Field Notes Update

Song Sparrow on a Frosty Morning /  by Todd Henson

Song Sparrow contemplating a piece of marsh grass

There are days when it’s cold out and I get lazy. I stay inside, nice and warm, drinking hot chocolate and having plenty to eat. But our little avian friends don’t often have that luxury. Regardless of how cold it is they still need to eat.

Portrait of a Song Sparrow on frosty marsh grass

A number of years ago I found myself hiking through a wetlands park on a morning when everything was covered by a thin layer of frost (I wasn’t lazy that morning). Cold or wet mornings can be very hit or miss when it comes to photographing birds. Though many birds do still need to forage, they often don’t come out in as large a number and they don’t stay out as long.

Song Sparrow pulling marsh grass on a frosty morning

But this morning I had the pleasure of watching a little Song Sparrow foraging through the marsh grass, pulling out pieces not covered in frost. It was very determined, and not very shy, provided I kept a comfortable distance. How far is comfortable depends on the bird and can vary over time. As a bird gets more comfortable with you it will frequently let you get a little closer. And some species just seem less afraid of people than others. But always pay attention to the behavior of the bird. If it starts paying too much attention to you, or startles too much as you move, or moves further away as you move closer, take that as a sign you may have gotten a little too close. Try to stay at a distance where the bird is comfortable with your presence. Not only will you get better images that show a relaxed bird doing what birds do, but you’ll also avoid overly stressing the bird. Putting too much stress on these little creatures can harm them in the long run.

Song Sparrow on frosty marsh grass

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Pair of Familiar Bluet Damselfly Mating /  by Todd Henson

Pair of Familiar Bluet Damselfly mating

Damselflies have a fascinating method of mating, as seen in this image of a mating pair of Familiar Bluet damselflies. The male damselfly is blue and the female is green. The male produces sperm in an organ near the end of its abdomen, on the underside. It then curls its abdomen and transfers the sperm to a secondary organ at the other end its abdomen, again on the underside, just behind the shoulder and wings (notice where the end of the female’s abdomen is attached to the male in the image).

After the male has attracted a female it clasps the female behind her head using claspers on the very end of its abdomen. The female curls her abdomen segments, attaching the rear of her abdomen to the male’s secondary organ where it deposited its sperm. They form an interesting patten when attached to one another. I’ve seen them perched this way on branches, as in the image, and I’ve also seen them sometimes fly together in tandem. It’s an amazing sight.

Later the female will remove her abdomen from the male and deposit her eggs somewhere, typically on submerged vegetation. The male usually continues to clasp the female while she deposits her eggs.

I love observing behaviors of various species in nature. There are such varied, and sometimes complex, behaviors out there, it never grows old, and there’s always more to see and more to learn. This is an example of why it’s important to re-visit the same locations throughout the year. You can observe different behaviors at different times.

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Great Egret - Field Notes Update /  by Todd Henson

Great Egret in flight against clear blue sky. Available for purchase.

A couple months ago I was fortunate enough to photograph a pair of Great Egrets in a wetlands park. One of the pair was displaying late-season breeding plumage, always a beautiful sight. Another photographer and I stood and watched this pair for perhaps half an hour or more. Both of us had hoped to capture some images of either of the pair fishing, but that didn’t happen this time.

Profile of Great Egret

Great Egret preening

Great Egret plumage

Great Egret eating a dragonfly

I did, however, capture an image of something I’d never seen before: a Great Egret catching and eating a dragonfly. I noticed the egret looking intently in a particular direction. All I could see in that direction was a dragonfly perched on a branch. I didn’t think the egret would notice a dragonfly, but sure enough, it stretched out its neck and snatched the dragonfly in it’s beak, munched it a couple times, then opened its beak and swallowed what was left.

I was also waiting to see if either egret would take flight. I love capturing images of birds in flight, and Great Egrets can be beautiful in flight. They have a large wingspan and usually fold up their neck, making it look much shorter than it is. I did manage to capture a few nice images when the egrets took flight. One image shows an egret against the water with a fallen tree in the background, and two others show the egret almost directly overhead against a clear blue sky. I love how the wings are backlit in these images, showing details of the features. Beautiful birds. I look forward to the next time I have the opportunity to photograph Great Egrets.

Great Egret flying low over wetlands pond

Great Egret flying almost directly overhead against clear blue sky

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