Black Headed Grosbeak
Apr 29, 2022 19:37:11 #
These guys have come back to my yard in the last week or two. The females are probably somewhere around but they look so much like an over sized finch or sparrow I probably just haven't notice them yet.
Here is a mini lesson on how I get most of my pictures - in my case birds, insects, squirrels and the occasional lizard. I did get a tree rat once because it was hanging from the talons of a Cooper's Hawk that came by looking for lunch.
Being 76 with asthma and an RN wife who doesn't want me out and about much until Covid-19 goes away I have to bring the wildlife to me. So I have flower beds, potted plants, potted small trees, a bird bath, several water dishes and several feeders of different types with nectar, mixed bird seed and sunflower seeds. From time to time I rearrange the potted plants to vary my little potted jungle for the birds and to make the pictures look different. I also have a pop up blind I put in the yard so I get shots up close. I use FF and Crop Sensor bodies with a variety of lenses from 14mm to 600mm but for the birds I mostly use the longer lenses; Canon 70-300L, 100-400L (I have 1/4x extenders for both) and my Tamron 150-600 G2 (I have a 1.4x extender for it also.) The G2 is used on a tripod out the door of the family room or in the blind and the 100-400L I will use on the tripod or hand held & sometimes with a monopod. The 70-300L is hand held or with monopod. I also use a red dot mounted on the hot shoe to help acquire subjects faster or a flash with better beamer for fill flash or dim light. I do have a hot shoe splitter that allows use of the Red Dot and flash at the same time.
Here where I live in Corona, CA we have these birds during breeding season and on migration. They are one of the few birds that will eat Monarch Butterflies - going about 8 days between feeding on them to allow their body to process the toxins found in Monarchs (from milkweed). During breeding season their diet is 60% insects and 40% seeds, berries and fruits. Some times they will go for nectar if you have Oriole feeders with the larger holes.
They prefer a mixed type habitat like the edges of forests, parks with trees and open areas or neighborhoods with lots of trees, bushes and open lawns etc. At a feeder they go for the sunflower seeds and will hunt insects in the foliage and on the ground in the yard. If you have trees or bushes that have sheltered places for nests and a good water supply they may even nest in your yard.
Canon 80D, Tamron 150-600 G2 @ 600, 1/2000 @ f/6.3
from tripod at aprx. 50-55' 10:54AM 4-28-22 sunny with open sky and slightly backlit by the sun
Here is a mini lesson on how I get most of my pictures - in my case birds, insects, squirrels and the occasional lizard. I did get a tree rat once because it was hanging from the talons of a Cooper's Hawk that came by looking for lunch.
Being 76 with asthma and an RN wife who doesn't want me out and about much until Covid-19 goes away I have to bring the wildlife to me. So I have flower beds, potted plants, potted small trees, a bird bath, several water dishes and several feeders of different types with nectar, mixed bird seed and sunflower seeds. From time to time I rearrange the potted plants to vary my little potted jungle for the birds and to make the pictures look different. I also have a pop up blind I put in the yard so I get shots up close. I use FF and Crop Sensor bodies with a variety of lenses from 14mm to 600mm but for the birds I mostly use the longer lenses; Canon 70-300L, 100-400L (I have 1/4x extenders for both) and my Tamron 150-600 G2 (I have a 1.4x extender for it also.) The G2 is used on a tripod out the door of the family room or in the blind and the 100-400L I will use on the tripod or hand held & sometimes with a monopod. The 70-300L is hand held or with monopod. I also use a red dot mounted on the hot shoe to help acquire subjects faster or a flash with better beamer for fill flash or dim light. I do have a hot shoe splitter that allows use of the Red Dot and flash at the same time.
Here where I live in Corona, CA we have these birds during breeding season and on migration. They are one of the few birds that will eat Monarch Butterflies - going about 8 days between feeding on them to allow their body to process the toxins found in Monarchs (from milkweed). During breeding season their diet is 60% insects and 40% seeds, berries and fruits. Some times they will go for nectar if you have Oriole feeders with the larger holes.
They prefer a mixed type habitat like the edges of forests, parks with trees and open areas or neighborhoods with lots of trees, bushes and open lawns etc. At a feeder they go for the sunflower seeds and will hunt insects in the foliage and on the ground in the yard. If you have trees or bushes that have sheltered places for nests and a good water supply they may even nest in your yard.
Canon 80D, Tamron 150-600 G2 @ 600, 1/2000 @ f/6.3
from tripod at aprx. 50-55' 10:54AM 4-28-22 sunny with open sky and slightly backlit by the sun
Apr 29, 2022 22:11:24 #
Apr 29, 2022 22:12:54 #
Apr 29, 2022 23:15:47 #
Apr 29, 2022 23:16:02 #
Apr 30, 2022 06:30:16 #
Apr 30, 2022 10:33:50 #
What a beautiful bird and a lovely photo of it. I don't think I have ever seen that bird in the Santa Barbara area. Maybe one day.
Dennis
Dennis
Apr 30, 2022 14:11:34 #
Apr 30, 2022 14:16:51 #
dennis2146 wrote:
What a beautiful bird and a lovely photo of it. I don't think I have ever seen that bird in the Santa Barbara area. Maybe one day.
Dennis
Dennis
Thank You
Just like me in Corona (western Riverside County) you are in their breeding zone and it is that time of year for them to arrive or pass through, mate, raise young and then next fall they will head south again.
I you work your way through this it will tell you what kinds of places they hang out in and what they eat to help figure out where to find them if they don't show up in your yard.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-headed_Grosbeak/overview
May 1, 2022 00:15:25 #
robertjerl wrote:
Thank You
Just like me in Corona (western Riverside County) you are in their breeding zone and it is that time of year for them to arrive or pass through, mate, raise young and then next fall they will head south again.
I you work your way through this it will tell you what kinds of places they hang out in and what they eat to help figure out where to find them if they don't show up in your yard.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-headed_Grosbeak/overview
Just like me in Corona (western Riverside County) you are in their breeding zone and it is that time of year for them to arrive or pass through, mate, raise young and then next fall they will head south again.
I you work your way through this it will tell you what kinds of places they hang out in and what they eat to help figure out where to find them if they don't show up in your yard.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-headed_Grosbeak/overview
Thanks,
Dennis
May 1, 2022 03:03:40 #
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