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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

How Quickly They Vanish

What you are having trouble seeing in this picture above is an Eastern Bluebird. To my surprise, this is the first time I've ever shown you one of these birds. I have some pictures from about a month before that I had big plans for. Oh well. I'll have to bring them to you another time. For now, I'll bring you my second find.

I actually went back to this particular place just to get more pictures of bluebirds. It had been the only place I ever saw any. I also saw several orioles here, but they were not in any mood for me to get any pictures. The problem is that these bluebirds didn't seem to want me around either.

I got exactly two shots of the bird in my pictures, and I'm sharing them both with you. Hey, it's an exciting thing to get pictures of any creature that seems so elusive. When birds are concerned, you can find me chasing them like a complete fool! It must be funny seeing somebody running around in circles, seemingly chasing the air.

This was the scene only a fraction of a second after I took my first picture of the bluebird. It's almost as if he knew I was taking his picture and wanted to ruin the whole thing. Honestly, I don't blame him at all. If I was a bird, I'd do the exact same thing every time. And then I'd laugh a little birdy laugh in the photographer's direction.

Still, I have to say that I like pictures of birds in flight. This bluebird is more of a blur than anything, but there he is hovering in the sky with nothing connecting him to the ground at all. To me, this is the ultimate action shot. Too bad cameras aren't a little faster. He was gone right after this. How quickly they vanish...

Nature Center Magazine - Today we have a story from Steve of Out On The Prairie, called A First Garden. His excellent story coincidentally continues our agriculture theme this week, and a little more. Go take a look.

15 comments:

  1. Would that little birdy laugh sound anything like Woody the woodpecker or would it be more of a Tweety bird laugh? Birds do seem to quite quick to fly away when a camera is around.

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  2. I guess it depends on the bird, doesn't it, Ratty? When Jo and I were at the Botannical Gardens the other day, that robin just sat there nicely while we took quite a few shots, turning this way and that and then posed on top of that Asian statue.

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  3. Bluebirds don't stay in one place too long, so you're lucky to have gotten these fine photos. With a lot of effort and a little luck your time to capture the bluebird will come again.

    Part of the fun of it all isn't it?

    Bill:www.wildramblings.com

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  4. Nice photos. I've never had luck with bluebirds. Had a goldfinch pose nicely for me. Too bad I only had my phone camera that day! DoH! You got some good shots for a flighty bird. :-)

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  5. I love the bluebirds, in flight, sitting still, or any old way! Glad to hear they are hanging around Island Lake. At the Birding Festival this past weekend (where I led the wildflower hikes) one of the speakers was from the North American Bluebird Society. She gave lots of tips for attracting and keeping them. I learned some new stuff. She had a great video of a family hatching and fledging inside a nest box.

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  6. I always enjoy seeing pictures of Bluebirds. They are one of my favorites. Your male is a beauty! All flight shots are a challenge for me.

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  7. Remember when pointing a camera it may appear as a predator to your prey.I have a design to build 8 houses for $25 and put them around my neighborhood hoping to attract them.

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  8. It must be nice to see Bluebirds. I've never seen one here. Nice shots Ratty.

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  9. I know what a birdy laugh is, I have experienced it with a Kingfisher.

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  10. A lovely bird...pity he couldn't film rat tv and take a film of you running round like a fool after him...lol

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  11. We don't have them here,I would be thrilled to see them, if only for a few seconds, like you did!

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  12. It's tough getting those birds. What I'd like to do is run around getting a video of you trying to capture those birds :D Now that would be fun.

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  13. I think it's pretty cool that you got one of the bird in flight.

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  14. Sometime is good when our camera slowed down a little so we can captured the blurry effects of their wings :)

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  15. I like the first photo! It is a beautiful bird, and you did a great job captured it.

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