I'm a bit late with this note. Sometimes the days just seem to get away from you.
Anyway, on the evening of the 15th my attention was on a couple sides of ribs on the grill. My camera was lying on the picnic table about 3 steps away.
Anyway, on the evening of the 15th my attention was on a couple sides of ribs on the grill. My camera was lying on the picnic table about 3 steps away.
It was a perfect still evening with golden light.
I glanced up to see an ORCHARD ORIOLE sitting on the camera. Immediately it flitted after a fly and back again, over and over.
First you watch: Orchards are uncommon enough but at 8-10 feet away, with late-day sunshine and oblivious to everything except the food, this is an exceptional opportunity.
Of course, "Will it let me reach my camera?", was front-of-mind. "Will my ribs burn?", was a close second thought.
So, after watching briefly and seeing the bird acting tolerant, I eased to the table and retrieved the camera ....... bird's still flitting after flies ........ ease the camera up ...... better get it right first shot because the shutter sound will likely spook it.
Well, it didn't spook and at around frame #20 I had to stop shooting: bird's too close, even landing on my shoulders and head to snag mosquitos/flies from my face. (For once happy I wasn't wearing fly dope.)
We moved apart far enough that I could get some more pics and get the ribs turned over.
Perhaps 10 minutes later I'm losing the light, I have too many pictures and the ribs are perfect ........ Did I mention that it was about half way through the session when I slapped myself up the side of my head for being so dense? My Oriole was in fact a male SCARLET TANAGER!!
I had completely forgotten that we are into fall and Scarlet Tanagers aren't scarlet ...... not even a little bit. Guess that I was just too focused on it's proximity to notice the small, blunt bill and the complete lack of wing bars.
So I plunked down until after dark with comfortable temperatures, calm wind, a rising moon, a platter of ribs, cold beer and a co-operative bird running around the table eliminating bothersome insects. Tough life!
Subsequent days were somewhat less enjoyable: periods of drizzle, fog and heavy, horizontal rain supported by winds that topped 50 knots (100kn/hr). Most birds hunkered down through Wednesday into Friday with Gulls the notable exception. Many of them scaled across the breaking surf in search of any tidbit churned up by the seas.
CORMORANTS are passing at irregular intervals in sizable, wind-agitated flocks and an unusual number have been seen roosting with gulls around the back (west) side of the island. I have to wonder how effective their open-wing feather drying might be, considering that they are often sitting in the surf splash zone and near continuous clouds of spray.
Friday saw flocks of gulls again soaring low over the shoreline, just hanging almost stationary in the strong Nor'west wind.
Virtually hidden among the gulls were two PEREGRINE FALCONS. Maybe coincidence but it looked as if they were deliberately emulating the gulls to pass unnoticed while they hunted. They certainly didn't fit the familiar falcon image as they hung virtually motionless, wings rigid, making only tiny adjustments to their flight controls.
Songbirds slowly emerged after the big blow but still held close to cover as the wind refuses to drop below 20 knots. No surprises although a fairly tame LINCOLN'S SPARROW has been visiting the patio and 2 MOURNING DOVES are hanging around.
There seems that a few more WHITE THROATED SPARROWS and RED EYED VIREOS have arrived and this morning I see a DARK EYED JUNCO feeding on the patio.
Still seeing a few butterflies: scattered LADIES and 2 pristine MONARCH BUTTERFLIES on the 16th. There's still some ASTER in bloom but food is not abundant.
Lots of GREY SEALS around the island, mostly riding the swells or resting in vertical-floating groups. This recent bit of heavy sea hasn't allowed many opportunities for them to haul out, certainly not in any of their usual haunts.
I glanced up to see an ORCHARD ORIOLE sitting on the camera. Immediately it flitted after a fly and back again, over and over.
First you watch: Orchards are uncommon enough but at 8-10 feet away, with late-day sunshine and oblivious to everything except the food, this is an exceptional opportunity.
Of course, "Will it let me reach my camera?", was front-of-mind. "Will my ribs burn?", was a close second thought.
So, after watching briefly and seeing the bird acting tolerant, I eased to the table and retrieved the camera ....... bird's still flitting after flies ........ ease the camera up ...... better get it right first shot because the shutter sound will likely spook it.
Well, it didn't spook and at around frame #20 I had to stop shooting: bird's too close, even landing on my shoulders and head to snag mosquitos/flies from my face. (For once happy I wasn't wearing fly dope.)
We moved apart far enough that I could get some more pics and get the ribs turned over.
Perhaps 10 minutes later I'm losing the light, I have too many pictures and the ribs are perfect ........ Did I mention that it was about half way through the session when I slapped myself up the side of my head for being so dense? My Oriole was in fact a male SCARLET TANAGER!!
I had completely forgotten that we are into fall and Scarlet Tanagers aren't scarlet ...... not even a little bit. Guess that I was just too focused on it's proximity to notice the small, blunt bill and the complete lack of wing bars.
So I plunked down until after dark with comfortable temperatures, calm wind, a rising moon, a platter of ribs, cold beer and a co-operative bird running around the table eliminating bothersome insects. Tough life!
Subsequent days were somewhat less enjoyable: periods of drizzle, fog and heavy, horizontal rain supported by winds that topped 50 knots (100kn/hr). Most birds hunkered down through Wednesday into Friday with Gulls the notable exception. Many of them scaled across the breaking surf in search of any tidbit churned up by the seas.
CORMORANTS are passing at irregular intervals in sizable, wind-agitated flocks and an unusual number have been seen roosting with gulls around the back (west) side of the island. I have to wonder how effective their open-wing feather drying might be, considering that they are often sitting in the surf splash zone and near continuous clouds of spray.
Friday saw flocks of gulls again soaring low over the shoreline, just hanging almost stationary in the strong Nor'west wind.
Virtually hidden among the gulls were two PEREGRINE FALCONS. Maybe coincidence but it looked as if they were deliberately emulating the gulls to pass unnoticed while they hunted. They certainly didn't fit the familiar falcon image as they hung virtually motionless, wings rigid, making only tiny adjustments to their flight controls.
Songbirds slowly emerged after the big blow but still held close to cover as the wind refuses to drop below 20 knots. No surprises although a fairly tame LINCOLN'S SPARROW has been visiting the patio and 2 MOURNING DOVES are hanging around.
There seems that a few more WHITE THROATED SPARROWS and RED EYED VIREOS have arrived and this morning I see a DARK EYED JUNCO feeding on the patio.
Still seeing a few butterflies: scattered LADIES and 2 pristine MONARCH BUTTERFLIES on the 16th. There's still some ASTER in bloom but food is not abundant.
Lots of GREY SEALS around the island, mostly riding the swells or resting in vertical-floating groups. This recent bit of heavy sea hasn't allowed many opportunities for them to haul out, certainly not in any of their usual haunts.
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