Blog – Page 17 – CrazyM Bird & Nature Photography

Bushtit

With spring in the air, one of the things I usually try to do each year is photograph Bushtits building their amazing nests.

Here a Bushtit is arriving beside the nest with nesting material. The main opening for this nest was on the opposite side of me and inaccessible.

At a different nest, this shot was taken from the side to get the background I wanted. Fortunately one of the pair came out another opening at the top on this side allowing me to show some activity. I have yet to find a Bushtit nest this year with a clear shot of the main front opening plus having a background I can render soft and colourful.

Hutton’s Vireo

With the weather apparently about to take a turn for the worse, figured I better get out for a walk this afternoon. Today’s target bird, Hutton’s Vireo. While I have gotten glimpses recently, nothing on the photo front.

This afternoon my luck changed.

The bonus was that it was a pair of Hutton’s Vireo building a nest.

They were busy bringing in feathers,

… and moss for nesting material.

To finish things off I tried to get a little video. A very productive afternoon.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

When I headed out to Reifel to help out on the trails this afternoon it was sunny and there was a good crowd. While not finding much in the first instance,

… I spent time with some Northern Shovelers. Later in the day it started to cloud over with the occasional light shower. To brighten things up a visitor I had spoken to earlier flagged me down and informed he had found a Northern Saw-whet Owl. The owl was tucked away pretty good with lots of branches between it and the camera.

I had to set the camera up low and look up into the overhanging branch. You can see the Northern Saw-whet Owl has a vole in its feet. I spent the next couple of hours set up here showing visitors. As luck would have it and closing time neared, the Saw-whet decided it was time to eat.

I managed to get some video before having to make a dash for the parking lot and five o’clock arrived.