Virginia’s state bird can be difficult to photograph. The Northern Cardinal normally keeps at a safe distance from people so it’s hard to get really close to them. The male’s brilliant red color can also make exposure and even focus difficult at times. I captured this one in open shade and that seems to have resolved the color issues.
This Little Blue Heron perches above the water, watching intently for any motion below.
This Brown Pelican seems to know sometimes a little patience pays off. It stood there for a while, quietly waiting to see if the fisherman had any handouts. Unfortunately it never got that meal. Two other fisherman arrived and the pelican decided it was time to move along.
This Anhinga was beautifully perched in a sunny patch of a mangrove tree when I encountered it. The Anhinga was picking leaves out of the tree and seemed to be playing with this one before it dropped it.
This killdeer was patrolling the shoreline of Lake Yellowstone, spending most of its time on the semi-submerged rocks just beyond the shore.
This juvenile Laughing Gull was investigating a tidal pool on the beach at Corolla, NC while I was there last summer. I had a little trouble identifying it until it finally occurred to me that it might not be an adult.
Up and on the beach early one morning in late August I watched these two sanderlings interacting. It wasn’t clear whether this was some type of courtship display or a standoff over which bird had domain over the beach.
I saw this raven land on the stump and was hoping to photograph it when it took off. Luckily it didn’t sit there too long so I was ready when it took flight.
Cliff Swallows like to build their mud nests up high, out of reach of potential predators. As their name implies, they frequently nest along steep cliffs. This small colony of Cliff Swallows took advantage of the eaves of a public restroom and built their nests all along the back of the building.
While hiking in Yellowstone National Park I noticed flashes of yellow in the pine branches overhanging the trail. I stopped to check it out and saw a small group of Western Tanagers flying through the pines. They didn’t remain in sight for very long so this was the only worthwhile photo I was able to capture.
Doug Couvillion's Photo Blog 