NATURE CLICKS #591 - CEDAR WAXWING

January 29, 2025

Cedar Waxwing, Little Maquoketa River Valley, Iowa

Warmer weather brought some changes in the numbers of birds that visited our woods here today. The Dark-eyed Juncos that were here by more than a dozen during the polar vortex were not seen today, except for one.

The two American Robins we had all winter long so far were joined by a flock of at least ten more birds. As often observed before, the robins had company by some Cedar Waxwings. They are here for the same food source as the American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds, the juniper berries that hang from the Eastern Cedar trees we have around here.

During the summer the waxwings feed also from insects but the juniper berries must be a good winter diet for them. The Cedar Waxwings are very careful and they often sit for quite some time on a perch before they approach the water bowls of a bird bath. This is when the photographer has a great chance to make a picture of one of the most beautiful birds around here.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, @ 600mm, 1/2000s, f/8, ISO 1000,

4x WILDLIFE IN AUTUMN

October 22, 2024

With the loss of leaves in the trees we may have quite a bit of dappled light, and that is not always desirable for making a good photo. But if we keep our eyes open, we might be able to use it to our advantage. The light in the fall can be just gorgeous and if a spotlight hits our subject in the picture just right, it adds some drama even to a simple gesture of a bird or critter. Exposing for the highlights is mostly the key for success if we don’t want to blow any colors out. If the part of the animal that is in the shade is a little too dark, we can bring back the shadows in post process easily to overcome the high contrast situation.

During the last couple days I spent some time in our front yard, using the morning light or the still intense power of the sun during the early evening. Four examples are shown today that hopefully underline my approach.

One of our Eastern Chipmunks stopped briefly to check the surroundings for any danger while digging between the leaves for food. I had followed the critter with the lens for a while already and was hoping for a moment like this.

We still have a few Yellow-rumped Warblers around here, who may have migrated from up north. One of the birds rested briefly on a twig in a Forsythia bush and the light falling through the trees hit the front side of the warbler just right. A little underexposure helped to keep the bright parts of the bird intact, while the shadows on the backside where lifted in post process slightly.

The American Goldfinches are pretty much done with their second molt of the year and it is almost complete. Only parts of the males remain still in a bright yellow. You can see that both finches are covered in dappled light. Well, the eyes are clear, have even a catch light from the sun, and the yellow feathers are in great light and this all makes for good storytelling about the season, at least in my books.

Very seldom do I post a picture of a bird at a feeder or on the bird bath but I couldn’t resist to make the click of this male American Robin in wonderful Sunday Morning light. Yes, the sun puts some light onto the bird, but it is the reflection from the water and the bowl that holds it that make the colors of this robin just look like at ”mating time in spring”. The exposure was set for the throat of the American Robin but it also rendered the bowl a little too bright, which was an easy fix in post process.

I hope today’s blog post gives the photographers among you some hints for your own fall bird photography and anybody else gets a kick out of the photos as well.

All photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S

A HUNGRY BUNCH

May 12, 2024

Feeding time for the American Robin nestlings

Four little necks go up in the air as soon as one of the parents approaches the nest with food in their bill. This time it was enough for all four of the chicks what the father had found for them. Both parents feed the offspring. With the warm weather this weekend and a little bit of rain ones in a while the conditions are pretty good for finding worms, caterpillars, and other insects. It is amazing how fast the young Robins grow within just a few days.

The nest is on a wooden supporting structure for the grape vine branches that grow above our balcony. No, we don’t have a lot of grapes but the leaves that just start to pop out provide nice shade during the summer and help to keep the house cool.

I shot this picture from below through the glass of the balcony window.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, @200mm, 1/1000s, f/10, ISO2000

ROUGH DAYS (BUT NOT FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER)

January 29, 2023

The last few days have been pretty rough for most of the birds here in our woods. Snow and cold temperatures require a higher energy level and finding food is more difficult. As often reported before, we have quite a few bird feeders that attract the birds and help them to go through the winter. For us wildlife photographers the goal is not to make the photo while the bird is at a feeder, but we want to make the click when they use a perch and approach the feeder or a bird bath.

Alright, today I make an exception from the rule, because I like to show you how things are done for the woodpeckers. This male yellow-shafted Northern Flicker uses the horizontal branch of this dead cedar to perch on while feeding at a suet feeder. I figured out they do not like to hang on the cage or hold on to the tree trunk as much as other species do. The small Downy Woodpecker for instance holds on to the cage quite often. The larger Hairy or Red-bellied Woodpeckers seem to prefer the tree trunk and often feed from below, while supporting their body with the tail. Each bird species have their own way to approach the food source.

Since a few years every winter we have a number of American Robins here. They are not coming for our bird feeders but the juniper berries of the red cedars around here are their food source. However, they like to visit a bird bath for drinking and sometimes even take a bath. Before they fly in the robins perch in a tree nearby. While maybe four or five at a time gather around the water, others sit in the trees and watch for predators until it is their turn for a drink.

Blue Jays are more aggressive towards other birds. They make their presence known with noisy calls and they often scare other birds away from a feeder when they think it’s time to eat. The Blue Jays go for everything, sunflower seeds, crushed corn on the ground, or pick even at a suet feeder. Snow on the ground is the best time to photograph this intelligent bird with its blue, black, and white plumage.

We are lucky to have a large number of Northern Cardinals flocked together here during the winter. During their breeding time in the summer they move around in pairs. The male cardinals defend their breeding territory fiercely against other males. Cardinals almost always perch on a low branch or in a shrub before they approach a bird feeder. Placing a perch near the feeder can be key to make the click with the camera.

INCUBATION TIME

May 30, 2022

It’s breeding season for most of the birds in our woods. Many species incubate their eggs and are not seen as often as the weeks before during their mating time. We are very fortunate to have three different species sitting on eggs right here at the house. As during the last three years a pair of American Robins has built a nest on our balcony. They had originally four eggs, two didn’t make it, but two little chicks are currently fed by their parents. We avoid being on the balcony as much as possible.

The second bird is the Gray Catbird I reported about a few days ago. I discovered a nest today with two eggs. They built it between the branches of a mountain pine that grows right beside our porch. Another area we will try to avoid in order not to disturb the birds during incubation and the time after.

Last but not least, as every year a pair of House Wrens has occupied a nest box in our front yard and another female sits on eggs in another box at the back of the house. House Wrens are not monogamous and there is a good chance that the little male bird in today’s photos has something to do with the nest in the backyard as well. However, he tends and protects the bird box at the front. The wren sings his heart out, especially when the female has left the nest for a few minutes. He does that usually from a perch in the neighborhood, and not near the nest, so a possible predator will be attracted to him and not the clutch of eggs or the female while she is trying to find something to eat for herself.

I use this great photo opportunity and practice a lot with the long lens and teleconverter attached. The 850 mm focal length allows me to stay away as much as possible from the birds and still can fill the frame without cropping a single bit off.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head,

1. photo @ 850 mm, 1/200 s, f/9, ISO 640

2. photo @ 850 mm, 1/125 s, f/9, ISO 400

HOLIDAYS WITH BIRDS

December 26, 2021

I trust you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend and the photographers among you had a chance to aim their lenses at something interesting or learn and play with a new piece of equipment that you found under the Christmas tree.

As mentioned in the last blog post, it was our first Christmas without snow here but the mild weather was perfect for a hike yesterday and for some shooting with the long lens in the front yard today. Seventeen bird species used the stand that holds the perches, bird feeders, and a bird bath this morning and I used their presence to make myself more familiar with the new Nikon Z6II mirrorless camera. One goal was to customize some of the camera buttons to my preference, so I can operate and change settings at the camera on tripod with the right hand only and without taking my eye from the viewfinder. The left hand can remain on top of the lens barrel, helping minimize vibrations during the shooting process.

The American Goldfinch is in its winter plumage but still very pretty. This picture is a composite, actually showing the same bird. I had this idea when I saw both photos side by side on the screen.

The American Robins stay here for the juniper berries on the red cedars that grow on the rocky bluffs of our valley. They use the bird baths frequently and the best chance for a click is right before they jump down to the water from a higher perch.

The Eastern Bluebirds is another consumer of the juniper berries. Today we had three males and one female here.

The third bird that prefers berries during the winter time is the Cedar Waxwing. They sometimes “wait in line” when other, bigger birds occupy the water source.

Today I saw the first Purple Finch during this winter. They spend the summer up in northern Minnesota and Canada and we usually see them only during the cold season. The appearance of this female is a clear message that some real winter weather may lie ahead of us.

All photos: Nikon Z6II, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, FTZ adapter, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

NATURE CLICKS #511 - CEDAR WAXWING

December 22, 2021

Cedar Waxwing, Nikon Z6II, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, FTZ adapter, @ 600mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO800, DX crop

I shot this photo yesterday morning, just before I went on my hopefully last business trip for this year. There is only one big reason why a few Cedar Waxwings show up at our heated bird baths during this time of the year. We must have a good crop of juniper berries on the red cedar trees here on top of the bluffs above the Little Maquoketa River Valley. Most of the time the waxwings are in company with a number of American Robins. Both bird species love to eat the berries and between feeding frenzies they drink a lot of water. Last winter we haven’t seen a single Cedar Waxwing here, because there was obviously not enough juniper berries available. It is so good to see this beautiful bird back again!

I’m very impressed how good the new Nikon Z6II deals with luminance noise from shooting with higher ISO settings. With my older cameras I would not stretch the ISO settings up to 800 in my bird photography. I always found the necessary noise reduction in post process would remove way too much detail in the bird’s feathers. With the Z6II it becomes a totally different game. It allows shooting in low light, as we had yesterday morning, and a sharp image with all details still intact becomes more likely under these conditions. Another reason I wanted the Z6II. 😊

3 BIRDS, 3 THOUGHTS

January 25, 2019

I have three photos and three little stories or thoughts for you today. It all accumulated during this week as much as the snow did here on the bluffs above the Little Maquoketa River Valley.

All three pictures were made in the ‘backyard studio’, which means around the house. I did a “mini class” on bird photography with speed light during our “flash workshop” at the last meeting of the Dubuque Camera Club. However, no flash was used to boost colors this time because the giant reflector, called ‘snow’, took over this function. I was really happy to see some great results on social media of other photographers who applied some of the ideas I taught to their own photography (John Leicht, you are on the right track!).

This Northern Cardinal is part of the gang, joining us every morning and evening. Not a great gesture, but look at the shaft of light that hits this fellow during sunset time…

Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (hybrid?)

I have photographed this guy before. Usually male Yellow-shafted Northern Flickers have a deep black mustache but this must be a hybrid between a red-shafted (hence the red mustache) and the yellow shafted Northern Flicker (hence the yellow undertail). Not really uncommon, but the line where both races overlap is usually much further west. Any thoughts from other birders about this topic are more than welcome.

When I moved to this country almost 15 years ago and started to learn about the birds of North America I quite often heard, the American Robin migrates and we don’t see them here in this part of the Midwest during the winter. The reappearance in March, or even April, was celebrated as a sure sign of spring by many people. I thought this was true for a long time, but during the last 4-5 years I have always seen American Robins during the winter. This season, now with temperatures way below 0ºF (-16ºC), the robins still come to the water sources we provide. A bird will show up only at feeders if either food, water, and/or exceptional safety are nearby. In case of the robins, they don’t eat really any of the food we provide. Ones in a great while I see an American Robin feeding on a suet feeder that we have out there for the woodpeckers. What draws them in is the abundance of juniper berries from the Red Cedars that grow on the limestone bluffs above the valley here. I guess this kind of food must make them very thirsty…. I refilled both of our bird baths with more than a gallon of water (2x 3.87 liters) today. Sure, part of it is the low humidity, letting the water evaporate more quickly, but it is amazing how much liquid these birds can consume within a short period of time.

END OF A MYTH

February 4, 2017

It took me several years to write today’s blog post…:-) I guess I just wanted to watch the development a little more before opening my mouth…. Every spring we get bombarded on social media about the fact that spring is here, and as the greatest witness the appearance of the poor American Robin is held for a fact. At least during the last six or seven years we have seen robins here in Eastern Iowa during the winter, even during periods of very cold temperatures. One important reason might be the abundance of juniper berries, the fruit that hangs from our Eastern Red Cedars here on the bluffs in the Little Maquoketa River Valley. However, the last three winters have been relatively warm, but I think, the old myth that the American Robin disappears in our area during the winter is a thing of the past.

READY FOR A DRINK (OR A BATH)

October 18, 2016

The days are getting shorter quickly and there isn’t much daylight left after I’m done with my work. On the positive side are the more frequent visits of many birds in our yard. Today we had four different woodpecker species around here and I saw a Brown Creeper going up the trunk of a tree. A first this season.

In the fall the American Robins stick together in small flocks and take advantage of our four bird bath bowls. The photo opportunity comes right before they go to the water source. Most of the time they perch briefly on a branch or sticks I have mounted near the bath. The robins look carefully around before they jump or fly to the water bowl to make sure no predator is nearby.

I shot in “sniper mode”, with the Better Beamer flash extender for color enhancement. The sun was already behind the trees but left still some ambient light for this photo. A few minutes later it would have been too dark and using flash as my main source of light is not an option.

1/80 s, f/6.3, @600 mm, ISO 400, -1EV, Flash -4, Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, Better Beamer flash extender