Camas National Wildlife Refuge Part 2 03-26-2011

Birds in abundance, they were all over, some were there by the thousands and others were a treat to see by themselves. I will be back several times this spring to try and get the full effect of what a migration really is.

One of the first birds to see and hear were Sandhill Cranes, They ended up being all over the refuge. The first time that I can ever remember seeing a Sandhill Crane was on a campout with my Boy Scout troop. I was up early one morning and I could hear them and then spotted them through some cheap binoculars. I told the leader that was with me that there were a couple deer put in the distance. He looked and informed me that they were Sandhill Cranes, that made more since once they flew away.  I have done that several time since with their size and color they might be mixed up with deer (especially when their heads are down).  When you see them up a little closer you will notice that they are not very colorful except for a portion of their head that holds some bright red.

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

Notice how well they blend in, can you find both of the cranes?

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

I saw quite a few cranes in flight and it was really neat to watch them land.

03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID. Canon T2i. (edited in Camera Raw)

While I was out I probably saw close to  40 cranes, most of them were groups of 5 or so but there was a couple groups of about ten.

Northern Harrier, I am not sure how many I saw but they were all over the place, I watched them enough that I should never mistake what they look like again. A few very distinct characteristics would include a white strip between their back and tail and the tips of their wings are dark brown to black while the rest of the wing are more white. (the tips of the wings is more prevalent in the males).

There were thousands of Snow Geese coming in to land I was told that there was some Ross Geese in with them as well but my eye is not that good yet.

This is a pano of all the Snow Geese in the pond, all the white from left to center are snow geese and the white on the right are Trumpeter Swans. If I was to print this pano it would be a foot by 23 feet long.

A male Pheasant is pretty hard to mistake for any other bird with the bright colors and long tail. These guys are fast this one ducked its head and ran, it was pretty hard to keep up with my camera.

With all the bright colors it is still amazing how well they blend into their surroundings.

This is the second time that I have seen a Hooded Merganser and the first time I was close enough to get a decent picture. The first time I saw them I was thinking that I was looking at a Bufflehead, the head markings are very similar. If you really take a loo at both birds you will notice there is quite a bit a difference, the first detail I notice to recognize any merganser it its beak. Their beaks are long and almost pointed.

Here are some Red-breasted Mergansers again with the long pointy beak, and add a bad hair dew to that. Although the Common Merganser Female seems to share that trait.

This American Coot was one of several to be seen today basically a black body and white beak will give them away. Also if you ever watch one they swim very funny when they are trying to speed up it is like they are scooting forward in the water.

The Say’s Phoebe was a first for me I am still working on ways that I can really identify it. It does have a yellowish underbelly but if I were to see the backside I would still have problems getting it right.

All the birds below are going to pretty familiar, and some of my favorite shots of the day.

Camas National Wildlife Refuge Part 1 03-27-2011

Camas National Wildlife Refuge is outside of Hamer, ID. the refuge is over 10,000 acres and about half of that is water. During the peak migration this area will house almost 60,000 birds at once.

I made a visit out to the refuge yesterday the 27th of March and it was already quite a spectacle but from what I understand nothing like it will be. This was a great trip for several reasons one I was able to enjoy more wildlife than just birds this trip, and two I saw several “lifers” (birds that this is my first time seeing).

During the last few months I have seen quite a few deer and a couple of moose but compared to spending the last summer in Yellowstone this seems like nothing. It was nice to go out and get a few shots of a few mammals although it was still not much.

Porcupine 1, 03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, Canon T2i.

Guess which way the wind I blowing!

Porcupine 2, 03-26-2011, Camas National Wildlife Refuge, Canon T2i.

I was surprised that staring off we had only seen one porcupine, last time I came up in no time at all I had seen about 7. It took a little bit of time and driving to the far end of the refuge before I came across two within a couple hundred feet of each other and both on the road. Looking at them they look like they would be fun to pickup and walk around with. If you look closer you will notice that is not the case, if you pay attention to its backside and tail you will notice the quills. the quills become a lot more noticeable if the porcupine gets agitated, and I was not about to make this porcupine mad. 

The other mammal that I saw was completely by luck I was following a Northern Harrier in flight when through my lens I noticed a deer. The picture was not worth putting on so I didn’t.

My first migration! 03-25-2011

I have done a lot of reading about the migration this year so that I can keep up to date on what is taking place.  On top of that I have become involved in the incorporations of the  Henry’s  Fork Audubon Society that is currently being developed for Fremont, Teton, and Madison counties in Idaho. So I feel I need to become a bit more educated in a lot of areas.  In my reading I learned that this year and in years past that the Snow Geese stop for a while west of Rigby ID. I was in Idaho Falls picking up my camera replacement and decided to try and find the area on the way back. Well we found it and there were hundreds if not thousands of Snow Geese present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

03-25-2011 West of Rigby, ID.  Canon T2i, (Camera Raw edits)

03-25-2011 West of Rigby, ID.  Canon T2i, (Camera Raw edits)

03-25-2011 West of Rigby, ID.  Canon T2i, (Camera Raw edits)

Just about as soon as a I arrived they all took off at once, and it was a spectacle to see. The sun was setting and nobody knew where they were going they went back and forth for awhile before they came back down.

This was my first time ever seeing so many birds at one time, I have always know that birds migrate but not until recently have I really understood what that meant. I knew what it meant in the literal since, it meant birds flying from one place to another. But now I realize the mass of birds that come with the migration and that they don’t just fly across continents in a day. The migration for many birds could take weeks to months, they have to stop and rest and eat to get the energy stored up to keep going. In Idaho we are part of two flyways for birds during the migration the Pacific and Central flyways.

Window Birding

Sometimes it is just hard to get outside and enjoy nature, well if you have any windows in your house it is still possible to enjoy it from inside. Looking out my window the last two days I got quite a list of birds that I have seen. Some of the birds have taken binoculars to see and others are right outside hanging out on the birdfeeders. Here is a list I have seen from my window.

Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Killdeer, Trumpeter Swan, Is it Canada Geese or Canadian Geese
Robin, Starling, Magpie, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Sparrow, Mallard Ducks, and Sandhill Crane.

Even if there is no time to look out the window right now the birds are plenty loud enough to listen to them. I have never heard Meadowlarks so much until this year they are constantly calling back and forth. From inside my house these are the bird that I have been able to hear.

Black Capped Chickadee, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Killdeer, Canada Goose, and Trumpeter Swan.

Breath Taking! Remarkable!

Everyone at some time or another has one of those moments when one of the most remarkable things happen, and your camera is broken. That was today all day it started this morning as I was walking in and out of the Deer Parks WMA. With the wind today it made all the birds flying overhead look like they were floating in the air like a kite would, swaying back and forth almost motionless. It is quite a sight when Trumpeter Swans drift overhead back and forth as they look for a place to land. Then having twelve Sandhill Cranes fly over head almost as close as I have ever seen them before. This evening I drove out to the Chester Wet Lands area, along the river there were plenty of white flags waving as the White Tailed deer cross the river. To top everything today and for the past 25 years, and what seemed to be an unbelievable experience happened as I sat parked on the side of the road next to the river. It was just like before a kite floating in the air about 100 feet in front of me and no more than twenty feet off the ground. A Bald Eagle drifting, swaying right towards me, he was up and down, and before to long right next to me no more than 15 feet away slowly gliding by. He continued over the road and slowly slipped away into the trees, I have never been so close to such a magnificent bird before. As he (I say he because I saw the larger female eagle in a tree later) drifted by I could see how bright his beak and feet were, how the light shines through the primary feathers at the end of his wings. I could go on and on, to me this was amazing it was like time slowed down so that I could get to know this Eagle.

The Past Few Days.

Well I will have no photos to share until I get my camera back from being repaired which is to bad for anyone that reads this. I actually had a professor tell me recently that the quality of my photos is a lot better than the quality of my writing. Well it is true although both need improvement, and that is why I have this blog it has a dual purpose. First this blog is for me I am able to learn as I write and keep a history of what I do and see. Second it is for everyone so that you can enjoy the photos I take, the places, I go and learn what I learn. At the same time I expect comments or emails from people when I make a mistake or miss something. That way I can improve as I go along.

I have seen a couple firsts for this year in the last two days, the first is one that I grew up watching on the eastside of Rexburg out in the Lyman area. It is the Dark-eyed Junco, I really can’t recall the last time I have seen some of these. Well I first saw at where I now live on the west side of Rexburg in the Salem area the I saw quite a few more out at Beaver Dick Park. It was neat to watch them as the fly because of the colors that show through as they fly. If you watch from behind as they fly you will notice a white strip on either side of the tail which is not readily visible when the bird is not in flight. The Dark Eyed Junco typically has a darker head usually black but this ranges from bird to bird and from male to female.

The other first of the year is the Sandhill Crane, I saw the first one out at Beaver Dick Park (just outside of Rexburg) as it was flying over head. I saw another twelve at the Deer Parks WMA most of them were flying overhead together fairly low and making quite a bit of noise. The call of a Sandhill Crane is pretty distinguishable and actually quite pleasing to listen to compared to other birds (killdeer). If you ever see a bid bird flying through the air and are trying to figure out what it is look at its neck. Cranes will fly with a straight neck and herons will fly with a U in its neck.although pelicans have the same shape when they fly their head and beak is quite different.

The Western Meadow Larks are sure here, I opened the window at my place the other day for awhile just to listen to their calls back and forth together.

Another new one for me this year! 03-12-2011

I did not get out much today I just went down the road from where I live just outside of Rexburg. I was just hanging out by the river to see if any of the Bald Eagles were around, hoping to get a last picture in before I took my camera in to get it repaired. The first thing that I saw was a Western Meadow Lark, this is the first one that I have seen this year. At first I really just saw a splotch of yellow and it took quite of bit of following before I could snap a photo of one. There was probably about five or six of them flying around most of which were females. Latter in the day I actually saw another one at a different location. I did end up seeing a Bald Eagle but it was to far off to do anything but watch. Besides those I saw and heard a few Red-winged Blackbirds which is pretty easy to do now I just have to open my front door. I also watched about 20 Canadian Geese land in a field to hang out with the cows. Latter in the day in passing I saw three Killdeer just on the outside of town another on for me this year.

Western Meadowlark, 03-12-2011, Rexburg, ID. f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm

Western Meadowlark, 03-12-2011, Rexburg, ID. f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

I was doing a little research between the Eastern and Western Meadowlark and they almost look identical. A couple difference is the lower mandible on a an eastern is white where as on the western it is yellow. The lower mandible would be the jaw area. The other big difference is the tail feathers are much lighter on a western compared to an eastern. Check out http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/mlarkdiff.htm for some great details and pictures. 

Busted! 03-11-2011

Busted that is what I did to the screen on my camera today, I was scrambling up a hill and my binoculars bumped my camera. No worries though it is still usable and I have a warranty that will take care of it. I really did not spend a whole lot of time today out and about I took my family to find a couple nearby Geocaches and saw a couple birds on the way.

Bald Eagle. Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i. 300mm. (Camera Raw Edits)

Bald Eagle, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

“Hey look there is a bird in the tree.” “Yes honey that bird is a Bald Eagle.” Well something like that she saw a figure in the tree and said there is a bird that bird just happen to be a Bald Eagle. I went down to the river and tried to get a closer shot well I got a shot as it was flying away and then a couple why it was perched across the river.

Mountain Blue Bird, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5,6, 1/640 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

On my way back from seeing the Eagle I caught a glimpse of two Mountain Blue birds along the road. I expect they are just on their way back to the area.

I went out a little latter to watch the eagle next to the river and there was two of them their an adult and a juvenile. I again managed to miss a great shot as they flew from the tree one at a time.

21 Birds! 03-10-2011

I went for a drive with my family yesterday and was gone for three hours looking for birds. Well it paid off I saw a few birds that I do not remember ever seeing before and I saw some for the firs time this year as well.

Northern Flicker (Red Shafted), Egin, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

Northern Flicker (Red Shafted), Egin, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 328mm.

Red Shafted Northern Flicker, this I would have to say is one of my favorite birds, I grew up knowing what they were and seeing them around my house. With the image of the flicker flying you can really tell that it is a red shafted with the color under the wings as well as at the tail. From the red malar or moustache that this one has you can tell that it is a male.

Bohemian Waxwing, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/500 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm. (Cropped)

This is a Bohemian Waxwing this image is actually cropped for a better view of this one in flight.

Bohemian Waxwing, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/500 sec. Canon T2i, 453mm. (Cropped)

Another Bohemian Waxwing I cropped this one as well and it looks like that it is just about to take flight or jumping.

Bohemian Waxwing, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/640 sec. Canon T2i, 453mm.

This is a good example of the actual distance I was from the waxwings. The waxwings are about the same in appearance and I can not tell them apart. Finding these was quite by mistake I have gotten into a bad habit of seeing a group of birds in a tree and writing them off as starlings. I got lucky and noticed one of them flying around then looked up to see what it was and the tops of the trees were full of waxwings.

Red-winged Blackbird, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/5004sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

The Red-winged Blackbirds are just coming back into the area and if you can’t see them then you can hear them everywhere. They are acting very territorial right now staking out there territory before the females come back. the males come back first set up a territory then when the females come back the females nest where ever they want and mate with what ever males territory it is in (and sometimes others as well). As well I learned recently that the males do a lot to create and defend a territory then when the Yellow-headed Blackbird comes in latter it will kick the Red-winged Blackbird out. 

American Robin, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

I saw the first Robin of the year on about the 20th of February now they are everywhere. It seems to be one of those birds that are common enough that most people completely ignore them, they are quite a pretty bird. It is the same thing with Magpies (I might get hung for saying this) if you stop and look at a Magpie you will notice it is more than a black and white bird. The Magpies feathers shimmer and there is a dark green to them as well.

Red-tailed Hawk, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/500 sec. Canon T2i, 398mm.

Red-tailed Hawk, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/320 sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

Red-tailed Hawk, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400 sec. Canon T2i, 307mm.

Red-tailed Hawk, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/400sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

A Red-tailed Hawk is a Red-tailed Hawk I see so many Red-tailed Hawks probably close to twenty today and I can’t seem to figure them out. I am constantly thinking or hoping that it is a different type of hawk but to no avail yet.

Bald Eagle, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/320sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

This is one of five Juvenile Bald Eagles that I had flying over head at one time. It was neat to watch as they were scattered in different directions and they slowly came together then all flew off together. I came across two of them again later both perched in a tree not 20 feet off the ground and no more than and 20 feet from the road. These Juvenile Eagles are still trying to figure out what they are doing with their life, they are in the process of trying to decide to stay or go and trying to find a place of their own.

Bald Eagle, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/500sec. Canon T2i, 235mm.

Two of the Juvenile Bald Eagles.

Horned Lark, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/250sec. Canon T2i, 500mm.

This was a new bird for me and it took a while for me to figure out it is a Horned Lark. When I was trying to identify it a came up with one result a Horned Lark I looked at a picture did not see any yellow and disregarded it as the answer. Latter when I found out I went back at looked at more picture and saw the yellow. I was thinking about it latter and I need to pay more attention to details with the pattern this bird has on the face it should be pretty easy to identify. This is also one of those birds everyone has seen and have never noticed now that you have seen it watch for it along road sides near farmland or open areas.

Belted King Fisher, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/320sec. Canon T2i, 500mm. (Edited in Camera Raw)

Belted King Fisher, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/320sec. Canon T2i, 500mm. (Edited in Camera Raw)

Belted King Fisher, Rexburg, ID. 03-11-2011, f/5.6, 1/320sec. Canon T2i, 500mm. (Edited in Camera Raw)

Thank you hun, I was focusing on a million (close to) Common Goldeneyes in the river and trying to get the camera ready and out the door before they all flew off. Meanwhile my wife is telling me “no it is right there it is not going it is right there” not knowing what she was talking I looked up and focused a little closed to the car and saw it, a Belted King Fisher. it flew up the road a little so I got out and followed and and was able to get a couple of good shots. The third image was cropped for a better view of it as well the three images were edited in Camera Raw to bring out a little more detail (I was shooting in pretty low light). This is actually the second one I have seen this year the first one was a quick glance as it sat in some trees before it flew off.

By Complete bird list for today is Belted King Fisher, Northern Flicker, Robin, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Trumpeter Swan, Canada Goose, Blue Heron, Chickadee, Magpie, Starling, Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, some Seagull, Bohemian Waxwing, Sparrow, Horned Lark, Red-winged Blackbird, and a couple others I do not recall right off (I should probably start writing them all down).