Sunday, April 1, 2012

Gettin' Fat on the Mud Flats

I found myself in the east side of town this weekend and decided to revisit the Gilbert Water Ranch. It was a very nice morning of birding, with lots of regulars and some new migrants totaling 74 species in all--not bad for a single location in the suburbs!

That being said, it wasn't a particularly photogenic morning. The vegetation at the Water Ranch has really filled in, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to get clear shots of the birds as they enjoy the springtime foliage.


Yes yes, what a hard life we birders have that leaves and twigs cause us such problems. Luckily, there are always a few places around the water's edge where the vegetation curtails and the birds are more visible. The trade-off is that the birds also tend to be less colorful. But hey a bird is a bird and we are compelled to watch them!

A pair of Canada Geese, along with some Least Sandpipers and Killdeer were all romping it up in the mud flats along the Water Ranch ponds. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet (the best buffet) of invertebrates, roots, and other muddy delectables. Much like at human buffets, the objective was to eat as much as you can as fast as you can, no matter who's watching or taking pictures.

In my book, the Killdeer wins the award for having both the most beautiful eye ring and the most annoying call in the avian kingdom.
Canada Geese, on the other hand, are thoroughly cool, even if they do pronounce some words kinda funny.
The Canada Geese and Killdeer can be found around most ponds and fields throughout much of North America. The Least Sandpiper is not quite as public, though it is still pretty common. That being said, I have a really hard time getting proper focus and exposure on these humble little birds. Their coloration can be challenging, but white and dark brown is by no means an unusual combination for a bird. For me, it's getting good definition on the beak and, when visible, the feet. Since they tend to keep their heads towards the ground, it can also be hard to get a nice catch light in the eye.


Least Sandpipers are very methodical. They seldom stray from their anxious darting routine as they feed. But every once in a while...Woosh! Dynamic Action Pose:


Eventually the grazers all moved on, and it was time for me to get some lunch of my own. Even if they don't pick the nicest scenery, it's nice to have these down n' dirty birds doing their thing while all the pretty warblers stay high up in the trees.

20 comments:

  1. You nailed it on that last Least Shot. Well done!

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  2. Thanks Seagull. Those Least Sandpipers can sometimes come with the Biggest problems.

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  3. I love that last shot too Laurence! Those little peeps can be very challenging!

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    1. Yes indeed Mia, and often times I'm just simply out of ideas on how to improve my approach (which, of course, is not to say there's not lots and lots of room for improvement). Sometimes it seems like ya just need a bit of luck on your side, and without it you'll come away empty handed.
      Thanks for the nice compliment.

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  4. Nice shots Laurence! I love this place! I just want to thank you for all your visits and comments on my blog, especially the one about the Moon which made me have to look the word up and then I laughed so hard! BTW, it doesn't look like you are having trouble photographing these birds at all!

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    1. Hey thanks Kathie. It's always a pleasure to stop by your blog, share in your perspectives, and admire your photography and general artistic sense and appreciation for what you witness.

      I was pretty lucky to have the Sandpiper come so close this time, certainly the best photo shoot they're afforded me so far.

      I appreciate you stopping by and your comments. I hope you fit in some great birding this weekend.

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  5. Love the reflection of that first Least Sandpiper shot. And way to go on getting an action shot =) You must have had to get down 'n dirty, too, to get these shots!

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    1. Thanks Maureen. I was rather uncomfortable for a little while.

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  6. 74 species is an impressive day! These are all great shots! The head shot of the goose is excellent!

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    1. Thanks Tammy. The photographic opportunities aren't always there, but one can definitely count on seeing a lot of species at the Ranch.

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  7. Lots of goodies in the mudflats, great place to bird. Especially loved the sandpiper images.

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    1. Thanks Debbie. The flats don't offer much in way of scenery but they do support some interesting critters.

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  8. Wonderful photos of some very nice birds Laurence.

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    1. Thanks Dan, always a pleasure to have you stop by.

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  9. What a great day!! Your photos are exquisite! How do you get them to pose so nicely for youi!!

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    1. Ha just laying there long enough KaHolly, and even then there's a fair bit of luck in just finding the few birds that will tolerate me (have that issue with people too : )

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  10. Wow, 74 bird species in one day! Fabulous! I too think the deep red ring around Killdeers eyes are beautiful. Terrific series of photographs! Love the last Least Sandpiper capture.

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    1. Thanks Julie. That sand crawlers saved my outing!

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  11. Hey, those are great shots. I get annoyed with the twigs et al:) I spotted my first Great Horned Owl Nest on my own and talk about the branches!!! I could barely see the parent through them all. I wrote a post on all of this coming up. The birds higher up are really really tricky to see. Rookerys are cool but they're really amazing when you can see the nests clearly:) The Killdeer is an incredible bird. It's one that I studied a lot when I was younger because I wanted to catch one....and I did and then let it go. I don't know why I did that....I would have been very angry with my younger self in those days:) Great shots!

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    1. Thanks Chris. I can't hold it against the birds of course, and if photography were too easy I might not bother, but yeah some days it really can be frustrating when they hide in the brush.

      How did you manage to catch a Killdeer? Very impressive.

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