Hermit Thrush with a Brown Creeper in the background – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/250, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
While hoping to photograph Brown Creepers two days ago I spotted a Hermit Thrush at a distance on the ground in the deep shadows of a stand of trees. I was able to take a few crappy documentary shots of the bird that showed its lovely rufous tail and then watched as it moved towards the sunlight in a patch of grasses. I took a few more documentary images of the thrush and figured at that point the thrush wouldn’t move any closer to where I sat in a “mobile blind” but to my surprise it flew up to a branch where I was able to take a few nice images of it. Because the Hermit Thrush was in the shadows with bright, dappled light behind it I wasn’t sure that I would like any of the images but I took them any way.
Hermit Thrushes were another nemesis bird for me, the other photos I have taken of this species have all had most of the bird hidden from sight and these are the first full body images I have been able to obtain of this species.
I was glad that I took the photos because I quite like how they turned out and to my surprise I was also able to photograph a Brown Creeper moving up the trunk of the tree the Hermit Thrush was perched on. It isn’t the Brown Creeper photo I have been hoping for but, hey, I have two nemesis birds in the same frame!
Hermit Thrush standing on one leg – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/400, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Once the Brown Creeper moved up the tree trunk I put of of my focus back on photographing the Hermit Thrush. I wish that the thrush had sang because they have such a lovely song.
This Hermit Thrush sighting seems a little late in the year to me but I was sure glad to find it.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see my Hermit Thrush photos plus facts and information about this species.
Mia, the commentary accompanying your pictures are what makes your photography absolutely soecial. They are if a quality any writer of educational material should be green with envy. I wish I was a person of influence, I would get you a good ghost writer that will compile all your pictures and comments into a book! It would be worthy of a coffee table series. Organized by species and suborganized by the seasons we could publish one big or several minor editions. I get caught up in reading the words that go with a photo and then find myself leafing through your photos to read more and more and lose myself in it. It will never get old getting your newsletter!
Congrats on a “nemesii” shot, Mia! 🙂 Love the shot with one foot up — very dainty!
Lovely, I like the subdued tones, and two for one!
Slowly and surely you are sneaking up on your nemisis shots…
Great shots! Hope you got one of the Brown Creeper as well!
Love the images Mia and the song of the Hermit Thrush is delightful! Looks like he struck a pose just for you.
Cool shots!