From Ron Kemp
This morning I went to the park with high hopes. After spending some time there and taking pictures of the usual birds I decided to take my wife's advice and took a long drive through the countryside. I drove for what seems like forever and saw nothing.Finally when had all but given up came across a bunch of Redpolls and was able to get some shots off. started to loop back towards home when thought saw what looked like a small bird in a tree( this happens often and in a lot of cases ends up being leafs that have not fallen or a wasp nest. I jokingly refer to these as tree birds. I also sometimes come across rock birds and shadow birds Lol).
When I pulled out the long lens I was surprised to see it actually was a bird. In fact for the second weekend in a row I have come across a lifer for me. Last weekend was an owl as well. Now for some reason after seeing it and believing it to be a Boreal owl I double checked in the Merlin App and it stated Northern saw whet Owl. As I have never seen either am at a loss and am going to go with Boreal, if I am wrong could someone correct me please.
It is indeed a beautiful Boreal!
I didn't know what a Redpoll was, but it's a type of finch that lives pretty fast up north. Here's a photo:
While I will always encourage you guys to experience live animals in person, the grumpiness in photos always makes me smile, but when it is literally me they are making that face at, that anger is pretty palpable! I don't think I've ever had a human give me such a hateful look as the Burrowing Owl that was so upset at me for catching it coming out of its burrow when it thought I had gone away, or some of the turtles I've helped cross the road.
The last turtle I helped gave me the meanest look I've ever seen anywhere in my life! It was the look of "My kind has existed for over 200 million years and survived multiple world extinction events. How dare you imply I cannot cross a simple street!" It was eons worth of pent up anger in that little turtle's face! 😅
It's still one of my favorite animal moments, despite it being a very one sided encounter. It's just an image so burned into my brain.
I find the annoyed looks more entertaining as well. As for turtles and roads its the pee im worried about.
Oh yes, it wasn't the angry turtle, but there was another one I came up on too quickly. Thankfully I was off to the side of it and avoided getting turtle sprayed as I got it up onto the other side of the road.
mine was a water and halfway across and sprayed like a fire hose the whole rest of the way.
The do have a deceptively large reserve of pee! 😅
I think I've gotten some animal stink-eyes before, but I can't recall what animal at the moment lol.
We are just newcomers to their world after all!
True!