Mike’s Photo Blog

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Horny Bluebirds

A chilly and windy Sunday morning meant no yard for me so after another cup of tea and some warm croissants and while waiting for the Bahrain GP I decided to do a bit of bird photography. For a change I got the flash setup, I could have got away without it but wanted to keep my hand in as it were. The flash was mounted on a tripod about 3 meters from the setup and about the same from my lens. It wasn't long after coming inside when the Bluebirds appeared, there's been one or two pairs checking out the nest boxes for a while but I wasn't ready for what took place. The horny pair started fornicating on my flash head! I tried to get a shot of them while they were at it but they were too close and the lens couldn't focus that close.

The Blue Jays were loving the unshelled peanuts, the Grackles displaying and all in all it wasn't a bad 1/2 hour, I took just over 250 shots and down loaded 31 and then whittled them down to these few.

Common Grackle

Eastern Bluebird F

Eastern Bluebird M

Mourning Dove

Northern Flicker

Blue Jay

Eastern Bluebird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Common Grackle

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

Blue Jay

Common Grackle

Friday, April 11, 2025

Drizzly, Showery Day

Yesterday was chilly but rather yucky so I didn't go out much. In the afternoon the light wasn't too bad between showers and there was a fair bit of activity at the feeders so I gave it a go. I made a bit of mistake in reducing the effective travel range of the lens in switching to the reduced focusing range from 6M-∞ rather than the minimum focus distance of 2.5M-∞. While this feature is great for reducing the focusing time if you miss the subject as the lens focussing mechanism doesn't have to travel so far to reacquire focus. In reducing the range I was just a little too close to the feeder setup in some shots as I was closer than 6M. I'll switch it back to full travel next time.

Soon be time for the Juncos to head North but the Warblers, Orioles, Flycatchers and Tanagers will be taking their place.

Dark-eyed Junco

Brown-headed Cowbird F

Northern Flicker

Mourning Dove

Dark-eyed Junco

Blue Jay

Dark-eyed Junco

Tufted Titmouse

Northern Cardinal

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Tuesday Birds

The other day after seeing the Blue Jays totally emptying a whole feeder full of unshelled peanuts in just a few minutes I put a load on the feeder setup and they certainly didn't disappoint. I saw one swallow a whole one and pick up another and flew off with it. So if you want to attract Blue Jays, unshelled peanuts work great.

Blue Jay

Several other visitors when the Blue Jay had devoured the peanuts.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Starling

Northern Cardinal

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Common Grackle

I watched this Tufted Titmouse skydiving at the feeder and caught him just torpedoing from the Spicebush to the feeder without a flap of its wings once at 20 frames per second.