Home, home on the range...

[jbird]

The more I do this the more I see the similarities to fishing. Theres days when youre out there all day and hardly see anything and come home with nothing. Then theres days when everywhere you turn, somethings happenning. This was one of those days. Curtis and I went to one of our favorite places to shoot. We shot several hundred photos in under 3 hrs. The place was loaded with cooperative birds!

Barnyard birds from thismorning.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3397-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3412-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3681-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3522-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3520-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3640-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3852.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3569-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3873-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/_DSC3632a.jpg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Nice shots...................

[Darian]

Those bird photo's make me think spring is right around the corner. Looks like March will come in like a lion. So, it'll go out like a lamb.... Can't wait. Bring on the bass (....and more birds). =D>

[Phil Synhorst]

Great shots again Jay! That little blue bird is cool, I'm going to look it up right now.


p.s. Yesterday I saw a car with a "bumper sticker" that reminded me of you. The car had some rear end damage, and the owner put "Chuck Norris was here" across the worst of it.:D


pps Western Bluebird......go figure.:lol:

[jbird]

Thanks guys. I cant wait til spring either. Really wanna photograph fish instead :-) Tho Ive had some unreal winter steelhead days, I dont dare wade with my camera.

Correct ID Phil. Not to be confused with the Mountain bluebird. These western bluebirds are here in force this winter. Theyre everywhere.

[Ed Wahl]

Those are some great shots Jay. That 6th one down, the Merlin, very hard to get good close look in the field, well done.

Oh yeah, you've got the wettest barnyard I've ever seen. What's wrong with your chicken?

The Meadowlark singing in front of the barn is pretty damn cool.

Keep 'em comin Jay.

Ed

[jbird]

Ed that egret was actually in a roadside ditch on the way home :-)

On previous trips to this spot, we would try to avoid getting the barn in the background because we thought it would look trashy. You have to take whatever these birds give you tho. A few days ago I was out there and captured this shot. With the light rain falling on the bird and barn in the background and the nice mossy post, we realized this composition was golden!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/DSC_2614b.jpg

So today we were TRYING to get the barn. This spot is really nice because it has all the elements. Good backdrop, old moss covered posts, sunlight coming from a great direction and lots and lots of birds. There was actually a pair of bald eagles on the ground near the scene of a calf birth. Hoping for some afterbirth lunch I assume.

Also, those merlins (kestrels) are extremely skittish. They are mostly on power lines. The holy grail photo out there is a gorgeous male kestrel on a fencepost. We do all of our shooting out the window of the car on DIY window mount tripods. This is a shot I got with the camera in hand because I knew we werent gonna get close enough. I was hanging halfway out the widow, shooting while we slowly approached. The bird flew, as expected, but I got a couple horrible shots of him. I have ran this thing thru photoshop 3 times to try to clean it up. I hate posting anything thats required this much post processing. But what an amazing bird!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/merge1.jpg

[Hairstacker]

Once again, great shots Jay! I like how you caught that blue bird flecking the area in front of itself with snow -- kind of gives a sense of action in the shot. 8)

[Larry S]

jbird:
Good 'uns! When are you posting your fishing gear in the classifieds?
Larry S

[jbird]

Once again, great shots Jay! I like how you caught that blue bird flecking the area in front of itself with snow -- kind of gives a sense of action in the shot. 8)
Thanks Mike. Thats a really cool aspect of digital cameras. You discover little nuances to your shots when you get em on the computer. Curtis got the same shot, but his is worlds better. He got the birds eye and profile at this momment.


jbird:
Good 'uns! When are you posting your fishing gear in the classifieds?
Larry S

lol My wife will post them after my funeral. :-)

[Kneedeep]

Those are terrific Jay.
Really enjoyed seeing them.
Thanks!

[Falcon1]

I really enjoy viewing your photos, with all due respect, I must agree with Ed Wahl on the 6th photo. It is a Merlin (Richardson).

[jbird]

I think thats a good call. Upon closer inspection, I agree :-)

[Darian]

Jay,.... After taking another look at the Blue Bird with his wings back flying at the barbed wire I had a vision of an F-14 approaching "the wire" on a carrier deck.... [-o< At the last second the wings flair, the flaps go down and another successful controlled crash is in the books.... :nod: =D>