long-billed curlew

A simple Long-billed Curlew Post

By Mia McPherson, on April 20th, 2013%

Long-billed Curlew

This is just a simple post with a few Long-billed Curlew images I took not long before I discovered the Mountain Plovers on April 10th on Antelope Island State Park. The Mountain Plovers were great but so are the Long-billed Curlews.

Alert Long-billed Curlew

I think that Long-billed Curlews are elegant and graceful shorebirds and their colors are earthy but vibrant plus they are a lot of fun to observe and photograph.

Long-billed Curlew about to lift off

This Long-billed Curlew was about to lift off when I photographed it so I like the pose and how dynamic it feels.

More Long-billed Curlews have arrived here and just two days ago I heard my first of year Willets calling on the island so soon I will be photographing them again.

Mia

A few bird images from this past week

By Mia McPherson, on April 13th, 2013%

Male Long-billed Curlew calling

Because of fluctuating weather I have only gotten out to photograph three times this past week, on the days I didn’t get out I know I was having withdrawals because it is spring migration and I’m excited to see my first of years birds and to photograph the ones that have already returned.

Last Saturday the weather was a bit on the gloomy side but we went to Antelope Island anyway to meet up with Steve Creek who was camping on the island and visiting from Arkansas. Before seeing Steve I took this image of a male Long-billed Curlew calling. The bills of male Long-billed Curlews are shorter than the bills of females.

Steve didn’t stay in Utah as long as he hoped because our weather turned nasty with a storm front coming in and rain/snow in the forecast. The winds got pretty bad ahead of that front.

Male Mountain Plover

The highlight of the week was when I spotted a pair of Mountain Plovers on Antelope Island State Park, they are rare to Utah and they were lifer birds for me. I sent in my report to the Utah Bird Records Committee along with a few images.

Who knew that sighting a tiny shorebird could cause such an uproar?

Anyway, I took loads of images of the pair of Mountain Plovers that I am very happy with. I suspect there are more of these beautiful shorebirds in Utah this time of the year but they might be located in areas that are under birded or inaccessible to the general public.

Great Egret stalking prey

Yesterday at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge I saw a few first of year birds for me, two Great Egrets, a few Snowy Egrets and Clark’s Grebes delighted me. I also spotted a Rough-legged Hawk from a distance, all the Roughies will soon be gone.

American Avocet in flight

Black-necked Stilts and American Avocet numbers are on the increase at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge and their calls are filling the air. This one flew past me and seemed to beg me to take pictures of it. Okay, the bird didn’t beg, I simply could not resist taking images of it.

American Avocets mating

Speaking of “not being able to resist”, these two American Avocets couldn’t resist courting and mating yesterday. I wish they had been a bit closer but I feel lucky to have gotten the images I did of them because they mate very quickly. You can’t blink while they are mating or you will miss it.

I’m hoping the weather this upcoming week is better so I can experience more of the wonders of migration.

I tripped yesterday in a parking lot which literally brought me to my knees. My knees are scraped up and bruised and although I was embarrassed by my lack of grace, I’ll be fine.

Even though I only got out to photograph birds three times this week each of the days I did get out were very memorable!

Have a great Saturday.

Mia

*Please do not pin my images on Pinterest, Tumblr or any other pinning site, that is a violation of Copyright Laws. Feel free to share the link to my posts but not the images directly.

Male Long-billed Curlew lifting off

By Mia McPherson, on April 2nd, 2013%

Male Long-billed Curlew lifting off – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

I photographed this male Long-billed Curlew last week as he was starting to lift off. It has been wonderful hearing their calls again and seeing them poking around in the new growth of grasses. They are selecting mates already.

I found some Long-billed Curlews in a new location in Tooele County, that was pretty exciting. I’m happy that they are back, I guess you all can tell!

Mia

Seen and Heard – First of year Long-billed Curlew

By Mia McPherson, on March 24th, 2013%

Long-billed Curlew – taken in spring 2012 – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

The light wasn’t cooperating much on Antelope Island this morning because of clouds that were in front of the sun.

But… when we stopped at one of the parking lots that overlooked Bridger Bay I heard a call that made me jump in my seat and before I could say “Long-billed Curlew!!” I could see the bird flying towards the grasses that were a long distance from the parking area. I scoped the shorebird with my lens just to be sure and could see the beautiful colors and long bill of the curlew.

The bird stayed too far away to get images of but that did not dampen my joy.

Needless to say, I have had a smile on my face since then. The Long-billed Curlews are back!!

Mia

More Long-billed Curlew images

Photograph but don’t touch – Wildlife Ethics

By Mia McPherson, on March 20th, 2013%

Long-billed Curlew chick – Look & photograph but don’t touch

Yesterday I became aware of two photographers in Florida who went beyond what is considered “ethical” to get photos of a Sandhill Crane chick and it ticked me off. Another photographer was able to take images of the photographers and it ended up in the news.

One of the ~~photographers~~, or rather one of the guys with a camera, was petting the Sandhill Crane chick and per Cathy Terry, the photographer who took images of them:

“When I zoomed in on the photo, I realized he had his hand crooked under the neck and his finger like that,” she said, demonstrating. “Holding it up so the other guy could get a close up of the chick’s face.”

You can see the full article here: Over-friendly photographers could face charges

The article originally said that these cranes are endangered and that wasn’t correct but they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act - Grus canadensis, Sandhill Crane.

These guys with cameras should not have approached the crane chick so close and they certainly should not have been touching it. The fact that they made the news can damage the reputation of other bird and wildlife photographers which possibly could put new and harsher restrictions on the rest of us. It was a dumb thing to do, period.

Two places to read about good field ethics: Principles of Birding Ethics published by the American Birding Association and NANPA’s Ethical Practices (pdf)

Red Fox Kit portrait – Look & photograph but don’t touch

Young animals can look adorable but they shouldn’t be touched either. I recall the day I photographed several Red Fox kits, they were curious and came right up to the pick up and I believe if I had been outside of it they would have come right up to me. That could have caused them problems by getting them used to people.

“Any contact with an animal, especially when they’re young, can make them less afraid of humans and more suspect to getting hurt,” stated Officer Baryl Martin of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.”

Both of the images here were taken with a long lens to reduce stress on the young animals.

I do hope that non-photographers and the general public know that behavior like this is an exception and that ethical photographers would not have gone up and petted the Sandhill Cranes.

Mia