Casually Shooting Birds

We’re not serious bird watchers, but like almost everyone we find the vanity and character of these creatures fascinating and can’t pass up the opportunity to photograph them. Traveling the world and experiencing them in different environments just adds a new dimension to our travels…

This toucan was always around near our Amazon camp in Ecuador. Turns out the staff regularly fed it to keep it near.

So far this is my favorite. The lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) shot in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Below left to right:Darwin’s thrasher(?) in the Galapagos. A bluefaced honeyeater in Australia’s Blue Mountains. Red crested cardinal in Hawaii. Steller’s jay, Alaska. A black crested jay in the Argentine Amazon.

At right – Cockatoos in Australia’s Blue Mountains .

This barred owl was a common sight near our home. It would hang out near a walking trail and seemed to enjoy swooping down near people and startling them.

It and I developed a relationship – I’d hoot and it would hoot back every time we walked on the trail.

A Quick Bird Story

I had aunts that were serious birders all their lives. They would catch a flight to go a thousand miles because of a specific bird sighting. Once when they were visiting us in South Florida I mentioned that there had been a recent visitor at our backyard bird feeder that was particularly beautiful and I showed them a photograph. It turned out to be a painted bunting and they were furious. It was a bbird that had evaded them their whole lives!