Greater Roadrunner, Orioles and others

Here are a few images that I have gotten since we got back from our Big Bend adventure.  We have been watching for new summer residents of the avian variety.  While doing such searching I was able to get a few other images for your enjoyment.  We found this Greater Roadrunner at San Angelo State Park.

Greater Roadrunner

The Bullock’s Orioles are starting to arrive.  I had seen a female a few weeks earlier, but now there are many of the bright colored males.  They are still hard to photograph among the trees but nevertheless, I managed a couple.

Bullock’s Oriole

Bullock’s Oriole

I love the Golden-fronted Woodpeckers.  They seem to be everywhere all the time and they are so photogenic.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Same bird, different pose.  He was trying to show me his better side.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

A Lincoln’s Sparrow.

Lincoln’s Sparrow

A couple of Lark Sparrows.

Lark Sparrow

Lark Sparrow

The Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are arriving in large numbers and they will be seen soon all over the country-side.  I got a couple of images today.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Last, but not least, a Killdeer playing in the water at a mudhole near Twin Buttes Reservoir.

Killdeer

Enjoy the photos and I will be back soon with a few more.

Monday Morning Images

On Monday morning Ann and I decided that we would start the week with a little birding, and of course that sometimes leads to some photo ops.  We decided to check out the “honey hole” that I told you about before.  We headed out west on Highway 67 to the turnoff that goes to the parks around Twin Buttes Reservoir.  It is about a mile’s drive to the honey hole, or the mud puddle that it actually is.  Amazing.  By the time we had driven a half mile down the road, we had spotted a Northern Bobwhite (pictured below), Northern Mockingbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, Bullock’s Oriole, Painted Bunting, and an Ash-throated Flycatcher.  Nine species, and we had just got started and had not even gotten to our destination.

At the water hole, which has dried up to a puddle about 5′ x 5′, we added a few more before leaving to drive around and over the Twin Buttes dam, reaching the Middle Concho and Spring Creek Parks, where we saw some wading birds.  In total we saw thirty-three different species.  Unfortunately I couldn’t possibly photograph them all.  Here are four of those of what I did get.

Northern Bobwhite is mesquite tree.

Canyon Towhee

“Rats!! Missed it!!

Great Blue Heron

I hope you enjoyed the photos.  Click on any of them to see enlargements.  To see more photos that I am proud of, click on the FLICKR logo on the right side of this page.  It may be another week before another post as we are taking a few days off before heading to Fredericksberg, Texas to join some close friends for the weekend.

Our Birding Honey Hole

First, it should be explained that in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, honey hole is defined as slang for a location that yields large quantities of valued commodities.  Quite often it is applied to great personal fishing spots.  In our case, it is a hot spot for birds.  We discovered it several days ago near Twin Buttes Reservoir near a park area.  It is nothing more than a puddle of standing water, about 50 feet by 15 feet, surrounded by about five Mesquite trees.  Until it dries up, which will happen in a few days under this hot Texas sun unless we get more showers to fill it up again, it will be our little birding mecca.

Ann and I, after getting some yard chores done, decided to run over there this morning, which is only a couple of miles from our house.  We spent one hour and thirty-five minutes.  We just parked about twenty feet from the puddle/pond, turned the engine off and just watched from the car.  I had my Canon 7D with a 500mm lens and 1.4 teleconverter at the ready.  We weren’t disappointed.  In that short period we saw and ID’d nineteen species, saw another that we couldn’t identify, then also heard a Common Nighthawk and a Northern Bobwhite.  A total of 21 identifiable.  Here are a few photos from our little trip.

Vermilion Flycatcher

Painted Bunting – female

There were several Bullock’s Orioles and one female was foraging in the bark of a mesquite for grubs.  This sequence of photos shows her success.

Bullock’s Oriole – female, searching for grubs.

Gotcha!!!

Mmm Good!!!

Here is a list of all 21 species that we encountered this morning in and hour and thirty-five minutes.

1. Vermilion Flycatcher
2. Canyon Towhee
3. Bullock’s Oriole
4. House Sparrow
5. Ash-throated Flycatcher
6. Curve-billed Thrasher
7. Northern Mockingbird
8. Black-throated Sparrow
9. Painted Bunting
10. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
11. Greater Roadrunner
12. Brown-headed Cowbird
13. Northern Cardinal
14. House Finch
15. Northern Bobwhite – heard
16. White-winged Dove
17. Pyrrhuloxia
18. Common Nighthawk – heard
19. Red-winged Blackbird
20. Lark Sparrow
21. Killdeer

We also saw an un-identified bird splashing in the water, that bore resemblance to a Yellow-rumped Warbler, but it was too wet and scrubby looking to make a definite ID.  Hope you enjoyed the photos.  Click on any of them to see enlargements.

Parliament of Owls……Still in session

I have been informed that a large group of owls is called a “parliament of owls”.  Of course, I should have looked it up, or Googled, and found that out for myself.  However, I am glad the my readers brought me up to date on that.  So, again, parliament is still in session, minus a few that decided to go home to their constituents.

As you remember, in a previous post I and Ann had seen a startling total of eight owls and owlets at Spring Creek Park.  We went back Monday morning to see how many were still there.  We counted one adult and three owlets in the original tree.  In the second tree there were none.

For these photos, I again set my Canon EOS 7D with a 1.4 teleconverter on my Manfrotto tripod.  I also use a sturdy Wimberley gimbal tripod head.  With the combined weight of my lens and camera being about 15 pounds, I really need dependable support.

The lighting was very bad this particular day.  A very bright, sunny, mostly cloudless day.  A typical west Texas day.  It made for bright highlights and harsh shadows.  However, I managed to get a few acceptable photos whenever a stray cloud covered the sun.  I am particularly proud of this photo of one owlet.

Hoooooo are you looking at??

This one turned out pretty decent, too.

Young Great Horned Owl

In the one below, you can see how I tried to adjust those harsh lighting problems that I mentioned above.

Young Great Horned Owl

This Bullock’s Oriole, (Icterus bullockii), was in a nearby tree witnessing the proceedings.

Bullock’s Oriole

Again, click on any of the photos to see some enlargements.  Thank you for reading.

New day – new pictures

I haven’t been doing much these hot days, except going back through my literally thousands of pictures.  You guys should feel sorry for me.  Here I slave over a hot computer, just to entertain you.  What do I get out of it?  Well, actually I get some great comments from all of you.  I appreciate them all.  It is good for my ego.

Several of you like my sense of humor.  It’s true that I have a great sense of humor, but like I told Holly, I try to keep it under control.  After all, there are a lot of comedians out of work.  But I need to keep occupied until the temps cool down a little below the 100 degree mark.  I want to get my cameras back outside and back in action.

So, today I have some pictures that I have gotten from my archives.  I don’t know if you have seen them before, but I put them on my 500px  page also.  I took all of these with my Canon 40D, so I know they are probably at least three years old.  Of course, if I’m not too lazy, I could look at my EXIF data and find out for sure. 🙂

Gee, I can remember way back in the old days, before “EXIF”, “HTTP”, “HTML” and “BLT”, we had to write all our camera data down on little cards if we wanted to remember it.  Then we had to save all them film negatives.  I still have shoe boxes full of them.  I guess I am aging myself here, I guess.  One young lady commented to me this morning, that she reminded her of a Grandpa she never had. 🙂 I take that as a compliment.  Let’s face it.  I am 76 years young, but still feel about twenty years younger.  That’s what a good sense of humor can do for you.

Lesser Goldfinch

• Canon EOS 40D
• Canon 100-400mm zoom lens
• 1/400 sec. @ f7.1
• ISO 640
• Lens focal distance  340mm
• Metering – center weighted
• Aperture priority

Bullock's Oriole

• Canon EOS 40D
• Canon 100-400mm zoom lens
• 1/400 sec. @ f7.1
• ISO  800
• Lens focal distance  400mm
• Metering – center weighted
• Aperture priority

Curve-billed Thrasher

• Canon EOS 40D
• Canon 100-400mm zoom lens
• 1/800 sec. @ f6.3
• ISO  400
• Lens focal distance  375mm
• Metering – center weighted
• Aperture priority

So that’s it for another day or so.  But keep watching, you never know when I might pop in with another surprise post.  Oh, by the way, click on those images and have a look at the enlarged views.  One more thing, my 2012 calendars shipped already.  I’ll have them soon.

I just thought of a neat idea.  An Early Bird Special.  I still have some of my DVDs left, you remember those I made, bird photos set to some great music.  If you send me a check for 20.00US, I not only will send you the calendar, but I will throw in one of those DVDs at no extra charge.  But remember, if you already have the DVD, I still will send you one, but it is not a re-issue.  It is still the same one.

So send a check for 20.00 US, plus your address, and include your e-mail address as well.  Upon receipt I will send you one of my 2012 Bird Calendars plus my Bird photograph DVD, with some great music.  Make check payable to Bob Zeller.  Mail to 4401 White Ash Ln., San Angelo, TX 76904-4528.

Chili Macho Nachos – Update

Just a few adjustments that I must make to the fore-published recipe for Ann’s Chili Macho Nachos.  First, I might mention that with the mentioned amounts of the various ingredients, you will have enough for about four plates of the nachos.  That’s figuring you will fill the plates with around fifteen to twenty scoops.

Also, one commentor mention about seeding the jalapenos.  Hey, what do I know?  I only write this stuff.  I checked with Ann and she said that, yes, you should take the seeds from the jalapenos. 🙂

So, with that out of the way.  Here is a photo of a female Bullock’s Oriole that I took yesterday morning near the entrance to San Angelo State Park.

• Bullock’s Oriole – female
• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon 500mm IS lens withe 1.4 tele-converter – hand-held
• 1/2500 sec. @ f5.6 – plus 2/3 EV adjustment
• ISO 320
• Lens focal distance 700mm
• Partial metering

Enjoy the photo and click the image to see an enlargement.  Don’t forget the voting is still open for that Peoples Choice Awards at this link: People’s Choice Award.  I appreciate everyone’s help. 🙂

Gone for a few days, but I’ll be baaaaaack :-)

I will be gone from blogging for a few days.  I am scheduled for cataract surgery Tuesday and I don’t know if I will have time to post on Monday.  I have to go through pre-op stuff.  At any rate, I will be thinking of y’all.  I don’t know why I have to go through this surgery.  I thought it was only for old people, and I am only 76 years old. 🙂

I will show you a couple of pictures here, in keeping with my policy of having at least one picture in any given post.  Incidentally, the polls are still open so be sure to keep the votes coming in by clicking on this link, People’s Choice Award.  If per chance my photos don’t show up, just type Zeller (that’s me) in the search window.  Just click the green arrow next to the photo that you like best.

Pyrhuloxia

• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon 100-400mm lens
• 1/2000 sec @ f6.3
• ISO 1250
• Lens focal distance  365mm
• Shutter priority
• Partial metering
    

Bullock’s Oriole

• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 tele-converter – hand-held
• 1/2500 sec @ 6.3
• ISO 2000
• Lens focal distance  700mm
• Shutter priority
• Partial metering

These photos were taken at San Angelo State Park, here in San Angelo, Texas.  You can click on either of them to see an enlargement.  Don’t forget me, ‘cuz I’ll be back in a few days.

San Angelo State Park images

Ann and I went to the park Friday morning  just to spend a few quiet hours.  I especially wanted to try out a new toy.  I purchased a “Puffin’ Pad”.  It is a unique foam cushioned pad that fits over the glass when you roll your driver’s side (or passenger) window down.  Great for resting a long lens or a spotting scope when shooting from your vehicle.  I bought it from http://www.adorama.com.

Besides from getting these snapshots, we saw another Porcupine up in a tree.  This time I couldn’t get close for a shot because of a fence.  I walked up and down the fence-line but couldn’t find a vantage point where I could get a bead on it.  The Bullock’s Oriole was on a feeder at near one of the park hosts’ motor home.  All photos were captured with my Canon 7D

• Common Nighthawk
• Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 tele-converter – hand-held
• 1/2500 sec. @ f5.6 minus 1/3 EV
• ISO 1250
• Shutter Priority
• Partial metering

• Bullock’s Oriole
• Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 tele-converter – hand-held
• 1/2500 sec. @ f5.6
• ISO 800
• Shutter Priority
• Partial metering

• Brown-crested Flycatcher
• Canon 100-400mm IS zoom lens
• 1/2000 sec. @ f6.3  plus 1/3 EV
• ISO 1250
• Shutter Priority
• Partial metering

We also saw several Mississippi Kites flying and diving for insects.  They were the first that we have seen this year.  I tried to get some photos of them in flight, but with their erratic maneuvers I wasn’t up to it….. this time.  But, I’ll be back. 🙂

First Oriole of the year

Today during our bird feeding stop at the park, we saw our first Bullock’s Oriole of the year.  It was perched high up at the top a mesquite.  I stopped the van and hand-held my Canon 7D with the 500mm lens out the window.    I would have attached my 1.4 teleconverter, but had no time to do so.  Here is the shot of the wet and bedraggled bird.   They are similar to the Baltimore Oriole and both are sometimes merged as a single species, the Northern Oriole.  The Bullock’s Orioles should be around here until mid-September.

Bullock's Oriole