Camera Critters #261

Spring in central Oregon is a wonderful time.  We don’t get as many migrant birds as most other great birding areas in the U.S., but we do get our fair share.

Although not necessarily a migrant, as it is seen in this are area during the winter on occasion, it is still nice to see this bird.


The Townsend’s Solitaire is a member of the same family as the Robin.  It often perches on tree tops.  It's an overall gray bird with a white eye-ring and white tail feathers.  You always know one is nearby when you hear its “pip” sounding call.

The bird also has a song very similar to that of the Robin.  Both the song and call can be heard at this URL.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #180

Several weeks ago, I walked the River Trail at Smith Rock State Park near Terrebonne, Oregon.  While there, I photographed a few things that looked good and something that was new.

I came across the following wasps on what could be American Wintercress having a great time pollen hunting.  As I looked at the critters, I realized there was some beauty in them…bluish wings and brown, hairy bodies, were something I didn’t remember seeing before. 

So I shot them.

 

It took me quite sometime to identify these wasps, but I do believe they are Scoliid wasps, possibly Scolia nobilitata.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #178

The American Robin is a resident where I live year round.  During the winter, the population grows to the millions.  Go to the Juniper badlands around here during that time of the year and you’ll most likely get tired of seeing Robins and another bird which gathers here in large numbers during the cold months…the Northern Flicker.

Recently, I walked the River Trail at Smith Rock State Park for about half its length (decided to turn around when thunderstorms began forming…don’t want to be in a canyon area when rains come).  The trail I took is highlighted in red on this page -- http://www.nwhiker.com/SmithRockHike.html 

It is a gorgeous hike and one I have made several times.

On this trip, I came across a lot of Robins…but not just any Robin, but juvenile Robins.  I don’t think I saw a mature Robin the entire hike.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #57

One of the most popular spots in central Oregon, is Smith Rock State Park, located about 10 miles north of Redmond. It's a favored spot for hikers and rock climbers, along with wildlife watchers.

I've gone to the park more times than I can remember. During the Spring, I have a special reason for going to there. I go to the park for what is on Monument Rock.

If you click on the image below (it may take a while to load on some connections) and look close, you'll see a Golden Eagle's nest on the wall. Draw a line to the right, from the spot where the sky meets the land on the left side. Near the center part of the rocks, you'll see the nest.

The best view of the nest is on the rimrock along the opposite side of the canyon from the nest. The nest is about a quarter mile away. When I visited the nest area Tuesday, I found a single adult on the nest. I waited around for the other to show, but it didn't while I was there.

Then Friday, I stopped by the area again, and this time I found an empty nest. Knowing the adults would not leave the nest for too long, I sat down on a basalt rock pillar and waited. Every once in a while, a Turkey Vulture or two would drift by and give me hopes of the eagles showing until I recognized what species I was looking at. Then, about 15 minutes after I sat down, I was opening my snack when from low below the nest, one of the adults swooped up and landed on the left side. I grabbed my camera and was in time to catch the second adult heading to the nest.

The eagle approaches the edge of the nest.

And lands with stretched wings.

Then both eagles stood on the nest. By this time, I had lowered my camera and was watching the nest with binoculars in an attempt to see what was going on. As I watched, the eagle on the left dropped into the nest and at the same time, the other dropped off the side of the nest and flew along the canyon walls for a short distance before gaining altitude and disappearing over the top on the opposite side.

I've been to the park many times to see the eagles coming and going. This was the first time I was actually able to see both birds go to the nest.

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Camera Critter Sunday No. 8

When I lived in a nice place west of town and set back about 400 feet from the road in Juniper badlands, we had deer constantly hanging around the house. Of course, we fed them Purina Deer Chow and we could go about our normal business and the deer wouldn't bolt...they'd just lay there chewing their cud watching what we did.

After moving out of that place, I thought I would never get close enough to a Mule Deer to get a good shot again. That is until June 19, 2007 and this week's Camera Critter Meme.

It was near 100 degrees that day and myself and a friend went to a nearby state park called Smith Rock. As we walked along the roadway heading towards some Golden Eagle nests, we came across this Mule Deer resting in the shade. She let me get as close as my lens would allow (I had a 70-300mm zoom on the camera) and didn't bat an eye. She stared at me almost the entire time...but I didn't want a staring contest photo. So I asked my friend to cough and when he did, she turned to look towards him and I got this shot.



Both my friend and I spent a few more minutes imaging this cooperative doe and then headed off for the nesting cliffs. When we returned, she was gone. But we did enjoy our short time together with her.

Oh...and the eagle nests were empty when we arrived.