Banded Mourning Dove
Sep 8, 2022 00:13:02 #
I've been getting up early lately and throwing seed around our front yard to attract birds. Trying to get a local group of crows comfortable enough with me to do a photo project of them.
I've had mixed success with that, however a lot of other birds nearly always show up for the free meal.
Top of the early arrivals are mourning doves, so much so that they've become common and I rarely photograph them.
So, on Tuesday morning the first couple of shots, just to check camera settings, were of a dove in the driveway where I hoped a crow would be later. Took two shots and didn't even think about this one or any of the multitude of other doves that were there. Took a hundred or so shots that morning and called it a day.
Tonight I ingested the card and started to edit the shoot. Deleted the first one and was about to do the same with the second when I happened to notice that the dove's left leg was banded. Probably wouldn't have even noticed that if the dove's pose hadn't been mid-step at the time.
BandedMourningDove06Sept2022 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
No prize winner, for sure, but I'm struck by the randomness of the event. Somebody somewhere at one time had this dove for a study or something, banded it, and released it. It showed up here out in the country in our driveway along with a multitude of others just like it, and my first test shot of the day was of it, and I didn't just automatically delete it tonight.
The serendipity of it is what intrigues me.
Marshall
I've had mixed success with that, however a lot of other birds nearly always show up for the free meal.
Top of the early arrivals are mourning doves, so much so that they've become common and I rarely photograph them.
So, on Tuesday morning the first couple of shots, just to check camera settings, were of a dove in the driveway where I hoped a crow would be later. Took two shots and didn't even think about this one or any of the multitude of other doves that were there. Took a hundred or so shots that morning and called it a day.
Tonight I ingested the card and started to edit the shoot. Deleted the first one and was about to do the same with the second when I happened to notice that the dove's left leg was banded. Probably wouldn't have even noticed that if the dove's pose hadn't been mid-step at the time.
BandedMourningDove06Sept2022 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrNo prize winner, for sure, but I'm struck by the randomness of the event. Somebody somewhere at one time had this dove for a study or something, banded it, and released it. It showed up here out in the country in our driveway along with a multitude of others just like it, and my first test shot of the day was of it, and I didn't just automatically delete it tonight.
The serendipity of it is what intrigues me.
Marshall
Sep 8, 2022 07:35:32 #
All or more that you want to know about Mourning Doves, along with banding by state.
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/MourningDovePopulationStatus21.pdf
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/MourningDovePopulationStatus21.pdf
Sep 8, 2022 09:03:53 #
Sep 8, 2022 11:33:12 #
[quote=cedymock]All or more that you want to know about Mourning Doves, along with banding by state.[unquote]
Thanks, cedymock, lots of good information at that site!
A commenter on our local fb birder group reminded me that mourning doves are game birds, "It may have been banded by the dept of natural resources. They are a game bird. When hunters shoot a banded bird they are supposed to report the band and harvest info. Which gives info on population numbers, lifespan, migration, etc."
Marshall
Thanks, cedymock, lots of good information at that site!
A commenter on our local fb birder group reminded me that mourning doves are game birds, "It may have been banded by the dept of natural resources. They are a game bird. When hunters shoot a banded bird they are supposed to report the band and harvest info. Which gives info on population numbers, lifespan, migration, etc."
Marshall
Sep 8, 2022 11:37:43 #
Sep 8, 2022 11:53:48 #
bluezzzzz wrote:
I've been getting up early lately and throwing see... (show quote)
Beautiful shot and specimen, Marshall 🌈🤍🌈🤍🌈
Sep 10, 2022 20:02:19 #
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