ON THE PROWL

Black-necked Stilts are among the most stately of the shorebirds, with long rose-pink legs, a long thin black bill, and elegant black-and-white plumage that make them unmistakable at a glance. When foraging, they can be observed walking slowly through wetlands in search of tiny aquatic prey. These birds are characterized as having the second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird, second only to the flamingo. The Black Necked stilt belongs to the same family as the American Avocet while residing in mainly warm climates in the west and south.

GREEN WITH ENVY

The Green Heron is relatively viewable in most regions of the United States while being more limited in the West. It can be spotted motionless near ponds, rivers and marshes while hunting for fish and amphibians.

THE COOLEST BIRD IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION

Today’s photo is from one of my many recent trips to Arizona. As I am unable to travel, it;’s a good time to reminisce. This is a photo of Gambel’s Quail, named in honor of William Gambel, a 19th-century naturalist and explorer of the Southwestern United States. These non-migratory birds are surprisingly fast and are a pleasure to watch. They are rarely seen in flight and spend most of their time on the ground scurrying around the desert.  These are monogamous birds which rarely breed in colonies. . The female chicks which are precocial, leaving the nest with their parents within hours of hatching.

SPIRAL LIGHTS

Today’s photo is another technique using a suspended pen light as it rotates around its axis The patterns created from the pen’s movements over a period of time can lead to some interesting and rather visually appealing results.

IT'S HAPPY HOUR SOMEWHERE

As another day goes by during lockdown, its time for another photo opportunity. I have always wanted to try photographing beverages and why not start with the proverbial wine bottle. I decided to purchase an inexpensive unknown brand rather than raiding my wife’s wine chiller as I was unsure how long this could take (ie. days?). After some trial and error, a series of photos were taken and composited in photoshop to create the final product. Sure, there are things that could be improved but overall I am quite satisfied for my first attempt. Unfortunately, this is not my beverage of choice so I will never know how it tastes.