Birding In Absentia

Remember last year's experiment with the portable bird perch?

Well, I had the opportunity to try it a couple more times during this summer's visits to the Mono Basin survey site.

But instead of the trusty 6 megapixel Sony s600, I kicked up the quality, and tested a new trap in my kit that uses a 16 megapixel Sony HC70.

And while the short 2-day sets didn't allow much time for birds to find the perch, those few that did took to it quite readily and happily.

The first time out, a Sage Thrasher was the only bird to find it. But the thrasher enjoyed the preening post, both before and after bathing in the pond.





Neat bird with great character, the Sage Thrasher. But it reminds me more of its Mimidae cousin the Northern Mockingbird over a full-beaked thrasher, such as California or Le Conte's.



I think Sibley calls this plumage out as a "very worn adult."

I know how that feels some times, my thrasher friend.



This past week I was able to get to Mono and put the rig out again for a couple of days.

And 2 more species joined the show.

A Say's Phoebe spotted the new fixture right away, and set up shop exterminating insects.









Say's, while common, are also a California character I adore. A bold bird with a big personality.



The last bird to use the post was a lazy Mourning Dove that dropped in for an 11am nap. Must have been a tough mourning. ;)







But while going through all the photos, I found that sometimes animals in the background also triggered the camera trap.

Such as jackrabbits.





Which caused me to look again at all the "misses" showing nothing on the post or branch.

Allowing me to catch this fun pair of pics. The first I'd have never noticed if I hadn't spotted the second. Which, while far away, clearly shows an Osprey taking a trout off the pond. And thus the first shows the bird in the water on the fish. Its dive and splash triggered the cam.





Tooooo cool. Sure hope ole Osprey lands on my portable perch one of these days.

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References:

• Nature of a Man (this blog) - I'm on a Perch!
• eBird.org - California eBird
• David Allen Sibley - The Sibley Guide to Birds 
• Wikipedia - Sage Thrasher
• Wikipedia - Mimidae
• Wikipedia - Say's Phoebe
• Wikipedia - Mourning Dove
• Wikipedia - Osprey

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