I'm trying to stay connected to my 5 Mile Radius. In order to become more familiar with the outlined area I divided it into quads to make it easier for me. It' still hard to know when IM in or out of my Radius..lol I need one of those ankle bracelets to sound off when I drift out of bounds.
OK without further rambling, my Field Trip. I call it a Field Trip cause it centers around some fields. I have found 3 major sorghum fields and the birds found them too! Nothing rare or even unexpected but fun to find out where everyone is hanging out!
If I had to describe my area it's very rural, and if the words tobacco road mean anything to you then you sort of have an idea, although there's no tobacco being grown here now...cotton yes.
an HDR filter added to this gives the barn a pop.
I wanted to make a movie of my week...and I actually started it but I got so distracted with the "stuff" of life I lost my focus...and I never finished it so I will try to highlight my week here with a mixed bag of media.
There's 3 big sorghum fields are in Quad 2, 3, and 4.
This is Quad 3, I scared about 50 dove outta this field...
Flock of Mourning Dove and one sitting in a China Berry Tree
and then down another dirt road...
another old home place...
^Eastern Towhee & below female n male
The fields are surrounded by woods so the birds are in and out of the field and back to the trees to rest and take cover...
Eastern Phoebe
Mostly chipping sparrow by the 100's! But getting them on film is almost impossible, they rarely sit still...
here is one resting
ALL the Sparrows blend in so well it's difficult to see them in the field..here's a song sparrow to prove my point...
The field in the Quad 3 had Field Sparrow in the mix...
Im always happy to find them in the flocks...
And out on the road a Hermit Thrush hops around...
Some of the birds stand out a little bit more...
And not all were after the seed heads, some were after insects that were out there...
A really fine week of birding, I did visit my one hotspot weekly, and although there was no grey box in January to fill up (June & August need work) I made a nice green line on my own Jan bar graph and my 5MR Patch species count is up to 50 since Jan 1 and I hope to add more by the end of the month.
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
Great post you certainly found some great birds out there. Love the Eastern Towhee what a beautiful pair, so many different sparrows and of course the cardinal really stands out.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had such a good week. I ordered my inverter should have it tomorrow
OH how exciting to get the inverter, hope it works out and gives you the power you need to enjoy your camping more.
DeleteHi Sondra, I like your mixed media approach as it adds that little bit extra to the blog. There is something nice about reading a blog. Your area is very rural and I remember the song Tobacco Road by the Nashville Teens back in the 60's but there was also a novel and a film of the same name neither of which I've read or seen.
ReplyDeleteOne thing, and I dont know how you can fix this, but on some blogs when you click on a picture it enlarges but I cant do this with yours. I wanted a bigger view of the Cardinal in the seed heads as it really stands out.
A friend lent me her 100 -400 zoom lens and I went out the other day birding and got a few shots but I need to get used to it as its very heavy to carry around. Although I did manage to get a shot of a Dipper that I was pleased with.
Next week we're off to Slimbridge, Google it, to see the birds there.
I must get around to doing some blog posts.
All the best.
Hi Dave Im happy to know your interest in birding is growing it really opens up so many other avenues. Yes the enlarging of the photos is because I host them in Flickr, it doesn't enlarge, if I uploaded via blogger it would open a larger version. I saw your mono pod post how cleaver!!
DeleteThis is great, Sondra! I love seeing the landscape you're working with with the abandoned house and barn and fields. That bluebird beating the worm is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteHi Jen I have searched that one old house for barn owls never have found one...but maybe if I checked closer to roost time. I saw like 15 bluebirds in that one field!
DeleteA good idea to section out the patch, I do the same thing with mine, it's much easier to note the birds. You have good patch number so far, it's just nice to get out and explore isn't it :)
ReplyDeleteIt sure is, and now Im becoming very familiar with what birds I should expect to see in what bush! It's becoming very intimate.
DeleteThe barn photo is pretty, and the filter worked beautifully. The cardinal and even the towhee sure didn’t need any enhancement to pop out though! Your five-mile patch is pretty darn wonderful. I wouldn’t find that much of interest (in that 5 mile parameter). Maybe birds in the spring when it’s not so crowded with people.
ReplyDeleteIf I had it to do over I'd shift my radius a little to the east to get in a few spots I enjoy visiting, but there is ONLY One hotspot with 5 miles of me and that is the way I set it up Im in the center and just barely got the hotspot in at 2.5 miles away. BUT If I put my home on the far eastern border I could have gotten in another lake, having the water helps increase my chances at more species. Yesterday I jumped up and down when I saw a brown headed cowbird..lol
DeleteThat’s funny (the cowbird)....I just assumed your house would have to be in the middle for some reason. I think I was also assuming you’d have to walk it (for the challenge).... so our eagle nest is less than five miles, but not to walk because the road is too busy and too narrow. I can’t do challenges anyway, because they stress me out , (((
ReplyDeleteI don't think it has to be in the center, but within the radius but it's not in stone so honestly I don't know..lol. Some are using bicycles but if they lived where I do they would end up on foot pushing the bikes through the sand or doa on the side of the road after a log truck side swiped them...I think if I lived in a concrete jungle biking would be just fine. I don't get stressed cause I'm not in it to win it....just for the fun of it.
DeleteIt does look like a great week of birding! And some very cute birds - I love the Towhees!
ReplyDeleteThank you Emma!
DeleteYour photography is fantastic, especially the landscapes! Good luck 5MRing this year!
ReplyDeleteHi Greg I know you are freezing up in Indiana this week..but hopefully its warming up some now. I have enjoyed looking at the results today as Jen posted them. Wonderful results so far.
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