Mark your calendar now for the ever-growing, ever more popular Sedona Hummingbird Festival that will take place in Sedona, Arizona – the most beautiful place in America to see hummingbirds. Presented by the International Hummingbird Society, the Festival is located in the heart of Sedona's spectacular red rock landscape. Plus, the stars of the event are the hummingbirds – there are dozens of hummingbirds that visit the feeders right at Hummingbird Central – the Sedona Performing Arts Center – and admission is Free!
One of the really exciting things about birding is that you can see a new bird – one you haven't seen before, or one that is especially rare in your state, region, or nation. It is also great fun to share the excitement provided by a friend, especially when they need a little help from birding friends to identify a bird they have never seen before. Of course, the first thing you want to do when you see a new or rare bird is to photograph it in case you need a little help from your friends. That's exactly what Jim did, and they turned out to be some very special photos of a very special bird.
In areas of Florida, some terns, skimmers, and oystercatchers that usually nest on undisturbed open areas of a beach are becoming more crowded, which leaves less space for these birds and others to nest on the ground. As a result, some resilient species are nesting on gravel-covered rooftops where they lay eggs, incubate, and raise hatchlings. The rooftop nesting season takes place in Florida between April and September each year, and right now there are many pairs in the midst of their nesting and rearing period, including Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Roseate Terns, and American Oystercatchers.
A Peregrine Falcon suddenly a zipped into view, flying low and determined as it flushed a flock of White-rumped Sandpipers, then another. A quarter-mile ahead of me the fastest bird in the world began rising into the sky, circling once before pressing north. It was the first Peregrine I've seen in a few years, but with the remarkable numbers of sandpipers in the area it is right on time, even when considering the dates of past spring sightings. But the real story on Wednesday was the expansive numbers of White-rumped Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones, along with a variety of other shorebirds – even a fully colored Hudsonian Godwit.
Celestron provides two of the best optics buys for advanced and beginning birders, so take a closer look at Celestron's top-of-the-line but economically priced Regal ED 8x42 Binoculars – a favorite among birders – along with their entry-level Nature ED 8x42 Binoculars that provide surprising quality at a very affordable price. Not all optics glass is created equal, and birders are the first to notice the difference in Celestron's high-quality ED glass, especially under low-light conditions, such as when you are birding in shaded areas or under cloudy conditions.
When birding hikes take you deeper into the great outdoors, you will be glad to have an Outdoor Products day pack on your back with essentials and safety equipment – just in case. Outdoor Products has a variety of quality backpacks to choose from, whether you are gearing up for the summer adventure season or just need a more organized carryall for work. Take a look at the variety of Outdoor Products backpack and travel options, all of which come with a lifetime guarantee.
Birders in Oregon, Missouri, and Indiana found First State Record birds recently, including a Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Oregon, a Gull-billed Tern in Missouri, and a Sandwich Tern in Indiana. Two Second State Records were documented in Wyoming – an Eastern Meadowlark and a Bell's Vireo, and a Third Provincial Record Spotted Redshank was sighted in British Columbia. A Fourth State Record White-eyed Vireo was recorded by birders in Oregon, and Montana birders documented a Fourth State Record Yellow-throated Warbler and a Sixth State Record Painted Bunting – and there are more!
In the Bird Photography feature published in the May 6th issue of The Birding Wire I finished the article with this description of a pair of Red-necked Grebes: “When the male surfaced he looked in the female’s direction, called, and they met just behind some reeds where I could see they were facing one another with their necks stretched high as they began calling in unison. Although I took a photo, the grebes’ activity was obscured by the reeds; but I’ll get another chance was my reaction in the moment – someday.”
Action with an exclamation point is conveyed in this photograph taken in the midst of an interaction between 2 pairs of Red-necked Grebes during prime early evening sunlight (550mm zoom lens, f-9 aperture, 1/1600 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
Only 4 days after publishing the May 6th issue, “someday” was realized May 10th during an especially interesting territorial interaction between 2 pairs of Red-necked Grebes on the edge of Herb’s Lake. One pair was positioned near the road with the female mostly hiding among the aquatic vegetation lining the edge, while a more territorial pair of Red-necks pressured the roadside pair. The interactions provided a very interesting series of interactions, but none more impressive than when the pairs would begin unison calling in a most impressive species-specific display. I was thrilled, and the birds were so enthralled in their territorial interactions that I was able to follow the action in my “mobile blind,” pulling ahead or reversing along the almost never-used road (especially on a Sunday evening).
The intensity level of the second male reflects its defensive mode while assuring its mate at the peak of a unison call display between the pair. Photo elements included the time of day, quality and direction of sunlight, the slightest hint of wind, blue sky reflected in the water, a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action at its peak, and finding the grebes while they were in the midst of pair interactions (600mm zoom lens, f-9 aperture, 1/1250 shutter speed, 800 ISO).
The photo action was exciting, and one of the keys to getting good photographs was to rely on the grebes to turn into the sun when they were close to my position. When they faced me, I was able to photograph them during the best sunlight of late afternoon as the charged-up grebes broke into a unison call display. Luckily, both pairs performed this exciting display a number of times and it was a personal thrill to witness the interactions, photograph them, and see the resulting images. I ended the May 6 article with an appropriate suggestion to all photographers: “Stay alert, spend some extra time in the field, and when you find a bird or birds to photograph, spend some extra time in their company – you never know what might transpire before you – and always have your camera within reach and ready for your next photo opportunity.” Good Luck during all your photo opportunities!
