Ranging from hummingbirds and warblers to woodpeckers and jays the first autumn migrants are arriving, with many, many more are on the way to lands south of our border. It's time to refresh our yards and feeding station to attract and benefit the greatest variety of birds as they make their way across the land from nesting ranges southbound. It's also fun to try to attract new birds to stop and stay a while when they find out there is a predictable source of favored foods and fresh water on the edge of backyard habitats.
With the advent of fall migration, Birding Festivals are gearing up across the continent from Washington to Georgia and Texas to Quebec with migration themes that highlight birds ranging from hummingbirds to hawks. Some, like the Rockport-Fulton HummerBird Celebration are welcoming birders to their 38th festival on the Gulf Coast of Texas, while other exciting festival venues are growing annually. Birding Festivals are truly celebrations of birds and birding, shared by participants that range among every age to every level of interest in birds.
We all pay attention to weather reports and forecasts, sometimes daily. Now there is a seasonal excitement about bird migration generated by BirdCast, in which weather radar is used to monitor the volumes of birds migrating during spring and fall migration seasons across the continental United States. Will birders soon be watching television broadcasts or YouTube presentations of migration forecasts similar to weather forecasts? The first such broadcast has already been created as a precursor to what may soon be one of our newest resources!
A new personal "state bird" should be front page news for any birder, and sooo it is right here as I announce the sighting of my first Least Bittern in the state of North Dakota! And it was just 3 miles south of the office as it flew within 15 feet of me and landed in small stand of cattails as I was photographing a young Eared Grebe at Grebe Marsh. I managed a documentary photo of the newbie, a female, to share with you here, although I also include a companion photo of a male I took of my only Least Bittern sighted in South Dakota (at Hecla Marsh).
Providing quality optics at the right price, Nikon Monarch M5 8x42 Binoculars feature ED glass objective lenses for clearer, sharper views of birds that are enhanced by phase-coated and dielectric-coated prisms. The textured rubber armor provides added protection for these rugged binoculars as well as a sure grip for when you are birding. Providing a generous field of view for birders of 335 feet at 1,000 yards, the 8x42 M5s also close focus down to 8 feet. One of the lightest 42mm binoculars in its class, barely weighing 22 ounces, the Monarch M5s are also waterproof and fogproof.
Patagonia has a wealth of new outdoor clothing for birders as summer trends toward fall or mountain birding trips require an extra layer. Always stylish yet casual and comfy, Patagonia provides quality outdoor wear that doubles as indoor clothing that you can wear to work too. For example, the new Lightweight Fjord Flannel Shirt can make your next camping trip more comfortable, just as it will during your next neighborhood walk – and it comes in in 6 colors. In addition to the many new products available, there is a Big Sale on out of season apparel that may interest you – and you can even trade-in gently used Patagonia clothing and gear.
When you are on the road, headed for an exciting birding destination, a great safety addition for any vehicle is the EverStart Maxx Jump Starter that provides a charge or quick-start to a 12-volt battery, and it includes an Air Compressor with a sure fit nozzle so you can inflate tires, air mattresses, and sports equipment. There are also 3 USB ports to charge multiple cellphones and personal electronics at the same time, and the pivoting LED light provides illumination on demand. The portable EverStart Maxx provides ample jump-starting power for 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder engines, and the integrated heavy-duty clamps and reverse polarity protection allow you to safely jumpstart cars and small trucks.
Watch hummingbirds feeding right outside your favorite window as they alight on the HighView perch for an even better close-up look at the smallest feeder visitors. The Jewel Box Window Hummingbird Feeder is a gem of a feeder that is shaped like a jewel box with 3 raised feeding ports. It also features a clear plastic ant moat to keep ants and crawling bugs from accessing the feeder. Two strong suction cups secure the feeder to your window, and while providing an 8-ounce nectar capacity it measures 4½ x 6½ x 1¾ inches tall.
Feel the Spirit of the eagle in flight, plying the windless evening sky in a straight line that sweeps into a graceful 180-degree banking turn. Leveling off again, the young eagle’s flight continues directly in front of the camera, followed intently through the zoom lens as it veers in my direction. As it passes my stance and circles as a silhouette between the low sun and my position, I raise my left hand high and called happily “Thank you, good luck young eagle!” As if reacting to my raised voice, it broke its circling flight and flew directly toward me, prompting me to raise my camera again to document its slow gliding flight directly overhead. What an exciting surprise!
Less than 2 months out of the nest, this young Bald Eagle provided a brief but memorable photo opportunity that resulted in a nice representative flight series as the evening sunlight dimmed (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/1250 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
As a birder, and especially as a birder with a camera in hand, how lucky could I be just at the edge of adequate evening light? I was on an extended photo drive that hadn’t offered many opportunities – surprisingly. But the biggest surprise was the eagle flight described above and illustrated here as it took place before me. I sighted the young Bald Eagle that probably left its nest less than 2 months ago as it perched atop a tree on the edge of a broad wetland. I double-checked my camera settings from a distance and waited a few moments for a small cloud to clear the sun.
Banking flight offers a dramatic view of birds, especially raptors, and the light haze in the sky seemed to provide an umber glow to the new brown plumage of the recently independent Bald Eagle (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/1250 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
Sunlight beamed through again, somewhat subdued in the hazy western sky, but before I could move into a closer position, the young eagle took flight. To get a better photo vantage point I stepped out of my car to watch the eagle fly a straight line before me toward the south. I focused my lens on the eagle and took a few photographs as I followed its flight, then as it moved a bit out of range I prompted it to “turn, turn.” And turn it did, in a 180-degree banking flight that yielded a second exciting series of photographs as the young eagle exercised its wings before me, then angled closer until it passed behind me, as described in the first paragraph. This was certainly a delightful surprise at the end of a day trip, and an excellent example of how birding can switch a rather mundane outing into an especially thrilling photo event in an instant. It’s a prime example of the kind of excitement and surprise that fuels our interest in birds, birding, and bird photography.
A favorite photograph in the series shows the eagle as it turned closer in a pleasing position during the downstroke of its wings. Matched below with a look at the underside of its body and wings, it looks so different you might question if it is even the same bird (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/2000 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
In retrospect, as I was momentarily preparing to move to a closer position to photograph the eagle, did the big raptor fly ever-closer to study me and my car? It essentially flew a half-circle around me, then returned directly above me. Maybe it was showing its interest in me as it is learning more about its surroundings day by day. By the way, after the young eagle flew directly overhead, it veered to the southeast a hundred yards to perch on the same branch where I first encountered it moments before. How could I have orchestrated such a photo interaction better? And how much fun and continued excitement the encounter provided to fuel my drive home, still searching for the next birds, but smiling all the way and anxious to review the resulting photographs on my laptop at my office desk.
It was quite a thrill to have the eagle glide directly overhead, and while you can see little more than a silhouette of the bird, the image emphasizes the especially broad wingspan of the eagle and provides a lasting impression (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/1000 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
In the field I checked a few of the photos on the mini-screen on the back of my camera for exposure, lighting, and sharpness, but while the little screen can be deceiving, the images showed promise. On my 17-inch computer screen, where I do my photo reviews and photo editing, it was especially rewarding to see how beautiful the young eagle looked in its varied flight positions. As for editing the photos, I try to limit any photo manipulations to simple cropping, primarily eliminating extraneous sky in this case. Cropping also enlarges the bird within the new photo frame, which is often a plus for bird photographers. I usually try not to center the bird by leaving some extra space in front of its gaze. I’m especially glad to share my favorite photos in the series I took with you as they reflect the majesty of America’s national bird, even a very young Bald Eagle as it learns more about flying and the world around it.
