Adult Burrowing Owl lifting off from rabbitbrush – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
The heat of summer has turned the green grasses brown on Antelope Island State Park so I thought I’d share some of the “brown birds” I photographed there yesterday. A trio of brown birds from Antelope Island that I see there quite often. Topping the list is an adult Burrowing lifting off from a rabbitbrush that it had been perching on. Burrowing Owls are a favorite subject of mine and I think they always will be. Banded legs or not.
Mourning Dove perched on a dying greasewood – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Later on I photographed a Mourning Dove perched on a dying greasewood at the White Rock Bay campgrounds. I’m glad the invasive European Collared Doves aren’t over running the island (yet) because I prefer the softer calls of the smaller, native Mourning Doves.
A young Western Meadowlark perched on rabbitbrush – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1600, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The Western Meadowlarks seem to have had a great nesting season because their numbers seem especially high at the moment on the island, they are every where! This young meadowlark was perched on a rabbitbrush and I had hoped to catch it lifting off so for probably 4 minutes I waited, finger on the shutter button, eye glued to my viewfinder and when it did lift off I missed it because an RV passed by causing it to fly away and my view of the bird was obstructed.
Bird photography isn’t easy.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my bird photos in my galleries.
Thanks for the news and the beautiful images. Wow, struggling to keep my lawn from going brown in this oppressive heat.
Brown and beautiful.
Three birds that are fun to watch and listen to.Oh I know what you mean about cars and trucks approaching.
Great Images Mia. I think one is allowed to shoot out the RV tires when they occlude a photographers shot ). And a Mourning Dove photo too. I will pass it around to its cousins here
Three beautiful images…but the second, of the Mourning Dove is my special favorite. We haven’t seen that many of them this year and were getting a little worried. It’s still early, so I hope to see more of them soon….