WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2025   |   SUBSCRIBE    ARCHIVES   

BIRDING NEWS
With a remarkable number of birding festivals scheduled during May, including some of the most popular events being held during the peak of spring migration, it’s a great time of year to attend a birding festival near you, or in another state or province. For many birders the exciting variety of songbirds is a big draw, and 2 premier birding events with extended schedules stand out during the first part of May – the Point Pelee Festival of Birds in Ontario (just east of Detroit), and The Biggest Week in American Birding in Ohio (east of Toledo, west of Cleveland). The schedule of events is exceptional, but it’s the birds that make these locations “lifetime must experience” sites during warbler migration.
It’s National Park Week! A time to celebrate the birds and other wildlife, the beauty and grandeur, history and wild spirit of America’s National Parks. It’s also a moment to reflect on just how vital these public places are for wildlife that depends on them, for future generations to enjoy, and for all of us who find peace, inspiration, and connection in their vast landscapes. Think of Yellowstone and Grand Teton, the Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Zion, Redwoods, Glacier, Everglades, Denali, and Yosemite to name a few of our iconic national parks. It’s also a time to appreciate the dedicated people who work tirelessly to protect our national park and provide a wealth of information for visitors.
Known for the exceptional numbers of raptors visible at close range during fall migration, the spring migration of songbirds has taken the spotlight at Tadoussac Bird Observatory, Quebec’s premier bird observatory. Next Wednesday, April 30 at 12 noon EDT, the director of Tadoussac, Alex Terrigeol, will share a live presentation the describes projects conducted and information learned during the more than 30 years of monitoring bird migration and conducting a variety of research projects. Hosted by the Hawk Migration Association, Alex will highlight the essential role Tadoussac plays in enhancing our understanding of bird migration and migration trends.
EDITOR AFIELD
Two super birding days defined last week for me – an hours’ long adventure that covered more than 100 miles and produced new birds and many photo opportunities on Wednesday, and a memorable Saturday afternoon positioned adjacent to a shallow bay just 2 miles north of home. These were obviously very different outings, but both provided the kind of excitement that only time among birds will create. To start with, the local outing was produced and fueled by a rarely encountered species during a migration stop – a small flock of Hudsonian Godwits that was actively fueling up during a brief stopover on their way from coastal Argentina to the Canadian Arctic.

Note: There was a technical glitch that prevented last week’s Editor Afield article from being published, so we are giving it a second try to share the photographs and to keep you up to date on Paul’s weekly birding adventures. New birds of spring that appeared April 9th to 16th were a few Great Egrets, some Great Blue Herons, a Snowy Egret, American Avocets, Baird’s Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, a Turkey Vulture, and an early Loggerhead Shrike, on hand just 2 weeks after seeing the last Northern Shrike.
GEAR
Delivering the finest performance among Nikon’s Monarch series, the Nikon Monarch HG Binoculars provide a wide field of view at 435 feet at 1,000 yards for the 8x42 model, one of many features that make the Monarch HG ideal for birders. The compact, comfortable magnesium alloy chassis houses an optical system that provides an impressive 92 percent light transmission through fully multi-coated ED (extra-low dispersion) lenses for contrast-rich, high-resolution images with rich natural colors. The Field Flattener Lens System also assures a sharp, clear view all the way to the edge of your view.
PRODUCTS
Enjoy the clearest view of hummingbirds in your yard with the Aspects HummZinger High View Excel Hummingbird Feeder that features a High View Perch that circles the top of the feeder so you enjoy an unobstructed view of hummingbirds feeding at the 6 feeding ports. This attractive feeder is made of a sturdy red plastic cover with a clear plastic basin for monitoring the nectar levels. Measuring 9½ inches in diameter by 2¼ inches tall. This top-quality feeder holds 16 ounces of nectar and features a built-in ant moat – just add water – and there is a removeable brass hanging hook attached.
Enlarged so feeding birds have more room, the design of this dual-purpose feeder has been improved so orioles have more head room beneath the roof to feed on grape jelly and sliced oranges you provide in the Improved Fruit & Jelly Oriole Feeder. Simply place grape jelly in the 2 removeable plastic bowls and use the 2 built-in prongs to spear 2 orange halves for the birds. One of the important points of this oriole feeder’s design is that when positioned so you can see both sides of feeder, you can see the orioles on both sides, but the birds can’t easily see or interact with one another, which reduces competition at the feeder.
For your next birding adventure, or your next walk in the park, Orvis offers a refreshing selection of outdoor clothing. For years, customers have appreciated the cozy comfort of the Women’s Outdoor Quilted ¼-Snap Sweatshirt and this season Orvis refined the fit and added side-seam pockets with zippers to keep small essentials in reach while you are on the go. It’s on sale now, available in 6 colors, and made from cotton and recycled polyester, so it’s machine washable. Men can choose from a variety of light jackets and sweatshirts too, and there seems to be no end to the wide range of quality products available from Orvis.
 

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY

My friend Kristine began sending texts and videos to me beginning Monday, when she arrived in her second city of Arcada, California to help with Godwit Days, a primo birding festival on the northern Cali coast. Coincidentally, 2 days later the first pair of Marbled Godwits arrived at the shallow bay on the edge of Bobby’s Lake just 2 miles north of my office – just as Godwit Days was beginning. When I checked back to the shallow bay later in the day, the first American Avocets had arrived, 15 in all. There was already a small flock of Baird’s Sandpipers on hand, along with a few Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, and Killdeer, so this shallow bay was becoming a shorebird focal point – for shorebirds and for me.

The importance of the area surrounding a bird can often make or break the quality of a photograph. Of course, we tend to take what we get and make the most of it, but when you have calm water reflecting a beautiful shade of blue sky, a simple portrait can emote much more, especially when the bird is a rarely encountered species in alternate plumage on a short migration stopover between coastal Argentina and Arctic Canada (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/2000 shutter speed, 800 ISO.)

It was cloudy, cold, and very windy Friday, so I made the most of my office time, but when the sun acted like it was going to break through for more than 5 minutes about 5 o’clock, I decided it was my best chance to check on the birds of the day beyond my windows. The sun was showing to the north, so I drove that-a-way and at the 2-mile bay I saw there were godwits on hand again, along with avocets, so with a few more minutes of sun on hand, I pulled over on the extra-broad shoulder with the hope of taking a photo or 2. I zoomed my camera lens along the line of Marbled Godwits, counting them as I did, but when I reached the last godwit it seemed to have a reddish hue on its breast and belly, much darker than the Marbled Godwits.

Could this be an early Hudsonian Godwit? What else could it be? Now I was excited! Could I get a photo of the impressive bird that likely just arrived on its most recent migration leg that began from a coastal marsh of Argentina or Uruguay! I took a couple documentary photographs, then hoped the godwit would reposition a little closer before the clouds enveloped the sun again. It slowly made its way northward near the far shoreline, closer with every step though. I managed a couple potentially nice photographs before the clouds did blot out the sun, and that’s about the time the colorful male Hudsonian Godwit reached a godwit its own size, but resembling Marbled Godwits more than the ruddy Hudsonian. Indeed, this was a female Hudsonian Godwit now that I saw the tell-tail rufous feathers near its vent – nice, welcome girl.

During an extended afternoon photo session, the Hudsonian Godwits spent 99 percent of their time in a head down feeding position with their bill, and sometimes their head, below the water surface as they incessantly probed the mud for small invertebrates (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/2000 shutter speed, 800 ISO).

I stayed to observe the shorebirds on hand and wished for the sun to reappear clear of the clouds, but that didn’t happen, although I did get sharp images of the female in less than full sunlight. The big question was: Would the Hudsonians stay a while before the next migration leg toward the Arctic? Saturday was forecast to be a perfect sunny day with light wind, and I already had a plan to head 90 miles northwest to Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge to see what shorebirds and waterfowl were on hand there and at all points between home and the refuge. That plan might be postponed if the Argentinian sandpipers stayed.

After reviewing my photos on my laptop, I had a nice portrait photo of the male and female, which gave me a little thrill. Just seeing Hudsonians is never a given, and I think I’ve only seen them 3 springs out of 9 I’ve been here since returning from southern California. I promptly emailed the photos to Kristine with the message: “Ya, but do you have Hudsonian Godwits?” (Knowing that they would not, even though Arcada Marsh and other wetlands and beaches in the area have an impressive variety and numbers of shorebirds now.) Although I was kidding with Kristine, I also knew she would share my photos with others at the festival.

In response to an alarm call, a Marbled Godwit and Hudsonian Godwit immediately extended their wings as they took flight. Photographed at the full extent of their reach simultaneously, the godwits show their size and color differences in a dramatic way (600mm zoom lens, f-10 aperture, 1/1600 shutter speed, 800 ISO).

The next morning I headed directly for Bobby’s bay to see if the Hudsonian Godwits were feeding there again. There were definitely some godwits on hand in the shallow bay, but I could only see silhouettes until I stopped. The problem was that the morning sunlight came from the east, so now I would need to wait for a late afternoon photo session – if the Hudsonians were present. But even before checking the silhouetted godwits, I saw there were Marbled Godwits in the shallow marsh on the other side of road – they were bathed in full morning sunlight from my vantage point. There was also a flock of medium-sized sandpipers bunched together on the far shore – the first dowitchers maybe?

Nope, they were Hudsonian Godwits, 14 of them, a few with rufous undersides. I didn’t even have a chance to raise my camera to the car window before the Hudsonians took flight as one, crossing the road behind me and landing on the silhouette side of the road. That was OK though; at least there were Hudsonians on hand – and lots of them! In fact, there were 10 more feeding among the Marbled Godwits in Bobby’s little bay that made the total 24 Hudsonian Godwits! Well, at least 14 of the 24 were pretty wary, so I didn’t want to disturb them. I’d be back about 4pm to photograph.

Photographed as it returned from a circling alarm flight with other shorebirds, this male Hudsonian Godwit provided a prized sharp flight photo that shows the black and white pattern of its tail and wing feathers (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/2500 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
In the meantime, I found another 11 Hudsonian Godwits – or actually, they found me. As I was photographing a Bonaparte’s Gull and the first Common Terns of the season, I heard avocets call and saw a flock of shorebirds fly right over my head and land at the other side of the small marsh. Even before they landed, I saw their black tail and white rump – they were Hudsonian Godwits! It was exciting to know there were a few flocks in the area, some maybe even arriving overnight or in the early morning. This was actually the small marsh where I was able to take my first photographs of Hudsonian Godwits in May of 2017, and I took a couple long-range photos of this flock as they began to feed, and left, planning to return after checking out 2 other Hudsonian hangouts. But when I came back, hoping to find the godwits feeding closer to the road approach where I usually park, the godwits were nowhere to be found – they were off to the next wetland I guess.

The Wait & The Payoff

I headed back to the office, not convinced I could wait until 4pm to check back on the godwits at Bobby’s bay, but it was relatively easy, and when I reached the shallow wetland I hoped the birds wouldn’t react to my approach. They didn’t flinch, and I settled in for some “mobile blind” time; waiting in the comfort of my car, resting my camera lens on the open window frame, holding my breath when taking each photo, hoping the birds would approach my position, and waiting for action beyond their simple, incessant probing as they were feeding. Rarely did any of the Hudsonian Godwits lift their heads from the water, except to swallow, which took little more than a second.

Friday, the only female Hudsonian Godwit provided a photo op in subdued sunlight, hence the silvery-gray water reflecting the cloudy sky overhead. Nonetheless, the female’s plumage is true to color and shows the dramatic difference between male and female Hudsonian Godwits (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/400 shutter speed, 800 ISO).

The longer I waited, the better the sunlight became, and the more the breeze calmed. Eventually the water calmed and reflected the clear sky, creating the most beautiful blue hue on the surface. About 6pm everything came together to provide the best photo ops, when the godwits came closest – about 60 feet away – both Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits. And that’s when they became a bit more animated, wading along the shallows, stopping to preen, and taking in their surroundings for a few brief moments, then back to feeding. To utilize the “mobile blind” advantage, I did move my car backward several feet a couple times to get a better position when birds moved, but they were very trusting of my white mobile blind during the afternoon photo session.

Even so, during my observations all the shorebirds would periodically take flight after a Marbled Godwit alarm call sounded, seemingly in response to a passing raptor, although it’s hard to say because shorebirds tend to flush and reposition as if to break up long feeding periods. Regardless of why they flushed, I took advantage of the godwit flights, usually a simple circular flight, sometimes extending for a couple revolutions, photographing Hudsonians as they were taking flight and landing to get a few action images. Although I had a fairly wide aperture setting (f-8) during most of this extended photo period, the corresponding shutter speed was plenty fast to stop most motion in the wings. In some cases, the ends of the primaries showed some blurring, but that merely shows some wing action, which can actually be a bit of an advantage to an image.

Because the godwits showed little action beyond probing for food during the photo sessions, this image of a male with its wings raised when startled provides a unique look at a species that is rarely encountered during remote migration stopovers (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/2500 shutter speed, 800 ISO).

During the 3 hours I spent observing and photographing from my mobile blind, I was literally surrounded by a variety of birds, and it was interesting to see different species and individuals come and go while the Hudsonian Godwits were completely focused on feeding. In addition to the 6 male Hudsonian Godwits, other shorebirds included 16 Marbled Godwits, 3 Willets, 20 American Avocets that occasionally fed as a single shoulder-to-shoulder flock, 18 Baird’s Sandpipers, a few Lesser Yellowlegs, fewer Greater Yellowlegs, and a few Killdeer including a mating pair. Other birds included 2 Bonaparte’s Gulls, 2 Ring-billed Gulls, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Mallards, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, and Gadwalls; plus a flock of about 40 Snow Geese flew overhead, and a flock of about 25 White-fronted Geese passed by, as did a couple Double-crested Cormorants.

I didn’t see any raptors, but a Turkey Vulture circled low a couple times. After an aerial look at the bay, it landed on an extended open shore across the bay. That was especially interesting to me because I would have expected the shorebirds and ducks to react to the vulture, which suggested they identified this raptor-looking vulture as a non-predator that didn’t pose a threat - hmm. Of course I photographed other birds when they presented themselves or were doing something special – like when the avocets fed communally, even swimming in deeper water shoulder-to-shoulder – making my photo blind time ever-more productive and enchanting.

To be able to observe and photograph Hudsonian Godwits at close quarters was an especially thrilling opportunity, and to take photos of a relaxed godwit surrounded by tranquil blue water was an ultimate spring migration experience (600mm zoom lens, f-8 aperture, 1/2000 shutter speed, 800 ISO).

The next morning there were no godwits in the bay, only 2 pairs of American Avocets. The evening before a strong south wind developed and probably created a good migration opportunity. I verified that on BirdCast, which showed there was a big migration push overnight on April 19th in the Central Flyway from Nebraska to Canada. When I checked back at 5pm, during the prime sunlight period there were 4 Marbled Godwits, 7 American Avocets, a couple Baird’s Sandpipers, and representatives of the 2 teal species, but the magic birds were notably absent.

Nonetheless, gosh did I have fun observing and photographing Hudsonian Godwits while they visited my neighborhood! The moral of this story is to spend some extra time, maybe hours, when you get the next big break to photograph birds, whether it’s a rare species, a new species, or an especially trusting bird you’ve been interested in photographing. Best of all, spend that extra time at a favorite location, or at a position where a variety of birds come and go and act as if you are a fly on the wall, or a birder in a white car. Good Luck!

Article and Photographs by Paul Konrad

Share your bird photos and birding experiences at editorstbw2@gmail.com

 
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