One of the things I like to do during the day is watch out our back window (my office is in the loft and I have a great view into the wash behind our backyard wall). I have seen many types of critters over the past few years, including javelinas, coyotes, rabbits, bobcats, and hawks. The other day a new critter hopped across our back wall. It was a roadrunner. Did you know they are much smaller in person (approximately 14″ high) than what we saw in cartoons? Anyway, I grabbed my camera and took a few shots. As you can see, this guy posed for me.
Then, later on the same day, we went for our daily walk – the same route we go most every day. After about a mile, we saw a bunch of birds on top of a Saguaro cactus. And, there were many holes up the main trunk, each with little birds inside. The cactus was serving as a high-rise apartment complex for birds. I guess a nest inside a cactus is pretty safe from most predators. But these were not just any birds, they were small colorful petite looking parrots. Unfortunately, we did not have our cameras with us. We decided to go back the next morning to shoot these birds. We did a little research and determined they are Rosy-faced Lovebirds* (based on some of the pictures I took, they are truly in love!).
Before work the next morning, we headed out on a walk with cameras in-hand to see our birds. There were fewer present (perhaps, they still sleeping?), but they were still very beautiful. We shot for a while then decided it was time to head back to work. A quick download indicated that we only had a couple good shots. So later in the afternoon, we headed out again. The afternoon shoot was also a bit disappointing in the number of birds, but certainly not the quality.
I think I could get to like birds. And shooting them is certainly a challenge. They rarely sit still!
Enjoy and good shooting.
* The Rosy-faced Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) is a small, colorful parrot which is a popular cage bird in the U.S. and elsewhere. Since at least the mid-1980s, feral flocks of this species have been reported breeding in residential neighborhoods of the greater Phoenix area. Most exotic species that escape do not survive long in the wild and fewer still establish breeding populations in non-native habitats. However during the past 25 years, populations of these lovebirds have increased and expanded and they have become regular city park and backyard visitors to many greater Phoenix neighborhoods. The Rosy-faced Lovebird population in Phoenix is the only known feral population in the United States. Reference: http://www.azfo.org/journal/Rosy-facedLovebird2011.html
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