I had an extra day off from work this Monday but I didn't get to the park until later in the afternoon. It was terribly windy and on the cold side at just 47 degrees. I didn't think I would see much but the park usually proves me wrong anytime I assume this. The first think I spotted was an unknown bird hopping around mostly on the ground. Right away it didn't look familiar because it was rather large -close to a Robin size maybe, but was mostly drab colored except for it's bright rusty colored tail feathers.
It flew off quickly into some low bushes but came back out onto the open ground right near the trail long enough to capture photos of it from different angles. I had to have some help identifying this bird later and was happy to learn that I'd captured a new bird for my blog -a Hermit Thrush! Now I will just have to remember how to recognize one if I ever see one again. I never heard it make any noise but they apparently have a very beautiful song. On the northeast side I spotted a group of 5 to 6 Deer moving below the Buckthorn trees just off the trail.
For whatever reason they tend to congregate here in large groups each spring. There must be something good to eat here. I watched them for a while trying to get a shot with all of them in it but of course they don't always stay in tight groups. There were no Bucks in the group but there were a couple of curious young ones that cautiously walked closer to me as I took photos crouched down on one knee. Just like last year, their fur looked to be a mess as if they were shedding maybe. On the north side near a drainage ditch I just barely caught a glimpse of a tiny little bird bouncing around in a tree at about eye level above a drainage ditch full of water. It flew off quickly to the other side of the ditch when I realized it was likely a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It was very windy on this side of the park and I was surprised that they were out and active in such crummy weather.
I stood and waited here for nearly 30 minutes or more, watching 2 of them periodically fly back to my side of the ditch and hop around in the tree like crazy as I remember them from last year. Seriously, these birds DO NOT stay put for more than 1 to 2 seconds before moving again. I was almost laughing to myself at how difficult it is to get a photo of one. By the time you can get one in your viewfinder, they tend to move and it's a constant game of catching up to them. I wasn't too happy with the quality of this photo but it does show their olive green backside plus the red crown raised slightly. I will make sure to check out this spot again during my next walk.
It flew off quickly into some low bushes but came back out onto the open ground right near the trail long enough to capture photos of it from different angles. I had to have some help identifying this bird later and was happy to learn that I'd captured a new bird for my blog -a Hermit Thrush! Now I will just have to remember how to recognize one if I ever see one again. I never heard it make any noise but they apparently have a very beautiful song. On the northeast side I spotted a group of 5 to 6 Deer moving below the Buckthorn trees just off the trail. 
For whatever reason they tend to congregate here in large groups each spring. There must be something good to eat here. I watched them for a while trying to get a shot with all of them in it but of course they don't always stay in tight groups. There were no Bucks in the group but there were a couple of curious young ones that cautiously walked closer to me as I took photos crouched down on one knee. Just like last year, their fur looked to be a mess as if they were shedding maybe. On the north side near a drainage ditch I just barely caught a glimpse of a tiny little bird bouncing around in a tree at about eye level above a drainage ditch full of water. It flew off quickly to the other side of the ditch when I realized it was likely a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It was very windy on this side of the park and I was surprised that they were out and active in such crummy weather.
I stood and waited here for nearly 30 minutes or more, watching 2 of them periodically fly back to my side of the ditch and hop around in the tree like crazy as I remember them from last year. Seriously, these birds DO NOT stay put for more than 1 to 2 seconds before moving again. I was almost laughing to myself at how difficult it is to get a photo of one. By the time you can get one in your viewfinder, they tend to move and it's a constant game of catching up to them. I wasn't too happy with the quality of this photo but it does show their olive green backside plus the red crown raised slightly. I will make sure to check out this spot again during my next walk.
No comments:
Post a Comment