Monthly Archives: May 2014

Photographing Northern Cardinals Engaged In Courtship Feeding

May 29, 2014Cardinalsnmckown

Capturing the Moment

I’ve seen courtship feeding among cardinals and other bird species often, but I have never been quick enough to photograph this behavior. Last week, I was finally able to capture this group of images in our wooded yard, near the feeders. It happened so quickly – I was lucky to have the lens focused on the female cardinal when the male flew into range with his offering to her.

Photo of 2 Cardinals Mate Feeding — The Female Cardinal Quivered her Feathers and Called to Her Mate
Right Before He Gave her Food. The Quivering is Not Unlike The Behavior
Displayed by the Chicks Trying To Get Food From The Parents.
ISO 1250; f/7.1; 1/800 Second

Photo of Cardinals - Mate Feeding — Two Mated Cardinals – Male Bringing Food and Feeding Female.
ISO 1250; f/7.1; 1/800 Second

Courtship Feeding in Northern Cardinals

This is another one of those times that I can’t help but make comparisons between the behavior of humans and birds. Courtship feeding in northern cardinals appears to be such a tender, selfless act, delicate and sweet. The beak-to-beak offering looks like they are nuzzling, having a moment– something special.

This food sharing ritual between northern cardinals happens mostly after the courtship behaviors are finished and egg laying has commenced. According to researchers, mate feeding is not what we humans perceive it to be. It is not a consequence of loyalty or affection or even strengthening the pair bond. It’s about making sure the female has a steady supply of nutrition during times of reproduction and chick rearing in order to help ensure the production of larger clutches and healthier chicks.

Healthy Females Make for Strong Breeders

The practice of mate feeding is widespread among birds. This behavior probably evolved as a way for the male bird to hedge his reproductive success by making sure his female is strong and healthy enough to mate, lay many eggs, incubate the eggs on the nest, aggressively defend the nest, and feed the chicks. Cardinals have 2-4 broods of chicks each season, so the females do need intense and regular nutrition to stay strong and up to the task of chick rearing.

A great practice for perpetuating the species. Not so much for finding romance.

Photo of Courtship Feeding - Two Cardinals — Male Feeding Female Cardinal.
ISO 3200; f/7.1; 1/1000 Second

Photographing Eastern Phoebes

May 22, 2014Phoebesnmckown

Photographing Eastern Phoebes at the Local Park

Eastern Phoebes are flycatchers found most often in semi-woody areas. They build cup shaped muddy, grassy nests in protected areas (like my porch). Despite the mess they make, I think they are beautiful song birds and love having them around.

Phoebes do not visit the feeder, but are still rather easy to photograph because they often return to the same perch after diving down to the ground for insects. The subtle brown, gray, yellow and white coloring of their plumage is lovely.

One interesting note: The eastern phoebe is one of the many bird species often successfully parasitized by brown-headed cow birds. Cowbirds, known as brood parasites, do not raise their own young. Instead of chick rearing, they use their time to continually produce eggs, which they then lay in other birds’ nests. For more information about how this survival strategy works for the brown headed cowbirds, and the toll it takes on the survival of eastern phoebes and other species, see this link.

Photo of Eastern Phoebe — Eastern Phoebe in a lovely pose.
ISO 640; f/8.0; 1/2000 Second

Tripod Support

I let my tripod do the heavy lifting when I photographed these eastern phoebes. The Manfrotto tripod I use is sturdy and provides steady support for my camera and long lenses. It’s collapsable, with three one-step fasteners on each leg for fast assembly and teardown. The center post (upon which the tripod head rests) also moves up and down, giving extra height when needed. With my gimble tripod head attached, maneuvering the camera and lens is a breeze. For more information about using the gimble head, see this post.

My only complaint about my tripod is its inability to get my camera situated close to the ground. The leg segments are a bit too long and do not spread out enough to lie flat. The center post can be removed, but the tripod still does not get down close enough to the ground. If I need to photograph from a low viewpoint, I find something, like my beanbag or other support on which to rest the camera.

Children Learning About Birds

I noticed a group of school children at the small park where I was photographing the eastern phoebes. They were exploring the pond, chasing the geese on the edge of the water, and following their teacher’s instructions to look to the sky, find a bird, and track its movements. The kids were doing their best to photograph the birds they saw, sharing 3 or 4 point and shoot digital cameras. The teacher had a tablet and was helping the children ID the birds they saw. Looked like great fun. Eventually, the students noticed my camera, tripod and me (in that order) and were delighted to learn that I was also watching and photographing unfamiliar birds.

Birding Web Resources for Children

There was definitely less bird activity at the park after the kids showed up, but I still had a productive day and I enjoyed watching the kids explore. I had a chance to talk with the teacher about what she was trying to accomplish on this outing. She referred me to several web resources that help children to learn about birds. Of course, there’s nothing better than getting the kids out to observe first hand and think about the wonders around them.

Two birding web resources for children that that I think are worthwhile are:

#1) Citizen Science

#2) BioKids

Photographing Palm Warblers and Discovering Subspecies

May 15, 2014Warblersnmckown

Palm Warblers Passing Through Michigan

Just when I thought that most birds were done traveling through Michigan to their northern or western nesting grounds, I found and photographed another spring traveler. Western palm warblers migrate from their wintering grounds in the Caribbean and Southern United States to their breeding grounds in Canada.

Photo of Western Palm Warbler — Western Palm Warbler Feeding in the Grass.
ISO 1250; f/9.0; 1/2000 Second

Photographing Birds Without Clutter

I came across these rusty capped, tail wagging song birds at a local park. They seemed unconcerned with the human activity around them as they bobbed their tail feathers (to show off their yellow feathers under tail) and foraged for food in a wide open, grassy picnic area. I was photographing the palm warblers from above, with the lens resting on the car door. The lens had no problem locking down focus as they hopped and ran in the grass. No branch clutter and hidden hidey-holes were around to spoil my fun. The sight line was free and clear in case the birds decided to fly off.

Photo of a Palm Warbler - Eastern Yellow SSP — Palm Warbler – Eastern Yellow Subspecies
ISO 320; f7.1; 1/1000 Second

Two Subspecies of Palm Warblers

Bird ID becomes even more complicated when you come across a bird you thought you could identify, but appears somehow different. Last September, 2013, I photographed the eastern yellow subspecies palm warbler in the Allegan State Game Area. (See above photo.) According to experts at WhatBird, this subspecies is not commonly found in SW Michigan. Both the eastern and the western subspecies sport (and pump) their bright yellow under tail feathers. The main difference between the two subspecies is that the breast plumage of the eastern yellow subspecies is more distinctly yellow. The western palm warbler is browner and has more pronounced streaking on the breast. (See photo below.)

Subspecies Abound

A species of bird, like the palm warbler, can be divided into one or more subspecies if a group is distinct enough (to formally give them a name), but not so different as to be categorized as a different species of bird. Migration habits and geographic location are factors that impact the creation of subspecies. Size and coloration are the major characteristics that set subspecies apart. Over time, a subspecies may evolve enough to be classified as a new, distinct and genetically recognizable species of bird.

If you want to understand more about how subspecies develop, see this link.

E-Bird has tracked the fall and spring migration habits of both subspecies of the Palm Warbler, showing distinct timing and geographic movement patterns of the western palm warblers and the eastern yellow palm warblers. See this link to learn more.

Photographing Eastern Towhees and Learning Bird ID Skills

May 8, 2014Sparrows and Finchesnmckown

WhatBird.com

Whenever I am lucky enough to photograph a new bird, I know that bird can be identified accurately within 5 minutes of uploading the photo to the Whatbird.com website. When I’m on the Whatbird.com site, the birding experts can make a definitive ID based on some very far away and blurry photos. They do this because they have long experience in the bird ID craft, and look for basic ID clues.

As much as I look forward to uploading newly found birds to this ID forum, I haven’t abdicated all responsibility for learning basic birding ID skills. To be a successful bird photographer, you have to learn about the who, what, where, and when of bird ID skills while out in the field.

Photograph of Eastern Towhee — Male Eastern Towhee Trying to Get His Balance
ISO 1600; f/6.3; 1/1250 Second

ID Process Built Into Merlin

I can’t possibly remember the names of every bird I come across, there are simply too many. Luckily, scientists who study birds have developed a bird ID process. This process involves observations of certain characteristics that will group birds and help lead to an ID. These characteristic include: The size and shape of birds, color pattern of feathers, behavior, habitat, field markings and songs and calls.

Photo of Female Eastern Towhee — Female Eastern Towhee Foraging For Seeds On the Ground.
ISO 1250; f/8.0; 1/2000 Second

The Merlin Bird ID app, published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, incorporates this bird ID process to help the user identify birds. The app begins the process by querying the user with the following questions:

Where did you see the bird (current location)?
When did you see the bird (date) ?
What size was the bird (sparrow size, robin size, crow size, goose size?) ?
What were the main colors (You choose from a palate of 9 colors)?
Where was the bird (feeder, lake, ground, tree, flying, etc)?

Then, based on your answers to these queries, the app quickly compiles a list of possible birds from which to make an ID. For each bird listed, the app provides ID photos (for male, female and juvenile), habitat map, ID description, and a link so you can listen to various songs and calls for each bird.

The more I use this app, the better I understand how critical these categories are for an accurate ID.

Take a Photo First

When I’m in the field and find a new bird, I don’t stop everything to check the Merlin Bird ID app. The birds just don’t hang around that long. I always take photos of new birds, no matter how far away or unappealing the scene. I need something to refer back to because my eyewitness ID skills are not that good, especially when committed to memory. The photos help me assign the bird ID criteria and identify it when I get home.

Eastern Towhee

There is a pair of eastern towhees in our yard. Before I knew what they were, I made the following identification observations:

Male has black face, brown feathers and red eyes (colors)
Female is brown where male is black (colors)
Larger and chunkier than a sparrow, but same thick triangular bill (size comparison)
Rummages in the undergrowth for food (location)
Long tail points upward (size)
Not in Michigan in the winter (location)

Photo of Male Eastern Towhee — Male Eastern Towhee, Ground Feeding.
ISO 4000; f/8.0; 1/2000 Second

I was able to ID the Eastern Towhee very quickly using the Merlin app. I was surprised to learn that this bird is in the sparrow family. The towhee coloration is so different than the sparrows I have photographed. But, as I look over the ID criteria for sparrows, the towhee fits in that category.

The Merlin phone app is free and available for I-Phones and Droids. For more detailed information about the process of identifying birds, I recommend these two web resources: a) Bird ID Tips and b) All About Birds.

Photo of Juvenile Eastern Towhee — Juvenile Eastern Towhee.
ISO 1000; f/8; 1/1000 second.

Photographing the Red Breasted Merganser

May 1, 2014Ducksnmckown

My Favorite Duck to Photograph

This time of year, most species of male ducks sport their breeding plumage. Often, their feathers are full of glorious colors that shimmer in the sunlight. Perfect for eye popping photos.

One of my favorite duck species to photograph is the red breasted merganser. These diving ducks are just passing through southwest Michigan in the spring, so there’s only a short window of time to photograph them before they fly north to breed. Red breasted mergansers can be seen in almost every river and pond during the spring, diving and swimming under water and foraging for small insects, fish and other aquatic creatures.

Photo of Red Breasted Male Merganser — Red Breasted Male Merganser, Calling Attention to Himself.
ISO 500; f/8.0; 1/2500 Second

The Business of Courtship

Going through my shots of the red breasted merganser makes me laugh out loud. Even the goofy poses look charming, charismatic and lovable. The glossy plumage (color, patterns, and arrangement of feathers) on the red breasted merganser is nothing short of delightful, especially on the males. Mergansers have bright red “devil eyes” and long, thin, serrated red/orange bills. Their ragged head feathers, especially after a dive, point out every which way, producing comical and sometimes absurd poses. While his head feathers go boinnggg, this punk bird proceeds to take care of business. This time of year, he is in the business of courtship; showing off and letting the females know how strong and desirable he is.

Photo of Male Red Breasted Merganser — At first I Thought This Male was Caught in Barbed Wire,
But It’s Only Plant Debris He is Trying to Get Off His Back
ISO400; f/8.0; 1/2500 Second

Photo of Red Breasted Merganser, Male — Photo of the Spiky Head Feathers of the Male Red Breasted Merganser.
ISO 1000; f/9.0; 1/2500 Second

Photo of Female Red Breasted Merganser — The Female Red Breasted Merganser is Also Very Colorful.
ISO 800; f/7.1; 1/2500 Second

Eclipse Plumage

The plumage on most male ducks does not stay shiny and new all summer, but becomes quite drab as the summer progresses and breeding has ended. This drab look is called eclipse plumage and makes duck ID very challenging for me. Luckily, the experts at WhatBird.com are always able to help. More information on eclipse plumage is available at this link.

An Anthropocentric View

I can’t help but be endeared to this species of duck. Somehow, I can relate to their absurd looks. I know that I’m transferring human characteristics onto animals, but as I wrote in my introductory post, taking the time to notice the similarities in the looks and behaviors of humans and birds is gratifying on a personal level. And when I get a good photograph, well that’s the best of all.

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