Wednesday of this week Funningforrest posted a Daily Bucket displaying a parade of fine photos and including sightings over the past year. Since my Swallows left I’ve been pining away for lack of exciting new things to photograph, but not finding anything. Keeping track of BirdCast migration maps has been encouraging but so far unproductive in my area. That caused me to take a little trip back through my year behind the lens, and that led to look even further back. What I found was a renewed fondness for some of the things I have seen and photographed. I decided to follow his lead and post some of my favorites. If you don’t like it, blame Funning! LOL
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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Flint Hills of Kansas
I sighted my first Scissor Tail early spring 2021. They quickly became one of my favorite birds.
It wasn’t long after that I began to see a lot of them. I even witnessed a competition between 3 males vying for the favor of a female. I’m positive her name had to be Raquel. That was exciting but the real excitement happened later. After watching them hunt insects and learning some of their tendencies I happened onto a mated couple who displayed what I deemed to be a dancing ritual. The photos I captured of that display turned into one of my favorite sequences.
Perching on barbed wire fence is a common behavioral trait for Scissor Tails. They also frequently perch on power lines. The game they play is to keep moving farther down the line if you approach too close for their comfort. They will keep doing that until you stop advancing, or until they tire of the process and simply fly away across the prairie. I give them enough room that they do not become alarmed to the point of flying away, but they certainly put on a most interesting flying demonstration. I liken it to avian prairie ballet.
Later in the season I chanced upon one of my favorite Red Tail hawks perched on a pole minding his own business. I suspected it was my sudden intrusion that stirred him from his perch. Regardless the reason I prepared to catch a photo of him flying. This began what would be another of my favorite sequences.
As I worked to keep him in my frame I noticed there appeared to be another bird at close quarters.
As fall began to arrive I got a couple of fence perched shots to close out the season.
Scissor Tails were numerous along the Wagon Trail in 2021. That did not turn out to be the case this year, but I did encounter a few pairs along Wagon Trail West and adjoining country roads.
As summer waned and fall approached I was excited to welcome a pair that visited right here at Appy Trails. Their visit lasted 3 days. Then they moved on for to a winter location. They seemed to like our pond and pastures and the easy meals to be had in the corral. I hope they return next year to spend the spring and summer with us.
The treetop scouting was prelude to the visit finale, so this photo is the finale for the last section section of our Friday Sequence. Now it’s time for our coup degras comment section to provide the finish with a flourish.