American Pipit with its feathers slightly fluffed – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Last year by this date I had taken hundreds of photos of American Pipits. So far this autumn I have taken Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.
I have been hearing the soft flight calls of American Pipits for weeks and seeing them way out in fields, mudflats and flying overhead. The problem has been that they have all been too far away for decent, high quality images.
The pile of rocks this pipit was photographed on at Farmington Bay WMA last October is gone now and I felt sad when I noticed it because the American Pipits seemed to congregate on those rocks in the early morning hours.
American Pipit in golden morning light – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The American Pipits I’ve seen this year at Farmington Bay WMA are way out in the flats and to the untrained eye they look like leaves blowing in a gentle breeze. I know what they are though and I keep wishing that I could get closer to them this fall. Perhaps I’ll be able to get closer to them at Bear River MBR or further north in Box Elder County. I do know that I am going to keep trying to find some close enough to photograph this fall.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Pipit photos plus facts and information about this species.
👍👍👍👏
I also hope that you’ll get some chances in the coming days with these charmers. What a lovely call too. I wonder why the rocks were moved — they seemed to be the perfect pipit perch.
How frustrating for you to know that they are there and to be unable to capture them. I do hope your hunt is successful (something I will only say about a photographic hunt.
In St George they have a slight orange color from the dirt. The first time I saw one it made it hard to ID.
Great shots!