the end of an hour, the birds have also taken the hint and gone into hiding from the nasty heat of the desert. And like that dehydrated human in the desert heading towards the "water", it all disappears!
More tomorrow!!
Posts
So many surprises are hidden and you have to be ready to get it all on camera....
As they fly, an excitement happens and I forget that I'm bouncing on the car while capturing the birds in flight. It takes Kathie to break me from my reverie to keep still so that we both can get the shots:) Sometimes I get so caught up in the moment that I lose track of my surroundings.
But as this Pelican suggests, it's time to go. And at the end of an hour, the birds have also taken the hint and gone into hiding from the nasty heat of the desert. And like that dehydrated human in the desert heading towards the "water", it all disappears!
More tomorrow!!
WOW....these are nice Chris..... very well done.
ReplyDeletegreetings, Joop
So glad you had a good 3 day break.
ReplyDeletePhotos in the post are great :) Amazing the birds you can see first thing in the morning :)
Great birding outing, Chris! Wow, a 5am start is early. But I guess you have to be up with the birds, as the saying goes. I love the Lark Buntings on the fence, very cool. And the Pelican have always been a favorite of mine. Wonderful photos! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteWow! Some of us will NEVER get the chance to film Lark Buntings at ANY time of the day - because they're unknown downunder!!
ReplyDeletePelicans on the other hand ...!!!
chris, you sure know how to captivate your audience...both with story telling and pictures!!
ReplyDeletei think i've said it before...but i never would have imagined there'd be pelicans in the desert!!!
getting UP and OUT early...must help to capture shots of those birds that also wake before dawn
to meet the day before it gets too hot!!
you & kathy seem to be finding all sorts of new & exciting places...and critters!!
awesome pictures...always!!! =)
Beautiful light on the birds today.
ReplyDeleteSeems like you had some really magical moments there Chris. I lovely set of words and images. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWarto wstać rano i zobaczyć tyle pięknych ptaków. Bardzo miło się je ogląda na zdjęciach. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteIt is worth getting up in the morning and see so many beautiful birds. Very nice to watch them in the pictures. Yours.
Groovy Chris. Those White Pelican are perplexing out here in desert, but hey if they don't mind then I don't mind!
ReplyDeleteExcellent shots Chris!
ReplyDeletethe lark buntings are so cute! :)
ReplyDeleteSome lovely stuff there Chris, those Lark Bunting are smart.
ReplyDeleteI love the lark buntings
ReplyDeleteLove them all but #4 is special. They fly like little bullets.
ReplyDelete8th image is very cool!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
xoxo, Juliana | PJ’ Happies :) | PJ’ Ecoproject
How neat, Chris.... Looks like you have a friend for life--in Kathie. That is SUPER... Being with someone who loves birds as much as you do makes it so special. I can 'feel' your GLEE through your words.... I'm SO happy for you.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
What an awesome morning, even at tooearly o'clock. Your images are getting better all the time. Surprised you get them with all that jumping around. What a treat to find these water birds in the desert. And extra special to share it with a wonderful birder friend.
ReplyDeleteChris, this was a fun day. Thanks for encouraging me to get up early!
ReplyDeleteFantastic captures.. love those Lark Buntings all lined-up on the wire fence.
ReplyDeleteYour excitement over spotting the white pelicans is contagious, Chris :) I can relate to that awesome feeling. I am thrilled for you!
So wonderful that you've found someone who shares your passion for birding Chris and yes I agree an early start is the only way to get these kind of fantastic shots. Even my birds tomorrow I had to get up early for, even if it was just in the back garden haha!
ReplyDeleteWonderful birding shots! You two are finding so many great birds! Wow...a red-tailed hawk!
ReplyDelete