We are fast approaching the time of the year when birds tend to move to new feeding areas, and even edge farther north as the daylight period increases and temperatures rise. That means it's time to watch for new birds at your feeding station as well as in your yard, neighborhood, and beyond. As individual birds and flocks of birds consume food resources, they can move in any direction in search of a new food source – and that can mean a new bird or birds arriving in your area and at your feeders and bird bath. To start with, it's always fun to add a new bird to your yard list, and if you are really lucky, to add a new species to your life list.

Are you ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) this President's Day Weekend – this Valentine's weekend? This Friday the 13th? As we have announced in earlier issues, this exciting annual birding event will take place this Friday, February 13th thru Monday the 16th across the United States and Canada, and around the world! It's a remarkable birding event that brings people together with the common interest in birding – people of all nations, ages, sexes, races, religions, politics, and persuasions – everyone with an interest in birds and birding, coming together in a uniting activity that contributes to the science and understanding of birds, and of ourselves.

Young Birders Alert:  The Cornell Lab will be hosting the annual Young Birders Event this June 25 thru 28th in Ithaca, New York. If you are a high school student interested in pursuing a career that connects with birds, this event is for you, and the application deadline is March 8th. This 4-day event is held at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which is staffed by a variety of professionals who all work with birds in different ways: As bird biologists, ecologists, artists, communicators, educators, audio specialists, computer scientists, app designers, and more.

Each winter it is especially interesting to learn about the wayward hummingbirds that find themselves wintering in Louisiana. A core of Louisiana birders keep their nectar feeders active to provide supplemental food for unexpected hummingbirds during winter, and as of the end of January they have documented 8 species of hummingbird – and the numbers of individual hummingbirds is quite remarkable! For example, the totals include no less than 57 Black-chinned Hummingbirds, a species that winters in west-central Mexico – normally – and that's just 1 of the 8 species. 

It seemed as if I had a case of owl fever today as I searched all the most likely areas where I might find a Short-eared Owl, or any owl in the area. But without a trace of any birds, I decided to double back to the east side of the 7-mile prairie south of home. On the way I encountered a yearling Rough-legged Hawk and an adult Bald Eagle – things were looking up. And when I least expected it, as I rounded the top of a low hill a Snowy Owl appeared! Perched on a sturdy fence post near the road, our eyes met and as I instinctively reached for my camera the Snowy instinctively took flight, beginning a low fluid movement on long white wings along the fenceline. It seemed the great white owl might land, and it did, providing some photographs from a much greater distance – very exciting nonetheless – for there is nothing like a Snowy Owl encounter!

Bird photography requires a quality, high-magnification lens and Tamron's 600-to-150mm Super-Zoom Lens fits the bill. This economically priced, award-winning lens provides high magnification that is tempered by vibration control (VC) that enables handheld photography with remarkable photo quality that provides even more versatility for birders who prefer not to use a tripod. This quality zoom lens also features fast autofocus (AF) and combines smart engineering with quality craftsmanship and durability. 

Columbia designs everything they make to keep you more comfortable when nature acts up, and nature is the world's largest playground for birders. Now, get a look at the 20 wild prints and color combinations featured on the line of Columbia Helvetica II Printed Fleece. Available for men and women, the printed fleece is made of lightweight Sherpa Pile 100 percent polyester, and this versatile half-snap fleece pullover is perfect for birding, travelling, and any other adventures. Providing stunning outerwear or a warm inner layer, the pullovers provide stretch binding for comfort on the collar, cuffs, and hem seal. 

Bold and dynamic, falcons hold a special place in the hearts of many birders, and in Falcons of North America, renowned raptor advocate, photographer, and environmental educator Kate Davis opens a door into the lives of these extraordinary, especially exciting birds of prey – the falcons. To illustrate the 6 species of falcons found in North America, there is no better collection of photographs of these birds, taken in the field by author Kate Davis, Nick Dunlop, and Rob Palmer, known to be among the best raptor photography specialists in the field.

A duck is a duck, right? Not even close. What non-birder would look at this bird and call it a duck? Its beak is thin and almost pointed, unlike the large, flat beak characteristic of ducks. It swims, but does it have webbed feet? Hard to tell when it’s swimming or flying – its normal modes of action. And then there is the remarkable, defining, characteristic “hood,” that seems inflatable, an ornate feather crest the species can raise up, fully or part-way, or lay the hood flat against its neck. This hood can be used in behavioral displays, during courtship and during agonistic interactions – and it gives the bird its name – Hooded Merganser. 

Merganser? Yes, and mergansers are specialized Ducks that have narrow specialized bills they primarily use to catch small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans, particularly crayfish, and Hooded Mergansers have eyes that are well-adapted for underwater vision. Hooded Mergansers are quite impressive birds to view, and they are especially fun to photograph. Fun to photograph if you can find one – find one in a location where you can position yourself between the bird and the sun, and find an individual that will permit a close approach, but not so close that the bird becomes concerned or changes its behavior. 

In a very best-case photo scenario, after you get into a nearby position, it is the Hooded Merganser that moves closer, swimming or even diving and surfacing closer to  your direction. I call trusting birds like these “species ambassadors.” They are usually rare, or really rare, so when you find a trusting ambassador, by all means take advantage of the opportunity with your camera. But even with an ambassador, be courteous and give the bird adequate space so it behaves naturally – as if you were a tree. The bird always comes first, and if the bird is changes its behavior or moves away from you because of your movements or sounds, stop, back up if necessary, and let the bird calm down again. If you are really lucky, in time the bird might even move in your direction.

That’s what happened during my photo interaction with a Hooded Merganser in the Pierre, South Dakota area recently. This far north, ponds and marshes are frozen, but some rivers and backwaters provide open water for the very hardiest of waterfowl. Even though other ducks were present, the fine Hooded Merganser stood out as it was observed near other Hoodies, Common Mergansers, Mallards, and Common Goldeneyes. There were female Hooded Mergs too, but none that appeared to be open to being photo ambassadors. Nonetheless, I have had chances to photograph other female Hoodies during winter, and I include a photo of one that showed her grace, colors, and form. 

All the photographs that illustrate this article are illuminated by full sunlight with the sun positioned at a 45-degree angle above the horizon, which is the best you can ask for when photographing any birds. By positioning between the sun and the bird, and making sure your shadow points toward the bird, shadows are eliminated for the most part. In this position the sun also provides the best quality of light that produces the best colors – and that’s the most important part of photography, after you get into a position with the bird that doesn’t disturb it. 

If the bird isn’t disturbed, it does its normal variety of activities that may include swimming, resting, preening, diving, and an occasional flap of its wings, which may accompany a preening session. If you are lucky, you may be able to photograph the bird displaying to a potential mate, or maybe you will witness and photograph an aggressive interaction or even a limited “fight” between would-be rivals. You may also get to photograph a takeoff, or maybe a bird flying by or even landing in front of you. Anything is possible, and it’s always worthwhile spending some extra time with a bird or birds, watching and waiting for a chance to get some more interesting photographs. That extra time at a distance can also convert into an improved level of trust and may even give the bird time to move closer to your position. That’s really what happened in my case: The drake was pretty trusting to begin with, and eventually permitted me to follow it along the river’s edge. Plus, when the Hoodie would dive, I took advantage of the moment to close the distance a little more before it surfaced again. 

Ducks are always fun photo subjects, and while Hooded Mergansers are not very common within their expansive range, they provide some interesting and somewhat unique photo ops, even if they just raise and lower their “hood” a bit. I sure enjoyed my time with this hooded ambassador, although I took these photos in a relatively short period; less than half an hour. The time was well spent considering I was able to produce some favorite photos of the species – the unique Hooded Merganser. Enjoy all your photo encounters! 

                       Article and Photographs by Paul Konrad

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