Today is Earth Day, which is a mighty general name for a significant topic – our Earth. Our suggestion for birders is to emphasize birds – such an important part of the Earth's life forces. Make today, or a more convenient day this week a "Bird Day!" Go birding beyond your yard with your binoculars, photograph birds at your feeding station, nest box, or perched among your landscaping. Plant or shop for a new berry bush, flowering tree, or some red blooming hummingbird plants. Read about a favorite bird – one that visits your yard or one that you wish would visit your yard – and learn more about its life history and similar species.
At the peak of songbird migration and the beginning of the nesting season, it will be prime time to spend a day or a weekend at one of the premier birding festivals being conducted in May. As an extension of last week's "Early May Birding Festivals" article, the following list of events continues from mid-month through the 31st. All birding festivals are different, owing to their location, timing, duration, the activities offered, and the people organizing, leading, and participating. Enjoy seeing what's available at birding festivals near or far, and enjoy the camaraderie benefits of attending a birding festival.
Just as the spring migration of warblers is beginning, you can download and print a free full-color Warbler Identification Guide from the Bird Academy. Warblers can be among the most challenging birds to identify due to varied plumage colors and patterns between species, sexes, age groups, and the seasons, so this timely guide provides a source of information that will improve your warbler ID IQ. There are actually 3 pages of warbles included in this excellent Warbler ID Guide, divided into Eastern, Western, and Widespread Warblers found in the United States and Canada. Print the .pdf pages and study them at home and take them with you in the field.
An exciting surprise sighting of the week was finding a diminutive Burrowing Owl, exceptionally rare east of the Missouri River these days, but I found 2 last year after not seeing any the previous decade, so their return is promising. I'm almost surprised I found the too-kool owl because it blended into the grass background so well, although it was standing low behind the rim of bare dirt at a sizeable badger burrow. It seemed like it was even claiming the burrow considering it permitted me to take a few photos without flinching at my approach or quick photo series.
Providing the advanced features of ED objective lenses and flat field technology, Celestron's Regal ED 8x42 Binoculars provide visibly brighter, sharper views of birds, combined with vivid, true-to-life colors. The eyepieces of the Regal EDs feature field flattener technology that delivers edge-to-edge clear views, and the 8x42 Regals provide an impressively wide field of view of 420 feet at 1,000 yards – so helpful when scanning for birds. The Regals are Celestron's top line of performance binoculars, yet they are available at a very affordable price – and it's important to know, the Regals were specially designed for birders.
Columbia outdoor clothing is famous for year-round comfort with new spring arrivals available now. And with many clothing items on sale, Columbia also provides a variety of quality outdoor gear that includes backpacks and duffels, as well as camping equipment. There is also a selection of sun safe UV-protected shirts and pants and other outdoor wear that offers insect shield technology. An example of a warm weather alternative to stay sun safe and cool is the Women's Granite Point Woven UPF 50+ Long Sleeve Shirt that is available in 4 colors and is on sale for 60 percent off – plus it's water resistant and stain resistant.
Stop ants from reaching your hummingbird and oriole feeders while providing a vital water source for all birds. The Ant-Mote is a premium 7-inch diameter ant moat and birdbath combination that is designed to fit nearly all ⅝-inch or 1-inch poles. The Ant-Mote creates an impassable water barrier to keep ants away from hummingbird and oriole nectar feeders, but it has a dual function in that its large 7-inch diameter see-through mote is a functional birdbath that holds enough water to last at least 2 days.
Ring-necked Pheasants are especially wary, so being close enough to photograph a strutting male is always exciting. By spending a little extra time with the full-color rooster, a portrait led to a rare photograph of the cock crowing (600mm zoom lens, f-10 aperture, 1/1600 shutter speed, 800 ISO.)
Ring-necked Pheasants have become more obvious during the past 2 weeks, and males in particular are showing advanced signs of spring in their behaviors. A week ago Sunday I observed a male displaying to a female with its plumage puffed while staying low enough to look her in the eye. I continued north a couple miles, and about 15 minutes later observed another male and positioned myself for a photo. I hoped he might do more than offer the head-high strut he was advancing, when I heard another pheasant cock crow in the distance, I expected my photo subject would answer, which put me and my shutter finger on high alert.
I was surprised that it took about 40 seconds for the gaudy rooster to respond, but suddenly he raised his beak high and crowed as he began a wing flap while raising and spreading its tail in super-fast action. At first the pheasant was facing away from me (toward the distant male), but in the excitement of the crowing sequence the rooster turned to show a bit more of a side view and the chance for a couple nice photos, including some impressive post-crowing images. I have found that photographing a crowing pheasant is one of the hardest things to accomplish as a bird photographer, so I was glad to get this initial photo series of the first pheasant I have seen crowing this spring!
A crowing sequence takes little more than a flash of time in the late afternoon light, so it’s essential to be ready for action and hope the bird provides a side view or front view for you to photograph. A fast shutter speed is essential to stop the especially fast action (600mm zoom lens, f-10 aperture, 1/1600 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
Ring-necked Pheasants were introduced from the heart of their native range in China to areas of North America and Europe more than a century ago, and have become a vibrant part of many American and Canadian bird communities. The Ring-necked Pheasant has even been adopted as the state bird of South Dakota. Pheasants are among the most colorful birds, and they always evoke a thrill when encountered while birding, or under any other circumstances.
Drawing parallels between pheasants and chickens does have a basis in biology. The pheasant family, Phasianidae, includes many species of true pheasants, mostly of Asian origin, and their suggested ancestral stock – junglefowl – which show an obvious connection to domestic chickens in their overall look and behavior. And a basic aspect behavior of the fowl and pheasant family is the vocal crowing of males – also known as roosters and cocks – as part of territorial and mating behaviors.
The range of vibrant colors and designs in the plumage of a male Ring-necked Pheasant is best illustrated in early morning or late afternoon sunlight, and spring courtship activities provide the best chances to document pheasant colors and behaviors (600mm telephoto lens, f-10 aperture, 1/1600 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
When searching for tigers in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, roosters were crowing often – Red Junglefowl roosters that is. So I’m always excited to hear a rooster crow, with or without an associated sighting, but to see a pheasant crow is relatively rare, and to have a chance to photograph a colorful Ring-neck is especially rare, but at the same time exciting and rewarding!
