Black-capped Chickadee
June 2012 – Hillsboro, Oregon
A fleeting moment with a backyard visitor
Black-capped Chickadee
April 2012 – Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon
A number of chickadees were mostly sticking to the scattered Ponderosa Pines in the forested section of the wildlife refuge.
American Goldfinch
June 2012 – Sauvie Island, Oregon
I had set up in a portable blind, waiting for a Yellowthroat to land on this branch. He never did, but this female American Goldfinch passed through. I suppose I can’t complain too much… I was happy with this photo, but reminded myself that I really set up on the wrong side of this branch… though, there really wasn’t a good location on the other side. Another problem was an almost invisible spider web that’s just in front of the bird’s head (you can see it on this photo). Nearly all my photos were focused on the spider web instead of the bird, but this one came out OK. I was impressed that my camera’s autofocus could pick-up a spider web, but I’m not sure when that’d be useful.
Savannah Sparrow
June 2012 – Sauvie Island, Oregon
I had a great moment with this Savannah Sparrow an hour after sunrise, just setting out along the trails on Sauvie Island.
Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
June 2011 – Hillsboro, Oregon
I was surprised to get as close to this Savannah Sparrow as I did. It was just getting near dusk – great light! I just wish I could have gotten a slightly clearer angle. The birds never listen to me when I tell them to pose.
Green-tailed Towhee
May 2012 – Near Mt. Shasta, California
What was most amazing about this sighting was that it was right in the very climax of the 2012 annular solar eclipse – I mean the eclipse was full for like 2 minute, and that’s when I snapped this photo. I had never seen one previously. It’s not the greatest photo, but the only one I have and I’m not sure when I’ll see another of these. But, I suppose I know where to look!
Wrentit
May 2012 – Indian Sands Beach, Oregon
I was walking along the trail saying “This looks just like the sort of place you’d see a Wrentit”. I had only seen one once before, further up the Oregon coast. Sure enough, not more than 30 seconds later, this one appeared. These birds are neither Wrens nor Tits… but seem to be the only American representative of the Babblers found in Europe.
California Quail
May 2012 – Port Orford Heads, Oregon
This female California Quail didn’t linger long on the mossy branch. This was right next to the old sea rescue station at Port Orford Head on the Oregon coast.
Swainson's Thrush
May 2012 – Harris Beach State Park, Oregon
The song of the Swainson’s Thrush has a lot more flourish than the bird. It’s like an uphill spiraling warbling gurgle. The birds are generally very shy, and only somewhat visible in the dawn/dusk hours. It was quite dark when I spotted this one, and he only lingered for a few seconds. Not the best photo, but it’ll have to do for now.
Black Oystercatcher
May 2012 – Secret Beach, Oregon
Sometimes you sit and wait for a bird to do something – anything – to make the photo memorable. This Oystercatcher only opened his bill for a moment, but it added a whole new dimension to the image. Almost like he’s warming up his jaw to take-on that mound of mussles he’s standing on. Or, maybe he had something to say. A moment later, he flew off.
Black Oystercatcher
January 2009 – Shi Shi Beach, WA
I came across these Black Oystercatchers on Shi Shi Beach – along the Washington coast – in early 2009. Usually, these birds are quite skittish, but I managed to get fairly close, just being patient. I waited for a wave to crash behind them to add a little drama, and some better contrast to the scene. Normally, having two subjects in an image isn’t a good approach, as the eye doesn’t know where to settle (three or one is better…), but it is what it is… I figure, it’s also pretty uncommon to get a couple Oystercatchers lined-up like this, so I’ll take it.
Black Oystercatcher
May 2011 – Sister’s Rock, Oregon
Here’s another pair of Black Oystercatchers – this time along the southern Oregon coast. Strange that sometimes these birds won’t let me get within 100 yards, and other times, they seem not to care about me at all.
Yellow-headed Blackbird
May 2012 – Tule Lake, California
A bunch of Yellow-headed Blackbirds had staked-out territory in the reeds on the south shore of Tule Lake. Each seemed to hold about a 30ft radius from the next – not a whole lot of territory.
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Another Yellow-headed Blackbird hanging out in the reeds on the south shore of Tule Lake. The females generally stayed much lower in the reeds, but did pop up from time to time.
Western Grebe
May 2012 – Lower Klamath Lake
A pair of Western Grebes were swimming in one of the maze of channels in Lower Klamath Lake. Funny that these birds dive when startled, but they can only stay down for a short while, and it seems they’re not good with directions under water – half the time, they resurface not much further from where they went under.