Male Brewer’s Blackbird Portrait – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I saw a flock of Brewer’s Blackbirds yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA, there were a few females but most of the flock consisted of males. I was able to take this male Brewer’s Blackbird portrait as it perched next to the road that shows the iridescent colors in his plumage quite nicely. I think he only allowed such a close approach because I was in a vehicle using it as a mobile blind.
The flock of Brewer’s Blackbirds I saw and photographed yesterday seemed as if they were on alert and that could have been because there was a Prairie Falcon perched on a pole not too far from the blackbirds. One second I was photographing them and in a split second they all lifted off and flew further away.
Brewer’s Blackbirds are year round residents in Utah but I don’t seem to see them as much in the middle of winter as I do other times of the year and that might occur because I am usually not photographing birds in the specific habitat that the Brewer’s use during the coldest months of the year.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Brewer’s Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.
Mia…..thanks for showing us that common birdies are uncommonly beautiful.
When I saw your post title I had a very different ‘brewer’ in mind.
This one is much, much more photogenic. And, to my eyes, more beautiful too.
Love your portraits!
The feather detail in this portrait is very interesting…to my naked eye, this detail is pretty much lost…what I see is just a yellow-eyed, black bird and miss the subtle details of its blackness….all visible here……beautiful!!!
Beautiful portrait.
Love that eye!
Wow, just an awesome image Mia. Those colors really pop.