Friday, June 3, 2011

Flycatchers! Go flycatchers!

Photos from May! If you were following along on the blog, you'll remember the crazy cold snap and rain that hit pelee just after mid may. No one knows what convinced the flycatchers and vireos to move, but they were in terribly rough shape the first morning.

When I get my camera out in situations like this, there's a specific class of birds I'm looking for... ((see classes:

Class 1: practically dead.... --- the birds are crawling along the ground or in the grass... This time, many were still soaked from the previous nights rain... They look pretty bad in real life, and in the photos... I usually try to leave these birds in peace, since they don't make for great photos - yet draw the most attention from birders in the area.

Class 2: slowed down... --- the birds I want!!! They have enough wits about them to still maintain a safe distance from threats, still fly around a bit, yet know they have to be low to the ground and focused if they're going to find any food.  Arming myself with a 600mm lens is enough to photograph these reasonably healthy looking birds, while they go about their desired routine.

Class 3: still a pain in the butt... --- despite the cold weather, they're still actively avoiding my lens and seem pretty healthy.



So without further hesitation, some "Class 2" flycatchers from Pelee. I have very few empid photos before this spring, and getting all of these birds in the same day was a bit of a treat:



Above: Yellow-bellied Flycatchers! First "good" photos of the species for me.

Next two: "Alder" Flycatchers! First photos of a "Trail's" I've taken... Sad, but true, and now fixed!



Next up: Least Flycatcher




Below: the highlight of the day for me, a briefly cooperative Acadian Flycatcher:





Not bad for half a days work! More "New" spring photos over the next while... 











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