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So I've finally created a space to post some of my photos of birds that are not necessarily so rare (though
the occasional rare bird may appear here if I am in a hurry). I'll update this page periodically so check back often. Most
recent work will be on top and older pictures will roll off after awhile.
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5/9/2013: Steve Sanford found this fine-looking adult Glossy
Ibis at the Shenango River Reservoir propagation area in the afternoon of May 9. The species is rare but annual
in eastern Pennsylvania, but nearly accidental west of the Allegheny Front, which when combined with the fact that it was
being seen fairly close to the road at the propagation area, made for an easy decision to go see it. Note the dark iris and
face (both brown, not red), and the way the white border around the face is broken behind the eye, instead of forming a complete
border around the whole face. Both of these features indicate Glossy Ibis rather than White-faced; there are only two records
for Pennsylvania of the latter.
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| Canon 1DMkIV, 500mm f/4L + 2x TC III, 1/800 sec. at f/8 (manual), ISO 1250, tripod |
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| Canon 1DMkIV, 500mm f/4L + 2x TC III, 1/1250 sec. at f/8 (manual), ISO 1250, tripod |
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5/4/2013: While chasing a Golden-winged Warbler found by Shannon Thompson at Walker Park in Edgeworth,
Allegheny County, I happened onto this beautiful male Mourning Warbler working
the brush along the creek. It was the perfect example of the Patagonia Picnic Table effect: show up at a location for
one rare bird, find another! (I and others did -- eventually -- see the Golden-winged too, but it proved to be one of the
most stubbornly uncooperative photo subjects I've run across in some time. This is typical for them on migration in Allegheny
County, though, at least in my experience.)
This was rather early for Mourning Warbler in Allegheny County, but there is at least one record much earlier: 27 April
1990, a bird which coincidentally was also found at Walker Park.
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| Canon 1DMkIV, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/800 sec. at f/6.3 (manual exp., flash +1/3), ISO 800, handheld |
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3/7/2013: In February and early March of 2011, a distinctive-looking leucistic
Canada Goose frequented the Bald Knob area. I photographed the bird on March 9 of that year. Today, I was
surprised to see the bird again at the main pond, almost two years to the day that I photographed it in 2011. It was in close
company with another (normal) Canada Goose and the two of them eventually flew off together. It's a neat looking bird; the
neck and tail are both dark like a normal Canada Goose (although a dark chocolate brown, instead of black), but the rest of
the bird is a very light cream color, not pure white but close. The primaries and secondaries do have a bit more brown
than the rest of the white areas, making an interesting effect when the bird is in flight.
In 2011 it was in close keeping with another Canada as well, raising the interesting question as to whether this is a
bonded pair and whether they have bred in in the past. Who knows?
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| Canon 1DMkIV, 500mm f/4L + 2x TC III, 1/1250 sec. at f/8 (manual), ISO 1250, handheld |
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| Canon 1DMkIV, 500mm f/4L + 2x TC III, 1/1250 sec. at f/8 (manual), ISO 1250, handheld |
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12/16/2012: A sort of family portrait. On the Erie CBC yesterday, a Trumpeter
Swan was found in the company of two Mute Swans near Perry Monument
on Presque Isle State Park. This afternoon I stopped by there and found all three birds still present, along with a single
Tundra Swan. The lighting situation was about as adverse as it could be, with
the birds strongly backlit and a ferocious south wind that tossed both the birds and the camera around a great deal. Still,
I could not resist trying for a photo containing all three species. Considering the challenges with the depth of field and
the backlighting, this one came out about as well as could be expected, with the Trumpeter at front left. Actually the hardest
part was waiting until they all had their heads out of the water at the same time...
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| Canon 1DMkIV, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x TC III, 1/1000 sec. at f/10 (manual), ISO 1000, tripod |
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