Birds

BroadTail Hummingbird Hovering

Fortunate to be invited to shoot hummingbirds at a local photographers home. He had a nice set up with 3-4 strobe flash units and a feeder. Enjoyable to watch and lucky to get a shot.

Immature Rufous

Immature Rufous. Had another great time shooting Hummingbirds just outside of Fort Collins. I am a long way from an expert but i believe this is a Rufous hummingbird but it isn't fully mature yet. Lots of wonderful time spent watching and shooting the birds. They are mesmerizing. 9805

Hummmmmmmmm

Hummmmmm. This photo is of a male Broad-tailed hummingbird. I was lucky enough to be included in a photo shoot of these hummingbirds. My friends had a nice set up where the hummingbirds congregated that included flash units. these birds are amazing to watch fly around and hover like they do. A very nice way to spend a morning.9672

Attack!

Attack! This is a photo of the female broad-tailed hummingbird. The most obvious feature is the male's throat is red or burgundy and the female is not. I was lucky to capture this bird looking down with her feet partially extended. They move so fast it is difficult to focus on them and to shoot them before they move out of the frame. This was taken at a friends house near Fort Collins, CO with a nice set up including feeders and flash. 9651

Dancing Fool

Dancing Fool. The Sandhill Crane migration thru Kearney Nebraska happens over a short window in the spring. These are beautiful birds that are slightly over 3 feet in height and about 5-7 feet in wing span. They have a bright red top which is a factor of " behavioral stimulation". There are many thousands of birds that go out to the fields during the day and spend the evenings at the Platte River. They "dance" as part of their mating efforts and it looks like they are really enjoying themselves

The Starting Line

The Starting Line. The Great Egret, a big beatiful white bird, was skipping along the water of the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This area had a number of birds. I liked how the sun was shining on the wings and you can see the bird splashing up water as he is moving along.

Ding Darling NWR-11-Feb1901

Fluffing Up For The Day

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Pouncing After Breakfast

Pouncing after breakfast. This brown pelican was sitting very still in the water and then quickly moved after food, spalshing into the water. It was also taken at Ding Darling NWR.

Rising

Rising. This is a Tricolored Heron at Ding Darling NWR in Florida shortly after sunrise. A nice calm morning created a beautiful reflection on take off for this bird.

Takeoff

Takeoff. At the Ding Darling NWR, this was the first Tri-Color Heron i saw. It was gliding on the water looking for food. The water was still which allowed for a nice reflection. A beautiful bird that decided there wasn't anything left to look at and took off.

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Dinner

Great Horned Owl Dinner-9774-100507-

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Watching The Nest

Watching the Nest-May10--9676

Family Gathering

Family Gathering-May10--9312

Jump For Joy

The Sand Hill Crane MIgration 2010 at Rowe Sanctuary near Kearney, Nebraska. The birds come to the Platt River at night and then leave to back to the field in the morning. The jump is part of their mating dance

The Dance

The Sand Hill Crane MIgration 2010 at Rowe Sanctuary near Kearney, Nebraska. The birds come to the Platt River at night and then leave to back to the field in the morning. This is the time of year for mating and the dance is the courtship.

I know he is here somewhere

The Sandhill Migration at Rowe Sanctuary in Nebraska.

Wingman

he Sand Hill Migration thru central Nebraska is an Amazing event. Hundreds of thousands of sand hill cranes converge on the Platt River near Rowe Sanctuary. This was early morning in a photo blind when the cranes started to leave the river to eat in the fields.

Running Start

The Sand Hill Crane MIgration 2010 at Rowe Sanctuary near Kearney, Nebraska. The birds come to the Platt River at night and then leave to back to the field in the morning. This one decided to get a running start before taking off.

The Match Game

The Sandhill Migration at Rowe Sanctuary in Nebraska. A great sight to witness the large birds showing the mating dance

Sand Hill Cranes Rowe Sanctuary-100403-6255

The FLasher

The Sand Hill Migration thru central Nebraska is an Amazing event. Hundreds of thousands of sand hill cranes converge at Rowe Sanctuary on the Platt River near Kearney, Nebraska. The Sand Hill Cranes are known for their joyous dance. They are jumping, bobbing, flopping, turning, throwing sticks. Very fun to watch.

The Cranes, Boss. The Cranes

he Sand Hill Migration thru central Nebraska is an Amazing event. Hundreds of thousands of sand hill cranes converge on the Platt River near Rowe Sanctuary. This evening in a photo blinds we saw wave after wave or cranes come into the river banks.

Lining Up

The Sand Hill Migration thru central Nebraska is an Amazing event. Hundreds of thousands of sand hill cranes converge near Rowe Sanctuary close to Kearny Nebraska In the evening the cranes come to the Platte River. I was in a photo blind and was blessed by have the clouds part and a beautiful sunset happened.

The Crane Couple

The Sandhill Migration thru central Nebraska is an amazing event. Hundreds of thousands of sand hill cranes converge near Rowe Sanctuary close to Kearny Nebraska. In the evening the cranes come to the Platte River. I was in a photo blind and was blessed by have the clouds part and a beautiful sunset happened.

Looking For an Empty Seat

The Sandhill Migration thru central Nebraska and an amazing event. Hundreds of thousands of sand hill cranes converge near Rowe Sanctuary close to Kearny Nebraska. In the evening the cranes come to the Platte River. This night we stayed in a blind near the river and we were blessed by have the clouds part and a beautiful sunset happened.

Keeping them out -- Reddish Egrets

Reddish Egrets in Florida Pond-Feb10-

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Jump Start

Caught this Egret NE of Jacksonville Florida near the Big Talbot Island State Park. There were a flock in the low lands and i was able to catch this bird just starting its flight.