Weld Birds

The Winter Birds are slipping away from me I realize; a quick dash out east today in hopes of catching a few. Slim hopes. :)

At Latham, Red-winged Blackbirds:

I drove out to Banner Lakes with some vague idea of looking for Long-earred Owls. I didn't find any, but on the way back to the car I flushed a GHO. At least my vague idea had some semblance of logic!

Flew out right in front of me; didn't even know he'd been there!

Another silhouette for the gallery, a Western Meadowlark.

Running Deer Test Run

Whatever my weekend plans were going to be, they took a nose-dive Friday afternoon when I discovered my camera had been stored in a wet bag all week. (Exactly when Camelbak will manufacture a bladder that doesn't prove faulty I don't know.)

After talking with the B & H rep this morning I concluded that it's going to be alright. Even if something happens down the road that five year extended warranty will be there to keep me and my yogurt-exploding persona safe.

And so, a test drive at Running Deer this evening. A little too dark too soon [read not miserably HOT,] but I think I can tell that everything is functioning as it should be:

Red-winged Blackbird silhouette

I figured I'd shoot whatever I saw, even if that meant grasshoppers.

There were a lot of dragonflies. It was remarkably quiet; I

don't ever remember such a quiet night at Running Deer.

Too dark for these guys, but you get the idea...

Blurry or not, I love seeing the mink :)

Maybe I'm just a little tired, but for the moment I'm unclear. Only

glimpsed momentarily...

Reminds me of some immature yellow-breasted chats

I saw last week, though it's lacking the distinctive

eye ring...

More herons than anything else at Running Deer tonight. I almost got a hilarious shot 

of a Great Blue Beak underneath me as it somehow didn't notice me standing above it 

at the dam. Two seconds too late...

Joy Out East

Unexpected Fabulousness: the bird I've been most hoping to see for the first time this Spring, the Black-Necked Stilt:

These little guys were hanging out with the stilts:

Other highlights today:

Brad's Pheasant photo

Excitable Yellow Headed Blackbirds..

(probably just excited to have a break from the rain!)

My first Yellow-Rumped Warbler of the year...

And at Lower Latham, a Marsh Wren's nest.

Need a little help?

:)

Finished the day with some White-Faced Ibises at Drake Lake.

The rest of today's photos:

Spring Weekend

Friday afternoon, a visit to Running Deer, and a chance to practice a little of this "exposure adjustment" Robert Palmer talked about Thursday night. Clearly much practice will be required but surprisingly, a few successes!

A low-flying harrier gives me much opportunity for practice...

and then a semi-cooperative pair of wood ducks

(okay, not so in focus...but check out that hairdo!)

Saturday, out to Lower Latham for a few first of seasons:

Blue Winged Teal

Uggh. Time to put the cage on the feeder...

Marsh wren

I didn't catch the crossbills at Grandview on Sunday, but I did find some deer, a fox, and a sharp shinned hawk:

The rest of Friday, Saturday and Sunday's photos:

Almost Spring at Running Deer

It's Gotta almost be here, right?

FOS Meadowlark

Kind of interesting-looking Red-tail

:)

Unafraid Common Mergansers

Bunny practicing stealth.