Pic of the Day

Arizona Woodpecker, Picoides arizonae:

Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona

     A slow shutter speed was used captures an Arizona Woodpecker in the middle of a strike on a tree trunk.  Why do woodpeckers not get concussions when they strike a tree with a force of almost 1,000 times that of gravity? According to Live Science, 

     “Researchers had previously figured out that thick neck muscles diffuse the blow, and a third inner eyelid prevents the birds' eyeballs from popping out. Now, scientists from Beihang University in Beijing and the Wuhan University of Technology have taken a closer look at the thick bone that cushions a woodpecker's brain. By comparing specimens of great spotted woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major) with the similarly sized Mongolian skylark, the researchers learned that adaptations in the most minute structure of the woodpecker bones give the skull its super strength. 

     Notably, the woodpecker's brain is surrounded by thick, plate like spongy bone. At a microscopic level, woodpeckers have a large number of trabeculae, tiny beamlike projections of bone that form the mineral "mesh" that makes up this spongy bone plate. These trabeculae are also closer together than they are in the skylark skull, suggesting this microstructure acts as armor protecting the brain.”

To read more on this story go to Livescience at:  http://www.livescience.com/19586-woodpecker-skull-concussions.html

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/15 second @ f/7.1

Pic of the Day

 Acorn Woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus:  Maderia Canyon, Arizona

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/25 second @ f6.3

Pic of the Day

Broad-billed Hummingbird shot at the Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona.

Pic of the Day

Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus: Immature Male

     I typically shoot hummingbirds using five, flash unites to stop some of the wing motion and to light an artificial background.  But this bird was shot without flash while approaching a feeder at the general viewing platform at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon.

     As I watched the hummingbirds zip back and forth to the feeder the strong backlighting illuminated the wings, making there circular motion visually apparent.  I was mesmerized by the swirling, helicopter like motion of the wings, and had to get a photo.

     As the hummer zipped to the feed to lap-up the sugar water it would feed for a moment, then back away for a few seconds.  As it backed away from the feeder I shot a burst of five or six images.  This image captured the figure eight, front to back and up and down, motion used by hummer as they hovers.

     Though I used a 1/250 second shutter speed the lower body is blurred as well, while the head and bill are relatively sharp.  This shows that the body itself is also in rapid motion as well. 

  

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/250 sec. @ f6.3, Gitzo Tripod, Arca Swiss Monoball head.

Pic of the Day

   Acorn Woodpecker – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona:  The Acorn Woodpecker is a striking woodpecker with an interesting propensity for storing acorns.  The Acorn woodpecker not only gathers acorns for immediate use, but also gathers acorns to store in a larder for future consumption.  Too store the acorns the woodpeckers drill holes in to a tree and insert the acorn into the hole.  The holes can not be to big or the acorn would fall out or would be easily removed by another bird or small animal.  If the hole is too small the acorn would break apart when the woodpecker hammers the acorn in to the hole.  Acorn Woodpeckers are very precise!  The trees used for the larders are usually called “acorn trees” or granaries.

     This  image was shot at the Santa Rita Lodge near a feeder that the woodpeckers continually returned to feed on suit.  To learn more about Acorn Woodpeckers go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Woodpecker

Nikon D300, 500mm f/4, Digital Capture ISO 200

See previous post on Madera Canyon or Santa Rita Lodge dated: September 15, 2010; September 12, 2010; May 19, 2010; and May 17, 2010.

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House Finch – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona: The House Finch is a common bird found at feeders across most of North America. Originally the House Finch was a bird endemic to the western United States. In the early part of the twentieth century House Finches were capture in western states and sent to New York city where they were sold in the illegal pet trade as Hollywood Finches. In 1940 pet store owners in New York City got word that wildlife officials were going to raid their stores for illegal trafficking of native species. To avoid prosecution the owners released the birds.
The small number of House Finches that were released began breeding and spread across the eastern half of the country in less than fifty years. Now, east meets west and House Finches are inhabitant of most towns across the United States except for those in the prairie states. It is likely that the bird will eventually inhabit all cities in the country.
As always this is not a happy story of introduced species. House Finches are aggressive birds and have now replaced the eastern endemic Purple Finch whose numbers have been drasticly reduced in much of its range.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500 f4, Digital Capture, ISO 200

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Wild Turkey – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon,
Arizona: In a previous post I extolled the abundance of birds at the Santa Rita Lodge (see post for May 17-19). The new owners have built an elaborate bird feeding and watering station that attract all the local wildlife. They also provide grain for ground feeding birds and deer. Wild Turkey in the area take advantage of the abundant food at the feeding station in the early morning and afternoon hours. I saw almost two-dozen turkeys at one time, while I was photographing Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers, goldfinch, grosbeak and finches.
While I was photographing a Black-headed Grosbeak one afternoon a dozen turkeys wandered into the feeding area and began eating. After spending a few minutes picking grain from the ground a few of the males began to strut to establishing their place in the pecking order.
I was using a 500mm lens to photograph a grosbeak; a lens too long to photograph the fanned tail display of the nearby turkeys. However, the long lens was perfect to isolate a single bird for a head shot. As I shot the birds it continued to strut turning left then right; never in a position to isolate the head against a clean background. Finally, the turkey began to walk toward me with its tail fanned wide. The turkeys body and fanned tail became the perfect background to place emphasis on the turkeys brilliantly colored head.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO200

Pic of the Day

Broad-billd Hummingbird

Broad-billd Hummingbird

Arizona Woodpecker

Lesser Goldfinch

   I had a great time at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon Arizona last June. The new owners have built an incredible bird feeding station that attracts dozens of species of birds. Here are a few of the other species that I have photographed there.

I love photographing hummingbirds, and as I mentioned in my last post, Madera Canyon is famous for its hummingbirds. For the Broad-billed Hummingbird photos here, I used five Nikon SB24’s about 18 inches from the hummer and background. My camera was a Nikon D3, with a Nikkor 80-200mm zoom at the 200mm end of the zoom. The Arizona Woodpecker and Lesser Goldfinch was photographed using a Nikon D300 and 500mm f4 telephoto lens.

Pic of the Day

     Black-headed Grosbeak – Madera Canyon, Arizona: Madera Canyon is well known for it variety of hummingbirds, but the area is also a wonderful location to see and photograph other species as well. Tucked away in the Santa Rita Mountains of southeast Arizona, Madera Canyon is a true birding hotspot. This Black-headed Grosbeak was photographed at the Santa Rita Lodge bird feeding station. The lodge is a great location to see hummers as well as woodpeckers and Warblers. Lesser Goldfinch, Blue Grosbeak, Mexican Jay, Gould Turkey and other species are among the non-hummer specialties. The lodge is a great place to see birds as well as use as a base of operation for birding in the southeast region of Arizona. I will post additional Madera Canyon species soon.

Nikon D300; Nikkor500mm, f4; Digital Capture 200 ISO