As sometimes happens, this photo essay has changed substantially since I began it. When I volunteered to host today’s Dawn Chorus, I did so because it fit my calendar and schedule, not because I had anything particular in mind. Then last weekend the osprey shown above visited my backyard, spending almost two hours enjoying a leisurely breakfast in a tree. I thought, “Excellent! This can be my topic for Dawn Chorus.”
Then, later this past week, I acquired a new camera lens. Just when I was ready to try it out, the guy at the right flew past my window and landed nearby.
This red-shouldered hawk obligingly posed for about a hundred photos over the next half hour while it hunted in the trees surrounding my house.
My newly upgraded camera now weighs about six pounds. I was getting a wee bit tired and my left arm was starting to cramp when it finally flew around the back of my house and out of sight.
This picture is not well focused, but I like the way it shows those red shoulders.
I didn’t have much time to rest, however, because another dramatic character arrived.
I suspect this is the same young woodpecker that spent the winter here. I first saw it back in November, when it’s head was pale purple rather than red. Over the course of the season it’s become nicely crimson. I’ve been expecting it to leave and migrate elsewhere, but recently I’ve noticed another red-headed woodpecker joining it at times, and possibly inspecting nest options. I don’t really expect them to nest here, but it would be great if they did. There are several other species of woodpeckers who reside in my neighborhood, but this is the first year I’ve seen red heads.
Although my arm was tired from hoisting the heavier-than-before camera gear, the current weather and forecast weather indicated I should take more pictures while circumstances allowed. So I went over to the other shore of the neighborhood lake to look for other photo subjects.
Alas, there were no ospreys over there. I’ve had two sighting this spring already, though, which is more than my quota for two or three years, so I shouldn’t complain. I did see one of these fly over. It gave me a chance to try getting a clear photo of something in flight. This one doesn’t appear in any of my bird guides, however. Maybe it’s migrating…
Along with the usual flotilla of Canada geese, I saw a kingfisher, but I couldn’t get a clear photo of it.
Further down the shore I accidentally startled a heron. It flew across a cove to resume hunting. Here it is, sticking its nose where it may or may not belong.
The osprey who first inspired this piece deserves a bit more elaboration. I live pretty far inland, so ospreys are not regular residents. In the fall they can be seen migrating south along with lots of other raptors, but they seem less inclined to stop here. In the spring they seem more likely to drop in for overnight rest stops. Even so, during the years I’ve lived near this little pond lake, I’ve averaged one osprey sighting every other year. Having one spend two hours dining in my backyard was really pretty special.
When I planned to devote this whole piece to the osprey visit, I thought about having a contest to identify the fish it was eating. I figured identifying the bird would be too easy. When I tried to crop the photo to just the fish, however, it seemed just a bit too bloody and R-rated for a Sunday morning. In the spirit of identifying a mystery species, though, here’s an avian specimen to consider. I figured this one out with a little help. Do you recognize it?
If a hint is useful, would it help if I mention that it likes to hang out with these two?
Well, that’s what I’ve got for Dawn Chorus this week. Now I should try to finish my taxes so I can spend some time figuring out how to carry my large and heavy camera with me when I do some cross-country travel next week.
Thanks for joining us for Dawn Chorus. As always, please let us know what birds you’ve seen this week.
Thanks!