Red-winged Blackbird

Didn't get out shooting today, but I found one in my archives to post.

Red-winged Blackbirds have eluded me for years. They know how to get into the deep parts of the tree where I just couldn't get off a decent shot. This is my first one that I've managed to catch off guard.

The Depth of Field or perspective isn't perfect, but I still like the shot probably because it's the first time I been able to capture one on camera.

Red-winged Blackbirds are viewed as a health hazard because after the breeding season, the gather with other Blackbirds forming huge flocks numbering in the hundred of thousands to millions according to the National Audubon Society Field Guide.

Boat-tailed Grackle

I finally found the secret to getting a decent capture of this bird. I've been trying to photograph these Boat-tailed Grackles for years, and if I could show the eye, then I'd loose the iridescence of his plumage. The secret is, I think, to photograph them on a cloudy day. At least that's what I did this time.

Anyone that knows me knows I love anything iridescent. My favorite gemstone is the Opal, my favorite sea shell stone is Abalone and as you can see, I love the iridescence in the plumage of birds. The Grackle is one of my favorites.

I'm happy with the way I captured this bird. Everything I hoped to capture was captured without the need for a lot of post processing. It's a great way to end a day of photographing nature with my friends. One can't ask for anything more in life.

Eruasian Colored Dove

It's funny, I go to all these places, spending a lot of money on gas, when I have all these wonderful opportunities to photograph birds and wildlife right in my own backyard. Sometimes, I just don't know why I do that.

This beautiful Eurasian Colored Dove was walking around the yard looking for something to eat. She didn't even notice me with my camera. If she did, she didn't much care. She was focused on entirely something else. I was sitting just a few feet from her.

The reason I say her, is because now she is in my Palm tree in the front yard sitting on a nest. I can't wait for her eggs to hatch when I can photograph the cute little hatchlings.

Eurasian Colored Doves were introduced from Europe to the Bahamas in the late 1970s. They are now well-established throughout the southeastern United States. They have even been spotted in other areas. Their population is spreading and increasing. They are ground feeders and eat mostly seeds, grain and some insects.