BUSY BLUEBIRDS

Female Eastern Bluebird

There was some hope a few weeks ago that we may have a pair of Eastern Bluebirds building a nest in a special nest box I provided for them. They tried, but we have a number of House Wrens here in the woods and the males are pretty aggressive and kick any other bird out of a cavity if it is within their claimed territory. So, no bluebird nest again this year in our backyard. I never mind seeing the wrens raising their offspring but it would be nice having young bluebirds as well. Luckily my photography friend Kevin has a pair of bluebirds again this year in one of the nest boxes he installed near his house and he invited me for a shooting session while the parents fed the offspring in the nest last weekend.

Male bluebird, checking the surroundings before entering the nest box

There were some interesting observations to be made. During the whole time, more than an hour, the female didn’t feed the young birds at all. She had food available and in its bill and seemed to act as a backup. The male flew in and kept feeding the brood from time to time. I saw the female swallowing a caterpillar and coming back quickly with another one, but she never entered the nest box. I’m not sure if she gave some of her catch to the male, but he was the only bird feeding their offspring.

Kevin and I had plenty of opportunities making a photo of the female bird while she posed nicely on a branch near the nest box. The males are a lot more colorful but the busy bird flew most of the time directly to the wooden box, checked the surrounding area for any possible danger, and quickly went into the entrance hole. Good times as always, and my thanks go out to Kevin for giving me the opportunity for this photo shoot!

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

NATURE CLICKS #562 - COMMON NIGHTHAWK

Common Nighthawk, Badlands, South Dakota

Shortly after the encounter of an Upland Sandpiper (see my last blog post if you missed it) I found this Common Nighthawk sitting on another fence post along Conata Road, just outside of Badlands National Park. The wide open grasslands are an ideal habitat for this bird, who feeds on insects. I read that one bird eats upwards of 500 mosquitoes in a single day. Its enormous mouth surrounded by bristles is perfectly suited for aerial capture.

The nighthawk wasn’t bothered by my presence and gave me plenty of time to come back with a number of sharp photos. I have seen Common Nighthawks before, mostly in flight, but it was the first time I was able to add this bird to my photo library and to share a picture with you here in my blog.

NATURE CLICKS #558 - AMERICAN AVOCET

American Avocet, Maskunky Marsh, Mahaska County, Iowa

Business required me to travel this week in Kansas and Missouri but unfortunately the camera stayed in the bag due to the lack of time. On my way back to eastern Iowa today I finally stopped at the Maskunky Marsh, near Oskaloosa in Mahaska County. I was there only once before, in July 2021, and it was the first time that I saw and photographed Yellow-crowned Night Herons. I knew this wouldn’t happen today but my hope to find some other shore birds came true.

This migratory single American Avocet was feeding in the shallow water of the marsh. The bird is in its breeding plumage and it was the first time that I saw an avocet in Iowa. I read about occasional sightings by other birders but we are not in its breeding range, which is further west and northwest.

The American Avocet feeds by having the bill underwater and swinging it from side to side along the bottom. This way they stir up aquatic insects.

Both photos are heavily cropped, although the first one was even shot with the TC 1.4, extending the focal length to 850 mm. There was just no way to get any closer to this bird but for an important sighting, like this avocet, I gladly crop the heck out of the image. 😉

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG

NATURE CLICKS #556 - YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER

Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

As mentioned yesterday already we had some early migrating bird arrivals this week. The first male House Wren was here eleven days earlier than 2022 and we saw a couple Chipping Sparrows, almost three weeks ahead of last years arrival date. Both species will raise their offspring here.

But the biggest surprise came yesterday when a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker showed up and visited our trees several times during the day. We are near the southern edge of their breeding range, which goes all the way up to northern Canada. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. We had a successful brood here in our woods in 2014 and the last time I photographed this woodpecker was in April 2018.

Sapsuckers feeding a little different than any of the other six woodpecker species we have here in the Little Maquoketa Valley. The following is a quote from the CornellLab website https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/lifehistory#food :

As the name indicates, sapsuckers rely on sap as a main food source. Just like people who tap maple trees to make maple syrup, these birds drill their wells in early spring. Sapsucker wells are neatly organized, with several holes drilled in horizontal rows. The bird first drills narrow, circular wells into the tree’s xylem—the inner part of the trunk—to feed on sap moving up to the branches in early spring. Then, after the tree leafs out, the sapsucker begins making shallower, rectangular wells in the phloem, the part of the trunk that carries sap down from the leaves. This sap can be more than 10 percent sugar. These phloem wells must be continually maintained with fresh drilling, so the sap will continue to flow. Sapsuckers tend to choose sick or wounded trees for drilling their wells, and they choose tree species with high sugar concentrations in their sap, such as paper birch, yellow birch, sugar maple, red maple, and hickory. They drill wells for sap throughout the year, on both their breeding and wintering grounds. In addition to sap, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers also eat insects (mostly ants) and spiders, gleaning them from beneath a tree’s bark like other woodpeckers. And at times they perch at the edge of a tree branch and launch after flying insects to capture them in midair, like a flycatcher. Sapsuckers are also attracted to orchards, where they drill wells in the trees and eat fruit.

In my second photo you can see how the sapsucker has its bill in a hole at a tree branch, he obviously had drilled. There is also a hole visible with sap pouring out in the first image. It is to the left of the bird’s foot. You may not see that if you read this blog post on a device with a small screen. Beside being very happy about this photo opportunity I just thought it is very interesting how these woodpeckers time their migration with the arrival of spring and sap starting flowing in the trees here in eastern Iowa.

BUZZING AROUND

The red Bee Balms have passed their prime but these flowers still supply nectar for our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and many butterflies.

The young hummingbirds are only a few weeks old but they are as competitive about the best food spots as the adult males. The body language says it all, someone is approaching. A second later he was buzzing around again.

WEEKEND THOUGHTS

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The story of our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can be told in different ways and I’m very happy if I’m able to show them in their natural habitat. I have lots of photos of the hummingbird going back and forth drinking from one of our feeders. When I make a sharp picture, and of course do not have the feeder in it, I’m happy too. But is that really where to go with my photography about hummingbirds? Sure, I can fiddle forever about the technical aspects of a photo, but many technically perfect pictures lack the story about the animal. Still alright, if you contribute to the perfect bird guide book or app, but very few of us nature photographers do, and what’s left is just good storytelling about the animal. 

Thanks to Joan’s gardening efforts we have over 50 Bee Balm flowers in the front yard at the moment. Prime food for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird! They still get the most energy out of the hummingbird feeders, hanging from the edge of the porch, but for a good photo the flower environment beats anything else.

THE FLICKER'S STORY

Male Northern Flicker

The last couple mornings brought us some sunlight and combined with woodpeckers getting closer to their mating season, the colors of their feathers are at their best. The ground is soft and the Northern Flickers are in the grass and probe with their bills in the soil for insects. It is believed that they eat ants more than any other North American bird, but right now it is a little bit to early for their preferred food.

At this time of the year it is a good habit to have the camera with the long lens mounted on a tripod and always ready to shoot. You never know what shows up in the morning and if there is an interesting sighting, you might miss the opportunity to make a good click if the gear is not ready.

I talk a lot about the storytelling in our images, especially during my presentations, and it is always valid to ask yourself, “what is the story in the photo?”. It might be possible to get a shot of the flicker with his bill in the ground, mostly with the eyes closed, but is it desirable and will be a pleasing photo? I’m not so sure. The flicker in the grass, holding still for a few seconds, while watching out for predators, is a great moment to make the click. The little bit of dirt on its bill tells the story about its feeding habits. The colors of the flicker’s feathers, the old dried up leaves and faded grass, together with the first green of the season leave no doubt what time of the year the picture was taken. And there is your story…

NATURE CLICKS #436 - NORTHERN FLICKER

I finally was able to spend some time behind the camera this morning. With some snow on the ground bird photography is a lot of fun. The birds come more frequently to our feeders and using the extra light reflected by the snow is a great benefit. The sun wasn’t out and throwing a hint of flash at the bird brings out the colors and beats the overcast.

I’m still not sure about this Northern Flicker. I think it is a young male who’s malar stripe or “mustache” is not fully developed yet. Currently we see four flickers that visit us every day.

They usually feed on the ground, digging for insects, especially ants. This is not an option at the moment and during the winter their diet consists of seeds and berries. I’m sure our suet feeders help them to survive the winter and we are very happy to see this beautiful bird.

GOING FOR THE SEEDS

American Goldfinch

When Purple Coneflowers are in their prime they are a good food source for many butterflies and other insects. Later, after they are withered, they become a food source for some birds. The American Goldfinch is primarily a seed eater. There is a reason why they raise their offspring later than most of the birds we have here during the summer. Seeds are available in abundance and beside thistles the faded coneflowers are in high demand. This photo is from last weekend and while looking for hummingbirds I saw this male goldfinch feeding on coneflower seeds. He did not stop until each flower he visited was almost bare. Most of the time the head was down and it was difficult to get a clean shot. But the bird was aware about my presence and had a look at me ones in a while. These were the moments to release the shutter button of the camera…

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender

DEPENDING ON INSECTS

Eastern Wood-Pewee, Mississippi River, Mud Lake Marina, Iowa

I have been out of town for a few days but I guess I didn’t miss much in regards of wildlife photography. It was rainy and cold here. It warmed up today and this evening, after my return, I took our dog for a much needed exercise down to the Mississippi River. The water level is almost back to normal and Mud Lake Park is open again. Some dirt and debris is still evidence from the recent weeks of flooding.

The month of May was relatively cold overall and I had already concerns about the many flycatchers species, who spend the summer here and depend so much on flying insects. It was nice to see an Eastern Wood-Pewee, catching insects mid-air. Knowing the feeding and foraging habits of birds has helped me many times to find them. The pewee was very busy between the stranded logs the river had left along the shore he and returned quite often to the same perch after catching an insect. I used the car for cover and after getting the MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender out of the bag my results improved while the sun was hiding behind a cloud.

NATURE CLICKS #420 - HOODED MERGANSER

Male Hooded Merganser, Mississippi River, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

As many times before I used my car as a mobile blind while watching for birds and taking pictures in the Green Island Wetlands yesterday. The Hooded Mergansers are usually very shy and take off quite often even before the car comes to a standstill. But love is in the air already and I watched several males competing for the attention of a female. This is our chance to make a successful click because they are distracted. The Hooded Merganser is the smallest of the three species found in North America. They find their prey underwater by sight. A third eyelid, the nictitating membrane, is clear and protects the eye during swimming. Beside aquatic insects, crustacians, frogs, plants and seeds, they feed on fish, capturing them with their serrated and hooked bill (see photo). More to come…please stay tuned!

COMPETITION

Male Hairy Woodpecker

Four of the seven woodpecker species we find here in the woods above the Little Maquoketa River Valley are regular visitors to our bird feeders. At times with lots of snow and very cold temperatures, as we have right now, the competition over the food and feeding times is always on.

Female Northern Flicker

Size matters and if a Northern Flicker with its long bill wants to eat, everybody else has to wait in line. We count at least four different flickers.

The Hairy Woodpeckers do not visit as often as the other species and they are the most difficult ones to photograph. They are high in the ranks with their long bill and they can be very vocal. We see at least one pair and an immature bird.

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker

Since we live here up on the bluffs the Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been a pleasure to watch every year. They may argue with a Hairy Woodpecker about the best spots, because they are similar in size, but if a flicker wants to feed, they go back to a waiting position. We see two adults and a couple immature red-bellies, who were born last year.

Male Downy Woodpecker

The smallest one of the bunch is the Downy Woodpecker. They look very similar to a Hairy Woodpecker but they are much smaller in size. As you can imagine the downys always have to leave a suet feeder if one of the bigger birds decides to eat. They are the first ones in the morning and still feed when all the other woodpeckers are gone at dusk. Usually we see 5-6 birds at the same time around the house but a week ago, when we received the first big snow of the season, we counted 10 different Downy Woodpeckers, which is a new record this year.

3 BIRDS, 3 THOUGHTS

Northern Cardinal

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.

American Robin

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.

FEEDING STORIES - TODAY: WRENS AND HUMMINGBIRDS

I told you a few days ago about the gourd that hangs from our porch and is right now home for the second brood of the House Wrens. The entrance hole faces the house and there is not much light available for taking a picture. To make a few clicks I used the short time when the sun actually appeared in a gap between the trees and sent some light to the backside of the gourd this evening. When the female showed up with food in her bill the light hit her just right. It still needed some fill flash to make this photo work. The Impact Quikbox Soft box does a very good job to soften the light that comes from the flash.

Another way to make a picture that tells the story about feeding the offspring, is to use the brief moment when the adult bird lands on a branch nearby and checks the surrounding before it flies up to the nest under the roof of the porch.

With the very pleasant cooler temperatures at the moment the hummingbirds use the feeders with sugar water very frequently. Some hang from the same wood beam as the gourd with the wren’s nest. I knew that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds also feed on tiny little insects, but making the click while the bird actually snapped at, what appears to be a gnat, was a first one for me.

WOODPECKER OFFSPRING

Young male Downy Woodpecker

We had a bit of rain the last couple days and the air finally cooled down, but I take this any time over the heat and humidity we had recently. However, no matter what kind of weather we have the birds and critters need to feed their offspring. I had some fun this evening standing on the porch behind the camera watching two young Downy Woodpeckers. Sometimes the parents still brought them a seed from the suet feeder but most of the time they tried to figure it out by themselves. They are only a little smaller than the parents but it is the clumsy behavior that reveals who has still to learn the lessons of life.

A little fill flash helped to get the exposure right and bring some colors out because the dark overcast this evening didn’t let much light come through here in the woods.