Bird Show in the Bog!
I am thrilled so many of you have enjoyed the hoarfrost morning in the bog - thank you for sharing your comments with me. It is truly my pleasure sharing the beauty around us with you…
This is the continuation of my Saturday morning incredible outing at the Hawley Bog. As I mentioned… just as the dream-like color show in the hoarfrost ended the bird song exploded. As I continue to replay the morning back in my mind over and over - maybe the bird song was happening all along and I just couldn’t take it all in at once. That honestly could be the case - it was all so incredible. It was a landscape I dream of and I was in the middle of it.
As soon as I finished with the color show shots I immediately turned around so that the sun was directly behind me. The feather-like slivers of ice crystals just glistened like diamonds everywhere and I knew that it wouldn’t last long. With the sun on my back I could feel that the temperature was warming up fast. Oh how I was hoping birds would land in my narrow field of vision.
Instantly I could see all kinds of flitting around to my left. I moved along a little further and set up - again, using my tripod more like a monopod. I could tell that there were kinglets flitting around in the lower branches of some bushes very close to me. I willed one of them to pop up out of the underbrush and give me a chance at a shot… and guess what? One did! This little ruby-crowned kinglet popped up onto these branches and never sat still. I hope you enjoy this short series of this little precious thing! As a reminder, Ruby-crowned kinglets are tiny… they are smaller than a chickadee - they weigh between .2 and .4 ounces. Often kinglets are described as flitting around frantically - to me, that is the perfect description. I can’t tell you how hard it is to keep up with their movements.
Jumped up a little further on the branch and sent shavings of ice flying everywhere -
And then it turned around for an instant before taking off! It is difficult to see but I hope you can make out the tiny little patch of red on its head - like a little hash mark.
Just after I pressed the shutter for the above shot the kinglet flew off and there was motion to my right. A gorgeous yellow-rumped warbler landed right in front of me. I love the diamond necklace suspended in mid-air below the yellow-rumped… well, I love everything about this moment…. :)
Straight ahead of me - through the thickets another little yellow-rumped landed for a split second with a little ice crystal on its beak and one that it had sent flying into the air.
Further back into the thicket - another yellow-rumped….
Way over to my left I saw all kinds of motion in the air. Thankfully I spun around fast enough to capture this yellow-rumped just after landing.
About 25 degrees to my left yet another yellow-rumped landed for a nice clean shot!
I heard the Dark-eyed Juncos before I spotted them… and then finally spotted this one back behind my left shoulder -
And then the last shot with any ice crystals…. this Dark-eyed Junco landed just to my left and looked right at me - as if to say - hurry, it is all melting!
The beautiful bird song and flitting around was not done yet - so neither was I. I moved a little further along the boardwalk to my right as I could see lots of action in and out of branches. I had just set up when this stunning Palm Warbler flew in and immediately took off!
Way up and straight ahead of me I saw a flock of something fly in. I honestly could not believe all of this was happening. I moved quickly a few feet further along the boardwalk and set up and this spectacular Pine Siskin landed right in front of me. Wow!
I heard the melodic song of blue birds - but where were they?? I picked up and moved a little further ahead following the songs… I set up. Right away this one flew in and said - does this work for you? :)
Next tree over - I believe this is another Pine Siskin but could be wrong. I was now in the middle of the Pine Siskin flock….
Right in front of me this Yellow-Rumped landed so close to me I think he shocked us both - so he took off immediately!
The following 3 shots are not my best. However, I am very happy overall with how they came out considering it all happened in a split second and I was trying to capture two small birds at once! I heard a very persistent blue bird calling… more like an alarm call rather than a - aren’t I beautiful call. I immediately spun 45 degrees to my left and caught this quick series of two male blue birds…. The first shot is the male blue bird that is being chased away off of his perch - I hope these make you smile…
The one chasing the other one did not stop on the perch but kept on going….. incredible….
I was just turning my camera and tripod around when this yellow-rumped landed practically in front of me -
And another one to my left -
Another one to my right -
I actually felt this young Pine Siskin touch the top of my hat on its way to this branch just above my head! You can’t tell in this shot but it is much smaller than the other Pine Siskin.… just so adorable. I am sure like me it was saying - wow, this feeding frenzy is something else this morning!
I had been out a long time so it was more than time to head back to the car. Of course I didn’t want to … but it was time. I left the bog and was walking on the short beautiful path through the woods back to the little parking area. I walking very slowly - just letting the entire morning settle inside of me. I heard the most beautiful and distinct song of a thrush. Now let me tell you - that was beyond the icing on the cake for this morning. I kept walking and trying to see if I could spot the thrush - and just like the rest of the morning had been - here he was perched for me. I knew that I was coming back the next morning….
Sunday morning - same drill, up early and out to be at the bog before sunrise. Temperature was a little warmer so I knew there would be no frost but I was sure hoping for some birds. I will leave you with 6 shots from Sunday morning. Another beautiful and pin drop quiet morning in the bog. I’ll admit I was tired and sore but I knew I was not going to give up another gorgeous NE fall morning in the bog.
Just as I set up hoping for the little kinglets - this gorgeous chickadee came fluttering in so close I thought he was going to land on me! I held my breath and move slightly to my right in the hopes he would land…. right where he did! :). Already I no longer felt tired…. :)
I saw a spectacular flash of yellow! And this Palm Warbler landed right where I could get a nice clean shot!
Another bird almost landed on top of me! This little Yellow-rumped landed so close I could have reached out and touched it. I have so wanted to get a nice clean shot of their namesake yellow rump… well, this was the morning for that - !
He then flew to my right onto the one branch without all kinds of branches and leaves in the way…. talk about cooperating….
Another shot I have wanted to get for a long time is of a chickadee hanging upside down like they do…. well…. here you go!
And last but not least…….. you know that I love silhouette shots…….. Well my friends - I am very, very excited about this one. I had seen two little kinglets fly off behind me so I spun around, set up quickly…. and hoped for a chance.
I have no more words - I’ll just close by sharing this image with you….