Pic of the Day

Eastern Kingbird: Tyrannus tyrannus
Bear River Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Bird on a Wire…..

     This Eastern Kingbird was photographed at the Bear River Migratory Bird Sanctuary near Brigham, Utah.  Bear River is one of my favorite places to shoot.   Kingbirds, both western and eastern, line the fences along the county road that leads to the refuge entrance.  They are very shy, and it took many attempts to get close enough for a photo.   I used my van as a blind. It took lots of patience to get this shot.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/800 second @ f4, Window Mount

Pic of the DAy

     Eastern Kingbird – Camas National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho:  Going through my files I found this image of an Eastern Kingbird.  Most kingbirds I have photographed have been on fence post or barbed wire.  I was excited to find this bird perched on a reed and even more excited that it did not fly away when I stopped to take this, and many other photographs.

     I have plans to head north soon and photograph neotropical species before they cross Lake Erie.  I’m looking forward to seeing and photographing lots of warblers, tanagers and other passerines. 

Pic of the Day

     Eastern Kingbird – Camas National Wildlife Refuge; Hamer, Idaho:  I arrived at Bear River NWR on a Sunday evening.  The shooting was great and there were lots of birds.  I was in the refuge before sunrise on Monday morning, and again I had a great morning of shooting.  By 11:00 AM officials closed the refuge due to rising water.  With the refuge closed I headed to Grand Teton National Park, and then to Yellowstone.  

     Spring was still a few weeks away in Yellowstone so I headed to Camas NWR in Idaho. 

Camas is an exceptional location.  The refuge has an auto drive that took me deep into the preserve.  Because of the late spring many of the birds were just beginning to nest.  After photographing Tundra Swan, Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Eared Grebe I came across this Eastern Kingbird.

     I have photographed kingbirds before, but in my previous shots the kingbirds have been perched on man-made objects (fence post, barbed wire, road signs, etc.)  This time I had a kingbird on a natural perch, I could not believe it.  When I saw the bird on the natural perch I rolled my van window down, rested the camera and lens through the open window and slowly drove toward the bird. 

     As I approached the kingbird it flew from the perch caught an insect on the wing and returned to the same perch,  What good fortune!  As the bird alighted on its perch I started shooting and kept shooting.  I shot numerous images as the bird twisted and turned.  Finally, I had a kingbird on a natural perch.  I was very happy, maybe next year I can get a Western Kingbird to do the same thing!


Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/200 sec. @ f8