Another walk at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve this past week gave me some new views. What’s going on this turtle’s head I can’t say (Any chance he appreciates his own reflection?), but in a human this would qualify as “enjoying the sun”.
A month ago there were at least 10 black-crowned night herons at the Preserve: last week and this week I saw only one. Have they really headed north already? Would they like to think about that again? In any event, I got another entry for my sticks-but-no-snow portfolio.
On max zoom, I had the view on the left, below: this singleton hummingbird must have been at least 25 feet above me, at the end of–Oh, look!–a long stick. On max crop (on the right), you can see what caught my eye as buddy repeatedly flared his gorget, catching the sun. Imagine every stick in view adorned with a male hummer: If only they hung out in flocks!
The hummingbird’s intense glint is the result of iridescence, rather than colored pigments. The bird’s throat feathers contain minutely thin, film-like layers of “platelets,” set like tiles in a mosaic against a darker background. Light waves reflect and refract off the mosaic, creating color in the manner of sun glinting off oily film on water. – National Audubon Society
I saw two verdins coming and going and coming and going and coming and going, bringing presumably useful bits to their under-construction nest. As they flitted in and (mostly) out, I got one sharp photo and two showing them in more-typical poses: blurring until exiting the frame entirely, in this case head first. Woohoo!
And, wonder of wonders, I spotted a new bird. Look at this little beauty, surely an exotic find of some sort.
Or maybe it’s not so exotic or even new, for that matter. My bird-ID app (Merlin) pretty quickly flagged this as a house sparrow of the female variety. Insultingly quickly, really. I know the males well, of course, but had never noticed their lady friends. Just another reminder that there is always something to learn, and old things to appreciate for the first time.
Endlessly fascinating and blessedly removed from what some of the humans are up to these days. The description of what gives the hummingbird its fabulous bonnet gives further depth to the wonder of its appearance.
I must resemble the turtle now that the polar vortex has returned to where it belongs so that less daring is required for stepping outside. I, too, am enjoying the sun and rejoicing in snow-melting temperatures.
Laurna – 🙂 Yes, the mechanism of the hummingbird’s gorget is amazing. What a great system that allows the individual to control its effect – anywhere from full-on display where warranted, to completely hidden where that is safer. I’m glad you’re coming out of the depths of winter. Enjoy!
Aah. In taking a closer look, I see the cap and the neck piece are not continuous. It looked to me at first as though it had something lie the old-fashioned type of bonnet designed with flaps to extend protection from the sun.
Laurna – It is odd, now that I think on it – how do they flare out their neck feathers anyway? I see it, so I accept it, but I don’t understand it.
Nice catches of fauna (and sticks)
I am always amazed at how bright the hummers’ throats can be.
Jum R – Thank you. They can be spectacular, can’t they?
Wonderful photos of somewhat elusive birds! Thanks for maxing out zoom and crop on the hummingbird. I have never seen anything like it – so beautiful. The turtle, while not a bird, is a treasure. Looks like it is taking the sun to me, too.
Judith – Thank you. I’m not sure which of the display purposes applied in this case (attraction of a mate, repulsion of a rival), but I was glad to be there for it.
What super pictures!
Tom
Tom – Many thanks.